Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parabronchial remodeling in chicks in response to embryonic hypoxia

ABSTRACT The embryonic development of parabronchi occurs mainly during the second half of incubation in precocious birds, which makes this phase sensitive to possible morphological modifications induced by O2 supply limitation. Thus, we hypothesized that hypoxia during the embryonic phase of parabronchial development induces morphological changes that remain after hatching. To test this hypothesis, chicken embryos were incubated entirely (21 days) under normoxia or partially under hypoxia (15% O2 during days 12 to 18). Lung structures, including air capillaries, blood capillaries, infundibula, atria, parabronchial lumen, bronchi, blood vessels larger than capillaries and interparabronchial tissue, in 1- and 10-day-old chicks were analyzed using light microscopy-assisted stereology. Tissue barrier and surface area of air capillaries were measured using electron microscopy-assisted stereology, allowing for calculation of the anatomical diffusion factor. Hypoxia increased the relative volumes of air and blood capillaries, structures directly involved in gas exchange, but decreased the relative volumes of atria in both groups of chicks, and the parabronchial lumen in older chicks. Accordingly, the surface area of the air capillaries and the anatomical diffusion factor were increased under hypoxic incubation. Treatment did not alter total lung volume, relative volumes of infundibula, bronchi, blood vessels larger than capillaries, interparabronchial tissue or the tissue barrier of any group. We conclude that hypoxia during the embryonic phase of parabronchial development leads to a morphological remodeling, characterized by increased volume density and respiratory surface area of structures involved in gas exchange at the expense of structures responsible for air conduction in chicks up to 10 days old. Summary: Hypoxia during embryonic development induces parabronchial remodeling in chicks, favoring structures involved in gas exchange (air and blood capillaries) at the expense of air-conducting structures (parabronchial lumen and atria).
Annotating Content Zones in News Articles

English. This paper presents a methodology for the annotation of the semantic and functional components of news articles (Content Zones, henceforth CZs). We distinguish between narrative and descriptive zones and, within them, among finergrained units contributing to the overall communicative purpose of the text. Furthermore, we show that the segmentation in CZs could provide valuable cues for the recognition of time relations between events. Italiano. In questo lavoro viene presentata una metodologia per l’annotazione delle componenti semantiche e funzionali del testo giornalistico (Zone di Contenuto). Distinguiamo tra zone narrative e descrittive e, al loro interno, tra ulteriori unità che contribuiscono al dispiegamento dello scopo comunicativo del testo. Inoltre, mostriamo che la segmentazione in Zone di Contenuto offre preziosi indizi per il riconoscimento delle relazioni temporali tra eventi.
Satisfaction of basic psychological needs and goal orientation in young athletes: a test of basic psychological needs theory

Basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) is one of six mini-theories of self-determination theory proposing that satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness is essential for humans to thrive. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and goal orientation, as well as to examine the contribution of these needs to goal orientation in young athletes. Two hundred and sixty-one males (64.8%) and one hundred and forty-two females (35.2%), as a total of four hundred three athletes (age=13.13±1.80 years; sport experience=2.99±1.85 years) from team (basketball, football, handball, volleyball) and individual sports (taekwondo, tennis, swimming, boxing, wrestling, judo, canoeing, and karate), voluntarily participated in the study and completed the Basic Psychological Need Scale and Task and Ego Orientation in Sports Questionnaire. The results showed that task orientation was significantly correlated with the three psychological needs, whereas ego orientation was not correlated with any of them. Multiple regression analysis showed that need for competence and need for relatedness significantly contributed to task orientation (F2,390=33.573, p<.001). The R2 value indicated that approximately 15% of the variance of task orientation could be accounted for by needs for competence and relatedness. These results suggest that the satisfaction of need for competence and relatedness can enhance athletes’ task orientation. These findings are discussed within the context of previous research, and some recommendations for application are proposed.
Drosophila Aurora A kinase is required to localize D-TACC to centrosomes and to regulate astral microtubules

Disruption of the function of the A-type Aurora kinase of Drosophila by mutation or RNAi leads to a reduction in the length of astral microtubules in syncytial embryos, larval neuroblasts, and cultured S2 cells. In neuroblasts, it can also lead to loss of an organized centrosome and its associated aster from one of the spindle poles, whereas the centrosome at the other pole has multiple centrioles. When centrosomes are present at the poles of aurA mutants or aurA RNAi spindles, they retain many antigens but are missing the Drosophila counterpart of mammalian transforming acidic coiled coil (TACC) proteins, D-TACC. We show that a subpopulation of the total Aurora A is present in a complex with D-TACC, which is a substrate for the kinase. We propose that one of the functions of Aurora A kinase is to direct centrosomal organization such that D-TACC complexed to the MSPS/XMAP215 microtubule-associated protein may be recruited, and thus modulate the behavior of astral microtubules.
Growth-differentiation factor-15 improves risk stratification in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

