Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Running performance and thermal sensation in the heat are improved with menthol mouth rinse but not ice slurry ingestion

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a cooling strategy designed to predominately lower thermal state with a strategy designed to lower thermal sensation on endurance running performance and physiology in the heat. Eleven moderately trained male runners completed familiarization and three randomized, crossover 5‐km running time trials on a non‐motorized treadmill in hot conditions (33 °C). The trials included ice slurry ingestion before exercise (ICE), menthol mouth rinse during exercise (MEN), and no intervention (CON). Running performance was significantly improved with MEN (25.3 ± 3.5 min; P = 0.01), but not ICE (26.3 ± 3.2 min; P = 0.45) when compared with CON (26.0 ± 3.4 min). Rectal temperature was significantly decreased with ICE (by 0.3 ± 0.2 °C; P < 0.01), which persisted for 2 km of the run and MEN significantly decreased perceived thermal sensation (between 4 and 5 km) and ventilation (between 1 and 2 km) during the time trial. End‐exercise blood prolactin concentration was elevated with MEN compared with CON (by 25.1 ± 24.4 ng/mL; P = 0.02). The data demonstrate that a change in the perception of thermal sensation during exercise from menthol mouth rinse was associated with improved endurance running performance in the heat. Ice slurry ingestion reduced core temperature but did not decrease thermal sensation during exercise or improve running performance.
Aspectos Clínicos da Prematuridade Extrema Parte I — Morbilidade e Mortalidade Neonatais

Introducao: O aumento da sobrevivencia dos recem-nascidos de extremo baixo peso verificado nas ultimas decadas associa-se a elevadas morbilidade e mortalidade neonatais bem como a risco aumentado de sequelas neurologicas major e atraso no desenvolvimento psicomotor. Objectivos: Avaliacao da morbilidade e mortalidade neonatais em recem-nascidos de extremo baixo peso. Material e Metodos: Analise retrospectiva de 63 recem-nascidos de extremo baixo peso admitidos na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatais do Hospital de Sao Joao entre 01/01/96 e 31/12/99. Resultados: Em 27 (43%) maes foi ministrado ciclo completo de dexametasona antenatal, a taxa de cesariana foi de 52% (n=33), o peso ao nascer medio foi de 785 g e a idade gestacional media de 26,4 semanas. Em 60 (95%) recem-nascidos foi necessario suporte ventilatorio, o tempo de ventilacao medio foi de 22 dias, 55 (87%) desenvolveram Doenca das Membranas Hialinas, 44 (70%) necessitaram de ministracao de surfactante, 26 (41%) evoluiram para Doenca Pulmonar Cronica da Prematuridade. A incidencia de Sepsis foi de 70% (n=44), de Hemorragia Intraventricular de 51% (n=28), de Patencia do Canal Arterial de 37% (n=23), de Enterocolite Necrosante de 22% (n=14) e de Retinopatia da Prematuridade de 11% (n=7). A mortalidade neonatal foi de 41% (n=26), sendo a Sepsis a principal causa. Discussao e Conclusoes: As elevadas morbilidade e mortalidade neonatais verificadas neste grupo incidiram principalmente nos recem-nascidos com peso ao nascer inferior a 800 g e/ou idade gestacional inferior a 27 semanas, o que permite colocar questoes de ordem medica, etica e economica relativamente ao tratamento deste grupo de doentes.
Incentive Mechanism for Demand Side Management in Smart Grid Using Auction

