Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Method for Quantifying Upper Limb Performance in Daily Life Using Accelerometers

A key reason for referral to rehabilitation services after stroke and other neurological conditions is to improve one's ability to function in daily life. It has become important to measure a person's activities in daily life, and not just measure their capacity for activity in the structured environment of a clinic or laboratory. A wearable sensor that is now enabling measurement of daily movement is the accelerometer. Accelerometers are commercially-available devices resembling large wrist watches that can be worn throughout the day. Data from accelerometers can quantify how the limbs are engaged to perform activities in peoples' homes and communities. This report describes a methodology to collect accelerometry data and turn it into clinically-relevant information. First, data are collected by having the participant wear two accelerometers (one on each wrist) for 24 h or longer. The accelerometry data are then downloaded and processed to produce four different variables that describe key aspects of upper limb activity in daily life: hours of use, use ratio, magnitude ratio, and the bilateral magnitude. Density plots can be constructed that visually represent the data from the 24 h wearing period. The variables and their resultant density plots are highly consistent in neurologically-intact, community-dwelling adults. This striking consistency makes them a useful tool for determining if upper limb daily performance is different from normal. This methodology is appropriate for research studies investigating upper limb dysfunction and interventions designed to improve upper limb performance in daily life in people with stroke and other patient populations. Because of its relative simplicity, it may not be long before it is also incorporated in clinical neurorehabilitation practice.
Emergence and Evolution of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae with both blaKPC and blaCTX-M Integrated in the Chromosome

ABSTRACT The extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)- and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae represent serious and urgent threats to public health. In a retrospective study of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae, we identified three clinical isolates, CN1, CR14, and NY9, carrying both blaCTX-M and blaKPC genes. The complete genomes of these three K. pneumoniae isolates were de novo assembled by using both short- and long-read whole-genome sequencing. In CR14 and NY9, blaCTX-M and blaKPC were carried on two different plasmids. In contrast, CN1 had one copy of blaKPC-2 and three copies of blaCTX-M-15 integrated in the chromosome, for which the blaCTX-M-15 genes were linked to an insertion sequence, ISEcp1, whereas the blaKPC-2 gene was in the context of a Tn4401a transposition unit conjugated with a PsP3-like prophage. Intriguingly, downstream of the Tn4401a-blaKPC-2-prophage genomic island, CN1 also carried a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-cas array with four spacers targeting a variety of K. pneumoniae plasmids harboring antimicrobial resistance genes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that there were two subtypes of type I-E CRISPR-cas in K. pneumoniae strains and suggested that the evolving CRISPR-cas, with its acquired novel spacer, induced the mobilization of antimicrobial resistance genes from plasmids into the chromosome. The integration and dissemination of multiple copies of blaCTX-M and blaKPC from plasmids to chromosome depicts the complex pandemic scenario of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae. Additionally, the implications from this study also raise concerns for the application of a CRISPR-cas strategy against antimicrobial resistance.
Can statins reduce risk of lung cancer, especially among elderly people? A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE As the most common cause of cancer mortality throughout the world, lung cancer has drawn people's attention on how to reduce the risk with chemopreventive ways. Many epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent effects of statins on lung cancer, but some observational studies have showed that statins had protective effect on lung cancer among elderly people. So we preformed this meta-analysis to find whether statins were chemopreventive. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases from inception to September, 2013. A total of 23 studies were selected, including 15 observational studies and 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Both fixed and random-effects models were used to calculate pooled estimates in primary and sensitivity analyses. We used Q and I(2) statistics to assess statistical heterogeneity, and evaluated publication bias by Begg's test and Egger's test. RESULTS No association between statins and lung cancer risk was identified either in the meta-analysis among RCTs [relative risk (RR): 0.95, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.85-1.06] or observational studies (RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.77-1.04). We also selected 6 observational studies that all researched on elderly people. The result of meta-analysis showed that there was still no protective effect between statins and lung cancer among elderly people (RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.96-1.11). CONCLUSIONS Our results did not support a protective effect of statins on the overall lung cancer risk and the lung cancer risk among elderly people. More well-designed RCTs are needed to enhance our understanding of the chemopreventive effect of statins on lung cancer.
Draft Genome Sequence of Bowmanella denitrificans JL63, a Bacterium Isolated from Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) That Can Inhibit the Growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