AIMS Growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a transforming growth factor-beta-related cytokine that is induced in the heart following ischaemia-reperfusion injury. We explored the prognostic utility of GDF-15 in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) receiving fibrinolytic therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS Circulating levels of GDF-15 were determined by an immunoradiometric assay in 741 STEMI patients who were included in the Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of a New Thrombolytic (ASSENT)-2 and ASSENT-plus trials. About 72.7% of the patients presented with GDF-15 levels > or =1200 ng/L, the upper limit of normal in apparently healthy elderly individuals. Increased levels of GDF-15 were associated with a higher risk of death during 1-year follow-up. Mortality rates at 1 year were 2.1, 5.0, and 14.0% in patients with GDF-15 levels <1200, 1200-1800, and >1800 ng/L, respectively (P < 0.001). GDF-15 remained an independent predictor of mortality after adjustment for clinical variables, troponin T, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). GDF-15 provided prognostic information in clinically relevant patient subgroups, defined according to age, gender, cardiovascular risk factors, haemodynamic status, and the TIMI risk score. Moreover, GDF-15 added prognostic information to the established biomarkers of adverse prognosis in STEMI, troponin T, and NT-proBNP. CONCLUSION GDF-15 is a new biomarker in STEMI that provides prognostic information beyond established clinical and biochemical markers.
Adjoint Tomography for Predicting Earthquake Ground Motion: Methodology and a Blind TestAdjoint Tomography for Predicting Earthquake Ground Motion

In recent international exercises on numerical prediction of earthquake ground motion (EGM) in local surface sedimentary structures (LSSS), teams with the most advanced numerical-modeling methods reached a very good level of agreement among different methods. The synthetics, however, were not sufficiently close to earthquake records. It was concluded that the structural model must be improved. Here, we apply adjoint tomography to 2D LSSS, aiming to find a model for which EGM characteristics will be sufficiently close to those determined from records. This is an important difference compared to traditional structural inversions. The methodology developed in the exploration, regional, and global scales cannot be directly applied, due to a relatively small amount of data, a relatively large initial waveform misfit, and low frequencies with respect to the size of the structure. We elaborated an inversion procedure specific for the local structures. We present a verification blind test that is closer to real-data inversion than the standard synthetic inversions. A third party provided (a) seismograms numerically simulated for an undisclosed true structure, (b) source parameters, and (c) a homogeneous half-space as the initial model. We demonstrate the quality of the inverted model up to the 4.5 Hz target frequency, using seismograms, waveform misfits, waveform goodness of fit (GOF), and mainly GOF for important EGM characteristics. The development of the 2D procedure, requiring much less computational load compared to the 3D procedure, is the first step. We assume that the procedure can be, in principle, applied to 3D structures after refinements, due to a 3D spatial distribution of sources and receivers. Electronic Supplement: Overview of the inversion procedure and algorithm, technical details on the implementation of the inversion procedure, and evolution of the medium parameters in the blind test.
Distinctive Effects of T Cell Subsets in Neuronal Injury Induced by Cocultured Splenocytes In Vitro and by In Vivo Stroke in Mice

Background and Purpose— T cells and their subsets modulate ischemic brain injury. We studied the effects of the absence of T cell subsets on brain infarction after in vivo stroke and then used an in vitro coculture system of splenocytes and neurons to further identify the roles of T cell subsets in neuronal death. Methods— Stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery suture occlusion in mice and infarct sizes were measured 2 days poststroke. Splenocytes were cocultured with neurons, and neuronal survival was measured 3 days later. Results— A deficiency of both T and B cells (severe combined immunodeficiency) and the paucity of CD4 or CD8 T cells equally resulted in smaller infarct sizes as measured 2 days poststroke. Although a functional deficiency of regulatory T cells had no effect, impaired Th1 immunity reduced infarction and impaired Th2 immunity aggravated brain injury, which may be due to an inhibited and enhanced inflammatory response in mice deficient in Th1 and Th2 immunity, respectively. In the in vitro coculture system, wild-type splenocytes resulted in dose-dependent neuronal death. The neurotoxicity of splenocytes from these immunodeficient mice was consistent with their effects on stroke in vivo, except for the mice with the paucity of CD4 or CD8 T cells, which did not alter the ratio of neuronal death. Conclusion— T cell subsets play critical roles in brain injury induced by stroke. The detrimental versus beneficial effects of Th1 cells and Th2 cells both in vivo and in vitro reveal differential therapeutic target strategies for stroke treatment.
Imaging, Intervention, and Workflow in Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Calgary Approach

