Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving the prediction of coronary heart disease to aid in the management of high cholesterol levels: what a difference a decade makes.

CONTEXT A patient's coronary heart disease (CHD) risk must be correctly classified to successfully apply risk-based guidelines for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. OBJECTIVE To determine the classification accuracy of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) CHD risk-stratification system and compare it with a simple revised system that gives greater weight to age as a CHD risk factor. DESIGN Modeling of 10-year CHD risk, using equations from the Framingham Heart Study applied to a cross-sectional survey of the US population. SUBJECTS The 3284 subjects aged 20 to 74 years surveyed in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1978-1982) who had fasting lipid levels measured. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for 10-year CHD risk for the NCEP and revised scales. RESULTS Among all adults with a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol value of at least 4.1 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), the NCEP system showed fairly good discrimination (AUC=0.90), though there was a substantial decline among men 35 to 74 years old and women 55 to 74 years old (AUC=0.81). By contrast, the revised system showed superior performance in all hypercholesterolemic adults (AUC=0.94-0.97) as well as in the subgroup of men 35 to 74 years old and women 55 to 74 years old (AUC=0.94-0.96). CONCLUSIONS Simple modifications of the NCEP treatment criteria result in a substantially improved ability to discriminate between higher and lower CHD risk groups. Unlike the NCEP system, this revised system retains its classification ability in all age groups studied.
Nitrifying biomass characterization and monitoring during bioaugmentation in a membrane bioreactor

A membrane bioreactor (MBR), fed with domestic wastewater, was bioaugmented with nitrifying biomass selected in a side-stream MBR fed with a synthetic high nitrogen-loaded influent. Microbial communities evolution was monitored and comparatively analysed through an extensive bio-molecular investigation (16S rRNA gene library construction and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques) followed by statistical analyses. As expected, a highly specialized nitrifying biomass was selected in the side-stream reactor fed with high-strength ammonia synthetic wastewater. The bioaugmentation process caused an increase of nitrifying bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas (up to more than 30%) and Nitrobacter in the inoculated MBR reactor. The overall structure of the microbial community changed in the mainstream MBR as a result of bioaugmentation. The effect of bioaugmentation in the shift of the microbial community was also verified through statistical analysis.
Squid (Loligo pealei) Giant Fiber System: A Model for Studying Neurodegeneration and Dementia?

In many neurodegenerative disorders that lead to memory loss and dementia, the brain pathology responsible for neuronal loss is marked by accumulations of proteins in the form of extracellular plaques and intracellular filamentous tangles, containing hyperphosphorylated cytoskeletal proteins. These are assumed to arise as a consequence of deregulation of a normal pattern of topographic phosphorylation—that is, an abnormal shift of cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation from the normal axonal compartment to cell bodies. Although decades of studies have been directed to this problem, biochemical approaches in mammalian systems are limited: neurons are too small to permit separation of cell body and axon compartments. Since the pioneering studies of Hodgkin and Huxley on the giant fiber system of the squid, however, the stellate ganglion and its giant axons have been the focus of a large literature on the physiology and biochemistry of neuron function. This review concentrates on a host of studies in our laboratory and others on the factors regulating compartment-specific patterns of cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation (primarily neurofilaments) in an effort to establish a normal baseline of information for further studies on neurodegeneration. On the basis of these data, a model of topographic regulation is proposed that offers several possibilities for further studies on potential sites of deregulation that may lead to pathologies resembling those seen in mammalian and human brains showing neurodegeneration, dementia, and neuronal cell death.
Models and methods for biometric motion identification Bartosz

Human motion is a complex signal with many different properties depending on various factors: age, gender, physical condition, emotions etc. Nevertheless there is a hypothesis which claims that human motion can be a source for biometric analysis and person identification. In the paper some methods to analyze and compare different motions are presented. Methods are examined for usefulness in motion identification. We distinguish time-series and frequency analysis for rotational signals describing mainly the motion of legs. The results of experiments are presented taking into consideration different motion representations.
The Effect of Bereavement Counseling On Women with Psychological Problems Associated with Late Pregnancy Loss

