Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chronic effects of carotid sinus denervation, cervical vagotomy and aortic depressor nerve section on aldosterone and sodium excretion.

Carotid sinus denervation in dogs and aortic depressor nerve section in rabbits were without effect on urinary aldosterone and sodium (Na) excretion. Also, adrenal vein aldosterone output following both acute and chronic carotid sinus denervation was unaltered. Constriction of the thoracic inferior vena cava in dogs with carotid sinus denervation resulted in hyperaldosteronuria, marked Na retention and ascites, a response in no way different from that occurring in intact dogs. Subsequent unilateral cervical vagotomy had no detectable influence on the hyperaldosteronism and Na retention. Section of the remaining vagus resulted in a slight increase in Na excretion, but Na balance remained positive and ascites continued to accumulate. Since the increase in Na excretion was meager and the continued high rate of aldosterone output occurred in two of three dogs, it seems unlikely that the vagus constitutes an appreciable part of an afferent nervous limb. The data offer no support for the concept that receptors .
PROPERTIES OF THE OPEN CLUSTER TOMBAUGH 1 FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY AND uvbyCaHβ PHOTOMETRY

Open clusters can be the key to deepening our knowledge on various issues involving the structure and evolution of the Galactic disk and details of stellar evolution because a cluster’s properties are applicable to all its members. However, the number of open clusters with detailed analysis from high-resolution spectroscopy or precision photometry imposes severe limitations on studies of these objects. To expand the number of open clusters with well-defined chemical abundances and fundamental parameters, we investigate the poorly studied, anticenter open cluster Tombaugh 1. Using precision uvbyCaHβ photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy, we derive the cluster’s reddening, obtain photometric metallicity estimates, and, for the first time, present a detailed abundance analysis of 10 potential cluster stars (nine clump stars and one Cepheid). Using the radial position from the cluster center and multiple color indices, we have isolated a sample of unevolved, probable single-star members of Tombaugh 1. From 51 stars, the cluster reddening is found to be E ( b − y ) ? > = 0.221 ± 0.006 or E ( B − V ) ? > = 0.303 ± 0.008, where the errors refer to the internal standard errors of the mean. The weighted photometric metallicity from m1 and hk is [Fe/H] = −0.10 ± 0.02, while a match to the Victoria-Regina Strömgren isochrones leads to an age of 0.95 ± 0.10 Gyr and an apparent modulus of ( m − M ) ? > = 13.10 ± 0.10. Radial velocities identify six giants as probable cluster members, and the elemental abundances of Fe, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni, Y, Ba, Ce, and Nd have been derived for both the cluster and the field stars. Tombaugh 1 appears to be a typical inner thin disk, intermediate-age open cluster of slightly subsolar metallicity, located just beyond the solar circle, with solar elemental abundance ratios except for the heavy s-process elements, which are a factor of two above solar. Its metallicity is consistent with a steep metallicity gradient in the galactocentric region between 9.5 and 12 kpc. Our study also shows that Cepheid XZ CMa is not a member of Tombaugh 1 and reveals that this Cepheid presents signs of barium enrichment, making it a probable binary star.
Homocysteine lowering for stroke prevention: Unravelling the complexity of the evidence

Elevated levels of total homocysteine impair endothelial dysfunction and increase thrombosis. Homocysteine is causal in animal models, and in human studies, elevated total homocysteine is significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis, lacunar infarction, and markedly increased risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Because two of the early large trials of B vitamin therapy (Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention and the Norwegian Vitamin Study) did not show any reduction of stroke, and the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial was mistakenly interpreted as not showing a reduction of stroke (because the authors could not think of a biological difference between stroke and myocardial infarction), there has been widespread pessimism regarding treatment to lower total homocysteine for stroke prevention. However, the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial, the French trial of folic acid and omega three oils, the Vitamins to Prevent Stroke subgroup excluding antiplatelet therapy all showed a significant reduction of stroke. Reasons why the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention trial were negative included folate fortification in North America, provision of injections of B12 to patients with low baseline serum B12, and as it turns out, harm from cyanide in cyanocobalamin among participants with impaired renal function. In the Diabetic Intervention with Vitamins in Nephropathy trial, B vitamins including cyanocobalamin were harmful, and in a Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention subgroup excluding participants who received B12 injections and those with impaired renal function, there was a statistically significant reduction of stroke/myocardial infarction/vascular death. In 2015, the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT), in over 20,000 participants followed for 5 years, showed a significant reduction of stroke with folic acid in a setting where folate fortification has not been implemented. In the setting of folate fortification, the main causes of elevated total homocysteine are renal failure and metabolic B12 deficiency; the latter is very common among stroke patients (30% over age 71), and frequently missed. Serum B12 and total homocysteine should be checked routinely in stroke patients and elevated total homocysteine should be treated.
ESCAPE FROM VELA X

