Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osmotic and Hemodynamic Effects of Hypertonic Glucose During Hemodialysis

It was the purpose to quantify the hemodynamic effects of a bolus of hypertonic glucose injected into the extracorporeal system in a group of stable and nondiabetic patients during hemodialysis (HD). Glucose and electrolytes were measured in frequent intervals. Arterial blood pressures and heart rates were continuously recorded by noninvasive vascular unloading technique. Beat-to-beat stroke volume, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance were determined by Modelflow method. Relative blood volumes were continuously measured by ultrasonic and optical means. Eight patients were studied in two treatments. Although arterial pressures and heart rates remained stable, stroke volume and cardiac output transiently increased above (19.2 ± 12.3%) and total peripheral resistance dropped below baseline (18.2 ± 8.6%) by a comparable magnitude. Relative blood volume transiently increased above baseline at 100% (104.9 ± 1.0%). Glucose concentrations were significantly related to relative blood volumes (r2 = 0.86, p < 0.001). In spite of a substantial increase in blood volume, a bolus of hypertonic glucose does not increase arterial pressures in nondiabetic patients because of concomitant vasodilatation. The relative increase in blood volume quantified by noninvasive HD technology follows the course of glucose and could be used as a surrogate to characterize patients with regard to their glucose metabolism during HD.
Skeletal site-specific response to ovariectomy in a rat model: change in bone density and microarchitecture.

OBJECTIVES Ovariectomized (OVX) rat model has been widely used in osteoporosis-related studies. However, the discrepancies in age and skeletal sites being investigated make it difficult to compare the results from different studies. The purpose of this study was to provide information of systemic skeletal site-specific changes in a stable OVX rat model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-three 6-month Spraque-Dawley female rats were used. Fifteen rats underwent ovariectomy, and fifteen received sham surgery. Three animals without any surgery were sacrificed at week 0 to serve as baseline. Three animals in the OVX and sham group, respectively, were euthanized at week 2, 4, 12, 24 and 36 post-surgery. Ten bone sites, including parietal bone, interparietal bone, maxilla, mandible, humerus, ulna, femur, tibia, lumber vertebra, and ilium, were subjected to micro-CT. RESULTS Overall, long bones, lumber vertebra, and ilium showed similar trend of bone loss post-OVX, with tibia and femur suffered the most bone loss and spine the least (decreased by 75.0%, 70.4% and 36.6% in bone mineral density BMD at week 36 from base line, respectively). Upon OVX, jaw bones and cranial bones only showed a minor reduction in BMD (decreased by 1~3% from baseline) at week 36. Significant deterioration of trabecular structure was detected in long bones, lumber vertebra, and ilium post-OVX, while jaw bones remained relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS This study for the first time assessed the systemic site-specific bone loss and microarchitecture changes in OVX rat model. It provided valuable information for selecting bone site and observation time in osteoporosis-related study.
Exchange Rate and Stock Price Relationship: A Wavelet Analysis for India

This article attempts to examine whether stock and foreign exchange markets are related to each other using the methodology of wavelets. In particular, the relationship is analysed using wavelet correlation, wavelet cross-correlation, squared coherency, overall cohesion and scale by scale Granger causality test. While most of the earlier studies in India deny association between the two markets, our results reveal that the two markets are related however, at different time scales. Moreover, it is found that the Indian data are in agreement with the new portfolio approach at some lower scales and with the traditional approach at other lower time scales. Further, it is found that both traditional as well as new portfolio approach hold simultaneously at higher scales.
Essays on estimation of inflation equation

Essays on Estimation of Inflation Equation. (August 2008) Woong Kim, B.A., Yonsei University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Hae-shin Hwang This dissertation improves upon the estimation of inflation equation, using the additional measures of distribution of price changes and the optimum choice of instrumental variables. The measures of dispersion and skewness of the cross-sectional distribution of price changes have been used in empirical analysis of inflation. In the first essay, we find that independent kurtosis effect can have a significant role in the approximation of inflation rate in addition to the dispersion and skewness. The kurtosis measure can improve the approximation of inflation in terms of goodness of fit. The second essay complements the first essay. It is well known that classical measures of moments are sensitive to outliers. It examines the presence of outliers in relative price changes and consider several robust alternative measures of dispersion and skewness. We find the significant relationship between inflation and robust measures of dispersion and skewness. In particular, medcouple as a measure of skewness is very useful in predicting inflation. The third essay estimates the Hybrid Phillips Curve using the optimal set of instrumental variables. Instrumental variables are usually selected from a large number of valid instruments on an ad hoc basis. It has been recognized in the literature that the estimates are sensitive to the choice of instrumental variables and to the choice of the measurement of inflation. This paper uses the L2-boosting method that selects the best instruments from a large number of valid weakly exogenous instruments. We find that boosted instruments produce more comparable estimates of parameters across different measures of inflation and
Extreme Terrestrial Environments: Life in Thermal Stress and Hypoxia. A Narrative Review

