Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does a gene polymorphism predisposing to an intermediate phenotype predict the risk of disease? A lesson from CETP, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and coronary heart disease.

revention of disease is the ultimate goal of medicine and to realize it, many step-by-step approaches have been taken. One approach is the identification of clinical parameters closely associated with the disease, because such parameters or intermediate phenotypes might be useful for predicting the risk of disease and, more importantly, might be interfered with to prevent the disease. For example, hyperlipidemia, or more specifically hypercholesterolemia, is a well-known clinical parameter closely associated with atherosclerosis, including coronary atherosclerosis, and hence associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), including myocardial infarction (MI). In other words, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis can be intermediate phenotypes of CAD (Figure). Although there are several other risk factors for CAD (eg, smoking, hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus), which should be handled in appropriate ways to achieve the prevention of CAD, hyperlipidemia is a target for treatment and this is the rationale for cholesterol-lowering medication being used as a tool for preventing CAD in the clinics. It is also important to decipher the molecular mechanisms of regulation of the serum cholesterol level and its involvement in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in order to develop novel diagnostic or pharmacological tools in the management of CAD.
Mini-clinical evaluation exercise in anaesthesia training.

BACKGROUND The Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) is a workplace-based assessment tool of potential value in anaesthesia to assess and improve clinical performance. Its reliability and positive educational impact have been reported in other specialities, but not, to date, in anaesthesia. In this study, we evaluated the psychometric characteristics, logistics of application, and impact on the quality of supervision of the Mini-CEX in anaesthesia training. METHODS A Mini-CEX encounter consisted of a single specialist anaesthetist observing a trainee over a defined period of time, completing an online Mini-CEX form with the trainee, and providing written and verbal feedback. We sought trainee and supervisor perspectives on its value and ease of use and used Generalizability Theory to estimate reliability. RESULTS We collected 331 assessments from 61 trainees and 58 assessors. Survey responses strongly supported the positive effect of the Mini-CEX on feedback, its relative feasibility, and acceptance as a potential assessment tool. In this cohort, we found variable assessor stringency and low trainee variation. However, a feasible sample of cases and assessors would produce sufficiently precise scores to decide that performance was satisfactory for each trainee with 95% confidence. To generate scores that could discriminate sufficiently between trainees to allow ranking, a much larger sample of cases would be needed. CONCLUSIONS The Mini-CEX in anaesthesia has strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include: its perceived very positive educational impact and its relative feasibility. Variable assessor stringency means that large numbers of assessors are required to produce reliable scores.
Predicting ICT integration into classroom teaching in Chinese primary schools: exploring the complex interplay of teacher-related variables

Available research has explored a wide variety of factors influencing information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption and integration in classroom teaching; however, existing research seldom centre on the combined impact of these variables. In addition, the little research available is set up in the Chinese context. The latter is important given that the different cultural context in which the interplay between teacher beliefs and educational practices has only been documented quiet little. The present study centres on the complex interplay of a number of internal teacher variables to explain ICT classroom integration. These variables comprise 'teachers' constructivist teaching beliefs', 'teacher attitudes towards computers in education', 'teachers' computer motivation', 'teacher perception of ICT-related policy'. A survey was set up, involving 820 Chinese primary school teachers. Path modeling was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of the teacher-related variables on their level of ICT classroom integration. Firstly, two distinctive types of ICT use can be distinguished in the Chinese context: (a) teacher supportive use of ICT that refers to the use of ICT for e.g. student administration, preparing worksheets, developing evaluation activities; and (b) classroom use of ICT to support and enhance the actual teaching and learning process. The results show that classroom use of ICT directly depends on teachers' computer motivation and the supportive use of ICT. Teachers' constructivist beliefs, their attitudes towards computers in education and perceptions about the ICT-related school policy influence ICT integration in an indirect way. The results demonstrate how the complex interplay between teacher-related variables and ICT integration in the classroom is partly in line with findings in non-Asian contexts. A number of differences can be explained by the particular Chinese context. In particular an indirect relationship was found between teachers' constructivist beliefs and their level of ICT integration.
Time Perception in Boys With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder According to Time Duration, Distraction and Mode of Presentation

In a recent theoretical model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Barkley (1997a) predicted that ADHD children experience impairments in their psychological sense of time. This was demonstrated in a series of experiments by Barkley, Koplowicz, Anderson, and McMurray (1997). The present study sought to investigate the effects of ADHD subtype, stimulus duration, mode of presentation (visual versus auditory) and distractors on the performance of a simple time reproduction task. Data were obtained from 44 ADHD children (14 predominantly inattentive and 30 combined type) and 44 age-matched Controls using the Time Perception Application version 1.0 (Barkley, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 1998). Results revealed that the ADHD children made significantly larger errors on Visual time reproduction tasks than the Controls, regardless of ADHD subtype or the presence of distractors. Furthermore, ADHD children were more likely to overestimate the shorter time intervals (0.5 and 2? s) and underestimate the longer time intervals (3, 4 and 6? s) relative to Controls. No group differences were observed on the auditory time reproduction task, with both ADHD and Control groups consistently underestimating the durations to be reproduced. The results of this study provide further support for the prediction that children with ADHD have an impaired sense of time.
Thermodynamic and kinetic examination of protein stabilization by glycerol.