Smart pricing methods using auction mechanism allow more information exchange between users and providers, and they can meet users' energy demand at a low cost of grid operation, which contributes to the economic and environmental benefit in smart grid. However, when asked to report their energy demand, users may have an incentive to cheat in order to consume more while paying less, causing extra costs for grid operation. So it is important to ensure truthfulness among users for demand side management. In this paper, we propose an efficient pricing method that can prevent users' cheating. In the proposed model, the smart meter can record user's consumption information and communicate with the energy provider's terminal. Users' preferences and consumption patterns are modeled in form of a utility function. Based on this, we propose an enhanced AGV (Arrow-d'Aspremont-Gerard-Varet) mechanism to ensure truthfulness. In this incentive method, user's payment is related to its consumption credit. One will be punished to pay extra if there is a cheat record in its consumption history. We prove that the enhanced AGV mechanism can achieve the basic qualifications: incentive compatibility, individual rationality and budget balance. Simulation results confirm that the enhanced AGV mechanism can ensure truth-telling, and benefit both users and energy providers.
A rugged soft commutated PWM inverter for AC drives

A novel DC/AC power converter for variable-speed AC motor drives using the zero voltage switching technique is described. This converter combines the advantages of soft commutated inverter and those of conventional PWM (pulse width modulation) control inverters. In the proposed scheme the soft commutation reduces the constraints on the switches and the PWM enables simple and efficient regulation of the power flow. Furthermore the zero voltage switching technique makes operation very safe, and switching bipolar transistors at 20 kHz is easily achieved without compromising the efficiency of the system. <<ETX>>
Effects of Noise on Sleep Inertia as a Function of Circadian Placement of a One-Hour Nap

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the arousing effects of noise on sleep inertia as a function of circadian placement of a one-hour nap. In a first experiment, we measured the effects of sleep inertia in a neutral acoustic environment after a one-hour nap placed either at 0100 or 0400 on response time during a spatial memory test. In a second experiment were analysed the effects of an intense continuous noise on sleep inertia. The results showed that noise produced a total abolition of sleep inertia after an early nap (0000 to 0100). This may be due to the arousing effect of noise; however, results are less clear after a late nap 0300 to 0400 as noise seems to be ineffective. This result is discussed in terms of either a function of time-of-day effect or of prior sleep intensity. Moreover, our data suggest a possible interaction of noise with partial sleep deprivation leading to a slight deleterious effect on those subjects who did not sleep at all.
Efficient Selective Repeat ARQ Strategies for Very Noisy and Fluctuating Channels

This paper investigates memory and selective repeat ARQ techniques when channels in both directions are very noisy. It demonstrates that a difficulty arises when memory ARQ is used in these situations, and proposes a remedy-the similarity test. The paper considers a combination of both memory ARQ techniques where an unacknowledged block is retransmitted exactly as before, and modified memory ARQ where alternate transmissions together form a rate 1/2 code. The following items are featured. 1) Discussion and analysis of the similarity test. 2) A memory ARQ technique which employs double null zone reception and 3 bits of past information storage per binary digit. 3) For modified memory ARQ procedures, a discussion of how to resolve problems of confusing the identity of the two halves of the rate 1/2 code used.
A Robust Regression Framework with Laplace Kernel-Induced Loss

This work proposes a robust regression framework with nonconvex loss function. Two regression formulations are presented based on the Laplace kernel-induced loss (LK-loss). Moreover, we illustrate that the LK-loss function is a nice approximation for the zero-norm. However, nonconvexity of the LK-loss makes it difficult to optimize. A continuous optimization method is developed to solve the proposed framework. The problems are formulated as DC (difference of convex functions) programming. The corresponding DC algorithms (DCAs) converge linearly. Furthermore, the proposed algorithms are applied directly to determine the hardness of licorice seeds using near-infrared spectral data with noisy input. Experiments in eight spectral regions show that the proposed methods improve generalization compared with the traditional support vector regressions (SVR), especially in high-frequency regions. Experiments on several benchmark data sets demonstrate that the proposed methods achieve better results than the traditional regression methods in most of data sets we have considered.
Development of an Eating Aid - From the User Needs to a Product

In this paper, the development process of an eating aid is described. The assistive devices must be worth using. To achieve this, the starting point has been the users need. The development started from the needs of an individual person, the inventor of the aid. The development has been about increasing the positive experience of the aid and decrease negative experience through an iterative development process. The development includes several evaluations, described in the paper, and as a conclusion, it is important to include the users throughout the development process.
The legacy of Rosa Luxemburg

