Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between vitamin D and respiratory outcomes in Canadian adolescents and adults

Abstract Background: Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide, affecting more than 200 million people. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported among individuals with asthma and might play a role in asthma exacerbations. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the association of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and current asthma, ever asthma, and lung function. Methods: Data from 3937 subjects aged 13–69 years who participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey – Cycle 1 were considered in this study. Serum 25(OH)D levels were categorized into ≤49 nmol/L (low), 50–74 nmol/L (moderate) and ≥75 nmol/L (high). Results: The proportion of subjects with current and ever asthma was greater in the lower 25(OH)D category than in moderate and high categories. After adjusting for potential confounders, subjects in the low 25(OH)D levels were more likely to have current asthma than those in the moderate levels (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.01–2.36). Low 25(OH)D levels were also associated with ever asthma (OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.40–3.21) among those with a family history of asthma and this association was stronger in those with asthma onset before 20 years of age. High 25(OH)D levels were associated with lower mean value of FEV1/FVC ratio. No significant association was observed between 25(OH)D levels and other lung function measurements. Conclusion: In this study, 25(OH)D levels below 50 nmol/L were associated with an increased risk of current and ever asthma. Further exploration of this relationship is needed to determine the optimal level of vitamin D in the management of asthma in adolescents and adults.
The Threatening Nature of 'Rap' Music

Rap music has had a contentious relationship with the legal system, including censorship, regulation, and artists being arrested for lewd and profane performances. More recently, rap lyrics have been introduced by prosecutors to establish guilt in criminal trials. Some fear this form of artistic expression will be inappropriately interpreted as literal and threatening, perhaps because of stereotypes. Only a handful of studies have examined whether rap lyrics are evaluated using stereotypes, yet these studies were conducted in the 1990s — a period of heightened scrutiny for rap — and used nonoptimal methods. This study presents 3 experiments that examine the impact of genre-specific stereotypes on the evaluation of violent song lyrics by manipulating the musical genre (rap vs. country) while holding constant the actual lyrics. Study 1, a direct replication of previous research, found that participants deemed identical lyrics more literal, offensive, and in greater need of regulation when they were characterized as rap compared with country. Study 2 was a conceptual replication (i.e., same design but different stimuli), and again detected this effect. Study 3 used the same approach but experimentally manipulated the race of the author of the lyrics. A main effect was detected for the genre, with rap evaluated more negatively than country or a control condition with no label. However, no effects were found for the race of the lyrics’ author nor were interactions were detected. Collectively, these findings highlight the possibility that rap lyrics could inappropriately impact jurors when admitted as evidence to prove guilt.
Unmet Needs in Clinical Utility of Biliary Metal Stents Optimal Endoscopic Palliation of Advanced Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma with Metal Stents

Endoscopic biliary stenting is a well-established palliative procedure for treating obstructive jaundice in patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Plastic tube stents (PS) have been widely used for the procedure, but self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) are becoming increasingly popular because of the associated longer patency. However, there are several unanswered questions regarding the endoscopic placement of SEMSs.
Impacts des perceptions de l'éco-packaging sur les achats de produits éco-emballés

Depuis le XXIe siecle, de plus en plus de consommateurs integrent les preoccupations environnementales et sociales a la consommation. Ce nouveau mode de consommation est nomme, par la plupart de chercheurs comme « consommation responsable » (Francois-lecompte et Valette-florence, 2006 ; Ozcaglar-Toulouse, 2009). Diverses pratiques de consommation responsable se developpent telles que : les comportements recyclages, les achats collectifs, le boycottage et les achats de produit vert. Notamment, les achats de produits eco-emballes se developpent rapidement. Selon une recente enquete menee par l'Observatoire de Consommation Responsable (OCR) au Quebec, le resultat montre que 72,9% des consommateurs quebecois privilegient les produits avec l'eco-packaging (Observatoire de la Consommation Responsable, 2014a). Dans ce memoire, nous etudions l'impact des perceptions des consommateurs envers l'eco-packaging sur les achats des produits eco-emballes. Une enquete aupres d'un panel Web de 936 consommateurs quebecois a ete conduite. Des analyses par modelisation structurelles ont ete realisees. Les resultats montrent que les perceptions des consommateurs a l'egard de l'eco-packaging jouent un role majeur sur les comportements d'achats de produit eco-emballes. Ainsi, la relation entre ces derniers est renforcee via trois variables mediatrices, soit la confiance, le capital-marque et la fidelite des consommateurs envers la marque. Du point de vue des consommateurs, le capital-marque a une plus grande influence. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLES DE L’AUTEUR : eco-conception, analyse du cycle de vie, packaging, comportement d'achats, capital-marque, confiance, fidelite.
PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY RECONCILES INCONGRUOUS MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL TAXONOMIES: THE GIANT KELP, MACROCYSTIS (LAMINARIALES, PHAEOPHYCEAE), IS A MONOSPECIFIC GENUS 1