The effect of concentrated glycerol on the thermal transitions of chymotrypsinogen and ribonuclease has been examined by differential spectrophotometry at 293 and 287 mm, respectively. It was found that for both proteins addition of glycerol raises the transition temperature, the increase in Tm being greater for ribonuclease than for chymotrypsinogen. This increase in the free energy of denaturation appears to reflect primarily a decrease in the entropy change. Analysis in terms of the Wyman linkage equation shows that, for both proteins, the exclusion of glycerol from the protein domain increases on denaturation i.e., the chemical potential of glycerol becomes even more positive when the protein unfolds relative to the native structure. This provides the thermodynamic stabilization free energy. Results of the kinetic examination of the slow unfolding reaction are consistent with the concept that the preferential exclusion of glycerol is related, at least in part, to enhanced solvent ordering.
Paris Altimetry Precision Prediction with Galileo Signals-in-Space

This paper presents a complete analysis of the height precision of a GNSS-R space-based altimeter exploiting the forthcoming signals of the European Galileo satellite navigation system. The major differences between Galileo and GPS transmitted signals are shown and their impact on altimetric performance is carefully pinpointed, analysed and justified. Simulated cross-correlation altimetric waveforms are evaluated and the performance analysed by means of an analytical model for the evaluation of height measurement precision. The analysis shows that, thanks to the unique features in terms of bandwidth, TX power and modulation schemes, a GNSS-R altimeter based on Galileo signals-in-space could easily meet the requirements on precision for mesoscale ocean altimetry.
Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling Open Access

Background: Time variations in transmission potential have rarely been examined with regard to pandemic influenza. This paper reanalyzes the temporal distribution of pandemic influenza in Prussia, Germany, from 1918–19 using the daily numbers of deaths, which totaled 8911 from 29 September 1918 to 1 February 1919, and the distribution of the time delay from onset to death in order to estimate the effective reproduction number, Rt, defined as the actual average number of secondary cases per primary case at a given time.
Doxycycline plus levamisole: combination treatment for severe nodulocystic acne.

BACKGROUND Levamisole is an agent without much potential use alone, but through immunomodulation, may synergistically improve the efficacy of other drugs like doxycycline in the treatment of acne vulgaris. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of levamisole in addition to doxycycline in the treatment of patients suffering from severe nodulocystic acne. METHODS A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in the dermatology clinic of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2006. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 study groups. The case group was administered oral levamisole 2.5 mg/kg/wk (up to 150 mg/wk) plus doxycycline 100 mg daily and the control group was given 100 mg of oral doxycycline daily and a placebo. Patients were evaluated at baseline, and at 2-month, 4-month, and 6-month checkpoints. RESULTS The responses to treatment were significantly higher in the case group according to the reduction in total lesions count, acne severity index; and papule/pustule and nodule/cyst count at the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th visits. CONCLUSION Results indicated that adding oral levamisole to doxycycline is an effective treatment for severe nonresponsiveness to conventional treatments of acne vulgaris. In the patient group, levamisole was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. At the time of publication, this study is the first clinical trial that suggests levamisole as an effective new treatment for severe acne vulgaris.
A Systematic Investigation into the Environmental Fate of Microcystins and The Potential Risk: Study in Lake Taihu