No great socialist thinker has been so often misrepresented as the Polish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. In this scrupulous study, tightly argued, Geras systematically considers and refutes the major myths which have developed about her work. He shows how her views on socialist strategy in Russia were closer to those of Lenin than any other leader, and clarifies her famous theory of the mass strike. Her critique of the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution is distinguished from social-democratic or anarchist attacks, to which it has often been assimilated. Widely praised on its first publication, "The Legacy of Rosa Luxemburg" is an important contribution to our understanding of an earlier generation of Marxism in Poland and Russia.
A Method to Manage the Difference of Precision between Profiles and Items for Recommender System - Applied Upon a News Recommender System using SVM Approach

Contractors, commercial and business decision-makers need economical information to drive their decisions. The production and distribution of a press review about French regional economic actors represents a prospecting tool on partners and competitors for the businessman. Our goal is to propose a customized review for each user, thus reducing the overload of useless information. Some systems for recommending news items already exist. The usefulness of external knowledge to improve the process has already been explained in information retrieval. The system’s knowledge base includes the domain knowledge used during the recommendation process. Our recommender system architecture is standard, but during the indexing task, the representations of content of each article and interests of users’ profiles created are based on this domain knowledge. Articles and Profiles are semantically defined in the Knowledge base via concepts, instances and relations. This paper deals with the similarity measure, a critical subtask in recommendation systems. The Vector Space Model is a well-known model used for relevance ranking. The problematic exposed here is the utilization of the standard VSM method with our indexing method.
Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) links mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum function with insulin signaling and is essential for normal glucose homeostasis

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that play a key role in energy conversion. Optimal mitochondrial function is ensured by a quality-control system tightly coupled to fusion and fission. In this connection, mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) participates in mitochondrial fusion and undergoes repression in muscle from obese or type 2 diabetic patients. Here, we provide in vivo evidence that Mfn2 plays an essential role in metabolic homeostasis. Liver-specific ablation of Mfn2 in mice led to numerous metabolic abnormalities, characterized by glucose intolerance and enhanced hepatic gluconeogenesis. Mfn2 deficiency impaired insulin signaling in liver and muscle. Furthermore, Mfn2 deficiency was associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress, enhanced hydrogen peroxide concentration, altered reactive oxygen species handling, and active JNK. Chemical chaperones or the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine ameliorated glucose tolerance and insulin signaling in liver-specific Mfn2 KO mice. This study provides an important description of a unique unexpected role of Mfn2 coordinating mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum function, leading to modulation of insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis in vivo.
Monitoring of S Protein Maturation in the Endoplasmic Reticulum by Calnexin Is Important for the Infectivity of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is the etiological agent of SARS, a fatal pulmonary disorder with no effective treatment. We found that SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein (S protein), a key molecule for viral entry, binds to calnexin, a molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but not to calreticulin, a homolog of calnexin. Calnexin bound to most truncated mutants of S protein, and S protein bound to all mutants of calnexin. Pseudotyped virus carrying S protein (S-pseudovirus) produced by human cells that were treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) for calnexin expression (calnexin siRNA-treated cells) showed significantly lower infectivity than S-pseudoviruses produced by untreated and control siRNA-treated cells. S-pseudovirus produced by calnexin siRNA-treated cells contained S protein modified with N-glycan side chains differently from other two S proteins and consisted of two kinds of viral particles: those of normal density with little S protein and those of high density with abundant S protein. Treatment with peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase F), which removes all types of N-glycan side chains from glycoproteins, eliminated the infectivity of S-pseudovirus. S-pseudovirus and SARS-CoV produced in the presence of α-glucosidase inhibitors, which disrupt the interaction between calnexin and its substrates, showed significantly lower infectivity than each virus produced in the absence of those compounds. In S-pseudovirus, the incorporation of S protein into viral particles was obviously inhibited. In SARS-CoV, viral production was obviously inhibited. These findings demonstrated that calnexin strictly monitors the maturation of S protein by its direct binding, resulting in conferring infectivity on SARS-CoV.
Transcriptome Analyses Shed New Insights into Primary Metabolism and Regulation of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici during Conidiation

