Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial1234

Background: Recent evidence has indicated that flavanol consumption may have many health benefits in humans, including improved cognitive activities. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effect of flavanol consumption on cognitive performance in cognitively intact elderly subjects. Design: This was a double-blind, controlled, parallel-arm study conducted in 90 elderly individuals without clinical evidence of cognitive dysfunction who were randomly assigned to consume daily for 8 wk a drink containing 993 mg [high flavanol (HF)], 520 mg [intermediate flavanol (IF)], or 48 mg [low flavanol (LF)] cocoa flavanols (CFs). Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and after 8 wk by using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, and the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT). Results: The changes in MMSE score in response to the 3 different treatments were not different. In contrast, there was a positive impact of the intervention on specific aspects of cognitive function. Mean changes (±SEs) in the time required to complete the TMT A and B after consumption of the HF (−8.6 ± 0.4 and −16.5 ± 0.8 s, respectively) and IF (−6.7 ± 0.5 and −14.2 ± 0.5 s, respectively) drinks significantly (P < 0.0001) differed from that after consumption of the LF drinks (−0.8 ± 1.6 and −1.1 ± 0.7 s, respectively). Similarly, VFT scores significantly improved among all treatment groups, but the magnitude of improvement in the VFT score was significantly (P < 0.0001) greater in the HF group (7.7 ± 1.1 words/60 s) than in the IF (3.6 ± 1.2 words/60 s) and LF (1.3 ± 0.5 words/60 s) groups. Significantly different improvements in insulin resistance (P < 0.0001), blood pressure (P < 0.0001), and lipid peroxidation (P = 0.001) were also observed for the HF and IF groups in comparison with the LF group. Changes in insulin resistance explained ∼17% of changes in composite z score (partial r2 = 0.1703, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: This dietary intervention study provides evidence that regular CF consumption can reduce some measures of age-related cognitive dysfunction, possibly through an improvement in insulin sensitivity. These data suggest that the habitual intake of flavanols can support healthy cognitive function with age. This trial was registered at www.controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN68970511.
A practical approach to using Multiple-Race response data: A bridging method for publicuse microdata

Revised federal policies require that multiple-race responses be allowed in all federal data collection efforts, but many researchers find the multitude of race categories and variables very dif cult to use. Important comparability issues also interfere with using multiple-race data in analyses of multiple data sets and/or several points in time. These difficulties have, in effect, discouraged the use of the new data on race. We present a practical method for incorporating multiple-race respondents into analyses that use public-use microdata. Our method is a modification of the regression method developed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which uses multiple-race respondents’ specific combination of races, as well as other individual-level and contextual characteristics, to predict the respondents’ preferred single race. In this paper we (1) apply the NCHS-generated regression coefficients to public-use microdata with limited geographic information; and (2) provide a downloadable computer program with which researchers can apply this practical and preferable method for including multiple-race respondents in a wide variety of analyses.
Biomimetic Membranes for Multi-Redox Center Proteins

