Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a Wellness-Based Mindfulness Stress Reduction Intervention: A Controlled Trial

Purpose. To determine if participation in a Wellness-Based Mindfulness Stress Reduction intervention decreases the effect of daily hassles, psychological distress, and medical symptoms. Design. A randomized controlled trial of a stress reduction intervention with a 3-month follow-up. Setting. A university setting in West Virginia. Subjects. A total of 103 adults, with 59 in the intervention group and 44 in the control group. Eight-five percent of subjects completed the intervention. Fifty-nine percent and 61% of the intervention and control subjects completed the study, respectively. Intervention. The intervention consisted of an 8-week group stress reduction program in which subjects learned, practiced, and applied “mindfulness meditation” to daily life situations. The control group received educational materials and were encouraged to use community resources for stress management. Measures. The Daily Stress Inventory assessed the effect of daily hassles, the Revised Hopkins Symptom Checklist measured psychological distress, the Medical Symptom Checklist measured number of medical symptoms, and a Follow-up Questionnaire measured program adherence. Results. Intervention subjects reported significant decreases from baseline in effect of daily hassles (24%), psychological distress, (44%), and medical symptoms (46%) that were maintained at the 3-month follow-up compared to control subjects (repeated measures analysis of variance [ANOVA]; p < .05). Conclusions. Self-selected community residents can improve their mental and physical health by participating in a stress reduction intervention offered by a university wellness program.
Perinatal effects of nicotine.

Nicotine alkaloid as a base was administered to 3 groups of pregnant Swiss albino mice during each trimester of their pregnancy. Three doses of the drug (900, 1,800 and 2,700 micrograms/kg/day) which respectively correspond to 3 levels of cigarette smoking (10, 20 and 30 cigarettes per day) were used. In order to find out which stage of pregnancy is most vulnerable to the effects of nicotine, each dose of the drug was administered subcutaneously to a group of animals during each trimester of their pregnancy. The perinatal effects, i.e., gestation period, percent of delivering mothers, the male to female ratio of the offspring, and the perinatal mortality, i.e. still-birth and neonatal death, were observed. In general, nicotine has increased the perinatal mortality. When large doses of the drug were given especially in the second and third trimesters of gestation, there was a significant shortening of the gestation period (p less than 0.05; p less than 0.01). Hence, during pregnancy, mothers who smoke should be warned against the harmful effects of smoking especially in the late period of their pregnancy.
The Contribution of Upper Body Movements to Dynamic Balance Regulation during Challenged Locomotion

Recent studies suggest that in addition to movements between ankle and hip joints, movements of the upper body, in particular of the arms, also significantly contribute to postural control. In line with these suggestions, we analyzed regulatory movements of upper and lower body joints supporting dynamic balance regulation during challenged locomotion. The participants walked over three beams of varying width and under three different verbally conveyed restrictions of arm posture, to control the potential influence of arm movements on the performance: The participants walked (1) with their arms stretched out perpendicularly in the frontal plane, (2) spontaneously, i.e., without restrictions to the arm movements, and (3) with their hands on their thighs. After applying an inverse-dynamics analysis to the measured joint kinematics, we investigated the contribution of upper and lower body joints to balance regulation in terms of torque amplitude and variation. On the condition with the hands on the thighs, the contribution of the upper body remains significantly lower than the contribution of the lower body irrespective of beam widths. For spontaneous arm movements and for outstretched arms we find that the upper body (including the arms) contributes to the balancing to a similar extent as the lower body. Moreover, when the task becomes more difficult, i.e., for narrower beam widths, the contribution of the upper body increases, while the contribution of the lower body remains nearly constant. These findings lend further support to the hypothetical existence of an “upper body strategy” complementing the ankle and hip strategies especially during challenging dynamic balance tasks.
The effect of nanospheres on the permeability of PA6/SiO2 nanocomposites

The permeation of O2, N2 and H2O through polyamide-6 nanocomposites, prepared with silica nanospheres of different diameters, is reported in this contribution. The mechanical and thermal properties were also evaluated. The nanocomposites were produced by melt mixing the polyamide-6 with silica nanospheres 12–150 nm in diameter, prepared using standard sol-gel methods; it was found that the addition of 3 wt% of silica nanospheres to the polyamide-6 matrix results in an increase in the O2 and N2 permeability. This increase was inversely correlated with the nanosphere diameter but directly correlated with the number of spheres added to the matrix, using the same percentage by weight. The same behaviour was found for the water vapour transmission rate. The increase in permeability is probably due to the formation of voids around the particles, which increases the free volume of the polymer. The addition of the nanospheres, regardless of the sphere diameter, generated an increase of 6% in the Young's modulus, a decrease of 65% in the elongation at break and a 24% decrease in the percentage of crystallinity. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Decreased albuminuria by pravastatin in hyperlipidemic diabetics.

