Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local specific absorption rate control for parallel transmission by virtual observation points

The supervision of local specific absorption rate (SAR) in parallel transmission applications in MRI is crucial. One existing approach is to use electromagnetic simulations including human anatomical models and to precalculate the electric field distributions of each individual channel. These can be superposed later with respect to certain combined excitations under investigation, and the local SAR distribution can be evaluated. Local SAR maxima can be obtained by exhaustive search over all investigated subvolumes of the body model. Practical challenges arise for the adequate handling and comparing of precalculated field distributions as long as the expected combined radiofrequency excitations are still undetermined. Worst‐case approximations for local SAR lead to significant radiofrequency pulse performance limitations. Optimizing local SAR in radiofrequency pulse design using constraints for each subvolume is impractical. A method is proposed to significantly reduce the complexity without restriction to particular radiofrequency excitations. By constructing several matrices, it becomes sufficient to consider only these so‐called Virtual Observation Points for an adequate, conservative estimation of the maximum local SAR. The applied techniques involve concepts of vector optimization as well as semidefinite programming. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Incorporating biological information into association studies of sequencing data

We summarize the methodological contributions from Group 3 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 (GAW17). The overarching goal of these methods was the evaluation and enhancement of state‐of‐the‐art approaches in integration of biological knowledge into association studies of rare variants. We found that methods loosely fell into three major categories: (1) hypothesis testing of index scores based on aggregating rare variants at the gene level, (2) variable selection techniques that incorporate biological prior information, and (3) novel approaches that integrate external (i.e., not provided by GAW17) prior information, such as pathway and single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) annotations. Commonalities among the findings from these contributions are that gene‐based analysis of rare variants is advantageous to single‐SNP analysis and that the minor allele frequency threshold to identify rare variants may influence power and thus needs to be carefully considered. A consistent increase in power was also identified by considering only nonsynonymous SNPs in the analyses. Overall, we found that no single method had an appreciable advantage over the other methods. However, methods that carried out sensitivity analyses by comparing biologically informative to noninformative prior probabilities demonstrated that integrating biological knowledge into statistical analyses always, at the least, enabled subtle improvements in the performance of any statistical method applied to these simulated data. Although these statistical improvements reflect the simulation model assumed for GAW17, our hope is that the simulation models provide a reasonable representation of the underlying biology and that these methods can thus be of utility in real data. Genet. Epidemiol. 35:S29–S34, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of MARS artificial liver support as bridging therapy before split liver retransplantation in a 15‐month‐old child

Abstract: Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) is a blood‐filtering system designed to provide biological artificial liver support. We describe its use in a small child to illustrate its effectiveness and practicality in this age group. A 15‐month‐old male underwent split liver transplantation for acute liver failure following bone marrow transplantation. After development of graft dysfunction we instituted MARS‐dialysis. MARS therapy led to a dramatic fall in serum bilirubin and transaminases. Liver synthetic function was not affected. This was accompanied by a stabilization of the patients clinical condition until repeat split liver transplantation was performed 2 weeks after the first graft. MARS‐dialysis is practical in the small child. In this case, it did not provide definitive treatment but was an excellent bridging therapy before retransplantation.
A motion correction scheme by twin‐echo navigation for diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging with multiple RF echo acquisition

In this paper, a series of diffusion‐weighted fast spin‐echo (FSE) sequences with a new motion correction scheme are introduced. This correction scheme is based on the navigator echo technique. Unlike conventional spin‐echo imaging, motion correction for FSE is complicated by the phase oscillation between odd‐numbered and even‐numbered echoes and the complex phase relationship between spin echo and stimulated echo components. In our approach, incoherent phase shifting due to motion is monitored by consecutive acquisition of two navigator echoes, which provide information on both inter‐echo and intra‐echo train phase shifts. Applications to both phantom and in vivo studies are presented.
Fundamental Drivers of Food Inflation - Evidence from South Africa

Food inflation and its associated drivers is an important issue to consider in a food security and macroeconomic context. Despite this, scientific research on this is sparse. This study gauges the impact of key fundamental variables on food inflation in terms of magnitude and duration. It employs time series econometric techniques and finds that the exchange rate, world food/commodity prices and local agricultural prices are the main drivers of food inflation in South Africa. In terms of the short-run dynamics, the results suggest that agricultural prices and the exchange rate take up to two months to manifest in food inflation, whereas world commodity prices only affect local food inflation after eight months. The effect of a recent drought and exchange rate depreciation on food inflation is also explored, in terms of scale and persistence. Simulations suggest that the length and effect of the recent drought, as manifested in agricultural prices, will result in double-digit food inflation lasting in excess of 12 months after the commencement of the shock. Simulation results also show that perseverance in exchange rate shocks seems to affect the scale of the final effect on food inflation more than the perseverance. Acknowledgement :
Fixed-dose combination of enteric-coated naproxen and immediate-release esomeprazole has comparable efficacy to celecoxib for knee osteoarthritis: two randomized trials

