Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of the elevation of biochemical markers of myocardial damage on long-term mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: results of the CK-MB and PCI study.

AIMS Retrospective studies and post hoc analyses have suggested that mild elevations in the creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) isoenzyme following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be associated with an increased risk of death in the long term. However, this finding is still controversial, and the prognostic significance of elevations of more sensitive markers of myocardial damage, such as the cardiac troponins, has not been established. In this multicentre prospective cohort study, we evaluated the influence of post-procedural elevations of CK-MB and troponin I (cTnI) on long-term mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS The CK-MB and PCI study included 3494 consecutive patients undergoing PCI from February 2000 to October 2000 in 16 Italian tertiary centres. Blood samples were collected at baseline, and at 8-12 and 18-24 h after the procedure, and were analysed in a core biochemistry laboratory. CK-MB elevation was detected in 16% of the patients, and was associated with increased 2-year mortality [7.2 vs. 3.8%; odds ratio (OR): 1.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-2.8; P<0.001). The degree of CK-MB elevation (peak CK-MB ratio) independently predicted the risk of death (adjusted OR per unit: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07; P=0.009). A cTnI elevation was detected in 44.2% of the cases and was not associated with a significant increase in mortality (4.9 vs. 4.0%; OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 0.9-1.7; P=0.2). CONCLUSION Post-procedural elevations of CK-MB, but not cTnI, influence 2-year mortality.
Cells, Scaffolds and Their Interactions in Myocardial Tissue Regeneration

Cardiac regenerative therapy includes several techniques to repair and replace damaged tissues and organs using cells, biomaterials, molecules, or a combination of these factors. Generation of heart muscle is the most important challenge in this field, although it is well known that new advances in stem cell isolation and culture techniques in bioreactors and synthesis of bioactive materials contribute to the creation of cardiac tissue regeneration in vitro. Some investigations in stem cell biology shows that stem cells are an important source for regeneration of heart muscle cells and blood vessels and can thus clinically contribute to the regeneration of damaged heart tissue. The aim of this review was to explain the principles and challenges of myocardial tissue regeneration with an emphasis on stem cells and scaffolds. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2454–2462, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modeling heterogeneous routing decisions in trajectories for driving experience learning

Road latent cost, which quantifies how desirable each road is for traveling, is important information to enable many smartcity applications such as route recommendation. Arguably, vehicle trajectories are a good source to learn these costs as drivers intelligently incorporate them into their routing decisions. However, major past approaches misinterpret drivers' behaviors and suffer from trajectory sparsity problem, mainly because they adopt an edge-centric perspective which fails to exploit the sequential information in the entire trajectories. To address these shortcomings, we model drivers' routing decision process which targets at global path optimality, and present a framework to reliably discover those costs by exploiting entire trajectories while isolating the influence of heterogeneous destinations. Extensions are also made to address several issues in practice. Extensive experiments on real world data show that the road costs learned in this way significantly outperform past approaches in several urban computing tasks and require less data for learning.
Reliability and validity of the dieter's inventory of eating temptations (DIET) in overweight binge eating women

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the Dieter's Inventory of Eating Temptations (DIET). TJye DIET, Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS), and Binge Eating Scale (BES) were completed by 219 obese, binge-eating women. A 5-factor solution was generated that accounted for 46.9% and 95.0% of the total and common variance, respectively. The DIET demonstrated high internal consistency (alpha=0.93), as did the 5 factors (alphas ranging from 0.71–0.89). The DIET was correlated positively with the TSCS (r=0.212; p=0.002) and negatively with the BES (r=-0.199: p=0.003) suggesting that women who report higher ability to manage problematic diet situations have higher self-esteem and lower binge-related emotional distress. The results of this study suggest that the DIET is a reliable and valid instrument, but the six subscales could probably be reduced to five distinct domains.
Proteome-Wide Effect of 17-β-Estradiol and Lipoxin A4 in an Endometriotic Epithelial Cell Line

Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age. This chronic, gynecological inflammatory disease results in a decreased quality of life for patients, with the main symptoms including chronic pelvic pain and infertility. The steroid hormone 17-β Estradiol (E2) plays a key role in the pathology. Our previous studies showed that the anti-inflammatory lipid Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) acts as an estrogen receptor-alpha agonist in endometrial epithelial cells, inhibiting certain E2-mediated effects. LXA4 also prevents the progression of endometriosis in a mouse model via anti-proliferative mechanisms and by impacting mediators downstream of ER signaling. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine global proteomic changes evoked by E2 and LXA4 in endometriotic epithelial cells. E2 impacted a greater number of proteins in endometriotic epithelial cells than LXA4. Interestingly, the combination of E2 and LXA4 resulted in a reduced number of regulated proteins, with LXA4 mediating a suppressive effect on E2-mediated signaling. These proteins are involved in diverse pathways of relevance to endometriosis pathology and metabolism, including mRNA translation, growth, proliferation, proteolysis, and immune responses. In summary, this study sheds light on novel pathways involved in endometriosis pathology and further understanding of signaling pathways activated by estrogenic molecules in endometriotic epithelial cells.
Behaviour of Steel Strapping Tensioning Technique (SSTT) confined high-strength concrete with different lateral pre-tensioning stresses