A systematic investigation was conducted in Lake Taihu in autumn of 2013 and 2014, in order to understand the environmental fate of microcystins (MCs) and evaluate the health risk from MCs. Samples of water, algal cells, macrophytes, shrimps and fish were taken to detect MCs by HPLC-MS/MS after solid phase extraction. Widespread MC contamination in water, algal cells, macrophytes, shrimps and fish was found in Lake Taihu. The ubiquitous presence of MCs in water, algal cells and biota was found in 100% of samples. MC accumulation was in the order of primary producer > tertiary consumer > secondary consumer > primary consumer. The highest levels of MCs in macrophytes, shrimps and fish tissue were found in Potamogeton maackianus, Exopalaemon modestus, and Hyporhamphus intermedius, respectively. The MCs level in shrimps and the tissues of three fish species, Neosalanx tangkahkeii taihuensis, Coilia ectenes and silver carp, was closely linked to their dietary exposure. Ceratophyllum demersum L. was an ideal plant for introduction into lakes to protect against Microcystis blooms and MCs, due to its ability to absorb nutrients, accumulate large amounts of MCs and tolerate these toxins compared to other macrophytes. The average daily intakes (ADIs) of MCs for Exopalaemon modestus and three fish species, Coilia ectenes, Hyporhamphus intermedius and Carassius carassius, were all above the tolerable daily intakes (TDI) set by the World Health Organization (WHO), implying there existed potential threats to human health.
Large‐Area Tunable Visible‐to‐Near‐Infrared Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) appear as an intriguing way to cope with the limitation of the mismatch between the photovoltaic (PV) cells response and the solar spectrum, with the additional advantage of facilitating urban integration of photovoltaics. A new LSCs geometry based on triangular hollow‐core plastic optical fibers (POFs) filled with organic–inorganic hybrid materials doped with Rhodamine 6G, Rhodamine 800, or an Europium β‐diketonate complex is presented. Large‐area LSCs are built from POFs bundle structures, whose assembling is favored by the fiber triangular cross section that also maximizes the coverage of a PV cell surface compared with cylindrical POFs. Each bundle fiber behaves as an individual LSC absorbing UV/blue components of the solar spectrum and emitting visible/NIR radiation. The LSCs are characterized by optical conversion efficiency values up to ηopt ≈5.3%, among the largest values reported for single‐layer LSCs. Moreover, the coupling between the LSCs to commercial Si PV cells yields maximum power conversion efficiency values of PCE ≈0.74%. The individual waveguiding features of each fiber in the bundle contribute to reduce the reabsorption, as lower performance values (ηopt ≈1.5%; PCE ≈0.09%) are estimated for a planar LSC with analogous surface collection area and light‐harvesting absorbance.
Antimicrobial resistance of lactic acid bacteria in fermented food

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have a long history of safe use in fermented food production and consumption that support their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and qualified presumption of safety (QPS) status provided by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), respectively. FDA Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the leading public health issues which is closely related to farm animals, environment and food of animal origin. Safety aspects of microbiota related to fermented food products are evaluated during last decades. Resistance in LAB is enhanced by the large numbers of LAB in fermented products and in the gastro-intestinal tract, but also from other bacteria in the environment. Once a LAB becomes resistant, amplified determinant can be transmitted to another host. Therefore, checking for signs of transferable antibiotic resistance in starter strains and bacteria used as feed and food additives is essential. The determination of the antibiotic resistance profiles of LAB is mostly based on the use of numerous phenotypic methods. However, there is no consensus on breakpoints for most antimicrobials. The confusion in this area is primarily due to the fact that different methods are used to define resistance (E-test, determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), disk diffusion or Kirby-Bauer method, and microdilution), thus preventing direct comparison of results. Phenotypic assays have now been complemented by molecular methods in which bacterial strains are directly screened for the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants. Generally, these methods include amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers for single or multiplex antibiotic resistance genes, real time PCR or the use of DNA microarrays containing large collections of antibiotic resistance genes. The existing genetic studies used to confirm the transmission of known resistance determinants are hampered by many experimental factors and thus show variable results. Two of the most commonly observed resistance genes in LAB found so far are tet(M) for tetracycline resistance and erm(B) for erythromycin, followed with cat genes coding for chloramphenicol resistance. The complex issue of AMR requires a wide multidisciplinary approach to predict and avoid the undesirable public health consequences along the whole food-producing chain. Strategies for reduction of AMR in fermented food microbiota should be based on prudent use of antimicrobials in food animals and application of competitive starter cultures in food fermentation.
The influence of dietary fat on fat metabolism and body Fat deposition in meal-feeding and nibbling rats

1. An experiment was done with rats (body-weight 160 g) to study the effects on fat metabolism and body composition of low (10 g/kg)- or high (140 g/kg)-fat diets fed as one meal for one 4 h period/d (meal-feeders) or as six spaced meals/d (nibblers). The daily energy intake/unit metabolic body-weight (body-weight0.73) was the same for all four groups, and this level of intake was about 80% of that consumed by rats allowed unrestricted access to the low-fat diet. The experimental period was 76 d. 2. Rats given the high-fat diet deposited more body fat/d and, as a result, grew faster and were energetically more efficient than rats given the low-fat diet. The high-fat diet depressed de novo lipogenesis from glucose in epididymal and perirenal fat pads, whose fatty acid composition resembled that of the diet. 3. For both diets meal-feeders had greater stomach plus small intestine weights than nibblers and had higher plasma free fatty acid levels, when they were killed 15 h after their last meal. 4. Meal-feeders given the low-fat diet had the greatest rate of lipogenesis for fat pads. 5. Meal-feeders given the high-fat diet deposited less of the main dietary fatty acids in their fat pads. 6. There was no evidence that meal-feeders eating a high-fat diet adapt their metabolism so completely that they become more efficient utilizers than those nibbling this diet. Meal-feeders eating the low-fat diet became no fatter than nibblers of this diet, possibly because they were eating less than their daily ad lib. intake.
Sampling vs sketching: An information theoretic comparison