Abstract Objective: To demonstrate that a fixed-dose combination of enteric-coated naproxen 500 mg and immediate-release esomeprazole magnesium 20 mg has comparable efficacy to celecoxib for knee osteoarthritis. Research design and methods: Two randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase III studies (PN400-307 and PN400-309) enrolled patients aged ≥50 years with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Following an osteoarthritis flare, patients received naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium twice daily, celecoxib 200 mg once daily, or placebo for 12 weeks. Clinical trial registration: NCT00664560 and NCT00665431. Main outcome measures: Three co-primary efficacy endpoints were mean change from baseline to week 12 in Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain and function subscales, and Patient Global Assessment of osteoarthritis using a visual analog scale (PGA-VAS). Results: In Study 307, 619 patients were randomized and 614 treated. In Study 309, 615 patients were randomized and 610 treated. Both naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium and celecoxib were associated with improvements (least squares mean change from baseline to week 12) in WOMAC pain (Study 307: −42.0 and −41.8, respectively; Study 309: −44.2 and −42.9, respectively), WOMAC function (Study 307: −36.4 and −36.3, respectively; Study 309: −38.9 and −36.8, respectively), and PGA-VAS (Study 307: 21.2 and 21.6, respectively; Study 309: 29.0 and 25.6, respectively). A prespecified non-inferiority margin of 10 mm between naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium and celecoxib was satisfied for each co-primary endpoint at week 12 in both studies. Significant improvements were observed with naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium versus placebo in both studies (p < 0.05). Celecoxib was significantly different from placebo in Study 307 (p < 0.05); however, the improvements were not significant in Study 309. Acetaminophen use and patient expectation of receiving active treatment (80% probability) may have contributed to a high placebo response observed. Conclusions: Naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium has comparable efficacy to celecoxib for the management of pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee over 12 weeks.
Small spotted bodies with multiple specific mitochondrial DNAs: existence of diverse and differentiated tigrina lineages or species (Leopardus spp: Felidae, Mammalia) throughout Latin America

Abstract We analysed two sets of mitochondrial (mt) DNA data from tigrinas (traditionally, Leopardus tigrinus) we sampled in Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northwestern and northeastern Argentina and southern Brazil. Additionally, the analysis included some GenBank sequences from southern, central and northeastern Brazil. The first mt set (mt ATP8+mt 16S rRNA with 41 tigrina) revealed the existence of seven different tigrina-like haplogroups. They could represent, at least, 4–6 different tigrina species following the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC). In the second mt set (mitogenomics with 18 tigrinas), we detected six different tigrina-like haplogroups. They could represent 4–5 different tigrina species – including a possible full new species, which has gone previously unnoticed to the world of science both morphologic and molecularly. Coat patterns of several of these different tigrinas support the molecular differences. We also detected intense hybridization in many Andean tigrina with margays (Leopardus wiedii) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) as well as hybridization of one Bolivian tigrina with Leopardus geoffroyi. Similar hybridization was found for many of the southern Brazilian tigrina (Leopardus guttulus). All of the temporal split estimates for these tigrina haplogroups, together with those of the Leopardus species recognized to date, began in the late Pliocene but mostly occurred during the Pleistocene. In agreement with the existence of multiple species within the traditional L. tigrinus species, we detected strong and significant spatial structure in the two mt data sets. There were clear circular clines. A major part of the analyses detected more genetic resemblance between the Central American + trans Andean Colombian and Ecuadorian tigrina (L. oncilla) with the most geographically distant tigrina from central and southern Brazil (L. guttulus; pure individuals not hybridized with L. geoffroyi). In comparison, the Andean tigrina taxa had intermediate geographical origins but were highly genetically differentiated both from the Central American + trans Andean Colombian-Ecuadorian tigrina and from the central and southern Brazilian tigrina.
Pricing Green Financial Products

With increasing wind power penetration more and more volatile and weather dependent energy is fed into the German electricity system. To manage the risk of windless days and transfer revenue risk from wind turbine owners to investors wind power derivatives were introduced. These insurance-like securities (ILS) allow to hedge the risk of unstable wind power production on exchanges like Nasdaq and European Energy Exchange. These products have been priced before using risk neutral pricing techniques. We present a modern and powerful methodology to model weather derivatives with very skewed underlyings incorporating techniques from extreme event modelling to tune seasonal volatility and compare transformed Gaussian and non-Gaussian CARMA(p; q) models. Our results indicate that the transformed Gaussian CARMA(p; q) model is preferred over the non-Gaussian alternative with Levy increments. Out-of-sample backtesting results show good performance wrt burn analysis employing smooth Market Price of Risk (MPR) estimates based on NASDAQ weekly and monthly German wind power futures prices and German wind power utilisation as underlying. A seasonal MPR of a smile-shape is observed, with positive values in times of high volatility, e.g. winter months, and negative values, in times of low volatility and production, e.g. in summer months. We conclude that producers pay premiums to insure stable revenue steams, while investors pay premiums when weather risk is high.
Regulation of SIRT3 signal related metabolic reprogramming in gastric cancer by Helicobacter pylori oncoprotein CagA