ABSTRACT Bowmanella denitrificans strain JL63 was isolated from a whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and was determined to have antibacterial activity against an acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain and identify genes that are potentially involved in its antibacterial activity.
Phytochemicals in whole grain wheat and their health‐promoting effects

Accumulated evidence in epidemiological studies has consistently shown that consumption of whole grains (WGs) is inversely associated with risk of major chronic diseases such as certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Dietary fiber (DF) has been reported to be responsible for the health effects of WG consumption. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies is emerging that, in addition to DF and minerals, the unique phytochemicals in WGs may in part contribute to these health-promoting effects. WGs are rich sources of various phytochemicals. However, phytochemical contents and profiles in WG wheat are not systematically summarized yet, and the rapid rate of discovery of wheat phytochemicals necessitates an update on the current state of this field. Furthermore, the biological roles of phytochemicals in protective effects of WGs are also relatively underestimated compared to DFs. This manuscript summarized current research literature regarding phytochemicals that have been identified and characterized from wheat grains and wheat bran, and their corresponding contributions to the major health benefits of WG wheat consumption.
Bioaccumulation of Heavy metals and pollutants by edible mushroom collected from Iselu market Benin-city

The bioaccumulation of heavy metals and pollutants by edible mushroom were investigated. The results from this study showed the concentrations of seven heavy metals which include Mercury(Hg), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni) and Cadmium (Cd) in four edible mushrooms which include Pleurotus squarrosullus, Volvariella volvacea, Schizophyllum commune and Auricularia auricular sold in Benin City. There was a variation in the composition and concentration of the heavy metals in the different edible mushroom samples analysed. The heavy metal concentration ranged from 2.50 to 5.75 mg/kg for Ni, 2.25-4.88 mg/kg for Cd, 1.55-1.86 mg/kg for Cu, 1.25-1.88 mg/kg for Pb, 6.46-27.33 mg/kg for Zinc and 8.25-58.25 mg/kg for Fe. The results from this investigation showed that edible mushroom can serve as a bioremediation agent because of its ability to bio accumulates substances such as heavy metals, thereby removing them or reducing their concentration which may be harmful or hazardous from the polluted soil. This investigation also revealed the need for public awareness on edible mushrooms and their bioaccumulation ability especially in areas with frequent pollution like crude oil pollution in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.
Roughness-enhanced electroluminescence from metal oxide silicon tunneling diodes

An approximate two-order increase in magnitude in electroluminescence was observed for the metal-oxide-silicon tunneling diodes with oxide grown at 900/spl deg/C, as compared to 1000/spl deg/C. The X-ray reflectivity revealed that the oxide grown at 900/spl deg/C has rougher interface than that grown at 1000/spl deg/C. The role of interface roughness can be understood in a model composed of phonons and interface roughness. An external quantum efficiency of /spl sim/10/sup -6/ was obtained using Al electrodes.
Quinacrine pretreatment reduces microwave-induced neuronal damage by stabilizing the cell membrane

Quinacrine, widely used to treat parasitic diseases, binds to cell membranes. We previously found that quinacrine pretreatment reduced microwave radiation damage in rat hippocampal neurons, but the molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Considering the thermal effects of microwave radiation and the protective effects of quinacrine on heat damage in cells, we hypothesized that quinacrine would prevent microwave radiation damage to cells in a mechanism associated with cell membrane stability. To test this, we used retinoic acid to induce PC12 cells to differentiate into neuron-like cells. We then pretreated the neurons with quinacrine (20 and 40 mM) and irradiated them with 50 mW/cm2 microwaves for 3 or 6 hours. Flow cytometry, atomic force microscopy and western blot assays revealed that irradiated cells pretreated with quinacrine showed markedly less apoptosis, necrosis, and membrane damage, and greater expression of heat shock protein 70, than cells exposed to microwave irradiation alone. These results suggest that quinacrine stabilizes the neuronal membrane structure by upregulating the expression of heat shock protein 70, thus reducing neuronal injury caused by microwave radiation.
Nonlinear system identification by affine coordinate unification of locally identified MIMO linear systems

