Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective optimization for decentralized PI control of the ALSTOM benchmark problem

In this paper, based on the analysis of multi-objective optimization for decentralized PI control of the ALSTOM benchmark problem, deficiencies in optimization results are pointed out. Specially, two deficiencies in Xue's study are proposed, i.e. performance tests are done when the gasifier is unstable, and the sub-objective functions of multi-objective optimization cannot reflect the change of outputs' relative integral of absolute error reasonably at each load. Multi-objective optimization algorithm with modifying sub-objective functions are used to eliminate the two deficiencies and applied to choose parameters of decentralized PI control, better dynamic responses performances are achieved, including the decrease of the RIAE sum in pressure disturbance tests, bigger scale of rejecting coal quality change.
What are the most important non-academic attributes of good doctors? A Delphi survey of clinicians

Background: Although a multiplicity of qualities and behaviours considered essential in a good doctor are identified in the profession's guidance documents, there is no consensus as to their relative importance, or indeed, agreement as to the core qualities that should be, or could be, feasibly assessed in the limited time of the typical medical school interview. Aim: The aim of the study was to identify the most important generic attributes of good doctors, which can inform the content of the undergraduate medical student selection processes. Method: The study used a Delphi survey to systematically gather the opinion of a panel of experts from a range of medical specialties as to the most important core attributes of good doctors. Additionally, a snapshot of opinion was obtained from the attendees of workshops held at a medical school educational conference. Results: Common core attributes of a good doctor were identified across a number of medical specialties. Conclusions: Consensus among clinicians from disparate specialties can be reached as to the most important generic attributes of good doctors and can be used to inform the choice of personal qualities and behaviours examined during undergraduate medical student selection process.
A general model of the relation between phenotypic selection and genetic response

The phenotypic view of selection assumes that genetic responses can be predicted from selective forces and heritability - or in the classical quantitative genetic equation: R = h2S. However, data on selection in bird populations show that often no selection response is found, despite consistent selective forces on phenotypes and significant heritable variation. Such discrepancies may arise due to the assumption that selection only acts on observed phenotypes. We derive a general selection equation that takes into account the possibility that some relevant (internal or external) traits are not measured. This equation shows that the classic equation applies if selection directly acts on the measured, phenotypic traits. This is not the case when, for instance, there are unknown internal genetic trade-offs, or unknown common environmental factors affecting both trait and fitness. In such cases, any relationship between phenotypic selection and genetic response is possible. Fortunately, the classical model can be tested by comparing phenotypic and genetic covariances between traits and fitness; an indication that important internal or external traits are missing can thus be obtained. Such an analysis was indeed found in the literature; for selection on fledging weight in Great Tits it yielded valuable extra information.
Immunogenicity of Cytopathic and Noncytopathic Viral Vectors

ABSTRACT The impact of cytolytic versus noncytolytic viral infections on host responses is not well understood, due to limitations of the systems that have been used to address this issue. Using paired cytopathic and noncytopathic rabies viruses that differ by only two amino acids, we investigated several fundamental aspects of the immune response to these viral vectors. Greater cytopathic capacity translated into a greater degree of cross-priming to CD8+ T cells (TCD8+) and more-robust short-term humoral and cellular responses. However, long-term responses to the two viruses were similar, suggesting that direct priming drives the bulk of the TCD8+ antirabies response and that enhanced acute responses associated with greater virally mediated cellular destruction were balanced by other factors, such as prolonged antigen expression associated with noncytopathic virus. Such compensatory mechanisms may be in place to ensure comparable immunologic memories to various pathogens.
Interventions for cutaneous molluscum contagiosum.

BACKGROUND Molluscum contagiosum is a common skin infection, caused by a pox virus. The infection will usually resolve within months in people with a normal immune system. Many treatments have been used for molluscum contagiosum but a clear evidence base supporting them is lacking.This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in Issue 2, 2006. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of management strategies (including waiting for natural resolution) for cutaneous, non-genital molluscum contagiosum in otherwise healthy people. SEARCH STRATEGY In June 2009 we updated our searches of the Cochrane Skin Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2009), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS. We also searched ongoing trials registers, reference lists, and contacted pharmaceutical companies and experts in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA We investigated randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum. We excluded trials on sexually transmitted molluscum contagiosum and in people with lowered immunity (including those with HIV infection). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently selected studies, assessed methodological quality, and extracted data from selected studies. MAIN RESULTS Eleven studies, with a total number of 495 participants, examined the effects of topical (9 studies), systemic, and homoeopathic interventions (1 study each). Limited evidence was found for the efficacy of sodium nitrite co-applied with salicylic acid compared to salicylic acid alone (risk ratio (RR) 3.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23 to 9.92); for Australian lemon myrtle oil compared to its vehicle, olive oil (RR 17.88, 95% CI 1.13 to 282.72); and for benzoyl peroxide cream compared to tretinoin (RR 2.20, 95% CI 1.01 to 4.79). No statistically significant differences were found for 10 other comparisons, most of which addressed 2 topical treatments.Study limitations included no blinding (four studies), many dropouts (three studies), and no intention-to-treat analysis; small study sizes may have led to important differences being missed. None of the evaluated treatment options were associated with serious adverse effects. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS No single intervention has been shown to be convincingly effective in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum. The update identified six new studies, most of them reporting on interventions not included in the original version. However, the conclusions of the review did not change.
Effects of L-Carnitine L-Tartrate Supplementation on Muscle Oxygenation Responses to Resistance Exercise