The giant kelp genus Macrocystis C. Agardh (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) is one of the world’s most ecologically and economically important seaweed taxa, yet its taxonomy remains uncertain. Although the genus currently contains four accepted species based on variable holdfast and blade morphology [M. pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh, M. integrifolia Bory, M. angustifolia Bory, and M. laevis C. H. Hay], numerous recent studies on Macrocystis interfertility, genetic relatedness, and morphological plasticity all suggest that the genus is monospecific. We reviewed this evidence and present an explanation for the extreme phenotypic plasticity that results in morphological variability within Macrocystis, driven by the effects of environmental factors on early development of macroscopic sporophytes. We propose that the genus be collapsed back to a single species, with nomenclatural priority given to M. pyrifera.
Currently Practised Sterilization Methods-Some Inadvertent Consequences

Currently used sterilization techniques such as ethylene oxide, y irradiation, and steam sterilization could introduce inadvertent consequences, especially in polymeric materials. These could have far-reaching effects on the biocompatibility of the materials. Some of these consequences are reviewed and a typical example of the effect of steam sterilization on the properties and biocompatibility of polyethylene terephthalate is discussed.
Competition and Networks of Collaboration

I develop a model of collaboration between tournament participants in which agents collaborate in pairs, and an endogenous structure of collaboration is represented by a weighted network. The agents are forward-looking and capable of coordination; they value collaboration with others and higher tournament rankings. I use von Neumann-Morgenstern stable sets as a solution. I find stable networks in which agents collaborate only within exclusive groups. Both an absence of intergroup collaboration and excessive intragroup collaboration lead to inefficiency. I provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the stability of efficient outcomes in winner-takes-all tournaments. I show that the use of transfers does not repair efficiency.
Diagnosis of Mediterranean spotted fever by cultivation of Rickettsia conorii from blood and skin samples using the centrifugation-shell vial technique and by detection of R. conorii in circulating endothelial cells: a 6-year follow-up

Rickettsia conorii, an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects vascular endothelial cells, is the etiologic agent of Mediterranean spotted fever. We correlated the results of 205 R. conorii blood and skin cultures for 157 patients and the results of 48 detections of R. conorii in circulating endothelial cells (CEC) for 41 patients with relevant serological, clinical, and therapeutic data. R. conorii was cultured from 40% of patients and 29.8% of samples. R. conorii was detected in CEC in 50% of samples, representing 46.2% of patients. When these calculations were limited to the samples from untreated patients prior to their seroconversion to R. conorii, the sensitivity of culture was 59%, whereas it remained at 50% for detection in CEC. We also performed PCRs for the detection of R. conorii on eight shell vial supernatants from positive cultures and on 43 blood samples. Only nonfrozen supernatants from fresh cultures were positive. The methods described in this report are suitable for use in all laboratories. Our findings suggest that for samples to be suitable for culture they must be collected prior to the initiation of an antibiotic regimen, as early as possible in the course of the disease, and be inoculated onto shell vials with minimal delay, if R. conorii is to be successfully isolated. For patients who have been treated or who have a delayed diagnosis, detection of R. conorii in CEC remains helpful.
A Simulation Framework for Tool Tissue Interactions in Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is preferred over other traditional methods due to reduced complications and improved ergonomics for the operating surgeon. They are also a perfect platform for telesurgery. Automated surgery in which the robot is allowed to do various surgical tasks with minimal intervention is getting wider attention recently. In this paper, we introduce a simulation framework that can realistically simulate tool tissue interactions in robotic surgery, which can be used to design and test various control methodologies for automated surgical tasks. We present preliminary results from simulating a simple model of a surgical robot interacting with a volumetric model while performing a grasping and hold task.
Perceptual Grouping in Pigeons