The main approaches to high speed measurement in routers are traffic sampling, and sketching. However, it is not known which paradigm is inherently better at extracting information from traffic streams. We tackle this problem for the first time using Fisher information as a means of comparison, in the context of flow size distribution measurement. We first provide a side-by-side information theoretic comparison, and then with added resource constraints according to simple models of router implementations. Finally, we evaluate the performance of both methods on actual traffic traces.
Milk Contamination and Resistance to Processing Conditions Determine the Fate of Lactococcus lactis Bacteriophages in Dairies

ABSTRACT Milk contamination by phages, the susceptibility of the phages to pasteurization, and the high levels of resistance to phage infection of starter strains condition the evolution dynamics of phage populations in dairy environments. Approximately 10% (83 of 900) of raw milk samples contained phages of the quasi-species c2 (72%), 936 (24%), and P335 (4%). However, 936 phages were isolated from 20 of 24 (85%) whey samples, while c2 was detected in only one (4%) of these samples. This switch may have been due to the higher susceptibility of c2 to pasteurization (936-like phages were found to be approximately 35 times more resistant than c2 strains to treatment of contaminated milk in a plate heat exchanger at 72°C for 15 s). The restriction patterns of 936-like phages isolated from milk and whey were different, indicating that survival to pasteurization does not result in direct contamination of the dairy environment. The main alternative source of phages (commercial bacterial starters) does not appear to significantly contribute to phage contamination. Twenty-four strains isolated from nine starter formulations were generally resistant to phage infection, and very small progeny were generated upon induction of the lytic cycle of resident prophages. Thus, we postulate that a continuous supply of contaminated milk, followed by pasteurization, creates a factory environment rich in diverse 936 phage strains. This equilibrium would be broken if a particular starter strain turned out to be susceptible to infection by one of these 936-like phages, which, as a consequence, became prevalent.
Neural substrates of species-dependent visual processing of faces: use of morphed faces

Face identification and categorization are essential for social communication. The N170 event‐related potential (ERP) is considered to be a biomarker of face perception. To elucidate the neural basis of species‐dependent face processing, we recorded 128‐ch high‐density ERPs in 14 healthy adults while they viewed the images of morphed faces. The morphed stimuli contained different proportions of human and monkey faces, and the species boundary was shifted away from the center of the morph continuum. Three experiments were performed to determine how task requirement, facial orientation, and spatial frequency (SF) of visual stimuli affected ERPs. In an equal SF condition, the latency, and amplitude of the occipital P100 for upright faces were modulated in a monotonic‐like fashion by the level of morphing. In contrast, the N170 latency for upright faces was modulated in a step‐like fashion, showing a flexion point that may reflect species discrimination. Although N170 amplitudes for upright faces were not modulated by morph level, they were modulated in a monotonic‐like fashion by inverted faces. The late positive (LP) component (350–550 msec) in the parietal region was modulated in a U‐shaped function by morph level during a categorization task, but not in a simple reaction task. These results suggest that P100 reflects changes in the physical properties of faces and that N170 is involved in own‐species selectivity. The LP component seems to represent species categorization that occurs 350 msec after stimulus onset.
Active control of base pressure with counter clockwise rotating cylinder at Mach 2

The effect of dynamic cylinder as an active controller to control the base pressure for different level of expansion have been experimentally investigated at Mach 2 through CD nozzle for area ratio 9. Solitary counter clockwise rotating cylinder of 2 mm diameter when seen from top, at 2 mm from side wall of square duct and 8 mm from square nozzle exit in the base region is mounted as a controller. Base pressure in the wake area after sudden expansion of jets from the exit of nozzle has been measured. The length-to-width ratio of sudden expansion duct taken is 10. The experiments were carried out by operating jets for different nozzle pressure ratios (NPR). The wall pressure distribution was also measured for with and without control cases in the duct to see that the amplitude of oscillations does not adversely influence the flow field in the duct. Counter clockwise rotating cylinder as an active controller were found to increase the base pressure as high as 62 percent at NPR 8.5 and 53 percent at NPR 7.8. The control effectiveness is marginal for over expanded nozzles. The wall pressure flow field with and without control are identical with minor fluctuations.