While the Vela pulsar and its associated nebula are often considered as the archetype of a system powered by a ∼104 year old isolated neutron star, many features of the spectral energy distribution of this pulsar wind nebula (PWN) are both puzzling and unusual. Here we develop a model that for the first time relates the main structures in the system, the extended radio nebula (ERN) and the X-ray cocoon through continuous injection of particles with a fixed spectral shape. We argue that diffusive escape of particles from the ERN can explain the steep Fermi-LAT spectrum. In this scenario Vela X should produce a distinct feature in the locally measured cosmic ray (CR) electron spectrum at very high energies. This prediction can be tested in the future using the Cherenkov Telescope Array. If particles are indeed released early in the evolution of PWNe and can avoid severe adiabatic losses, PWN provides a natural explanation for the rising positron fraction in the local CR spectrum.
Lumbopelvic parameters and the extent of lumbar fusion

Background: Following lumbar fusion, sacroiliac (SI) joint pain has been regarded as a form of adjacent segment disease. Prior studies suggest increased stress to the SI joint and pelvis with lumbar fusion. Limited studies have evaluated the relationship between the extent of lumbar fusion and its potential influence on lumbopelvic parameters, which may provide the insights to persistent back pain. Methods: Three hundred fifty-five patients underwent lumbar fusions at our institution between fall 2010 and winter 2012; 80 patients met criteria for the study. Inclusion criteria included appropriate imaging available (preoperative and postoperative lateral films), follow-up >1-year, fusion where the rostral extent was up to L1 and the caudal extent was at most S1. Exclusion criteria included prior lumbar fusion, history of SI joint syndrome, follow-up <1-year, fusion involving thoracic levels, and inadequate films (inability to visualize appropriate anatomy). The patients were divided into groups based on the extent of fusion. The patients were evaluated based on age, sex, diagnosis, lumbar lordosis, pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, and sacral slope. The preoperative values were compared among the groups, the postoperative values were compared among the groups, and the pre- and post-operative values were compared within each group. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between pre- and post-operative lumbopelvic parameters within each fusion group. Conclusion: The results imply that the extent of instrumentation, including the involvement of the sacrum, may not alter lumbopelvic parameters. This appears to argue against the idea that longer fusion constructs induce more stress on the pelvis and SI joint.
Audience Measurement of Digital Signage: Quantitative Study in Real-World Environment Using Computer Vision

We present a quantitative study of digital signage audience measurement using computer vision. We developed a camera-enhanced digital signage display that acquires audience measurement metrics with computer vision algorithms. Temporal metrics of a person’s dwell time, display in-view time and attention time are extracted. The system also determines demographic metrics of the gender and age group. The digital signage display was deployed in a real-world environment of a clothing boutique, where demographic and viewership data of 1294 store customers were recorded, manually verified and analysed. The analysis shows that 35% of customers specifically looked-at the display, having the average attention time of 0.7 s. Interestingly, the attention time was substantially higher for men (1.2 s) than for women (0.4 s). Age group comparison reveals that children (1–14 years) are the most responsive to the digital signage. Finally, the analysis shows that the average attention time is significantly higher when displaying the dynamic content (0.9 s) when compared with the static content (0.6 s).
Screening for bipolar disorder in a primary care practice.

CONTEXT Bipolar disorder consists of episodes of manic and depressive symptoms. Efforts to screen for depression in a primary care setting without assessment of past manic symptoms can lead to incorrect diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. OBJECTIVES To screen for bipolar disorder in adult primary care patients and to examine its clinical presentation and effect on functioning. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A systematic sample of 1157 patients between 18 and 70 years of age who were seeking primary care at an urban general medicine clinic serving a low-income population. The study was conducted between December 2001 and January 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of bipolar disorder, its treatment and patient functioning. Study measures included the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form health survey, the Sheehan Disability Scale, data on past mental health treatments, and a review of medical records and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for each visit dating from 6 months prior to the screening day. RESULTS The prevalence of receiving positive screening results for lifetime bipolar disorder was 9.8% (n = 112; 95% confidence interval, 8.0%-11.5%) and did not differ significantly by age, sex, or race/ethnicity. Eighty-one patients (72.3%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder sought professional help for their symptoms, but only 9 (8.4%) reported receiving a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Seventy-five patients (68.2%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder had a current major depressive episode or an anxiety or substance use disorder. Of 112 patients, only 7 (6.5%) reported taking a mood-stabilizing agent in the past month. Primary care physicians recorded evidence of current depression in 47 patients (49.0%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder, but did not record a bipolar disorder diagnosis either in administrative billing or the medical record of any of these patients. Patients who screened positive for bipolar disorder reported worse health-related quality of life as well as increased social and family life impairment compared with those who screened negative. CONCLUSIONS In an urban general medicine clinic, a positive screen for bipolar disorder appears to be common, clinically significant, and underrecognized. Because of the risks associated with treating bipolar disorder with antidepressant monotherapy, efforts are needed to educate primary care physicians about the screening, management, and pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorders.
Dynamic mechanical analysis of novel composites from commingled polypropylene fiber and banana fiber