This paper presents the results of an experimental and analytical study on the application of Steel Strapping Tensioning Technique (SSTT) confinement on twelve high-strength concrete cylinder specimens with dimension of 100 mm and 200 mm in diameter and height respectively. The specimens were confinement volumetric-identically wrapped with two different confining materials of different mechanical properties and lateral pre-tensioning stresses, namely SSTT(HC) and SSTT(SS). The performance of SSTT-type confined specimens were studied through their stress-strain relationship upon the longitudinal and transverse deformation, mode of failure, level of lateral pre-tensioning stress, etc. The results show that SSTT-type confinement would significantly controlled the brittleness problem of high-strength concrete and at the same time, enhancing both ultimate compressive strength and ductility up to 65% and 344%, 36% and 269% for both SSTT(HC) and SSTT(SS), respectively. In addition, the result of an analytical comparison between SSTT-type confinement and existing confinement models show a linear relationship between the compressive strength enhancement and confinement ratio. The experimental results also been validated by comparing the observed stress-strain relationship to those calculated based on Mander's confinement.
Reassessing the role of temperature in precipitation oxygen isotopes across the eastern and central United States through weekly precipitation‐day data

Air temperature is correlated with precipitation oxygen isotope (δ18Oprcp) variability for much of the eastern and central United States, but the nature of this δ18Oprcp‐temperature relationship is largely based on data coarsely aggregated at a monthly resolution. We constructed a database of 6177 weeks of isotope and precipitation‐day air temperature data from 25 sites to determine how more precise data change our understanding of this classic relationship. Because the δ18Oprcp‐temperature relationship is not perfectly linear, trends in the regression residuals suggest the influence of additional environmental factors such as moisture recycling and extratropical cyclone interactions. Additionally, the temporal relationships between δ18Oprcp and temperature observed in the weekly data at individual sites can explain broader spatial patterns observed across the study region. For 20 of 25 sites, the δ18Oprcp‐temperature relationship slope is higher for colder precipitation than for warmer precipitation. Accordingly, northern and western sites with relatively more cold precipitation events have steeper overall relationships with higher slope values than southeastern sites that have more warm precipitation events. Although the magnitude of δ18Oprcp variability increases to the north and west, the fraction of δ18Oprcp variability explained by temperature increases due to wider annual temperature ranges, producing stronger relationships in these regions. When our δ18Oprcp‐temperature data are grouped by month, we observe significant variations in the relationship from month to month. This argues against a principal causative role for temperature and suggests the existence of an alternative environmental control on δ18Oprcp values that simply covaries seasonally with temperature.
High Light Scatter by Neutrophils in the Bayer-Technicon H*2 Analyzer: A Screening Test of Morphologically Defective Responsiveness to in vitro Chemotactic Stimulation

The Bayer-Technicon H*2 haematological analyser provides differential white blood cell count, including the assay of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by light scattering and the absorbance increase following the cytochemical reaction for myeloperoxidase. The mean value of polymorphonuclear leukocytes scatter, which reflects polymorphonuclear leukocytes volume, is printed in a separate report "for laboratory use only" as a ybar value in arbitrary units. In certain patients neutrophils displayed an unreported correlation between polymorphonuclear leukocytes high ybar basal values (> or = 37.00 arbitrary units) (determined on the H*2) and a defective response in vitro to the chemoattractant, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (determined by microscopic evaluation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes shape change (polarization)). The patients showing no polymorphonuclear leukocyte response or a defective one to formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were all affected by "Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)". Therefore the predictive value of the positive test for SIRS is 100%. On the other hand 8.8% of SIRS patients had polymorphonuclear leukocytes < 37.00 arbitrary units of ybar basal value and a "normal" response to formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine; the predictive value of the negative test being 90%. Since we demonstrated in vitro a dose-dependent deactivation of endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide-pretreated polymorphonuclear leukocytes, the "normal" response to formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine of the "false negative" cases may occur because the endotoxaemia in these patients is too low to prevent it. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Diverse-Rate Based Dual Energy Aware Efficiency Task Scheduling Scheme in WSNs