Living, working and exercising in extreme terrestrial environments are challenging tasks even for healthy humans of the modern new age. The issue is not just survival in remote environments but rather the achievement of optimal performance in everyday life, occupation, and sports. Various adaptive biological processes can take place to cope with the specific stressors of extreme terrestrial environments like cold, heat, and hypoxia (high altitude). This review provides an overview of the physiological and morphological aspects of adaptive responses in these environmental stressors at the level of organs, tissues, and cells. Furthermore, adjustments existing in native people living in such extreme conditions on the earth as well as acute adaptive responses in newcomers are discussed. These insights into general adaptability of humans are complemented by outcomes of specific acclimatization/acclimation studies adding important information how to cope appropriately with extreme environmental temperatures and hypoxia.
How can clinicians detect and treat autism early? Methodological trends of technology use in research

We reviewed original research papers that used quantifiable technology to detect early autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and identified 376 studies from 34 countries from 1965 to 2013. Publications have increased significantly since 2000, with most coming from the USA. Electroencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging and eye tracking were the most frequently used technologies.
Who Cares About School Quality?; The Role of School Quality in Household Preference, School District Choice, and Willingness to Pay

School quality is considered a key factor affecting homebuyers‘ location choices and willingness to pay. Previously, many studies found that school quality plays a critical role in determining housing prices and location choice. School quality is positively capitalized into housing prices. Households are willing to pay for school quality, in particular, school outcomes such as test scores and performance index. However, there is a view that willingness to pay for school quality is different based on household demographics and socioeconomic status (SES). The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate heterogeneous preference for school quality, school district choice, and willingness to pay for school quality according to a household‘s demographic background and SES, including the presence of schoolage children, marital status, income, education, race/ethnicity, and occupation. This dissertation takes occupational variables into account in the model as a proxy for human capital. This dissertation was also developed to find whether or not a household‘s preference for school quality leads to their school quality consumption regarding school district choice and willingness to pay.
North Dakota Farm and Nonfarm Residents' Views on Financial Assistance Policies

Assistance to financially stressed farmers and agricultural creditors has become a major agricultural policy issue. Findings reported here suggest that North Dakota nonmetropolitan residents have mixed feelings concerning the appropriateness of such aid. Between 30 and 40 percent of the farm and ranch operators surveyed supported state or federal aid (about one-fourth were neutral). Business operators were less likely to favor such aid (only 31 percent supported federal aid and 26 percent agreed with aid from the state). Other nonfarm residents and former farmers, on the other hand, were more supportive of assistance programs than farmers. Results of this survey revealed a strong inverse relationship between a farm operator's financial status and his attitude toward financial assistance from the federal or state government. Similar results were observed for the other groups of rural residents; households with lower levels of income and net worth typically were more favorable to assistance programs.
Encapsidated Host Factors in Alphavirus Particles Influence Midgut Infection of Aedes aegypti

Transmission of mosquito-borne viruses requires the efficient infection of both a permissive vertebrate host and a competent mosquito vector. The infectivity of Sindbis virus (SINV), the type species of the Alphavirus genus, is influenced by both the original and new host cell. We have shown that infection of vertebrate cells by SINV, chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Ross River virus (RRV) produces two subpopulations of virus particles separable based on density. In contrast, a single population of viral particles is produced by mosquito cells. Previous studies demonstrated that the denser vertebrate-derived particles and the mosquito-derived particles contain components of the small subunit of the host cell ribosome, whereas the less dense vertebrate-derived particles do not. Infection of mice with RRV showed that both particle subpopulations are produced in an infected vertebrate, but in a tissue specific manner with serum containing only the less dense version of the virus particles. Previous infectivity studies using SINV particles have shown that the denser particles (SINVHeavy) and mosquito derived particles SINVC6/36 are significantly more infectious in vertebrate cells than the less dense vertebrate derived particles (SINVLight). The current study shows that SINVLight particles, initiate the infection of the mosquito midgut more efficiently than SINVHeavy particles and that this enhanced infectivity is associated with an exacerbated immune response to SINVLight infection in midgut tissues. The enhanced infection of SINVLight is specific to the midgut as intrathoracically injected virus do not exhibit the same fitness advantage. Together, our data indicate a biologically significant role for the SINVLight subpopulation in the efficient transmission from infected vertebrates to the mosquito vector.
Strategies to Genetically Modulate Dendritic Cells to Potentiate Anti-Tumor Responses in Hematologic Malignancies