Tetsuo Shoji, MD, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-5-7, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545 (Japan) Sir, Slightly increased urinary albumin excretion (mic-roalbuminuria) predicts the development of clinical ne-phropathy in type 1 (insulin-dependent) [1] and type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) [2] diabetes mellitus, and efforts have been made to reduce urinary albumin to inhibit the progression of nephropathy. Microalbuminuria is now known to be influenced by glycemic conditions [3], systemic blood pressure [4] and intraglomerular hemody-namics [5]. Recently evidences have been accumulated to show that hyperlipidemia has an adverse effect on glomerular functions in experimental animals [6]. Furthermore, reduction of proteinuria has been reported in the hyperlipidemic patients with primary glomerulonephri-tis treated with an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor, sim-vastatin [7]. Thus, diabetic nephropathy may be affected by lipid abnormalities which often associate with microalbuminuria [8]. We report a preliminary observation about the effect of pravastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, on serum lipoproteins and urinary albumin in type 2 diabetic patients. In the 12 patients (3 men and 9 women), 6 were treated with sulfonylurea and others with diet only. Mean age was 60 (range 45–78 years). They were initially administered 10 mg pravastatin per day, and the dose was increased to 20 mg per day only in the 3 patients whose serum total cholesterol levels were still higher than 220 mg/dl after 1 month. Before and after 3 months of pravastatin treatment, we measured the parameters of lipid and glucose metabolism, blood pressure, renal functions including urinary albumin/creatinine ratio in morning spot urine specimens. Table 1. Data on lipoprotein, glucose metabolism, blood pressure and renal function before and after 3 months of pravastatin treatment
Differentiation between cosensitization and cross-reactivity in wheat flour and grass pollen-sensitized subjects.

BACKGROUND To diagnose baker's asthma, occupational sensitization to wheat flour should be distinguished clearly from influences of cosensitization such as it may exist in pollinosis patients. To define the route of sensitization, the cross-reactivity between wheat flour and grass pollen allergens was investigated. METHODS Two groups of atopic individuals with or without professional contact to wheat flour were screened by skin prick test for their sensitization to wheat flour and grass pollen and, in the case of hints for cosensitization, by Enzyme Allergo Sorbent Test (EAST). Cross-reactivity between wheat flour and grass pollen allergens was investigated by IgE binding inhibition assay using sera of 20 cosensitized individuals and by immunoblots. RESULTS The immunological cross-inhibition between wheat flour and grass pollen proves some proteins to share common allergenic determinants. Significant differences between bakers and individuals not occupationally exposed to flour could be seen in the inhibition of IgE binding to wheat flour. While the IgE binding to wheat flour allergens was only slightly inhibited by grass pollen proteins in baker's sera its inhibition was nearly complete by this extract in sera of nonexposed atopics. Immunoblots indicate that wheat proteins with a molecular weight of about 8-12 and 22 kD preferentially react with sensitized bakers' IgE and not with IgE of other individuals. IgE binding to grass pollen allergens in immunoblots and inhibition experiments showed no differences between bakers and other subjects. CONCLUSION In the group of atopics without professional contact to flour, the positive test results from wheat flour obviously ensue from contact to cross-reacting grass pollen proteins whereas bakers are exposed and sensitized to allergens of both sources. Such cross-inhibition experiments help to identify the source of sensitization which may be difficult to obtain in case of cross-reacting allergens.
Integrating PNC and RLNC for BSM dissemination in VANETs

Basic Safety Messaging (BSM) is a crucial application to provide road safety in vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANET). This paper proposes an efficient and reliable MAC protocol for BSM packets dissemination based on the framework of Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC). It perfectly integrates Physical-Layer Network Coding (PNC) and Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) in both roadside unit (RSU) and onboard unit (OBU) nodes. Comprehensive simulation shows that compared with the existing schemes for BSM dissemination, the proposed protocol achieves both high flexibility and excellent performance in packet delivery ratio (PDR).
Polyacrylamide Ferrogels with Magnetite or Strontium Hexaferrite: Next Step in the Development of Soft Biomimetic Matter for Biosensor Applications