Pregnancy is most often a joyful experience and a woman’s plans and dreams are shattered when the death of an unborn or newborn infant occurs. Studies have reported that these women experience psychological problems such as grief, depression, and anxiety which can be minimized by counselling. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of bereavement counseling on women with psychological problems associated with pregnancy loss, focusing on Roy’s adaptation theory. An experimental design, with pre-test and posttest, was used with randomly allocated experimental and control groups. Women were randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups with 45 women in each group. As pre assessment, grief, depression, and anxiety were measured using the Perinatal Bereavement Grief Scale and the Hamilton Depression and Hamilton Anxiety Scale, respectively. Women in the experimental group were given the counselling intervention and those in the control group were given the standard care, after pre-assessment. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The reduction in the level of grief, depression, and anxiety were significantly better in the experimental group as compared to the control group (all P values<0.001). Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Christian Medical College, Vellore, South India. The findings of the study revealed that women with late pregnancy loss experienced grief, depression, and anxiety and the bereavement counselling enabled them to cope more effectively.
Study of the influence of an electromagnetic field close to a high-voltage line on the human being

The objective of our work is to determine the levels of the risks caused(provoked) by a close electromagnetic field radiated by a high-voltage line on a human body. By using a calculation code based on finite elements, we calculated the induced currents by the electric field and the magnetic field with an industrial frequency (50 Hz) in a human body being in various positions near a high-voltage electric line of configuration tablecloth.
Competitive re-employment after severe traumatic brain injury: clinical, cognitive and behavioural predictive variables

Primary objective : To contribute to the identification of relationships between the return to pre-trauma competitive activities at the final discharge from rehabilitation facilities, and neuroanatomical, neuropsychological and behavioural data collected at different phases of the recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods and procedures : Thirty-five severe TBI subjects were retrospectively selected from 228 consecutive admissions over a 3-year period, according to pre-morbid, clinical and demographic characteristics matching the established selection criteria, and submitted to comprehensive neurophysiological, intellectual, cognitive and behavioural examinations carried out at different stages of the recovery (acute, subacute and chronic phases). Experimental interventions : Barthel Activity of Daily Living (BADL) index, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), checklists aimed to detect cognitive and behavioural dysfunction. Main outcomes and results : TBI subjects successfully re-employed obtained significantly better scores on length of coma and PTA, intellectual status, cognitive functioning and behavioural competence. Other specific measures of injury severity (CT-scan abnormalities, GCS score level, BADL index) resulted as being unrelated to the resumption of pre-trauma competitive activities. Conclusions : Findings seem to confirm the opinion that a significant relationship exists between the initial TBI severity level, especially as indicated by the duration of coma and PTA, and eventual return to work at the final discharge from facilities.
Vehicle detection in aerial images

The vehicle detection in the aerial images is widely used in many applications. Comparing with the object detection in the ground view images, vehicle detection in the aerial images remains a challenging problem due to the small size of vehicles, monotone appearance and complex background. In this paper, we propose the solution of this issue using the convolutional neural networks. We further introduce the large-scale vehicle detection dataset with ground truth annotations for all the vehicles in the scene that considers the scene complexity due to the environmental conditions. We show the performance of the trained model with other popular neural work architectures.
Learning to Speed Up Evolutionary Content Generation in Physics-Based Puzzle Games

Procedural content generation (PCG) systems are designed to automatically generate content for video games. PCG for physics-based puzzles requires one to simulate the game to ensure feasibility and stability of the objects composing the puzzle. The major drawback of this simulation-based approach is the overall running time of the PCG process, as the simulations can be computationally expensive. This paper introduces a method that uses machine learning to reduce the number of simulations performed by an evolutionary approach while generating levels of Angry Birds, a physics-based puzzle game. Our method uses classifiers to verify the stability and feasibility of the levels considered during search. The fitness function is computed only for levels that are classified as stable and feasible. An approximation of the fitness that does not require simulations is used for levels that are deemed as unstable or unfeasible by the classifiers. Our experiments show that naively approximating the fitness values can lead to poor solutions. We then introduce an approach in which the fitness values are approximated with the average fitness value of the levels' parents added to a penalty value. This approximation scheme allows the search procedure to find good-quality solutions much more quickly than a competing approach—we reduce from 43 to 25 minutes the running time required to generate one level of Angry Birds.
Effects of Different Exercise Intensities With Isoenergetic Expenditures on C-Reactive Protein and Blood Lipid Levels