Spiering, BA, Kraemer, WJ, Hatfield, DL, Vingren, JL, Fragala, MS, Ho, J-Y, Thomas, GA, Häkkinen, K, and Volek, JS. Effects of L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation on muscle oxygenation responses to resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res 22: 1130-1135, 2008-Previous research has shown that L-carnitine L-tartrate (LCLT) supplementation beneficially affects markers of hypoxic stress following resistance exercise. However, the mechanism of this response is unclear. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of LCLT supplementation on muscle tissue oxygenation during and after multiple sets of squat exercise. Nine healthy, previously resistance-trained men (25.2 ± 6.years, 91.2 ± 10.2 kg, 180.2 ± 6.3 cm) ingested 2 g·d−1 of LCLT or an identical placebo for 23 days in a randomized, balanced, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures study design. On day 21, forearm muscle oxygenation was measured during and after an upper arm occlusion protocol using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which measures the balance of oxygen delivery in relation to oxygen consumption. On day 22, subjects performed 5 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions of squat exercise with corresponding measures of thigh muscle oxygenation, via NIRS, and serial blood draws. Compared to the placebo trial, muscle oxygenation was reduced in the LCLT trial during upper arm occlusion and following each set of resistance exercise. Despite reduced oxygenation, plasma malondealdehyde, a marker of membrane damage, was attenuated during the LCLT trial. There were no differences between trials in the vasoactive substance prostacyclin. In conclusion, because oxygen delivery was occluded during the forearm protocol, it is proposed that enhanced oxygen consumption mediated the reduced muscle oxygenation during the LCLT trial. Enhanced oxygen consumption would explain why hypoxic stress was attenuated with LCLT supplementation.
Brain Oxygen Utilization Measured with 0- 15 Radiotracers and Positron Emission Tomography

I23 sec) into the vascular compartment of the body re sults in the distribution of the labeled oxygen to the tissues, where it is converted to 015-labeled water of metabolism. The labeled water then redistributes to all tissues by way of the same vascular compartment. Un metabolized labeled molecular oxygen is ultimately re moved by respiration. Thesepropertiesof the oxygen-15 tracerhavebeen incorporated into an equilibrium model that has been used to measure oxygen consumption in the human brain using data from the sequential inhalation to equilibrium of [O-l5]oxygen and carbon dioxide (1,2). Important disadvantages of this technique include the relatively complex system required for constant delivery of the
What's “Up”? A Critical Look at the Basic Terms of Canopy Biology1

Abstract The lack of recent critiques about terminology has led to the frequent misuse or confusingly varied use of the words that are more or less specific to the field of terrestrial canopy biology. I provide definitions for ca 170 terms and subterms, with translations into four languages. Rather than limit coverage to tree crowns, I define canopy biology as the study of life within any aboveground parts of all plant communities, temperate and tropical. This broadened perspective enables ecologists to consider the entire range of challenges faced by organisms living in aboveground plant life, from just above the rhizosphere to the outer limits of plant growth into the atmosphere. Further, this redefinition may reduce the potential for anthropocentric biases in interpreting life on trees or other plants; encourage the use of alternative ecosystems for hypotheses that may be difficult to address in treetops; and promote more general conceptual thinking about life on vegetation, most notably the importance of scaling in ecology. Among the salient points in terminology: the concept of “stratification” has been criticized in part because strata have been defined many ways, but a flexible application of the word is central to its utility; the source of nutrients is pivotal in distinguishing epiphytes from parasites, rather than the more general issue of an organism's effects on its host; “hemiepiphyte,” as currently used, confounds two radically different life cycle strategies, suggesting a new term, “nomadic vine,” to describe the strategy typical of many aroids; there is a confusion in the literature caused by varied applications of the word “climb;” locomotor terms may have to be modified as more becomes known about forces underlying limb kinematics; and studies of leaping and falling organisms tend to overemphasize arbitrary distinctions between gliding and parachuting to the detriment of the more critical issue of capacity for “controlled descent. ”
Alloreactive CD4 T Cell Activation In Vivo: An Autonomous Function of the Indirect Pathway of Alloantigen Presentation1