Animal studies reveal that many species perceive partially occluded objects in the same way as do humans. Pigeons have been a notable exception. We re-investigated this anomaly of pigeon perception using a different approach from previous studies. With our method, we show that pigeons perceive occluded objects in the same manner as do other species. In addition, we report that pigeons can recognize perceptually transparent surfaces when the effect is induced by the same perceptual mechanisms as occlusion. These results give behavioral evidence that the perception of both occlusion and transparency is a common visual function shared by pigeons and humans, despite the structural differences between their visual systems.
Distributed Control of Networked Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Valley Area Coverage

The paper provides a novel cooperative motion scheme for networked Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to fully sweep-cover a priori unknown elongated areas with curved borders, which are termed “valley areas. ” The UAVs’ motion is confined between the borders. Different from former research on straight-corridor-sweep-coverage, in each valley area, the width of different portions varies dramatically: the UAVs need to line up across the valley area to achieve full coverage of the widest portions while they can only pass through the narrowest parts one by one in a queue. The UAVs are provided with barrier detection and inter-UAV communication. According to the scheme, a distributed control law has been offered for discrete-time multi-UAV systems, guaranteeing crash avoidance and full coverage while considering the constrained mobility of the UAVs. Regular and extreme simulations are carried out to verify the efficacy and stability of the proposed algorithm. Solutions to U-shaped valley coverage and the case of insufficient UAVs available are discussed with validation simulations. Comparison simulations are conducted with respect to a line-sweep-coverage algorithm developed by a closely related work, and differences in performance are revealed subsequently. Conclusions are drawn with possible directions of future research.
Examining HPV Threat-to-Efficacy Ratios in the Extended Parallel Process Model

The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) posits that an effective fear appeal includes both threat and efficacy components; however, research has not addressed whether there is an optimal threat-to-efficacy ratio. It is possible that varying levels of threat and efficacy in a persuasive message could yield different effects on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. In a laboratory experiment, women (n = 442) were exposed to human papilloma virus (HPV) prevention messages containing one of six threat-to-efficacy ratios and one of two message frames (messages emphasizing the connection between HPV and cervical cancer or HPV and genital warts). Multiple mediation analysis revealed that a 1-to-1 ratio of threat to efficacy was most effective at increasing prevention intentions, primarily because it caused more fear and risk susceptibility than other message ratios. Response efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between message framing and intentions, such that participants exposed to a genital warts message reported significantly higher intentions, and this association can be explained in part through response efficacy. Implications for future theoretical research as well as campaigns and intervention research are discussed.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Hainan gudgeon Sarcocheilichthys hainanensis Nichols & Pope (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Abstract In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of cyprinid fish, Hainan gudgeon Sarcocheilichthys hainanensis Nichols & Pope, 1927 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) has been amplified and sequenced by employing long polymerase chain reaction method. The mitogenome, consisting of 16,674 base pairs (bp), had the typical vertebrate mitochondrial gene arrangement, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs genes and a noncoding control region (CR). CR of 1004 bp length is located between tRNAPro and tRNAPhe. The overall base composition of S. hainanensis is 30.0% for A, 26.7% for C, 26.4% for T and 16.8% for G, with a slight AT bias of 56.4%. The complete mitogenome may provide rather essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogenetic analysis for not only congeneric species but also higher different taxa of cyprinid fishes.
Need for large scale randomised evidence about lowering LDL cholesterol in people with diabetes mellitus: MRC/BHF heart protection study and other major trials