SUMMARY: Five recently published clinical trials showed dramatically higher rates of favorable functional outcome and a satisfying safety profile of endovascular treatment compared with the previous standard of care in acute ischemic stroke with proximal anterior circulation artery occlusion. Eligibility criteria within these trials varied by age, stroke severity, imaging, treatment-time window, and endovascular treatment devices. This focused review provides an overview of the trial results and explores the heterogeneity in imaging techniques, workflow, and endovascular techniques used in these trials and the consequent impact on practice. Using evidence from these trials and following a case from start to finish, this review recommends strategies that will help the appropriate patient undergo a fast, focused clinical evaluation, imaging, and intervention.
Determination of Cell Type Specificity and Estrous Cycle Dependency of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Expression in Corpora Lutea of Normally Cycling Rats in Relation to Apoptosis and Monocyte/Macrophage Accumulation1

Abstract In regressive corpora lutea, apoptosis of luteal cells, expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and accumulation of monocytes/macrophages occur. However, whether these three events are correlated and what cell type expresses MCP-1 have yet to be determined. To clarify these issues, we performed histochemical examinations to determine the localization and the numbers of MCP-1 mRNA-containing cells, apoptotic cells, and monocytes/macrophages in corpora lutea of normally cycling rats. We found that the Mcp-1 gene is expressed in nonapoptotic steroidogenic luteal cells. Corpora lutea that contained MCP-1 mRNA-expressing cells increased in number at estrus together with those containing apoptotic luteal cells. When individual corpora lutea at estrus were analyzed, those with many MCP-1-expressing cells contained few apoptotic cells, and vice versa. These results collectively suggest the following pathway for apoptosis- and MCP-1-dependent regression of the corpus luteum: 1) luteal cells are induced to undergo apoptosis at estrus, and the activation of Mcp-1 gene expression follows in nonapoptotic luteal cells; 2) monocytes/macrophages are chemoattracted by MCP-1 toward corpora lutea containing apoptotic luteal cells; and 3) monocytes/macrophages invade corpora lutea and eliminate apoptotic luteal cells by phagocytosis.
Toward Optimal Manifold Hashing via Discrete Locally Linear Embedding

Binary code learning, also known as hashing, has received increasing attention in large-scale visual search. By transforming high-dimensional features to binary codes, the original Euclidean distance is approximated via Hamming distance. More recently, it is advocated that it is the manifold distance, rather than the Euclidean distance, that should be preserved in the Hamming space. However, it retains as an open problem to directly preserve the manifold structure by hashing. In particular, it first needs to build the local linear embedding in the original feature space, and then quantize such embedding to binary codes. Such a two-step coding is problematic and less optimized. Besides, the off-line learning is extremely time and memory consuming, which needs to calculate the similarity matrix of the original data. In this paper, we propose a novel hashing algorithm, termed discrete locality linear embedding hashing (DLLH), which well addresses the above challenges. The DLLH directly reconstructs the manifold structure in the Hamming space, which learns optimal hash codes to maintain the local linear relationship of data points. To learn discrete locally linear embeddingcodes, we further propose a discrete optimization algorithm with an iterative parameters updating scheme. Moreover, an anchor-based acceleration scheme, termed Anchor-DLLH, is further introduced, which approximates the large similarity matrix by the product of two low-rank matrices. Experimental results on three widely used benchmark data sets, i.e., CIFAR10, NUS-WIDE, and YouTube Face, have shown superior performance of the proposed DLLH over the state-of-the-art approaches.
Neuromuscular taping for the upper limb in Cerebral Palsy: A case study in a patient with hemiplegia

Abstract Objective: To assess quantitatively the effects of Neuromuscular Taping (NMT) on the upper limb in a female child with left hemiplegia, due to Cerebral Palsy (CP). Methods: The patient underwent NMT on cervical level, shoulder and hand only of the plegic upper limb, followed by physical therapy. Kinematic data of upper limbs during reaching task were collected before (PRE) and after 2 weeks of treatment (POST). Results: After the intervention, the affected limb improved in terms of movement duration, Average Jerk and Number of Unit Movements indices, indicating a faster, smoother and less segmented movement. Improvements appeared at the ranges of motion of the upper limb joints, both at shoulder and elbow joints. No significant changes were globally displayed for the unaffected arm. Conclusion: NMT seems to be a promising intervention for improving upper limb movement in patients with CP. Further investigations are certainly needed to assess effectively the effects of the intervention in this pathological state.
A Proposal for a Problem-Driven Mathematics Curriculum Framework