His-tag technology was applied for biosensing purposes involving multi-redox center proteins (MRPs). An overview is presented on various surfaces ranging from flat to spherical and modified with linker molecules with nitrile-tri-acetic acid (NTA) terminal groups to bind his-tagged proteins in a strict orientation. The bound proteins are submitted to in situ dialysis in the presence of lipid micelles to form a so-called protein-tethered bilayer lipid membrane (ptBLM). MRPs, such as the cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) from R. sphaeroides and P. denitrificans, as well as photosynthetic reactions centers (RCs) from R. sphaeroides, were thus investigated. Electrochemical and surface-sensitive optical techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance, surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence, surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) and surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS), were employed in the case of the ptBLM structure on flat surfaces. Spherical particles ranging from µm size agarose gel beads to nm size nanoparticles modified in a similar fashion were called proteo-lipobeads (PLBs). The particles were investigated by laser-scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy (LSM) and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Electron and proton transfer through the proteins were demonstrated to take place, which was strongly affected by the membrane potential. MRPs can thus be used for biosensing purposes under quasi-physiological conditions.
9p21 and the genetic revolution for coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND It has long been recognized that 50% of the susceptibility for coronary artery disease (CAD) is due to predisposing genetic factors. Comprehensive prevention is likely to require knowledge of these genetic factors. CONTENT Using a genomewide association study (GWAS), the Ottawa Heart Genomic Study and the deCODE group simultaneously identified the first genetic risk variant, at chromosome 9p21. The 9p21 variant became the first risk factor to be identified since 1964. 9p21 occurs in 75% of the population except for African Americans and is associated with a 25% increased risk for CAD with 1 copy and a 50% increased risk with 2 copies. Perhaps the most remarkable finding is that 9p21 is independent of all known risk factors, indicating there are factors contributing to the pathogenesis of CAD that are yet unknown. 9p21 in individuals with premature CAD is associated with a 2-fold increase in risk, similar to that of smoking and cholesterol. Routine genetic testing will probably remain controversial until a specific treatment is developed. Over a period of 5 years, however, GWASs have identified 30 genetic variants for CAD risk, of which only 6 act through the known risk factors. SUMMARY The 9p21 variant has now been established as an independent risk factor for CAD and, along with the additional 29 risk genetic variants recently identified, is likely to provide the thrust for genetic testing and personalized medicine in the near future.
STRUCTURAL VERSUS REDUCED FORM MODELS: A NEW INFORMATION BASED PERSPECTIVE

This paper compares structural versus reduced form credit risk models from an information based perspective. We show that the difference between these two model types can be characterized in terms of the information assumed known by the modeler. Structural models assume that the modeler has the same information set as the firm's manager - complete knowledge of all the firm's assets and liabilities. In most situations, this knowledge leads to predictable default time. In contracts, reduced form models assume that the modeler has the same information set as the market - incomplete knowledge of the firm's condition. In most cases, the imperfect knowledge leads to an inaccessible default time. As such, we argue that the key distinction between structural and reduced form models is not whether the default is predictable or inaccessible, but whether the information set is observed by the market or not. Consequently, for pricing and hedging, reduced form models are the preferred methodology.
Sprinting performance on the Woodway Curve 3.0TM is related to muscle architecture

Abstract To determine if unilateral measures of muscle architecture in the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) were related to (and predictive of) sprinting speed and unilateral (and bilateral) force (FRC) and power (POW) during a 30 s maximal sprint on the Woodway Curve 3.0TM non-motorized treadmill (TM). Twenty-eight healthy, physically active men (n = 14) and women (n = 14) (age = 22.9 ± 2.4 years; body mass = 77.1 ± 16.2 kg; height = 171.6 ± 11.2 cm; body-fa t = 19.4 ± 8.1%) completed one familiarization and one 30-s maximal sprint on the TM to obtain maximal sprinting speed, POW and FRC. Muscle thickness (MT), cross-sectional area (CSA) and echo intensity (ECHO) of the RF and VL in the dominant (DOM; determined by unilateral sprinting power) and non-dominant (ND) legs were measured via ultrasound. Pearson correlations indicated several significant (p < 0.05) relationships between sprinting performance [POW (peak, DOM and ND), FRC (peak, DOM, ND) and sprinting time] and muscle architecture. Stepwise regression indicated that POWDOM was predictive of ipsilateral RF (MT and CSA) and VL (CSA and ECHO), while POWND was predictive of ipsilateral RF (MT and CSA) and VL (CSA); sprinting power/force asymmetry was not predictive of architecture asymmetry. Sprinting time was best predicted by peak power and peak force, though muscle quality (ECHO) and the bilateral percent difference in VL (CSA) were strong architectural predictors. Muscle architecture is related to (and predictive of) TM sprinting performance, while unilateral POW is predictive of ipsilateral architecture. However, the extent to which architecture and other factors (i.e. neuromuscular control and sprinting technique) affect TM performance remains unknown.
Supplementary Material to A PAC-Bayesian Approach for Domain Adaptation with Specialization to Linear Classiﬁers