Diabetes mellitus contributes substantially to the global burden of disease, with an estimated 100 million people affected worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing rapidly.1 Macrovascular complications are among the chief causes of major morbidity in people with diabetes, and most of their deaths are attributed to cardiovascular causes.2 3 In type 2 (“non-insulin dependent”) diabetes, blood triglyceride concentrations tend to be raised and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations reduced even with good metabolic control, whereas a similar pattern tends to emerge in type 1 (“insulin dependent”) diabetes mellitus only when glycaemic control is poor.4 5 Typically in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, however, blood concentrations of total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are similar to those in the general population. This may have contributed to the belief that LDL cholesterol is of little relevance to the risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetes4 6 and, apart from those with pronounced dyslipidaemia or pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD), most people with diabetes do not receive cholesterol lowering treatment despite their increased risk. Prospective epidemiological studies in the general population show that there is a positive association between CHD risk and blood total cholesterol concentration, which continues down at least to 3 mmol/l (that is, well below the range commonly seen in western populations)7 without any evidence of a “threshold” below which lower cholesterol is not associated with lower risk. In these observational studies, the continuous association is roughly linear between CHD risk plotted on a doubling scale and the concentration of total or LDL cholesterol. This implies that the proportional reduction in CHD risk associated with a particular prolonged absolute difference in cholesterol is similar throughout the range studied. Hence, the absolute size of the reduction in CHD produced by lowering LDL cholesterol by …
Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Cow's Milk by Means of High Hydrostatic Pressure at Mild Temperatures

ABSTRACT Two strains of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (3644/02 and ATCC 19698) were inoculated (approximately 6 log CFU/ml) into sterilized milk to evaluate inactivation by high hydrostatic pressure. Reductions of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis increased with pressure level. Significant differences were also found between M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains and between the media used. Average reductions of 4 log CFU/ml after treatment with 500 MPa are comparable to those caused by thermal treatments.
Measurement of free GH and bioactive IGF-I in non-diabetic haemodialysis patients treated with GH for 7 days.

BACKGROUND End-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients demonstrate augmented growth hormone (GH) secretion, but normal insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations, indicating a state of GH resistance. To test this hypothesis, we compared the IGF-I response with exogenous GH in haemodialysis patients and healthy controls, with special focus on free GH and bioactive IGF-I. METHODS Ultrafiltered free GH and total GH were measured in serum collected hourly for 24 h at baseline and after 7 days of recombinant human (rh) GH (50 µg/kg/day) treatment in 11 non-diabetic haemodialysis patients and 10 matched controls. Serum levels of bioactive IGF-I (determined by cell-based IGF-I receptor activation assay), total IGF-I and the GH-binding protein (GHBP) were assayed twice daily. RESULTS At baseline, patients showed elevated total GH (24 ± 5 versus 9 ± 1 µg/L × h, P < 0.02), free GH (21 ± 5 versus 7 ± 1 µg/L × h, P < 0.02), reduced GHBP (1.5 ± 0.3 versus 2.5 ± 0.2 nmol/L, P < 0.01), high-normal total IGF-I (173 ± 18 versus 135 ± 14 µg/L, P = 0.12) and subnormal bioactive IGF-I (2.1 ± 0.3 versus 2.8 ± 0.2 µg/L, P < 0.05) when compared with controls. After 7 days of rhGH treatment, there was a greater GH increase in the non-diabetic haemodialysis patients than in controls (total GH: 293 ± 33 versus 166 ± 13 µg/L × h, P < 0.001; free GH: 284 ± 40 versus 126 ± 15 µg/L × h, P < 0.001). GHB remained unaffected and total IGF-I increased to the same extent in patients and controls (701 ± 87 versus 572 ± 33 µg/L, P = 0.17), whereas bioactive IGF-I tended to be lower in patients (5.37 ± 0.55 versus 6.63 ± 0.25 µg/L, P < 0.10). When adjusting for the actual increments in plasma GH, the ability of exogenous GH to stimulate bioactive IGF-I levels was reduced by ~50% in ESRF (P < 0.02), whereas the response of total IGF-I remained normal (74%; P= 0.18) CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrates that ESRF is associated with markedly elevated serum levels of free GH. Furthermore changes in bioactive, but not immunoreactive, IGF-I indicated that the hepatic sensitivity to GH was reduced by 50% in ESRF patients. Clearly, the physiological importance of our observations awaits further studies, but they suggest that changes in total IGF-I may not necessarily reflect changes in the endogenous activity of IGF-I in ESRF patients on GH treatment.
PPADS selectively antagonizes P2X‐purinoceptor‐mediated responses in the rabbit urinary bladder