Conidia of the obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) play a vital role in its survival and rapid dispersal. However, little is known about the genetic basis for its asexual reproduction. To uncover the primary metabolic and regulatory events during conidiation, we sequenced the transcriptome of Bgt epiphytic structures at 3 (vegetative hyphae growth), 4 (foot cells initiation), and 5 (conidiophore erection) days post-inoculation (dpi). RNA-seq analyses identified 556 and 404 (combined 685) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 4 and 5 dpi compared with their expression levels at 3 dpi, respectively. We found that several genes involved in the conversion from a variety of sugars to glucose, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC), the electron transport chain (ETC), and unsaturated fatty acid oxidation were activated during conidiation, suggesting that more energy supply is required during this process. Moreover, we found that glucose was converted into glycogen, which was accumulated in developing conidiophores, indicating that it could be the primary energy storage molecule in Bgt conidia. Clustering for the expression profiles of 91 regulatory genes showed that calcium (Ca2+), H2O2, and phosphoinositide (PIP) signaling were involved in Bgt conidiation. Furthermore, a strong accumulation of H2O2 in developing conidiophores was detected. Application of EGTA, a Ca2+ chelator, and trifluoperazine dihydrochloride (TFP), a calmodulin (CaM) antagonist, markedly suppressed the generation of H2O2, affected foot cell and conidiophore development and reduced conidia production significantly. These results suggest that Ca2+ and H2O2 signaling play important roles in conidiogenesis and a crosslink between them is present. In addition to some conidiation-related orthologs known in other fungi, such as the velvet complex components, we identified several other novel B. graminis-specific genes that have not been previously found to be implicated in fungal conidiation, reflecting a unique molecular mechanism underlying asexual development of cereal powdery mildews.
Can Neuroscience Help Us Do a Better Job of Teaching Music?

We are just at the beginning stages of applying neuroscientific findings to music teaching. A simple model of the learning cycle based on neuroscience is Sense → Integrate → Act (sometimes modified as Act → Sense → Integrate). Additional components can be added to the model, including such concepts as active rather than passive learning, learning activates reward centers, all learning is emotionally colored, plasticity, neural pruning, nature and nurture, critical and optimal periods, the pattern-detecting brain, imitation and the social learning brain, group learning, empathy and social emotions, learning is multisensory, and learning requires memory. When this model and the components are applied to music teaching, they confirm best practices. Innovation pedagogical strategies will be forthcoming when there is a better understanding of the brain and music learning.
Mechano-sensitization of mammalian neuronal networks through expression of the bacterial mechanosensitive MscL channel

Development of remote stimulation techniques for neuronal tissues represents a challenging goal. Among the potential methods, mechanical stimuli are the most promising vector to convey information non-invasively into intact brain tissue. In this context, selective mechano-sensitization of neuronal circuits would pave the way to develop a new cell-type specific stimulation approach. We report here for the first time the development and characterization of mechanosensitized neuronal networks through the heterologous expression of an engineered bacterial large conductance mechanosensitive ion channel (MscL). The neuronal functional expression of the MscL channel was validated through patch-clamp recordings upon application of calibrated suction pressures. Moreover, we verified the effective development of in-vitro neuronal networks expressing the engineered MscL channel in terms of cell survival, number of synaptic puncta, and spontaneous network activity. The pure mechanosensitivity of the engineered MscL channel, with its wide genetic modification library, may represent a versatile tool to further develop a mechano-genetic approach.
Preferential sampling in long term monitoring of air pollution : a case study