Polypropylene (PP)/banana fiber (BF) composites were fabricated from PP fiber and short BF by novel commingling method. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the composites was performed with reference to BF loading and fiber surface treatments. By the incorporation of BF into the PP matrix, the storage modulus and loss modulus have been found to increase, whereas damping factor has been found to decrease. Glass transition temperature was found to increase with increase in BF loading. The viscoelastic properties of the composites were also found to depend on fiber surface treatments. The activation energy of the composites for the glass transition has been found to be increased by the increase in BF loading. Surface treatment of the BF further increased the activation energy of the composites, indicating a stronger interface for treated fiber composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs of the BF showed the physical changes induced by the surface treatments. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to ascertain the existence of the type of interfacial bonds. The use of theoretical equations to predict the storage modulus has also been discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
NMR Chemical Shift Ranges of Urine Metabolites in Various Organic Solvents

Signal stability is essential for reliable multivariate data analysis. Urine samples show strong variance in signal positions due to inter patient differences. Here we study the exchange of the solvent of a defined urine matrix and how it affects signal and integral stability of the urinary metabolites by NMR spectroscopy. The exchange solvents were methanol, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, chloroform, acetone, dichloromethane, and dimethyl formamide. Some of these solvents showed promising results with a single batch of urine. To evaluate further differences between urine samples, various acid, base, and salt solutions were added in a defined way mimicking to some extent inter human differences. Corresponding chemical shift changes were monitored.
Stabilisation of second-order nonlinear equations with variable delay

For a wide class of second-order nonlinear non-autonomous models, we illustrate that combining proportional state control with the feedback that is proportional to the derivative of the chaotic signal allows to stabilise unstable motions of the system. The delays are variable, which leads to more flexible controls permitting delay perturbations; only delay bounds are significant for stabilisation by a delayed control. The results are applied to the sunflower equation which has an infinite number of equilibrium points.
Procedures for calculating benchmark doses for health risk assessment.

Safety assessment for noncancer health effects generally has been based upon dividing a no observed adverse effect (NOAEL) by uncertainty (safety) factors to provide an acceptable daily intake (ADI) or reference dose (RfD). Since the NOAEL does not utilize all of the available dose-response data, allows higher ADI from poorer experiments, and may have an unknown, unacceptable level of risk, the benchmark dose (BD) with a specified, controlled low level of risk has become popular as an adjunct to the NOAEL or the low observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) in the safety assessment process. The purpose of this paper is to summarize statistical procedures available for calculating BDs and their confidence limits for noncancer endpoints. Procedures are presented and illustrated for quantal (binary), quasicontinuous (proportion), and continuous data. Quasicontinuous data arise in developmental studies where the measure of an effect for a fetus is quantal (normal or abnormal) but the experimental unit is the mother (litter) so that results can be expressed as the proportion of abnormal fetuses per litter. However, the correlation of effects among fetuses within a litter poses some additional statistical problems. Also, developmental studies usually include some continuous measures, such as fetal body weight or length. With continuous data there generally is not a clear demarcation between normal and adverse measurements. In such cases, extremely high and/or low measurements at some designated percentile(s) can be considered abnormal. Then the probability (risk) of abnormal individuals can be estimated as a function of dose. The procedure for estimating a BD with continuous data is illustrated using neurotoxicity data. When multiple measures of adverse effects are available, a BD can be estimated based on a selected endpoint or the appearance of any combination of endpoints. Multivariate procedures are illustrated using developmental and reproductive toxicity data.
Population Genetic Structure of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) Nesting on Coastal Barrier Islands Adjacent to Oil Facilities in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska

8 Introduction 8 Methods 9 Sample Collection 9 Microsatellite Genotyping 10 MtDNA and Nuclear Intron Sequencing 10 Estimation of Genetic Diversity 11 Estimation of Population Subdivision 12 Estimation of Gene Flow Among Populations 12 Results 12 Genetic Diversity 12 Bi-parentally inherited nuclear microsatellites 12 Bi-parentally inherited nuclear introns 12 Maternally inherited mtDNA 13 Population Structure 13 Bi-parentally inherited nuclear microsatellites 13 Bi-parentally inherited nuclear introns 13 Maternally inherited mtDNA 14 Estimates of Gene Flow 14 Female Site Fidelity 14 Discussion 14 Population Genetic Structure 14 Gene Flow 16 Comparison to Other Waterfowl 17 Conclusions 18 Acknowledgments 18 References 18 PART 2: Multilocus Phylogeography and Population Structure of Common Eiders Breeding in North America and Scandinavia 35 Abstract 35 35 Introduction 35 Methods 36 Laboratory Techniques 36 Statistical Analyses 36 Genetic diversity 36 Population genetic structure 37 Historical demography and gene fl ow 37 Results 38 Genetic Diversity 38 Bi-parentally inherited microsatellite loci 38 Bi-parentally inherited nuclear introns 38 Maternally inherited mtDNA 39
High-Field Electron Mobility Model for Strained-Silicon Devices