In this document, Section 1 contains some lemmas used in subsequent proofs, Section 2 presents an extended proof of the bound on the domain disagreement disρ(DS , DT ) (Theorem 3 of the main paper), Section 3 introduces other PAC-Bayesian bounds for disρ(DS , DT ) and RPT (Gρ), Section 4 shows equations and implementation details about PBDA (our proposed learning algorithm for PAC-Bayesian DA tasks).
Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein Controls Cardiac Hypertrophy Through Regulation of Thioredoxin Activity

Background—Although cellular redox balance plays an important role in mechanically induced cardiac hypertrophy, the mechanisms of regulation are incompletely defined. Because thioredoxin is a major intracellular antioxidant and can also regulate redox-dependent transcription, we explored the role of thioredoxin activity in mechanically overloaded cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo. Methods and Results—Overexpression of thioredoxin induced protein synthesis in cardiomyocytes (127±5% of controls, P < 0.01). Overexpression of thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip), an endogenous thioredoxin inhibitor, reduced protein synthesis in response to mechanical strain (89±5% reduction, P < 0.01), phenylephrine (80±3% reduction, P < 0.01), or angiotensin II (80±4% reduction, P < 0.01). In vivo, myocardial thioredoxin activity increased 3.5-fold compared with sham controls after transverse aortic constriction (P < 0.01). Aortic constriction did not change thioredoxin expression but reduced Txnip expression by 40% (P < 0.05). Gene transfer studies showed that cells that overexpress Txnip develop less hypertrophy after aortic constriction than control cells in the same animals (28.1±5.2% reduction versus noninfected cells, P < 0.01). Conclusions—Thus, even though thioredoxin is an antioxidant, activation of thioredoxin participates in the development of pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy, demonstrating the dual function of thioredoxin as both an antioxidant and a signaling protein. These results also support the emerging concept that the thioredoxin inhibitor Txnip is a critical regulator of biomechanical signaling.
Childhood bacterial meningitis.

may be of interest to measure FDP concentrations in the CSF of patients with meningitis to observe whether there Sir: A recent report described several is a correlation between high or increasing cases of childhood bacterial meningitis levels of FDP and the onset of compliwith complications. ' In this series, the levels such as the infa con. incidence of cerebral infarction was highRHch rc and factors possibly implicated in the . r LYE
Differential Evolution Algorithm with Diversified Vicinity Operator for Optimal Routing and Clustering of Energy Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks

Due to large dimension of clusters and increasing size of sensor nodes, finding the optimal route and cluster for large wireless sensor networks (WSN) seems to be highly complex and cumbersome. This paper proposes a new method to determine a reasonably better solution of the clustering and routing problem with the highest concern of efficient energy consumption of the sensor nodes for extending network life time. The proposed method is based on the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm with an improvised search operator called Diversified Vicinity Procedure (DVP), which models a trade-off between energy consumption of the cluster heads and delay in forwarding the data packets. The obtained route using the proposed method from all the gateways to the base station is comparatively lesser in overall distance with less number of data forwards. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method in managing energy consumption of the WSN and the results are compared with the other algorithms reported in the literature.
Influence o f Ant igen Dose and Cost imulat ion on the Primary Response o f CD 8 + T Cells in Vitro By

