Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Processing movement related cortical potentials in EEG signals for identification of slow and fast movements

The extraction of intended kinetic information from an EEG signal can have several applications related to the rehabilitation for subjects with various neurological disorders. However, the task is mainly constrained by the low signal-to-noise ratio for the EEG signals. It is well known that the cortical activity takes place at a very low frequency since it is characterized by the dropping of movement related cortical potential (MRCP) across the sampled EEG signal. The strong variations in the MRCP is indicative of the noise due to various sources. The aim of this work is to remove this noise from the EEG signals using empirical mode decomposition, which decomposes a signal into harmonics (intrinsic mode functions - IMF) of various frequencies. The IMFs pertaining to small frequencies are later used for features extraction where we extract the spatial and spectral features from the selected IMFs. The features are later used for classification using support vector machines (SVM). Our experiments show superior results to the benchmark method for the underlying dataset that has been used in this research.
Hospital readmission rates for cohorts of Medicare beneficiaries in Boston and New Haven.

BACKGROUND Geographic variations in the use of hospital services are associated with differences in the availability of hospital beds. There continues to be uncertainty about the extent to which unmeasured case-mix differences explain these findings. Previous research showed that the number of occupied beds per capita in Boston was substantially higher than the number of occupied beds per capita in New Haven, Connecticut, and that overall rates of hospital utilization were higher for Boston residents than for New Haven residents. METHODS We used Medicare claims data to study cohorts of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age or older and residing in Boston or New Haven who were initially hospitalized for one of five indications (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, hip fracture, or potentially curative surgery for breast, colon, or lung cancer). Residents of Boston or New Haven who were discharged between October 1, 1987, and September 30, 1989, were enrolled in the cohort corresponding to the earliest such admission and followed for up to 35 months. RESULTS The relative rate of readmission in Boston as compared with New Haven was 1.64 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.53 to 1.76) for all cohorts combined, with a similarly elevated rate for each of the five clinical cohorts and each age, sex, and race subgroup examined. Hospital-specific readmission rates varied substantially among the hospitals in Boston and were higher than those in New Haven. No relation was found between mortality (during the first 30 days after discharge or over the entire study period) and either community or hospital-specific readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS Regardless of the initial cause of the admission, Medicare beneficiaries who were initially hospitalized in Boston had consistently higher rates of readmission than did Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized in New Haven. Differences in the severity of illness are unlikely to explain these findings. One possible explanation is a threshold effect of hospital-bed availability on decisions to admit patients.
Is the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide in man under neural control?

AIMS Previous work has described short-term variation in the circulating plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), but the mechanism remains unknown. Our aim was to investigate the role of cardiac innervation in this variability. METHODS AND RESULTS Blood samples were obtained from the right atrium via a pulmonary artery flotation catheter every 2 min over a 90 min period. Seven patients who underwent cardiac transplantation by the standard biatrial technique (partial innervation) and ten patients who underwent transplantation by the bicaval technique (total denervation) were studied. ANP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The median ANP levels were somewhat higher in the biatrial group compared to the bicaval group [470 (150-1095) vs. 216 (100-605) pg. ml(-1); median (range); P = ns], and both were much higher than normal levels in the pulmonary artery (40 (24, 56) pg ml(-1); median and interquartile range). In both transplant groups circulating plasma ANP levels showed considerable variability. The median number of 'peaks' and 'troughs', as counted by visual inspection, were not significantly different between the two groups. Computer analysis identified 12-16 and 6-15 'pulses' in the biatrial and bicaval group, respectively. Further analysis revealed that pulse amplitude, height and area were significantly higher in the biatrial compared to the bicaval group. CONCLUSION It would appear that variability of circulating plasma levels of ANP is preserved despite complete or partial cardiac denervation, and so a neural mechanism does not appear to account for such variation.
Pooling-analysis for diagnostic and prognostic value of MiRNA-100 in various cancers

Many studies manifested miRNA-100 was deregulated in various cancers, which indicated that miRNA-100 might be a potential biomarker of cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, the role of miRNA-100 was still uncertain. We searched for qualified studies using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane library and CNKI databases. The diagnostic effect was evaluated by the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and other indexes. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) were calculated to assess the prognostic value. This meta-analysis included 7 and 19 studies about diagnosis and prognosis, respectively. The results of pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were 0.75 (95%CI: 0.71-0.78), 0.74 (95%CI: 0.69-0.78), 2.61 (95%CI: 1.81-3.76), 0.33 (95%CI: 0.24-0.45), 8.46 (95%CI: 4.85-14.77), respectively. And, the area under SROC curve (AUC) was 0.8141. We also found that lower expression of miRNA-100 in cancer tissues could significantly predict poorer prognosis in overall cancer (HR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.39-0.90), especially in genital system tumors (HR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.27-0.66, P = 0.431), bladder cancer (HR = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.06-0.73, P = 0.143) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.13-0.52, P = 0.164). Our studies concluded that miRNA-100 has a certain value in diagnosis and it may indicate a poor prognosis of cancers.
Serum pneumoproteins and biomarkers of exposure to urban air pollution: a cross-sectional comparison of policemen and foresters