Magnetic biosensors are an important part of biomedical applications of magnetic materials. As the living tissue is basically a “soft matter. ” this study addresses the development of ferrogels (FG) with micron sized magnetic particles of magnetite and strontium hexaferrite mimicking the living tissue. The basic composition of the FG comprised the polymeric network of polyacrylamide, synthesized by free radical polymerization of monomeric acrylamide (AAm) in water solution at three levels of concentration (1.1 M, 0.85 M and 0.58 M) to provide the FG with varying elasticity. To improve FG biocompatibility and to prevent the precipitation of the particles, polysaccharide thickeners—guar gum or xanthan gum were used. The content of magnetic particles in FG varied up to 5.2 wt % depending on the FG composition. The mechanical properties of FG and their deformation in a uniform magnetic field were comparatively analyzed. FG filled with strontium hexaferrite particles have larger Young’s modulus value than FG filled with magnetite particles, most likely due to the specific features of the adhesion of the network’s polymeric subchains on the surface of the particles. FG networks with xanthan are stronger and have higher modulus than the FG with guar. FG based on magnetite, contract in a magnetic field 0.42 T, whereas some FG based on strontium hexaferrite swell. Weak FG with the lowest concentration of AAm shows a much stronger response to a field, as the concentration of AAm governs the Young’s modulus of ferrogel. A small magnetic field magnetoimpedance sensor prototype with Co68.6Fe3. 9Mo3.0Si12. 0B12.5 rapidly quenched amorphous ribbon based element was designed aiming to develop a sensor working with a disposable stripe sensitive element. The proposed protocol allowed measurements of the concentration dependence of magnetic particles in gels using magnetoimpedance responses in the presence of magnetite and strontium hexaferrite ferrogels with xanthan. We have discussed the importance of magnetic history for the detection process and demonstrated the importance of remnant magnetization in the case of the gels with large magnetic particles.
Joint Relay Beamforming and Receiver Processing for Multi-Way Multi-Antenna Relay Networks

We consider a multi-way relay network with multiple users exchanging information with each other via a multi-antenna relay. The multi-way relaying strategy consists of one multiple access phase and multiple broadcast phases. We jointly design relay beamforming matrices and users’ linear processing receivers in the broadcast phases to maximize the minimum signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) under the relay power budget. For the non-convex joint optimization problem, we propose to solve it by iteratively optimizing the relay beam matrices and receiver processing matrices in two sub-problems. For the receiver processing, both maximum-ratio-combining (MRC) receiver and zero-forcing (ZF) receiver are designed. We show that our iterative approach with the MRC receiver leads to a local maximum for the original joint optimization problem, while the ZF receiver has the computational advantage with a lower complexity. To further improve the performance, we design the successive interference cancellation at each user’s receiver based on the SINR criterion to sequentially decode symbols from other users. Simulation shows that our proposed algorithm for joint design provides substantial improvement in the sum rate than the existing methods that use the sum rate as the design objective. Finally, we investigate the performance of our proposed algorithm under partial channel state informations (CSIs). We show in simulation that using quantized CSIs at each receiver only incurs a small performance loss for the typical range of relay channel quality.
Retrieving a common accumulation record from Greenland ice cores for the past 1800 years

[1] In the accumulation zone of the Greenland ice sheet the annual accumulation rate may be determined through identification of the annual cycle in the isotopic climate signal and other parameters that exhibit seasonal variations. On an annual basis the accumulation rate in different Greenland ice cores is highly variable, and the degree of correlation between accumulation series from different ice cores is low. However, when using multiyear averages of the different accumulation records, the correlation increases significantly. A statistical model has been developed to estimate the common climate signal in the different accumulation records through optimization of the ratio between the variance of the common signal and of the residual. Using this model, a common Greenland accumulation record for the past 1800 years has been extracted. The record shows significant 11.9 years periodicity. A sharp transition to very dry conditions is found just before A.D. 1200, and very dry conditions during the 13th century together with dry and cold spells during the 14th century may have put extra strain on the Norse population in Greenland and may have contributed to their extinction. Accumulation rates gradually decrease from a distinct maximum in A.D. 1394 to very dry conditions in the late 17th century and thus reflect the Little Ice Age.
A decrease in reactive disulfide bonds of serum IgG signals a characteristic change in the IgG subclass patterns of rats bearing experimental tumors.

Previous studies have shown that human IgG1 contains a 'reactive' disulfide bridge (SS*), detectable by a 24-hour disulfide exchange reaction, and that the serum level of this IgG subclass is selectively diminished in patients with various malignant diseases. Here we present evidence that in rats IgG2b is the only subclass that carries one SS* per molecule. Furthermore, it is shown that rats inoculated with experimental tumor lines, i.e., the Yoshida hepatoma ascites tumor and the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma growing in ascites or as solid tumor, exhibit significantly decreased SS* per mole IgG which corresponds to a selective diminution of IgG2b. Although at later stages there is a quantitative correlation with the tumor burden, with the Walker tumor this effect becomes significant as early as 24 h after inoculation, i.e., well before exponential tumor growth and an absolute reduction of total IgG. Control animals injected intraperitoneally with either viable spleen cells or irradiated Walker 256 cells did not show comparable alterations in their IgG subclass profile. Thus, the selective defect of IgG2b requires the presence of viable and proliferating tumor cells. Possible mechanism(s) of tumor-associated shifts in IgG subclasses are discussed.
Air trapping and airflow obstruction in newborn cystic fibrosis piglets.