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination has been investigated as a potential strategy to target hematologic malignancies, while generating sustained immunological responses to control potential future relapse. Nonetheless, few clinical trials have shown robust long-term efficacy. It has been suggested that a combination of surmountable shortcomings, such as selection of utilized DC subsets, DC loading and maturation strategies, as well as tumor-induced immunosuppression may be targeted to maximize anti-tumor responses of DC vaccines. Generation of DC from CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) may provide potential in patients undergoing allogeneic HSPC transplantations for hematologic malignancies. CD34+ HSPC from the graft can be genetically modified to optimize antigen presentation and to provide sufficient T cell stimulatory signals. We here describe beneficial (gene)-modifications that can be implemented in various processes in T cell activation by DC, among which major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and MHC class II presentation, DC maturation and migration, cross-presentation, co-stimulation, and immunosuppression to improve anti-tumor responses.
Urinary iodine concentrations in mothers and their term newborns in country with sufficient iodine supply

Abstract Objective: The main aim of the study was to evaluate maternal and newborn urinary iodine concentrations according to the usage of iodine supplementation during pregnancy. Methods: Thirty-seven women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies and their newborns were included in this study. Maternal urine samples were obtained at the time of delivery and on the third day after delivery. Newborn urine samples were obtained on the third day after delivery. Urinary iodine concentrations were determined by the alkaline ashing of urine specimens followed by the Sandell–Kolthoff reaction using brucine as a colorimetric marker. Result: The overall rate of the usage of iodine supplementation during pregnancy was 54% (20/37). Women who used the iodine supplementation during the pregnancy did not have different urinary iodine concentrations neither at the time of delivery (p = 0.23), nor on the third day after delivery (p = 0.65) in comparison to women without extra iodine supplementation. Newborns from pregnancies with regular iodine supplementation had higher urine iodine concentrations on the third day after delivery (p = 0.02). When women were split into several subgroups based on the daily dosage of iodine supplementation (200, 150, and 50 μg daily and without iodine supplementation), no differences were found in maternal urine iodine concentrations at the time of delivery (p = 0.51) and on the third day after delivery (p = 0.63). Different levels were found in newborn urine iodine concentrations among the subgroups of newborns from pregnancies with different daily doses of iodine supplementation and from pregnancies without iodine supplementation during pregnancy (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Iodine supplementation during pregnancy affects newborn urine concentrations but not maternal urine concentrations.
Compact Eucapnic Voluntary Hyperpnoea Apparatus for Exercise-Induced Respiratory Disease Detection

Eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) challenge provides objective criteria for exercise-induced asthma (EIA) or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), and it was recommended to justify the use of inhaled β2-agonists by athletes for the Olympics. This paper presents the development of a compact and easy-to-use EVH apparatus for assessing EIB in human subjects. The compact apparatus has been validated on human subjects and the results have been compared to the conventional EVH system. Twenty-two swimmers, including eleven healthy subjects and eleven subjects who had been physician-diagnosed with asthma, were recruited from sport and recreation centers throughout Auckland, New Zealand. Each subject performed two EVH challenge tests using the proposed breathing apparatus and the conventional Phillips EVH apparatus on separate days, respectively. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was measured before and after the challenges. A reduction in FEV1 of 10% or more was considered positive. Of the eleven subjects who were previously diagnosed with asthma, EIB was present in all subjects (100%) in the compact EVH group, while it was presented in ten subjects (90.91%) in the conventional EVH challenge group. Of the eleven healthy subjects, EIB was present in one subject (4.55%) in the compact EVH group, while it was not present in the conventional EVH group. Experimental results showed that the compact EVH system has potential to become an alternative tool for EIB detection.
Complications in translabyrinthine surgery of vestibular schwannoma

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the risk of complications associated with tumor size and patient’s age in translabyrinthine vestibular schwannoma surgery. Methods: 700 patients with vestibular schwannoma primarily underwent translabyrinthine surgery between 1988 and 2014. Pre- and postoperative data were collected in a database and incidence of the postoperative complications cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), facial nerve function and mortality were assessed and related to the tumor size and patient’s age and retrospectively evaluated. Results: The tumor size significantly influenced the incidence of ICH and facial nerve dysfunction whereas age was correlated to facial nerve outcome. Conclusions: The translabyrinthine approach is a safe surgical procedure with relatively low risks of complications. The tumor size was significantly associated with a higher risk of ICH and facial nerve dysfunction whereas age only influenced the facial nerve outcome.
A Detailed Evaluation of Neural Sequence-to-Sequence Models for In-domain and Cross-domain Text Simplification

We present a detailed evaluation and analysis of neural sequence-to-sequence models for text simpliﬁcation on two distinct datasets: Wikipedia and Newsela. We employ both human and automatic evaluation to investigate the capacity of neural models to generalize across corpora, and we highlight challenges that these models face when tested on a different genre. Furthermore, we establish a strong baseline on the Newsela dataset and show that a simple neural architecture can be efﬁciently used for in-domain and cross-domain text simpliﬁcation.
Economic growth and social capital: happily together ever after?