Very few biomarkers are available for the non-invasive detection of effects of urban air pollution on the respiratory tract. The objective was to evaluate whether Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant-associated protein-A (SP-A), two pulmonary secretory proteins, were useful in the detection of effects of urban air pollutants on the pulmonary epithelium. These proteins were determined in the serum of 53 policemen working in Brussels, Belgium, and a control group of 59 foresters working in the countryside. Except for ozone (O3), annual concentrations of the main air pollutants (PM10, NO2, CO, SO2 and benzene) were significantly higher in Brussels than in the country. The proportion of smokers was lower in urban policemen compared with foresters, but they smoked on average a similar number of cigarettes per day as confirmed by their urinary excretion of cotinine. Muconic acid, a marker of benzene exposure, was significantly higher in urban policemen than in foresters, in both smokers and non-smokers. Multiple regression analysis showed that the type of work, smoking habits and time spent outdoors and in a car were significant determinants of benzene uptake. Tobacco smoking impaired lung function to a similar extent in urban policemen and foresters. The serum levels of SP-A were significantly increased in smokers but were not different between policemen and foresters. Serum CC16 was significantly reduced by tobacco smoking and slightly decreased in policemen compared with foresters. Interestingly, the reduction of serum CC16 was more pronounced in the subgroup of traffic compared with survey policemen, the latter being also less exposed to benzene. The results suggest that serum pneumoproteins and especially serum CC16 could be useful in the detection of chronic effects of urban air pollutants on the respiratory epithelium of populations particularly at risk.
Tesaglitazar, a Dual Peroxisome Proliferator- Activated Receptor Agonist (PPARα/γ), Improves Metabolic Abnormalities and Reduces Renal Injury in Obese Zucker Rats

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing diabetes as well as cardiovascular and kidney diseases. This research studied the effects of tesaglitazar, a dual-acting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α/γ agonist, on metabolic abnormalities and kidney injury in obese Zucker rats (OZR). Lean Zucker rats (LZR) and OZR were used as control groups. Tesaglitazar (1 µmol/kg/day) was given for 8 weeks in the treatment group (OZR-T). Metabolic parameters, 24-hour urine albumin excretion, and tail blood pressure were measured. Glomerular filtration rate by inulin clearance, abdominal fat and renal histology were determined at the end of the study. In comparison with the OZR and OZR-T groups, the LZR control animals’ parameters were significantly more favorable in all measures. Tesaglitazar treatment in OZR significantly reduced nonfasting glucose, C-reactive protein levels and improved dyslipidemia. Body weight, blood pressure and urine albumin excretion were lower, but the adjusted glomerular filtration rate higher, in the OZR-T group than in the OZR controls. Glomerular area, mesangial expansion and tubulointerstitial changes were ameliorated, and the glomerular expression of desmin was markedly more decreased in the OZR-T group than in the OZR controls. Therefore, the PPARα/γ agonist tesaglitazar significantly improved metabolic abnormalities and renal function, decreased blood pressure, and protected against glomerular and interstitial damage in OZR.
Analog-to-information conversion of sparse and non-white signals: Statistical design of sensing waveforms

Analog to Information conversion is a new paradigm in signal digitalization. In this framework, compressed sensing theory allows to reconstruct sparse signal from a limited number of measures. In this work, we will assume that the signal is not only sparse but also localized in a given domain, so that its energy is concentrated in a subspace. We will present a formal and quantitative discussion to explain how localization of sparse signals can be exploited to improve the quality of the reconstructed signal.
Exercise for fibromyalgia: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome expressed by chronic widespread pain often associated with reduced physical function. Exercise is a common recommendation in management of FM. We evaluated the effects of exercise training on global well-being, selected signs and symptoms, and physical function in individuals with FM. METHODS We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PubMed, PEDro, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials to July 2005 and included randomized trials evaluating cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. Methodological quality was assessed using the van Tulder and Jadad instruments. Training protocols were evaluated using American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines. Clinical heterogeneity limited metaanalysis to 6 aerobic and 2 strength studies. RESULTS There were 2276 subjects across the 34 studies; 1264 subjects were assigned to exercise interventions. Metaanalysis of 6 studies provided moderate-quality evidence that aerobic-only exercise training at ACSM-recommended intensity levels has positive effects on global well-being (SMD 0.49, 95% CI 0.23-0.75) and physical function (SMD 0.66, 95% CI 0.41-0.92) and possibly on pain (SMD 0.65, 95% CI -0.09 to 1.39) and tender points (SMD 0.23, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.65). Strength and flexibility remain underevaluated; however, strength training may have a positive effect on FM symptoms. CONCLUSION Aerobic-only training has beneficial effects on physical function and some FM symptoms. Strength-only training may improve FM symptoms, but requires further study. Large, high-quality studies of exercise-only interventions that provide detailed information on exercise prescription and adherence are needed.
Design of rectifying circuit for wireless power transmission in Ka band