Injection of the Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) is closely associated with the development of chronic gastritis and gastric cancer. Individuals infected with H. pylori possessing the CagA protein produce more reactive oxygen species (ROS) and show an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylases and mitochondrial SIRT3 is known to be a tumor suppressor via its ability to suppress ROS and hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). However, it is unclear whether increased ROS production by H. pylori is regulated by SIRT3 followed by HIF-1α regulation and whether intracellular CagA acts as a regulator thereof. In this study, we investigated correlations among SIRT3, ROS, and HIF-1α in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. We observed that SIRT3-deficient AGS cells induce HIF-1α protein stabilization and augmented transcriptional activity under hypoxic conditions. In CagA+ H. pylori infected cells, CagA protein localized to mitochondria where it subsequently suppressed SIRT3 proteins. CagA+ H. pylori infection also increased HIF-1α activity through the ROS production induced by the downregulated SIRT3 activity, which is similar to the hypoxic condition in gastric epithelial cells. In contrast, overexpression of SIRT3 inhibited the HIF-1α protein stabilization and attenuated the increase in HIF-1α transcriptional activity under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, CagA+ H. pylori attenuated HIF-1α stability and decreased transcriptional activity in SIRT3-overexpressing gastric epithelial cells. Taken together, these findings provide valuable insights into the potential role of SIRT3 in CagA+ H. pylori-mediated gastric carcinogenesis and a possible target for cancer prevention via inhibition of HIF-1α.
Transcriptome, genetic editing, and microRNA divergence substantiate sympatric speciation of blind mole rat, Spalax

Significance Speciation is the basis of the origin of biodiversity in nature. Sympatric speciation (SS) is still a controversial model of the origin of new species, since first proposed by Darwin in 1859. Here, we complement earlier genomic evidence with new analyses of transcriptome profiling, DNA editing, and microRNA, examined in the blind subterranean rodent, Spalax galili, in the Galilee Mountains, Israel, all substantiating SS with gene flow. Gene ontology enrichment of differentially expressed genes, in the abutting soil populations, highlights evolving reproductive isolation, despite a few interpopulation recombinants. Because sharply divergent geological, edaphic, climatic, and biotic interfaces abound in nature, we conclude that SS may be a common model of the origin of new species, as envisaged by Darwin. Incipient sympatric speciation in blind mole rat, Spalax galili, in Israel, caused by sharp ecological divergence of abutting chalk–basalt ecologies, has been proposed previously based on mitochondrial and whole-genome nuclear DNA. Here, we present new evidence, including transcriptome, DNA editing, microRNA, and codon usage, substantiating earlier evidence for adaptive divergence in the abutting chalk and basalt populations. Genetic divergence, based on the previous and new evidence, is ongoing despite restricted gene flow between the two populations. The principal component analysis, neighbor-joining tree, and genetic structure analysis of the transcriptome clearly show the clustered divergent two mole rat populations. Gene-expression level analysis indicates that the population transcriptome divergence is displayed not only by soil divergence but also by sex. Gene ontology enrichment of the differentially expressed genes from the two abutting soil populations highlights reproductive isolation. Alternative splicing variation of the two abutting soil populations displays two distinct splicing patterns. L-shaped FST distribution indicates that the two populations have undergone divergence with gene flow. Transcriptome divergent genes highlight neurogenetics and nutrition characterizing the chalk population, and energetics, metabolism, musculature, and sensory perception characterizing the abutting basalt population. Remarkably, microRNAs also display divergence between the two populations. The GC content is significantly higher in chalk than in basalt, and stress-response genes mostly prefer nonoptimal codons. The multiple lines of evidence of ecological–genomic and genetic divergence highlight that natural selection overrules the gene flow between the two abutting populations, substantiating the sharp ecological chalk–basalt divergence driving sympatric speciation.
Inspiratory muscle strength is a determinant of maximum oxygen consumption in chronic heart failure.