1 Pyridoxalphosphate‐6‐azophenyl‐2′,4′‐disulphonic acid (PPADS), an inhibitor of P2X‐purinoceptor‐mediated responses in rabbit vas deferens, was investigated for its ability to antagonize contractions evoked by α,β‐methylene ATP (α,β‐MeATP), carbachol and electrical field stimulation in the rabbit urinary bladder detrusor muscle. 2 PPADS (1–30 μm) caused concentration‐dependent inhibition of contractions to the stable P2X‐purinoceptor agonist, α,β‐MeATP, decreasing the maximum response to α,β‐MeATP (30 μm) at concentrations of 3–30 μm. The pD2 value for α,β‐MeATP in the absence of PPADS was 6.52 ± 0.10 (8). In the presence of PPADS at concentrations of 1, 3, 10 and 30 μm the negative log concentrations of α,β‐MeATP that cause the same contractile response as the pD2 value were significantly different from control, being respectively 6.17 ± 0.09 (8), 5.64 ± 0.12 (7), 5.15 ± 0.23 (7) and 4.78 ± 0.22 (5). 3 PPADS (1–30 μm) caused concentration‐dependent inhibition of contractions to stimulation of intramural purinergic nerves (1–32 Hz). There was a greater inhibition at lower frequencies (1–8 Hz) than at higher frequencies (16–32 Hz). PPADS, 30 μm, did not produce significantly greater antagonism than 10 μm. 4 PPADS (30 μm) had no significant influence on the contractile potency of carbachol: the pD2 values of carbachol in the absence and presence of PPADS were not significantly different being 6.42 ± 0.16 (5) and 6.33 ± 0.18 (5), respectively. However, PPADS caused a small, but significant, suppression of the maximal response of carbachol, reducing it by approximately 9%. 5 Radioligand binding studies carried out on rabbit bladder membranes with [3H]‐α,β‐methylene ATP ([3H]‐α,β‐MeATP) showed that PPADS concentration‐dependently inhibited the binding of [3H]‐α,β‐MeATP to P2X‐purinoceptors, while the binding of [3H]‐quinuclidinyl benzilate to muscarinic cholinoceptors was not affected. 6 Thus, PPADS (1–30 μm) antagonized responses mediated via P2X‐purinoceptors in the rabbit urinary bladder. It was selective for P2‐purinoceptor‐mediated contractions rather than those mediated via muscarinic receptors. Binding studies demonstrated that the antagonistic effect of PPADS is via a direct interaction with P2X‐purinoceptors.
Quantity and Diversity: Simulating Early Word Learning Environments.

The words in children's language learning environments are strongly predictive of cognitive development and school achievement. But how do we measure language environments and do so at the scale of the many words that children hear day in, day out? The quantity and quality of words in a child's input are typically measured in terms of total amount of talk and the lexical diversity in that talk. There are disagreements in the literature whether amount or diversity is the more critical measure of the input. Here we analyze the properties of a large corpus (6.5 million words) of speech to children and simulate learning environments that differ in amount of talk per unit time, lexical diversity, and the contexts of talk. The central conclusion is that what researchers need to theoretically understand, measure, and change is not the total amount of words, or the diversity of words, but the function that relates total words to the diversity of words, and how that function changes across different contexts of talk.
Capacitance Degradation due to Fringing Field in Deep Sub-Micron MOSFETs with High-K Gate Dielectrics

High-K gate dielectrics have been under extensive investigation for use in sub-100nm MOSFET's to suppress gate leakage. However, thicker gate dielectrics can result in degradation of the electrical performance due to increased fringing fields from the gate to source/drain. In this paper the capacitance degradation resulting from this effect is analyzed & simple technique to model this effect is presented.