In this study, an identification method of a state-space model, which describes the quasi-steady behavior of a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear system, is investigated. At several steady points, local linear statespace models with input and output offsets are identified by a subspace identification method. We propose a state-space unification method of the identified local linear models, where an affine transformation is introduced for each pair of adjacent local systems. The affine transformations are chosen by using similarities of the system expressions. The matrices and offsets of the affine transformations are uniquely calculated by the least-squares method. Our method considers the change of steady points by the offset terms in the affine transformations. By the transformations, a linear parameter-varying system model with bias terms is obtained. The parameter is determined by the value of the unified state, and therefore we can finally obtain a nonlinear dynamical model, which is valid around the equilibria set. A numerical simulation is shown for confirming an availability of this method.
Exercise-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling in skeletal muscle

Exercise training improves glucose homeostasis through enhanced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. Muscle contraction through physical exercise is a physiological stimulus that elicits multiple biochemical and biophysical responses and therefore requires an appropriate control network. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways constitute a network of phosphorylation cascades that link cellular stress to changes in transcriptional activity. MAPK cascades are divided into four major subfamilies, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, p38 MAPK, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5. The present review will present the current understanding of parallel MAPK signalling in human skeletal muscle in response to exercise and muscle contraction, with an emphasis on identifying potential signalling mechanisms responsible for changes in gene expression.
LSH Forest: Practical Algorithms Made Theoretical

We analyze LSH Forest [BCG05]---a popular heuristic for the nearest neighbor search---and show that a careful yet simple modification of it outperforms "vanilla" LSH algorithms. The end result is the first instance of a simple, practical algorithm that provably leverages data-dependent hashing to improve upon data-oblivious LSH. Here is the entire algorithm for the d-dimensional Hamming space. The LSH Forest, for a given dataset, applies a random permutation to all the d coordinates, and builds a trie on the resulting strings. In our modification, we further augment this trie: for each node, we store a constant number of points close to the mean of the corresponding subset of the dataset, which are compared to any query point reaching that node. The overall data structure is simply several such tries sampled independently. While the new algorithm does not quantitatively improve upon the best data-dependent hashing algorithms from [AR15] (which are known to be optimal), it is significantly simpler, being based on a practical heuristic, and is provably better than the best LSH algorithm for the Hamming space [IM98, HIM12].
Impact of optimal charging of electric vehicles on future generation portfolios

Battery electric vehicles are considered by many to be part of a series of measures necessary to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions and dependence on fossil fuel resources. The extent to which this is possible depends on how successfully they can be implemented into the broader system. This paper considers the power systems impact of different vehicle charging regimes. A test system with a high proportion of variable renewables was considered. Charging profiles were developed for slow, fast and controlled optimal charging and optimal generation portfolios were developed using a least-cost optimisation algorithm. It was found that over-night charging at the slow rate resulted in a reduction in the average cost of electricity by between 4.2 and 6% compared to the base-case. For the high charging rate cases, the average cost of electricity rises by between 3 and 7%. When the charging is controlled centrally and optimised so as to increase the minimum system load maximally, it is found that the average cost of electricity is reduced by between 4.5 and 8.2%. None of the above cases resulted in significant changes in the average CO2 emissions per unit electricity output. However, it was found that by increasing the minimum system load, optimal charging could facilitate additional inflexible generation such as variable renewables or nuclear fission plant. Where nuclear capacity is added to the generation portfolios based on optimal charging, average CO2 emissions per unit of electricity are seen to fall between 22 and 41% for the cases studied, with the average cost of electricity reducing by between 9.5 and 21.5%.
Improved Estimation of Cardiac Function Parameters Using a Combination of Independent Automated Segmentation Results in Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging

This work aimed at combining different segmentation approaches to produce a robust and accurate segmentation result. Three to five segmentation results of the left ventricle were combined using the STAPLE algorithm and the reliability of the resulting segmentation was evaluated in comparison with the result of each individual segmentation method. This comparison was performed using a supervised approach based on a reference method. Then, we used an unsupervised statistical evaluation, the extended Regression Without Truth (eRWT) that ranks different methods according to their accuracy in estimating a specific biomarker in a population. The segmentation accuracy was evaluated by estimating six cardiac function parameters resulting from the left ventricle contour delineation using a public cardiac cine MRI database. Eight different segmentation methods, including three expert delineations and five automated methods, were considered, and sixteen combinations of the automated methods using STAPLE were investigated. The supervised and unsupervised evaluations demonstrated that in most cases, STAPLE results provided better estimates than individual automated segmentation methods. Overall, combining different automated segmentation methods improved the reliability of the segmentation result compared to that obtained using an individual method and could achieve the accuracy of an expert.
Effects of Problem-Based Learning: A Meta-Analysis From the Angle of Assessment