OBJECTIVE--To investigate the significance of respiratory muscle weakness in chronic heart failure and its relation both to maximum oxygen consumption during cardiopulmonary exercise testing and to skeletal muscle (quadriceps) strength. SUBJECTS--Seven healthy men aged 54.9 (SEM 4.3) years and 20 men with chronic heart failure aged 61.4 (1.6) years (P = 0.20) with radionuclide left ventricular ejection fraction of 25.4 (3.0)%. METHODS--Mouth pressures during maximum static inspiratory effort (PImax) at functional residual capacity (FRC) and residual volume (RV) were measured in all subjects and taken as indices of inspiratory muscle strength. Similarly, mouth pressures during maximum static expiratory effort (PEmax) at FRC and total lung capacity (TLC) were taken as indices of expiratory muscle strength. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in all subjects. All controls and 15 heart failure patients also had their right quadriceps muscle strength measured. RESULTS--There was respiratory muscle weakness in heart failure patients, with reduction of PImax at FRC (59.7) (6.3) v 85.6 (9.6) cm H2O, P = 0.045), PEmax at FRC (94.8 (6.2) v 134.6 (9.1) cm H2O, P = 0.004), and PEmax at TLC (121.7 (8.5) v 160.7 (13) cm H2O, P = 0.028). PImax at RV was also reduced but this did not reach statistical significance (77.3 (6.6) v 89.3 (13) cm H2O, P = 0.44). There was also significant weakness of the right quadriceps muscle (308.5 (22) v 446.2 (28) N, P = 0.001). PImax at both FRC and RV correlated with maximum oxygen consumption (r = 0.59, P = 0.006, and r = 0.45, P = 0.048 respectively) but not PEmax. There was, however, no significant correlation between PImax and right quadriceps strength. CONCLUSIONS--Respiratory muscle weakness is seen in chronic heart failure. The results suggest that inspiratory muscles are important in determining maximum oxygen consumption and exercise tolerance in these patients. The lack of correlation between respiratory and right quadriceps muscle strength further suggests that the magnitude and time course of respiratory and locomotor muscle weakness may differ in individual patients. Treatment aimed at improving the function of the involved muscle groups may alleviate symptoms.
Causal Language Intensity in Performance Commentary and Financial Analyst Behaviour

We use automated techniques to measure causal reasoning on earnings‐related financial outcomes of a large sample of MD&A sections of US firms and examine the intensity of causal language in that context against extent of analyst following and against properties of analysts’ earnings forecasts. We find a positive and significant association between a firm's causal reasoning intensity and analyst following and analyst earnings forecast accuracy respectively. Correspondingly, analysts’ earnings forecast dispersion is negatively and significantly associated with causal reasoning intensity. These results suggest that causal reasoning intensity provides incremental information about the relationship between financial performance outcomes and its causes, thereby reducing financial analysts’ information processing and interpreting costs and lowering overall analyst information uncertainty. Additionally, we find that decreases in analyst following are followed by more causal reasoning on performance disclosure. We also find that firms with a considerable increase of causal disclosure especially attract new analysts who already cover many firms. Overall, our evidence of the relationship between causal reasoning intensity and properties of analyst behaviour is consistent with the proposition that causal reasoning is a generic narrative disclosure quality characteristic, able to provide incremental information to analysts and guide analysts' behaviour.
Wikis as Tools for Enhancing Interaction and Fulfilling Expectations of Modern Learning Theories

Modern learning theories focus on the importance of social interaction as a means of facilitating and enhancing learning. In this context, an aspect of importance is the creation of learning communities (i.e., groups of persons with common learning goals). ICT tools are frequently used to create and maintain online learning communities by overcoming geographical and time restrictions as well as motivating learners and retaining a high degree of interaction among them. To achieve these goals, researchers adjust previous and propose new learning theories taking into consideration human, social, and technological factors in the learning process. This chapter first outlines relevant learning theories and then highlights wikis as tools that may assist learning by increasing social interaction. Wikis as Tools for Enhancing Interaction and Fulfilling Expectations of Modern Learning Theories
Role of oral care to prevent VAP in mechanically ventilated Intensive Care Unit patients

Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in Intensive Care Unit. One major factor causing VAP is the aspiration of oral colonization because of poor oral care practices. We feel the role of simple measure like oral care is neglected, despite the ample evidence of it being instrumental in preventing VAP.
Working together with industrial robots: Experiencing robots in a production environment

This paper illustrates how workers in a semiconductor factory experience working together with industrial robots. Applying a narrative interview approach, we evoked reports on workers' personal experiences of working together with these robots. This specific approach enabled us to gain knowledge of how daily work with these robots is experienced, including workers' attitudes and inherent meanings regarding the robots. Following a thematic analysis approach, we analyzed the collected interview data and identified rivalry with the robots, adaption towards the robot's behavior, perceived reasonability and knowledge acquisition as salient aspects regarding human-robot interaction in the factory. Our findings indicate how human-robot cooperation can be improved in terms of enhancing workers' everyday experiences with robots, for example, by providing a feeling of control or emphasizing human competences.