It is important to increase the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) lifetime and the ability of energy conservation, due to its limited energy resource, while meeting the constraints of applications. In this paper, we concern the protocol and OS task schedule perspective to enhance the performance of WSNs. Firstly we propose a diverse-rate based upon pre-schedule schedule to further decrease collisions and enhance the operating factor of energy in CSMA/TDMA hybrid MAC layer of wireless sensor network. Our method combines CSMA and TDMA functionalities. We concern the protocol assignment by the pre-schedule slot. During the pre-schedule slot, each node knows exactly the schedule of other neighbor nodes. Diverse-rate and power scaling are applied to achieve further energy saving by adopting an acceptable rate rather than maximum rate. Data rate is dynamically adjusted according to the traffic load of sending Nodes, in an energy efficient data r ate, to save energy. Local framing pre-schedule and diverse-rate in this experiment achieved further energy efficiency. Secondly, from task schedule perspective, we present a voltage and sleep dual-effective scheduling algorithm in terms of dynamic energy management and dynamic voltage/ frequency scaling, namely, DV/FS2 RM and DV/FS2 EDF. On the preface of guarantee node real time performance, the policy can not only dynamically control idle task to enter sleep mode but also reduce sensor working frequency to obtain better power conservation effect through DV/FS2 RM or DV/FS2-EDF algorithm. Experiments show that the effect of the energy conversation task scheduling algorithm is remarkable which can expands the lifetime of wireless sensor network node several times which mainly depend on batteries power supply.
Direct visualization and measurement of microsurgically induced thromboembolism

A common cause of free flap and replant failure is thrombotic occlusion of the anastomosed pedicle vessel(s). Clinical observations and subsequent experimental studies showed that platelet emboli generated at the arterial anastomosis caused significant alterations in the downstream microcirculation. To study both the thrombogenic arterial (anastomosis) site and the downstream microcirculation, we developed an animal model (the isolated rat cremaster) in which we could directly view and quantitatively analyze thrombus formation and the appearance of emboli in the downstream microcirculation. Using this model we studied the effect that reducing blood flow across the arterial anastomotic site had on thrombus formation at the anastomotic site and the appearance of emboli in the downstream microcirculation. In 40 male Spra‐gue‐Dawley rats we found that reducing blood flow velocity to approximately half of normal during reperfusion nearly eliminated emboli appearing in the downstream microcirculation compared with controls, 43.9 ± 31.5 vs. 259.5 ± 117.8 emboli, respectively. We also found that the same low flow had no effect on thrombus size at the pedicle artery injury site yet significantly decreased the rate at which thrombus formation occurred (time to maximum thrombus size; low flow = 25.3 ± 8 minutes, normal flow = 6.6 ± 3 minutes). From these studies we conclude that reducing pedicle artery blood flow in our rat model during reperfusion can protect the downstream microcirculation from platelet emboli‐induced injury; however, the same reduction in flow does not affect thrombus formation in the pedicle artery. Further studies using direct observation/measurement techniques are needed for a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating free flap and replant failure. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Developmental Expression of NCS-1 (Frequenin), a Regulator of Kv4 K+ Channels, in Mouse Heart

The channel proteins responsible for the cardiac transient outward K+ current (Ito) of human and rodent heart are composed, in part, of pore-forming Kv4.3 or Kv4.2 principal subunits. Recent reports implicate K+ channel interacting proteins (members of the neuronal Ca2+-binding protein family) as subunits of the Ito channel complex. We reported that another Ca2+-binding protein, frequenin [or neuronal calcium center protein-1 (NCS-1)], also functions as a Kv4 auxiliary subunit in the brain. By examining cardiac expression of NCS-1, the aim of this study was to examine the potential physiologic relevance of this protein as an additional regulator of cardiac Ito. Immunoblot analysis demonstrates NCS-1 protein to be expressed in adult mouse ventricle at levels comparable to that found in some brain regions. Cardiac NCS-1 protein expression levels are much higher in fetal and neonatal mouse hearts when compared with the adult. Immunocytochemical analysis of isolated neonatal mouse ventricular myocytes demonstrates co-localization of NCS-1 and Kv4.2 proteins at the sarcolemma. Given its high levels of expression in the heart, NCS-1 should be considered an important potential Kv4 regulatory subunit, particularly in the immature heart.
Croissance radiale de la pruche (Tsuga Canadensis) et du pin blanc (Pinus Strobus) dans la forêt tempérée du Québec en relation avec les perturbations forestières et le climat