This meta-analysis investigated the influence of assessment on the reported effects of problem-based learning (PBL) by applying Sugrue’s (1995) model of cognitive components of problem solving. Three levels of the knowledge structure that can be targeted by assessment of problem solving are used as the main independent variables: (a) understanding of concepts, (b) understanding of the principles that link concepts, and (c) linking of concepts and principles to conditions and procedures for application. PBL had the most positive effects when the focal constructs being assessed were at the level of understanding principles that link concepts. The results suggest that the implications of assessment must be considered in examining the effects of problem-based learning and probably in all comparative education research.
Housing in Pyramid Counteracts Neuroendocrine and Oxidative Stress Caused by Chronic Restraint in Rats

The space within the great pyramid and its smaller replicas is believed to have an antistress effect. Research has shown that the energy field within the pyramid can protect the hippocampal neurons of mice from stress-induced atrophy and also reduce neuroendocrine stress, oxidative stress and increase antioxidant defence in rats. In this study, we have, for the first time, attempted to study the antistress effects of pyramid exposure on the status of cortisol level, oxidative damage and antioxidant status in rats during chronic restraint stress. Adult female Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: normal controls (NC) housed in home cage and left in the laboratory; restrained rats (with three subgroups) subject to chronic restraint stress by placing in a wire mesh restrainer for 6 h per day for 14 days, the restrained controls (RC) having their restrainers kept in the laboratory; restrained pyramid rats (RP) being kept in the pyramid; and restrained square box rats (RS) in the square box during the period of restraint stress everyday. Erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma cortisol levels were significantly increased and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly decreased in RC and RS rats as compared to NC. However, these parameters were maintained to near normal levels in RP rats which showed significantly decreased erythrocyte MDA and plasma cortisol and significantly increased erythrocyte GSH levels, erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities when compared with RS rats. The results showed that housing in pyramid counteracts neuroendocrine and oxidative stress caused by chronic restraint in rats.
VSION as high field MRI T1 contrast agent: evidence of their potential as positive contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography

Because of their outstanding magnetic properties, iron oxide nanoparticles have already been the subject of numerous studies in the biomedical field, in particular as a negative contrast agent for T2-weighted nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, or as therapeutic agents in hyperthermia experiments. Recent studies have shown that below a given particle size (i.e. 5 nm), iron oxide may be used to provide a significant positive (brightening) effect on T1-weighted MRI. In such an application, not only the size of the crystal, but also the control of the coating process is essential to ensure optimal properties, especially at a very high field (> 3 T). In this work, we focused on the development of very small iron oxide nanoparticles as a potential platform for high field T1 magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) applications. The feasibility has been evaluated in vivo at 9.4 T, demonstrating the usefulness of the developed system for MRA applications.
Maternal immunization increases nestling energy expenditure, immune function, and fledging success in a passerine bird

ABSTRACT Female birds transfer maternally derived antibodies (matAb) to their nestlings, via the egg yolk. These antibodies are thought to provide passive protection, and allow nestlings to avoid the costs associated with mounting an innate immune response. To test whether there is an energetic benefit to nestlings from receiving matAb, we challenged adult female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) prior to clutch initiation with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline (Control). Following hatching, one half of each female's nestlings were immunized on day 8 post-hatch with LPS or saline, and the 4-h post-immunization nestling metabolic rate (MR) was measured. There was no difference in either LPS-reactive antibodies or total Ig levels between offspring of immunized and non-immunized mothers on day 6 or 14 post-hatch, possibly reflecting a relatively short half-life of matAbs in altricial birds. Additionally, we found no evidence that nestlings from LPS-immunized mothers could avoid the growth suppression that may result from activation of an inflammatory response. Unexpectedly, we found that control nestlings from LPS mothers had higher resting MR than control nestlings of control mothers. We attribute the increased MR to the costs associated with a general non-specific enhancement of immune function in nestlings from LPS-immunized mothers. Consistent with enhanced immune function, nestlings of immunized mothers had a more robust inflammatory response to phytohaemagglutinin and higher fledging success. Our results suggest that maternal antigen exposure pre-laying can result in increased fitness for both mothers and offspring, depending on food availability. Summary: Exposure of female birds to a simulated pathogen prior to egg laying increases the metabolic rate, immune function, and fledging success of her nestlings.