A simplified design of rectifying circuit operating at Ka band with low input power is designed in this paper. According to the simulation results, the proposed circuit has a maximum MMW-DC (millimeter wave to direct current) conversion efficiency of 50% on 960Ω load at 35GHz when the input power is 12.5dBm. The maximum output DC voltage is about 2.92V. The MMW-DC efficiencies are above 45% within 2.5GH bandwidth from 33GHz to 35.5GHz. It is easy to be integrated with the receiving antenna and applied in the millimeter wave wireless power transmission system.
Th1, Th17, and Th9 Effector Cells Induce Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis with Different Pathological Phenotypes1

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a model of human multiple sclerosis induced by autoreactive Th cells that mediate tissue inflammation and demyelination in the CNS. Initially, IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells and, more recently, IL-17-producing Th17 cells with specificity for myelin Ags have been implicated in EAE induction, but whether Th17 cells are encephalitogenic has been controversial. Moreover, a new effector T cell subset, Th9 cells, has been identified; however, the ability of this T cell subset to induce EAE has not been investigated. Here, we have developed protocols to generate myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific Th17, Th1, Th2, and Th9 cells in vitro, so that we could directly compare and characterize the encephalitogenic activity of each of these subsets upon adoptive transfer. We show that myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific Th1, Th17, and Th9 cells but not Th2 cells induce EAE upon adoptive transfer. Importantly, each T cell subset induced disease with a different pathological phenotype. These data demonstrate that different effector T cell subsets with specificity for myelin Ags can induce CNS autoimmunity and that the pathological heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis lesions might in part be due to multiple distinct myelin-reactive effector T cells.
Toward a Comprehensive Understanding of Intergroup Contact

Positive contact predicts reduced prejudice, but negative contact may increase prejudice at a stronger rate. The current project builds on this work in four ways: establishing an understanding of contact that is grounded in subjective experience, examining the affective mediators involved in the negative contact–prejudice relationship, extending research on the effects of positive and negative contact to minority groups, and examining the contact asymmetry experimentally. Study 1 introduced anger as a mediator of the relationships between positive and negative contact and prejudice among White Americans (N = 371), using a contact measure that reflected the frequency and intensity of a wide range of experiences. Study 2 found a contact asymmetry among Black and Hispanic Americans (N = 365). Study 3 found initial experimental evidence of a contact asymmetry (N = 309). We conclude by calling for a more nuanced understanding of intergroup contact that recognizes its multifaceted and subjective nature.
Patients' perceptions of the concept of the quality of care in the psychiatric setting: a phenomenographic study.

AIM The aim was to describe how patients perceived the concept of quality of care in psychiatric care. BACKGROUND It is important to include patients' experiences in defining quality of care and in the development of instruments measuring quality of psychiatric care, as patients have unique information. But only a limited number of studies have directly involved patients. DESIGN It was a qualitative interview study with 20 adult in and outpatients from psychiatric care. METHOD A phenomenographic approach was used for the analysis of the interviews. RESULTS The results showed that quality of care was perceived as a positive concept, namely as 'good' quality of care. The normative component was striking. Five descriptive categories emerged: The patient's dignity is respected; The patient's sense of security with regard to care; The patient's participation in the care; The patient's recovery; and The patient's care environment. Two conceptions emerged that had not emerged explicitly in earlier studies of quality of care: Being helped to reduce the shame and Being looked upon as like anyone else. CONCLUSIONS The findings emphasize the importance of the interpersonal relationship between patients and staff. There is a need for further exploration of central aspects of quality in psychiatric care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE It is important that the knowledge about how patients perceived the quality of care in psychiatric care is included in the planning and evaluation of care. The guidelines should designate quality of care from the patient perspective as the goal of interventions.
Brain response to visual sexual stimuli in heterosexual and homosexual males