Our dissertation documents the radial growth among eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carr.) and white pine (Pinus strobus L.), two tree species of the southern Québec temperate forests, where several disturbances get involved in stand dynamics. Based on a dendroecological and dendroclimatical approach, this study includes three highly complementary sections which address the relationship between radial growth among these two tree species and forest disturbances, i.e., selective tree harvest, defoliation during spruce budworm (SBW) (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens)) outbreaks, and climate. The first section describes eastern hemlock and white pine long tree-ring series which were built from both living trees and dead wood, mainly submerged floated wood extracted from several lakes in the Mauricie National Park. One can deduce from white pine logging years that this tree had been harvested for domestic use 30 years before the first issue of logging rights, i.e., since the 1800s onwards, and about 70 years after presumed decimation of pine forests in the area. Tree ring series show major growth release which likely resulted from selective harvest in forest stands. Our chronology of SBW outbreaks established from eastern hemlock tree-ring series is the longest chronology produced so far in eastern Canada, although hemlock is a secondary host of SBW. Series from several regions (Mauricie, Outaouais and Lotbinière) suggest that eastern hemlock may experience severe defoliation and radial growth suppression in areas where primary hosts of SBW are abundant. At the regional scale, the frequency of SBW outbreaks increases likely in response to an increased abundance in balsam fir in second-growth stands. In this section, we attempted to evaluate climate responsiveness among eastern hemlock and white pine growing in the southern Quebec Temperate Forest. Dendroclimatic analyses showed that hemlock radial growth may be a good climatic indicator in stands where natural and anthropogenic disturbances were light. Sampling strategies when conducting dendroclimatic studies should focus on trees growing in hardwood-dominated stands and areas where past disturbances have beendocumented. White pine is less sensitive to biotic disturbance than eastern hemlock but the climate responsiness of this conifer depends on constraints associated with water deficit or thermal stress.
Evolutionary Game and Learning for Dynamic Spectrum Access

Efficient dynamic spectrum access mechanism is crucial for improving the spectrum utilization. In this paper, we consider the dynamic spectrum access mechanism design with both complete and incomplete network information. When the network information is available, we propose an evolutionary spectrum access mechanism. We use the replicator dynamics to study the dynamics of channel selections, and show that the mechanism achieves an equilibrium that is an evolutionarily stable strategy and is also max-min fair. With incomplete network information, we propose a distributed reinforcement learning mechanism for dynamic spectrum access. Each secondary user applies the maximum likelihood estimation method to estimate its expected payoff based on the local observations, and learns to adjust its mixed strategy for channel selections adaptively over time. We study the convergence of the learning mechanism based on the theory of stochastic approximation, and show that it globally converges to an approximate Nash equilibrium. Numerical results show that the proposed evolutionary spectrum access and distributed reinforcement learning mechanisms achieve up to 82% and 70% performance improvement than a random access mechanism, respectively, and are robust to random perturbations of channel selections.
Profiling over adaptive ranges

Modern computer systems are called on to deal with billions of events every second, whether they are instructions executed, memory locations accessed, or packets forwarded. This presents a serious challenge to those who seek to quantify, analyze, or optimize such systems, because important trends and behaviors may easily be lost in a sea of data. We present range adaptive profiling (RAP) as a new and general purpose profiling method capable of hierarchically classifying streams of data efficiently in hardware. Through the use of RAP, events in an input stream are dynamically classified into increasingly precise categories based on the frequency with which they occur. The more important a class, or range of events, the more precisely it is quantified. Despite the dynamic nature of our technique, we build upon tight theoretic bounds covering both worst-case error as well as the required memory. In the limit, it is known that error and the memory bounds can be independent of the stream size, and grow only linearly with the level of precision desired. Significantly, we expose the critical constants in these algorithms and through careful engineering, algorithm re-design, and use of heuristics, we show how a high performance profile system can be implemented for range adaptive profiling. RAP can be used on various profiles such as PCs, load values, and memory addresses, and has a broad range of uses, from hot-region profiling to quantifying cache miss value locality. We propose two methods of implementation, one in software and the other with specialized hardware, and we show that with just 8k bytes of memory range profiles can be gathered with an average accuracy of 98%.
"Lifespan" of liver cells. Autoradio-graphic study using tritiated thymidine in normal, cirrhotic, and partially hepatectomized rats.

Little information is available concerning the lifespan of liver cells in the normal and diseased liver. This is a study of the length of time that newly formed hepatic nuclei containing tritium (H 3 )-labeled deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) remain in the liver in normal rats and mice, and in rats with fatty, cirrhotic, and partially hepatectomized liver. The method was as follows. It has been observed that thymidine is a specific precursor of DNA, 1 which is considered to be relatively stable until a cell prepares for division, at which time the cell synthesizes additional DNA. 2 The half-life of tritium is 12.5 years, 3 and that of the rat is approximately 3 years, 4 so that tritiated thymidine (H 3 -thymidine) incorporated into cell nuclei should identify those nuclei for the life of the animal, until the cells divide further, diluting out their labeled DNA, or until the cells