The potential effects of air pollution are a major concern both in terms of the environment and in relation to human health. In order to support environmental policy there is a need for accurate measurements of the concentrations of pollutants. Here we examine long term changes in concentrations of black smoke using data from an extended period (1966-1996) from a long established network in the UK. Over this period, the number of sites reduced dramatically and there is the possibility of selection bias if the monitoring sites are kept in polluted areas. Bayesian models were used to model concentrations over time and space and to assess explore the evidence of preferential sampling. In cases such as this, with large spatial datasets, inference using MCMC can be a challenge due to computational issues and here we perform ‘approximate’ Bayesian inference using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations. For the spatial components of the models we employ methods that represent a Gaussian field with Matern covariance function as a Gaussian Markov Random Field through use of the Stochastic Partial Differential Equations. The results presented here give support to the hypothesis of preferential sampling which has largely been ignored in environmental risk analysis.
Core antigen and antibody in woodchucks after infection with woodchuck hepatitis virus

The woodchuck hepatitis virus is a naturally occurring hepatitis B-like virus that infects the eastern woodchuck. Direct immunofluorescence staining for woodchuck hepatitis virus core antigen in liver biopsies demonstrated the presence of this antigen in 14 of 17 chronically infected woodchucks, and in 8 of 10 woodchucks undergoing acute infections. Fluorescent localization of woodchuck hepatitis virus core antigen was typically cytoplasmic, and this was confirmed further by electron microscopy. Experimental infection with woodchuck hepatitis virus was achieved in four of four woodchucks inoculated with serum from chronic carrier woodchucks. All infected animals developed a self-limited disease characterized by seroconversion to antibodies against the major viral antigens (core and surface antigens); naturally acquired acute infection demonstrated a similar course. A chimpanzee seronegative for all markers of hepatitis B virus developed a subclinical infection after inoculation with woodchuck hepatitis virus.
Improving TCP's Robustness to Long Connectivity Disruptions

TCP was designed with fixed, wired networks in mind. As a result TCP performs suboptimal in networks where changes to path characteristics are frequent, e.g., in wireless mesh networks. One reason for the performance degradation is TCP's over-conservative behavior in face of long connectivity disruptions. In this paper we introduce a novel methodology how connectivity disruption indications provided by standard ICMP messages may be exploited to improve TCP's performance. We implement an RTO revert strategy that enables earlier detection of whether connectivity to a previously disconnected peer node has been restored or not. Thereby, connections relish more throughput and less delay. Our scheme is a sender only modification which fully respects the TCP congestion control principles.
Situaciones estresantes y vulnerabilidad a las lesiones deportivas : un estudio con deportistas de equipo

El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la influencia de sucesos vitales y circunstancias deportivas estresantes en el riesgo de lesiones de deportistas practicantes de deportes colectivos con oposicion directa. Ciento sesenta y ocho deportistas participaron en la investigacion. Al comienzo de la temporada deportiva los sujetos cumplimentaron un cuestionario de sucesos vitales y un informe de lesiones sufridas durante la ultima temporada deportiva. Posteriormente, a lo largo de todo el periodo de competicion se recogio informacion sobre la presencia de diversas circunstancias deportivas potencialmente estresantes y se registraron las lesiones padecidas por los sujetos participantes. Los resultados indican la influencia de acontecimientos vitales y circunstancias estresantes deportivas en el aumento de la vulnerabilidad a las lesiones, especialmente cuando ambas variables son medidas en relacion al mismo periodo temporal.
Method for determination of nature of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in a bundle prepared by chemical vapor deposition technique

We present a simple method to determine the nature of single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) in a bundle prepared by chemical vapor deposition technique by resonant Raman spectroscopy. The sample is irradiated with two wavelengths 633 nm from He-Ne laser and 514.5 nm from Ar+ laser. The spectra were taken in backscattering geometry and theoretical calculation has been carried out at one peak position 216 cm−1 in RBM spectra. The results reveal that one third of the carbon nanotubes are metallic in agreement with the previously proposed reports. The geometrical and electronic properties of nanotubes are also discussed.