RATIONALE Air trapping and airflow obstruction are being increasingly identified in infants with cystic fibrosis. These findings are commonly attributed to airway infection, inflammation, and mucus buildup. OBJECTIVES To learn if air trapping and airflow obstruction are present before the onset of airway infection and inflammation in cystic fibrosis. METHODS On the day they are born, piglets with cystic fibrosis lack airway infection and inflammation. Therefore, we used newborn wild-type piglets and piglets with cystic fibrosis to assess air trapping, airway size, and lung volume with inspiratory and expiratory X-ray computed tomography scans. Micro-computed tomography scanning was used to assess more distal airway sizes. Airway resistance was determined with a mechanical ventilator. Mean linear intercept and alveolar surface area were determined using stereologic methods. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS On the day they were born, piglets with cystic fibrosis exhibited air trapping more frequently than wild-type piglets (75% vs. 12.5%, respectively). Moreover, newborn piglets with cystic fibrosis had increased airway resistance that was accompanied by luminal size reduction in the trachea, mainstem bronchi, and proximal airways. In contrast, mean linear intercept length, alveolar surface area, and lung volume were similar between both genotypes. CONCLUSIONS The presence of air trapping, airflow obstruction, and airway size reduction in newborn piglets with cystic fibrosis before the onset of airway infection, inflammation, and mucus accumulation indicates that cystic fibrosis impacts airway development. Our findings suggest that early airflow obstruction and air trapping in infants with cystic fibrosis might, in part, be caused by congenital airway abnormalities.
Dimension Reduction of Channel Correlation Matrix Using CUR-Decomposition Technique for 3-D Massive Antenna System

Millimeter wave (mm-Wave) communications are emerging to meet the increasing demand for high transmission data rate in high user density areas. Meanwhile, the mm-Wave base station (BS) needs to employ a large number of antenna elements to increase the gain as well as serve a huge number of users. However, a vast number of antenna elements causes dimensionality problem in channel correlation matrix (rotation matrix). Therefore, we propose a novel codebook construction design based on CUR-decomposition technique to reduce the dimensionality problem. In this paper, the original correlation matrix is decomposed to the product of three low dimension matrices (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {C}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {U}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {R}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>). The new rotated codebook is then constructed by the new rotation matrix. Moreover, we evaluate the new decomposition matrix with the original matrix in terms of compression ratio and mismatch error. We also provide the achievable sum rate capacities for singular value decomposition, zero forcing, and a matched filter techniques to compare with the proposed method. Furthermore, the system capacity enhancement related to the number of antenna elements and the required feedback bits are analyzed. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves much better system performance since the dimensionality problem is solved. The proposed method can be applied in the fifth generation massive antenna multi-user system with over a hundred antenna elements.
Metabolic profiling–multitude of technologies with great research potential, but (when) will translation emerge?

Metabolic phenotyping, nowadays most often termed ‘metabolomics’, is becoming increasingly applied in molecular epidemiology, particularly in concert with genomics. Since Jeremy Nicholson and colleagues coined the term ‘metabonomics’ in 1999, over 15 000 publications have appeared under this conceptual and technological umbrella (a Pubmed search on 15 August 2016 at [http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/] with metabonomics or metabolomics or lipidomics). Most of the published works have been, and still continue to be, methodologically oriented and thereby bear little direct relevance to applied epidemiology. Particularly the spectroscopy-based chemometric approaches–typically aiming at classification of individuals with or without a particular disease–have for a long time (mis)guided metabolomics research. Many of the limitations of these types of multivariate metabolomics applications are currently well understood: overtraining of classification models with high numbers of variables (typically spectral data points), cross-sectional study settings with very small numbers of individuals and no independent replication. However, some lack of clarity still remains, partly related to some misplaced conceptions as to the scope of truly personalized medicine. Individual diagnostics of polygenic diseases, when both the disease liability and the metabolic phenotypes are continuous, fundamentally preclude diagnostic models that would provide both high sensitivity and high specificity. For example, conditions like autism, long considered rigid disease classifications, clearly involve a somewhat arbitrary division of a continuously distributed underlying liability, limiting attempts at improved binary classification. In addition, many metabolomics applications have ignored confounding in data analyses and interpretations, though it is well established in observational epidemiology that confounding–by lifestyle and socioeconomic factors, or by baseline health status, treatment and medication effects–is prone to affect many associations.
Association between matrix metalloproteinase‐9 and worsening heart failure events in patients with chronic heart failure

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) is up‐regulated during heart failure (HF) and influences ventricular remodeling. We hypothesized that disparity between MMP‐9 and tissue inhibitors of MMP‐1 (TIMP‐1) results in clinical manifestations and is related to prognostic risk in patients with chronic HF.