Activation of alloreactive CD4 T cells occurs via the direct and indirect pathways of alloantigen presentation. A novel TCR/alloantigen transgenic system was designed that permitted in vivo visualization of CD4 T cell priming through these pathways. When both pathways of alloantigen presentation were intact, CD4 T cell activation in response to cardiac allografts was rapid and systemic by day 4 after transplantation, in contrast to that seen in response to skin allografts, which was delayed until 10–12 days after transplantation. Despite this systemic CD4 T cell activation in response to cardiac allografts, there was a paucity of activated graft-infiltrating CD4 T cells at 4 days posttransplantation. This finding suggests that the initial priming of alloimmune CD4 T cell responses occurs within draining lymphoid organs. Furthermore, alloantigens derived from cardiac allografts failed to promote thymic negative selection of developing thymocytes expressing the alloreactive TCR clonotype. In the absence of a functional direct pathway, the kinetics of activation, anatomic localization, and effector function of alloreactive CD4 T cells remained unchanged. Overall, the present study defines the anatomic and temporal characteristics of CD4 T cell alloimmune responses and demonstrates that CD4 T cell priming via the indirect pathway proceeds optimally in the absence of the direct pathway of alloantigen presentation.
Endothelial-derived nitric oxide inhibits sodium transport by affecting apical membrane channels in cultured collecting duct cells.

Previously, it has been shown that the addition of bradykinin (Bk) to M-1 cortical collecting duct cells in the presence of endothelial cells decreased short-circuit current (Isc), a measure of net active transport. This effect is presumably due to the release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO), because the decrease in Isc could be blocked with Nw-nitro-L-arginine. To show that the inhibition of Isc was due to EDNO rather than prostaglandins, the ability of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor to block the inhibition was examined. When Bk was added to cocultures in the presence of meclofenamate (10(-5) M), Isc decreased from 62 +/- 12 to 44.5 +/- 7 muA/cm2, not significantly different from that in the absence of meclofenamate. To determine if the effect was due to an alteration of sodium absorption, Bk (10(-9) M) was added to cocultures, resulting in a decrease in Na flux from 28 +/- 3.1 to 20 +/- 2.2 nEq/min (P < 0.05), with Isc decreasing from 25 +/- 2.4 to 20 +/- 3.6 nEq/min (P < 0.05). To examine if the inhibition was due to blockade at the apical membrane sodium channel or the basolateral Na+/K+ ATPase, the cation-selective ionophore nystatin was used. Nystatin reversed the effect of EDNO on Isc. The effects of EDNO on Na+/K+ ATPase were also measured directly. Under maximum rate conditions, the Na+/K+ ATPase activity of control and Bk-treated cocultures was 5.2 +/- 0.3 and 6.8 +/- 1.0 nmol/min per square centimeter, respectively (not significantly different). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
TRAM Flap Anatomy Correlated with a 10‐Year Clinical Experience with 556 Patients

This study examines the vascular anatomy of the TRAM flap and evaluates risk factors associated with complications among 556 women who had TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Fifty-nine patients (10.6 percent) developed fat necrosis involving 10 percent or more of their breast. Risk factors associated with fat necrosis were a history of chest-wall irradiation (p = 0.001), significant abdominal scar (p < 0.01), and obesity (p < 0.02). Among unipedicle reconstructions, patients with multiple risk factors had three times the incidence of fat necrosis (24.7 versus 8.3 percent) compared with patients with one or no risk factors (p < 0.002). Patients with multiple risk factors who had bipedicled TRAM flap reconstruction had no associated increased incidence of fat necrosis (p > 0.18). Forty-nine patients (8.8 percent) developed abdominal hernias. Risk factors associated with hernia formation included smoking at the time of surgery (p = 0.00001) and abdominal-wall repair with interposed mesh (p < 0.00001). The overall complication rate for this series was 23.7 percent (132 of 556). Risk factors associated with any complication included smoking (p < 0.002), history of chest-wall irradiation (p < 0.002), significant abdominal scar (p < 0.005), and obesity (p < 0.02). Patient selection is a fundamental determinant of successful TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Among patients with multiple risk factors, the risk of tissue loss in the reconstructed breast may be diminished by use of a bipedicled TRAM flap.
Tacrolimus Exposure After Liver Transplantation in Randomized Controlled Trials: Too Much for Too Long

We read with great interest the randomized controlled trial (RCT) by De Simone et al. (1), which evaluated the combination of tacrolimus and everolimus after liver transplantation (LT). They demonstrated that glomerular filtration rate decreased less at 12 months with everolimus and reduced tacrolimus, compared to a conventional tacrolimus based regimen, while rejection rates were similar. Although these results are promising we are very concerned about what is meant by ‘‘conventional exposure to tacrolimus’’ in RCT, and its potential implications on clinical practice and patients’ safety.
The major soyabean allergen P34 resists proteolysis in vitro and is transported through intestinal epithelial cells by a caveolae-mediated mechanism