The influence of costimulation on the primary response of CD8 + T cells to class I alloantigens was studied with the aid of a T cell receptor transgenic model and defined peptides as antigen. With small doses of antigen, the proliferative response of CD8 + cells was high early in culture but was of brief duration and declined to low levels by day 4; this abbreviated response was associated with limited production ofinterleukin 2 (IL-2) and was strongly dependent upon costimulation via CD8-major histocompatibility complex class I and CD28-B7 interactions. The response to large doses of antigen was quite different in two respects. First, large doses of antigen inhibited the early (day 3) proliferative response but caused a marked elevation of the response late in culture (day 5); these altered kinetics were associated with increased production of IL-2. Second, the initial proliferative response to large doses of antigen did not require costimulation: indeed, blocking costimulation with CTLA4Ig or anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody enhanced the early proliferative response. However, blocking costimulation impaired IL-2 production and prevented the late proliferative response. These findings indicate that the requirement for costimulation o f T cells can be partly overcome by increasing the dose of antigen to a high level. However, costimulation plays a key role in prolonging the response, presumably by triggering strong and sustained production of IL-2.
Towards Embedded Robot Vision for Multi-scale Object Recognition - Repeatability of Interest Points Detected in Half-octave Binomial Pyramids

The construction of multi-scale image pyramids is used in state-of-the-art methods that perform robust object recognition, such as SIFT and SURF. However, building such image pyramids is computationally expensive, especially when implementations in embedded systems with limited computing resources are considered. Therefore, the use of alternative less expensive approaches are necessary if near real-time operation is desired. Previous work has reported that using binomial filters to construct half-octave multi-scale pyramids consumes only 1/4 of the processing time of the Gaussian pyramid originally used in the SIFT framework. Here we investigate how interest points detected using the binomial approach behave when compared to the Gaussian approach, focusing on repeatability. Experimental results show that in average up to 86% of interest points detected with the original SIFT pyramid building scheme are also detected when using the binomial method, despite of large gains in processing time. When rotation of image features is considered, experimental results demonstrate that slightly superior repeatability of interest points is achieved using the binomial pyramid.
Validation of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL-36) US Spanish and English versions in a cohort of Hispanics with chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the reliability and validity of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL-36) in Hispanics with mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD). DESIGN Cross-sectional SETTING Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study PARTICIPANTS 420 Hispanic (150 English- and 270 Spanish-speakers), and 409 non-Hispanic White individuals, matched by age (mean 57 years), sex (60% male), kidney function (mean estimated glomerular filtration rate 36ml/min/1.73m2), and diabetes (70%). METHODS To measure construct validity, we selected instruments, comorbidities, and laboratory tests related to at least one KDQOL-36 subscale. Reliability was determined by calculating Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS Reliability of each KDQOL-36 subscale [SF-12 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS), Symptoms/Problems, Burden of Kidney Disease and Effects of Kidney Disease] was very good (Cronbach's alpha >0.8). Construct validity was supported by expected negative correlation between MCS scores and the Beck Depression Inventory in all three subgroups (r=-0.56 to -0.61, P<.0001). There was inverse correlation between the Symptoms/ Problems subscale and the Patient Symptom Form (r= -0.70 to -0.77, P<.0001). We also found significant, positive correlation between the PCS score and a physical activity survey (r=+0.29 to +0.38, P< or =.003); and between the PCS and MCS scores and the Kansas City Questionnaire (r= +0.31 to +0.64, P<.0001). Reliability and validity were similar across all racial/ethnic groups analyzed separately. CONCLUSION Our findings support the use of the KDQOL-36 as a measure of HRQOL in this cohort of US Hispanics with CKD.
Legitimate Distinctiveness, Historical Bricolage, and the Fortune of the Commons

This article analyzes how organizations discursively construe legitimate distinctiveness (LD) by using their own corporate stories in recombination with historical narratives about commons (i.e., cultural, social, or natural resources available in a local community). Specifically, through the study of 55 rural hotels active in Segovia (Castilla y León, Spain), we theorize about how organizations build LD through a different process than the one explained by previous studies: a process of historical bricolage. Two recursive mechanisms constitute this process—namely the appropriation and preservation of historical narratives about natural (e.g., forests, animals), social (e.g., recipes, movies), or cultural (e.g., heritage, kings) commons. This process contributes to current studies because it explains how organizations build LD through the strategic use of history, the preservation rather than the mere appropriation of collective narratives, and finally the production of stories that integrate the organizational and collective selves.
The association between life adversity and depression in older adult life