Although heterosexual and homosexual individuals clearly show differences in subjective response to heterosexual and homosexual sexual stimuli, the neurobiological processes underlying sexual orientation are largely unknown. We addressed the question whether the expected differences in subjective response to visual heterosexual and homosexual stimuli may be reflected in differences in brain activation pattern. Twenty‐four healthy male volunteers, 12 heterosexuals and 12 homosexuals, were included in the study. BOLD signal was measured while subjects were viewing erotic videos of heterosexual and homosexual content. SPM02 was used for data analysis. Individual sexual arousal was assessed by subjective rating. As compared to viewing sexually neutral videos, viewing erotic videos led to a brain activation pattern characteristic for sexual arousal in both groups only when subjects were viewing videos of their respective sexual orientation. Particularly, activation in the hypothalamus, a key brain area in sexual function, was correlated with sexual arousal. Conversely, when viewing videos opposite to their sexual orientation both groups showed absent hypothalamic activation. Moreover, the activation pattern found in both groups suggests that stimuli of opposite sexual orientation triggered intense autonomic response and may be perceived, at least to some extent, as aversive. Hum Brain Mapp, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact of influenza on mortality in relation to age and underlying disease, 1967-1989.

Based on data from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics, the impact of influenza on mortality in The Netherlands was estimated for a 22.5-year period (1967-1989) in four age groups and three entities of disease, using Poisson regression techniques. Our analysis suggests that, on average, more than 2000 people died from influenza in The Netherlands each year, but in only a fraction of these deaths was influenza recognized as the cause of death. For each case of death registered as caused by influenza (registered influenza mortality), 2.6 additional cases of death registered as due to causes other than influenza, nevertheless, were influenza-related (non-registered influenza mortality). Therefore, the overall impact of influenza on mortality is estimated to be greater than registered influenza mortality by a factor of 3.6. Those under 60 years of age accounted for 5% of all non-registered influenza deaths, whereas people aged 60-69, 70-79 years and > 80 years accounted for 12%, 29% and 54% of such deaths, respectively. When extrapolating the figures for the Dutch population of 1989, we could attribute, on average per season-year, 82 deaths per 100,000 people > 60 years, 143 in people > 70 years, and 280 in people > 80 years. Of all non-registered influenza cases of death, 47% were estimated to occur in people with heart disease as a primarily reported cause of death, 23% in those with lung disease, and 30% in those with other diseases. This study stresses the serious effects of influenza, mainly in the elderly (95% of non-registered influenza mortality). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Iteration-free fractal image coding based on efficient domain pool design

The domain pool design is one of the dominant issues which affect the coding performance of fractal image compression. In this paper, we employ the LBG algorithm and propose a block averaging method to design the efficient domain pools based on a proposed iteration-free fractal image codec. The redundancies between the generated domain blocks are reduced by the proposed methods. Therefore, we can obtain the domain pools that are more efficient than those in the conventional fractal coding schemes and thus the coding performance is improved. On the other hand, the iteration process in the conventional fractal coding scheme not only requires a large size of memory and a high computation complexity but also prolongs the decoding process. The proposed iteration-free fractal codec can overcome the problems above. In computer simulation, both the LBG-based and block-averaging methods for the domain pool design in the proposed iteration free scheme achieve excellent performances. For example, based on the proposed block-averaging method, the decoded Lena image has at least a 0.5 dB higher PSNR (under the same bit rate) and an eight-time faster decoding speed than the conventional fractal coding schemes that require iterations.
In vivo assessment of adenoviral vector‐mediated gene expression of dopamine D2 receptors in the rat striatum by positron emission tomography

For functional assessment of gene therapy in experimental animals, in vivo assessment of transferred genes will provide a major advance over an in vitro analysis which must be done post‐hoc. In the current study we conducted positron emission tomography (PET) analysis in rats following injection of the adenoviral vector encoding the cDNA for the rat dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) (AdCMV.DopD2R) into rat brain to provide a quantitative evaluation of D2R overexpression. Quantitative measurements as well as images by PET and ex vivo autoradiography demonstrated the significant increase of D2R binding of [11C]raclopride, a specific D2R radioligand, in the AdCMV.DopD2R‐injected rat striatum 2 or 3 days after vector injection. Longitudinal in vivo assessment of the gene expression by PET demonstrated decreased binding of [11C]raclopride with time, which was in agreement with the observation in a cross‐sectional autoradiographic study. The results of the current study demonstrate that PET can be used for longitudinal in vivo assessment of D2R expression mediated by adenoviral vector in rat brain. Synapse 43:195–200, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.