The application of mechanical stress to enhance the carrier mobility in silicon has been well established in the last few years. This paper probes into the electron conduction in biaxially and uniaxially stressed silicon in the nonlinear transport regime. The electron behavior has been analyzed for different field directions and stress/strain conditions using full-band Monte Carlo simulations. An analytical model describing the velocity components parallel and perpendicular to the electric field has been developed. The model includes the effect of strain induced valley splitting and can be applied for arbitrary directions of the electric field. The extension to different field directions has been performed using a Fourier series interpolation and a spherical harmonics interpolation for transport in two and three dimensions, respectively. The model can be implemented in a drift-diffusion-based device simulator
NCX is an important determinant for premature ventricular activity in a drug-induced model of Andersen-Tawil syndrome.

AIMS Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS1)-associated ventricular arrhythmias are initiated by premature ventricular activity (PVA) resulting from diastolic Ca(2+) (Ca(D)) accumulation. We hypothesized that relatively high Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) expression coupled with slower Ca(2+) uptake may constitute an arrhythmogenic substrate during drug-induced ATS1 (DI-ATS1). METHODS AND RESULTS DI-ATS1 was induced with 10 µmol/L BaCl(2) and 2 mmol/L [K(+)](o). Ca(2+) transients and action potentials were optically mapped from Langendorff-perfused guinea pig ventricles. Intracellular Ca(2+) handling was modulated by either direct NCX inhibition with 5 µmol/L KB-R7943 or by sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2a) inhibition with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). During DI-ATS1, PVA was more frequent in left ventricular (LV)-base (LVB) vs. LV-apex (LVA) (2.2 ± 0.8 vs. 0.6 ± 0.3 PVA/10 min), consistent with greater Ca(D) (1.65 ± 0.13 vs. 1.42 ± 0.09 normalized-Ca(D) units) and western blot-assessed NCX protein expression (81.2 ± 30.9%) in LVB relative to LVA. Further, regions of high NCX (LVB) evidenced a shorter PVA coupling interval relative to regions of low NCX expression (LVA, 67.7 ± 3.5 vs. 78.5 ± 3.6%). Inhibiting NCX during DI-ATS1 lowered the incidence of ventricular tachycardias (VTs, 0 vs. 25%) and PVA (1.5 ± 0.4 vs. 4.3 ± 1.4 PVA/10 min), but it did not affect PVA coupling intervals in LVB nor LVA (70.8 ± 4.3 vs. 73.8 ± 2.5%). Conversely, inhibition of SERCA2a with CPA, thereby increasing the role of NCX in Ca(2+) handling, significantly increased the incidence of VTs and PVA relative to DI-ATS1 alone, while decreasing the PVA coupling interval in all regions. CONCLUSION PVA preferentially occurs in regions of enhanced NCX expression with relatively slower Ca(2+) uptake and during perfusion of CPA which further reduces sarcoplasmic reticular Ca(2+) uptake.
Analysis of the Peak-To-Average Power Ratio of the Oversampled Ofdm

The oversampled OFDM modulation is a possible alternative to conventional OFDM for the transmission of signals over multipath fading channels. Indeed with oversampled OFDM, appropriate pulse-shaping can be introduced to fight against time and frequency dispersion. In this paper, we propose a theoretical and experimental analysis of the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of oversampled OFDM. Our analysis illustrates the impact of the oversampling ratio and of the pulse shape on the PAPR distribution
Validation of Single- and Multiple-Machine Equivalents for Modeling Wind Power Plants

This paper presents an exhaustive simulation study performed to validate the adequacy of the equivalencing method promoted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for modeling wind power plants by single- and multiple-machine equivalents. The main simulation results are presented for a number of steady state and transient wind turbine generator operating conditions following various faults and a typical low-voltage ride through. The impact of protection systems such as the crowbar is also taken into account. The aggregation technique has shown to be adequate for load flow, stability, and electromagnetic transient studies with limitations, as presented in the paper.
An Unscented Transformation for Conditionally Linear Models

A new method of applying the unscented transformation to conditionally linear transformations of Gaussian random variables is proposed. This method exploits the structure of the model to reduce the required number of sigma points. A common application of the unscented transformation is to nonlinear filtering where it used to approximate the moments required in the Kalman filter recursion. The proposed procedure is applied to a nonlinear filtering problem which involves tracking a falling object.