This in-depth investigation into the nature and prevalence of adversity within late life involved a two phased study, employing questionnaire and interview measures with a mixed methods analysis. The larger (n=960) PHQ-9 and LTE-Q study showed depression prevalence of 12% in older adults, who most commonly experienced adversity involving health and bereavement. Depressed participants reported significantly more recent adversity, a finding observed particularly in the early stages of older adult life and amongst women. Logistic regression showed adversity to be a significant predictor of depression, accounting for 1.8% of the variance in depression. The smaller (n=19) LEDS study showed a significant prevalence of low threat difficulties across the sample, who also reported health, relationships and bereavement to be the most commonly experienced. Depressed participants were shown to report higher rates of marked difficulties and lower social emotional support than non-depressed participants, which may play a key role in the maintenance of late-life depression. Although the LTE-Q was shown to be a crude measure, only capturing a portion of LEDS measured adversity, the general pattern of life event characteristics maps well onto the LEDS data. This was mirrored in the qualitative accounts of older adults who preferred the LEDS and considered it to capture adversity in depth. Thematic analysis revealed themes around ‘self-redefinition,’ ‘being immortal,’ and ‘leaving in peace’ were pertinent to both adversity and coping in late life, which were experienced differently by depressed participants as ‘powerless in the face of reality,’ ‘threats to immortality’ and ‘leaving in disharmony. ’ Further investigations are required to determine how adversity contributes to depressive experience in the elderly, in particular examining the roles of marked difficulties and social emotional support. Suggestions are made for psychological interventions to consider the social contexts of older adults, while facilitating the coping processes highlighted in the qualitative analysis.
From places to paths: Learning for Sustainability, teacher education and a philosophy of becoming

The purpose of this paper is to explore what thinking with a philosophy of ‘becoming’ might produce in terms of conceptualising Learning for Sustainability (LfS), a recent development in Scottish educational policy. The paper posits that animism and the immanent materiality of a philosophy of becoming have important ramifications for contemporary approaches to sustainability education. ‘Becoming’ is described and its relationship to prevailing ‘systemic’ approaches to sustainability education explained. LfS is then described and conceptualised with a philosophy of becoming by examining its implications for Education for Global Citizenship and Outdoor Learning. The concepts of communication as expression; the subject undone (as haecceity); the distinction of ‘nature’ as ‘other’; and the centrality of a storied world are discussed as important elements of LfS becoming. Lastly, teaching materials and interviews with two initial teacher educators help create a rhizomatic assemblage of teacher education practice and LfS as becoming. This assemblage creates lines of flight for considering practice, including making explicit the expressivity of communication in course descriptor/teaching/learning relationships; highlighting the place/becoming assemblages of ‘indoor’ and ‘outdoor’ learning environments; and storying the world with learners through haecceity description/experimentation.
Health Center Comprehensive Diabetes Management Program for Poorly Controlled Hispanic Type 2 Patients at a Community

rom the Department of ehavioral Medicine esearch aystate Health ystems pringfield Massachusetts Dr Welch Dr agarins illiam Connell chool of ursing oston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts Dr llen Dr tamp Telehealth esearch nstitute ohn A. urns chool of Medicine niversity of Haaii at Manoa Dr ursell and stenda olutions nc Conshohocen Pennsylvania Mr ediora Correspondence to arry Welch PhD ehavioral Medicine esearch aystate Health ystems 1 High treet oom 21 pringfield M 11 garryelchbaystatehealthorgAcknowledgments: We than Paula antiagoelley, oraida odrigue D and ane arb M for their contributions to this study.unding ource This study as funded by aystate Medical Center cademic ffairs nternal esearch rant MC PD 1111211112 211 The uthors