Soya is considered to be one of the eight most significant food allergens. Among the allergenic soya proteins determined to date, P34 has been identified as one of the immunodominant soya antigens. Sensitisation to a specific food antigen like P34 generally follows the transit of intact antigens across the intestinal barrier and usually occurs in infants, who are most susceptible to food allergies. In the present study, we used the intestinal epithelial cell line IPEC-J2, which was originally derived from the jejunum of a neonatal piglet, to recapitulate the infant intestinal epithelium and study the binding and uptake of P34 protein. P34 was partially resistant to degradation in an in vitro proteolysis assay. IPEC-J2 cells were able to endocytose intact P34, as shown by immunofluorescence and immunoelectronmicroscopy methods. P34 associated with lipid raft microdomains of IPEC-J2 cells, and disruption of caveolae/lipid raft microdomains using methyl-β-cyclodextrin abolished P34 endocytosis, indicating that the observed endocytosis was mediated by caveolae. Using IPEC-J2 cells grown on Transwell filters, we further demonstrated that P34 is transported through the epithelial monolayer by transcytosis. Piglets frequently show hypersensitivity to soya antigens, and in this study, we show that healthy adult pigs with dietary exposure to soya protein mount an antibody response to soyabean protein P34, suggesting that this protein has entered the body, probably through gastrointestinal uptake. In summary, our data suggest that soya P34 resists proteolysis in the gastrointestinal tract and is transported through the intestinal epithelial barrier, thereby allowing sensitisation of immune cells in the sub-epithelial compartment.
Does viewing explain doing? Assessing the association between sexually explicit materials use and sexual behaviors in a large sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults.

INTRODUCTION Concerns have been voiced that the use of sexually explicit materials (SEMs) may adversely affect sexual behaviors, particularly in young people. Previous studies have generally found significant associations between SEM consumption and the sexual behaviors investigated. However, most of these studies have focused on sexual behaviors related to sexually transmitted infections or sexual aggression and/or failed to adequately control for relevant covariates. Thus, research more thoroughly investigating the association between SEM consumption and a broader range of sexual behaviors is needed. AIMS The study aims to investigate SEM consumption patterns of young people, and to assess the strength of the association between SEM consumption and a range of sexual behaviors, controlling for a comprehensive array of variables previously shown to affect these relationships. METHODS Online cross-sectional survey study of 4,600 young people, 15-25 years of age, in The Netherlands was performed. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES The main outcome measures were self-reported SEM consumption and sexual practices. RESULTS The study found that 88% of men and 45% of women had consumed SEM in the past 12 months. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses to control for other factors, the association between SEM consumption and a variety of sexual behaviors was found to be significant, accounting for between 0.3% and 4% of the total explained variance in investigated sexual behaviors. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that, when controlling for important other factors, SEM consumption influences sexual behaviors. The small to moderate associations that emerged between SEM consumption and sexual behavior after controlling for other variables suggest that SEM is just one factor among many that may influence youth sexual behaviors. These findings contribute novel information to the ongoing debates on the role of SEM consumption in sexual behaviors and risk, and provide appropriate guidance to policy makers and program developers concerned with sexual education and sexual health promotion for young people.
Novel keratin (KeraStat™) and polyurethane (Nanosan®-Sorb) biomaterials are hemostatic in a porcine lethal extremity hemorrhage model

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death in people aged 44 or less in the US. It is also estimated that 82% of deaths from battlefield hemorrhage may be survivable with better treatment options. In this study, two biomaterial hemostats having disparate mechanisms were evaluated in a large animal lethal hemorrhage model and compared to a commercial product and standard cotton gauze. We hypothesized that the biomaterial with a biologically active mechanism, as opposed to a mechanical mechanism, would be the most effective in this model. Using a published study protocol, the femoral artery in swine was punctured and treated. KeraStat™ (KeraNetics) and Nanosan®-Sorb (SNS Nano) hemostats were compared to a commercial chitosan dressing (second generation Hemcon®) and cotton gauze. Both KeraStat and Nanosan increased survival, significantly increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), and significantly decreased shock index compared to both controls. The Hemcon dressing was no different than gauze. Platelet adhesion assays suggested that the KeraStat mechanism of action involves β1 integrin mediated platelet adhesion while Nanosan-Sorb operates similar to one reported mechanism for Hemcon, absorbing fluid and concentrating clotting components. The Nanosan also swelled considerably and created pressure within the wound site even after direct pressure was removed.