Does economic growth go with an increase of social capital over time? A long lasting debate in the economic discipline agrees that higher stocks of social capital enhance economic growth, but overlooked the temporal dimension. Indeed there are reasons to suspect that the positive correlation identified in the literature can not be extended to the relationship over time. Using three proxies of social capital (group membership, trust in others and an index of civicness) and data from the six waves integratedWorld Values Survey / European Value Study data-base I provide evidence confirming that at any point in time, richer countries are also richer in social capital. However, if we compare the time trends of social capital with economic growth, a negative and significant relationship arises. In other words, social capital and GDP go together across countries, but turn to be negatively correlated over time. This paradoxical evidence is compatible with an explanation in terms of increasing economic inequality: in countries experiencing strong increases in inequality, trends of social capital are negatively correlated with economic growth. For countries where economic growth is accompanied by negative or modest increases in inequality, this relationship disappears.
Prevention of Exercise-induced Asthma by a Fixed Combination of Disodium Cromoglycate plus Reproterol Compared with Montelukast in Young Patients

Abstract Background: The leukotriene inhibitor montelukast has been recommended against exercise-induced asthma (EIA), however, single-dose agents might be favourable in several aspects. Objective: To compare the protective effects against EIA of a single inhalation of the combination disodium cromoglycate (DSCG, CAS 16110-51-3) and reproterol (REP, CAS 54063-54-6) with 3 days oral treatment of montelukast (MON, CAS 158966-92-8). Methods: Open-label, cross-over, single-centre trial. Twenty-four 6 to 18-year-old children and adolescents, with reversible and stable airway obstruction, baseline FEV1, > 70 %, predicted and proven EIA (i.e. a maximum decrease of FEV1 by ≥ 20% compared with baseline) were treated with MON, orally for 3 days in the evening, or one single inhalation of DSCG/REP 20 min before the exercise challenge. The treatment sequence was randomised. The exercise test on a treadmill was performed under standardised conditions. Results: 24 patients completed both periods. Both treatments clearly provided protection against EIA; however, protection of DSCG/REP was more pronounced than that of MON. This difference was statistically significant even if the data were adjusted for the increase in FEV1 between inhalation of DSCG/REP and challenge (DSCG/REPadjusted). The nadir FEV1, level after exercise following prophylaxis with DSCG/REP was even higher than the pre-inhalation FEV1, value. From these data, protection indices of 66 %, 81 %, and 113% for MON, DSCG/REPadjusted, and DSCG/REPunadjusted, respectively, were estimated. Conclusions: Inhalation of DSCG/REP before exercise provides significantly better protection against EIA than three days treatment with MON.
Photonic Sub-Lambda transport: An energy-efficient and reliable solution for metro networks

Telecom carriers need to reduce operational expenditures (OPEX) to reduce total network cost. Such OPEX include power consumption, maintenance, and repair related costs, all of which must be considered, especially when providing various network services nationwide. This paper thus presents the Photonic Sub-Lambda transport network (PSL network), an energy-efficient and reliable optical network architecture for metro networks. Numerical results reveal that the PSL network can simultaneously reduce power consumption by 30%+, failure-recovery operations by 40%+, and repair costs by 80%+ compared with reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM)-based networks.
' s personal copy Exploiting social evolution in biofilms

Bacteria are highly social organisms that communicate via signaling molecules, move collectively over surfaces and make biofilm communities. Nonetheless, our main line of defense against pathogenic bacteria consists of antibiotics–drugs that target individual-level traits of bacterial cells and thus, regrettably, select for resistance against their own action. A possible solution lies in targeting the mechanisms by which bacteria interact with each other within biofilms. The emerging field of microbial social evolution combines molecular microbiology with evolutionary theory to dissect the molecular mechanisms and the evolutionary pressures underpinning bacterial sociality. This exciting new research can ultimately lead to new therapies against biofilm infections that exploit evolutionary cheating or the trade-off between biofilm formation and dispersal.
A Selection-Corrected Estimate of Chevron’s Impact on Agency Deference

The ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council dramatically changed how judges rule in favor of federal administrative agencies. Previous research has found both theoretically and empirically that Chevron favors agencies and their interpretation of statutes, but the magnitude of Chevron’s impact remains unclear due to possible selection issues biasing the post-Chevron world. I account for the possibility that incentives change both to the challenger of an agency and the agency itself post-Chevron by estimating a break in the trend of agency deference on the date Chevron was decided. This allows me to exploit the exogenous cases that were pending when Chevron was decided while still employing the full sample of rulings. Both parametric and nonparametric specifications of the trend in agency deference suggest that Chevron increased agency deference by about 20 percentage points.