A framework for a problem-driven mathematics curriculum is proposed, grounded in the assumption that students learn mathematics while engaged in complex problem-solving activity. The framework is envisioned as a dynamic technologically- driven multi-dimensional representation that can highlight the nature of the curriculum (e.g., revealing the relationship among modeling, conceptual, and procedural knowledge), can be used for programmatic, classroom and individual assessment, and can be easily revised to reflect ongoing changes in disciplinary knowledge development and important applications of mathematics. The discussion prompts ideas and questions for future development of the envisioned software needed to enact such a framework.
Applying agile methods to embedded software development: A systematic review

Since the 21st century, embedded software products have been pervasive in the world we live in, however, this emerging industry is facing many challenges due to its own unique characteristics which distinguish it from non-embedded software development. The other hand, agile software development methods are adopted by organizations worldwide at an increasing speed. It seems meaningful to explore to apply agile methods to embedded software development and in this paper a systematic review was conducted to supply an initial guide to the researchers and industrial readership.
A polynomial optimization approach for robust beamforming design in a device-to-device two-hop one-way relay network

In this paper, we consider the robust beamforming design in a device-to-device (D2D) two-hop one-way relay network. Specifically, we study the amplify-and-forward (AF) scheme in the scenario where both the transmitter-to-relays link and relays-to-receiver link are subject to estimation errors. Assuming that those errors lie in a ball with bounded radius, the resulting design problem can be formulated as a semi-infinite program (SIP) that involves high-degree polynomial inequality constraints, which is difficult to deal with in general. In this paper, we employ the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique and tools from polynomial optimization to construct a safe approximation of the aforementioned SIP. Furthermore, we propose an alternating algorithm to tackle the safe approximation. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to provide an efficient algorithmic approach to the aforementioned robust beamforming design problem. In addition, our numerical results show that the proposed robust beamforming design is more reliable than the non-robust counterpart, and it can achieve better signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) than the existing linear approximation approach, which ignores error terms with degree higher than one.
The Theory of Control of Stressed States of a Block Rock Massif with Regard to the Hierarchy of its Movements

It is established that taking into account the development of geodynamic and technogenic processes in the development of the Kuzbass subsoil is an actual and multifaceted problem. Its solution is impossible without the creation of new models of deformations of blocks of the earth's crust. These processes are related to the kinematics of these processes. Flat models of the earth's crust are used to collect information about them, which do not provide adequate blocks of the earth's crust. A comprehensive approach based on the integration of Earth Sciences has been applied to implement new models of deformation of the earth's crust blocks. The theory of movements of blocks of the earth's crust of different ranks is developed, taking into account the hierarchy of the strained-deformed state of the earth's crust of Kuzbass for conducting its control. The practical use of the developed theory ensures the development of new methods of geomechanics and the expansion of information on the development of geodynamic and technogenic processes in the development of the Kuzbass subsoil. Keywords-block of the Earth's crust, rank, stressed state, hierarchy, kinematics, geodynamic polygon, dynamic models of deformations, geodynamic process
Pharmacological Induction of Heat Shock Protein 68 Synthesis in Cultured Rat Astrocytes (*)

The induction of the highly inducible 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP 70) is associated with thermotolerance and survival from many other types of stress. This investigation studied the pharmacological induction of HSP 68 (HSP 68 is the rat homolog of human HSP 70) by 1,10-phenanthroline in cultured rat astrocytes under conditions that activated heat shock transcription factor-1 without inducing HSP 68 synthesis. Two conditions that activate heat shock transcription factor-1 and promote its binding to the heat shock element without subsequent transcription of HSP 68 mRNA, intracellular acidosis and exposure to salicylate, showed synthesis of HSP 68 when 1,10-phenanthroline was added to culture medium after the activation of heat shock transcription factor-1. 1,10-phenanthroline mimicked heat shock by inducing HSP 68 mRNA and protein under both conditions. 1,10-phenanthroline added alone to culture medium did not induce the synthesis of HSP 68 or activate heat shock transcription factor-1. These findings strongly suggest a multistep activation for HSP 68 synthesis and also demonstrate that the synthesis of HSP 68 can be pharmacologically regulated.
Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections in Children With Hematologic and Oncologic Diseases: First Prevalence Results From a University Hospital

Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric hematology-oncology patients in many countries. This cross-sectional study was a retrospective review of CLABSI in inpatient pediatric hematology-oncology cases with long-term central venous catheter at the Pediatric Hematology Department from January 2013 to June 2014. Characteristics of CLABSI events in pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies and related nonmalignant hematologic conditions are documented. CLABSI developed in 61.8% (n = 21) of the 34 hospitalized patients included in the study. The CLABSI rate was 7.8 per 1,000 inpatient central venous catheter days. Coagulase-negative staphylococci was the predominant pathogen in 47.6% of the patients with CLABSI. The high rate of CLABSI requires prevention strategies to reduce CLABSI immediately. This study provides guidance in prioritizing strategies for reducing rates of infection.