We investigated the effects of different exercise intensities on C-reactive protein (CRP), and whether changes in CRP levels correlated with blood lipid levels. Ten men exercised at 25%, 65%, and 85% of their maximum oxygen consumption rates. Participants' blood was analyzed for CRP and blood lipid levels before and after the exercise sessions. Although there was an intensity effect for postexercise high-density lipoprotein levels, there were no significant differences or correlations for postexercise CRP levels or between CRP and lipid levels across the three exercise intensities. In an acute aerobic bout model with isoenergetic expenditures, CRP was not affected by the exercise intensity. Additionally, changes in blood lipid levels might not have been connected to CRP levels for physically fit participants.
Establishment of a Real-Time PCR-Based Approach for Accurate Quantification of Bacterial RNA Targets in Water, Using Salmonella as a Model Organism

ABSTRACT Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) is a fast and efficient tool to quantify target genes. In eukaryotic cells, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (Q-RT-PCR) is also used to quantify gene expression, with stably expressed housekeeping genes as standards. In bacteria, such stable expression of housekeeping genes does not occur, and the use of DNA standards leads to a broad underestimation. Therefore, an accurate quantification of RNA is feasible only by using appropriate RNA standards. We established and validated a Q-PCR method which enables the quantification of not only the number of copies of target genes (i.e., the number of bacterial cells) but also the number of RNA copies. The genes coding for InvA and the 16S rRNA of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were selected for the evaluation of the method. As DNA standards, amplified fragments of the target genes were used, whereas the same DNA standards were transcribed in vitro for the development of appropriate RNA standards. Salmonella cultures and environmental water samples inoculated with bacteria were then employed for the final testing. Both experimental approaches led to a sensitive, accurate, and reproducible quantification of the selected target genes and RNA molecules by Q-PCR and Q-RT-PCR. It is the first time that RNA standards have been successfully used for a precise quantification of the number of RNA molecules in prokaryotes. This demonstrates the potential of this approach for determining the presence and metabolic activity of pathogenic bacteria in environmental samples.
The European working time directive for doctors in training

On 1 August 2004 junior doctors in the National Health Service and other healthcare systems throughout Europe will no longer be excluded from the provisions of the European Working Time Directive.1 Their working hours will then be limited by law, first to 58 hours a week and then, by 2009, to 48 hours. This will demand even more profound changes for the NHS than seen so far in the long march for better working conditions for junior hospital doctors. The original directive on working time became law in 1993, but doctors in training were excluded, along with workers in the road, air, rail, sea, and inland waterway industries. The British government of the time challenged the validity of the directive as health and safety law, but it was confirmed in 1996 as such by the European Court of Justice.2 There is overwhelming …
In vitro antisickling activity of cromolyn sodium

The improvement in sickle cell disease (SCD) children receiving cromolyn sodium therapy prompted us to investigate its antisickling activity in vitro. The number of sickle cells was determined in deoxygenated blood samples from 15 children with severe SCD. At the eight concentrations tested, cromolyn sodium exhibited a significantly higher activity than pentoxifylline, the standard compound. Therefore cromolyn sodium would appear to be an interesting candidate for SCD therapy and deserves further in vivo investigations.
Causes of epilepsies: Insights from discordant monozygous twins

Whereas some patients with epilepsy have known acquired or genetic causes, in many the cause is unknown. By analyzing monozygotic twins, discordant for epilepsy, subtle etiological factors may be detected. We analyzed 12 monozygotic, discordant twins for factors explaining discordancy. These factors were presence of major clinical risk factors, presence of possibly epileptogenic lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and quantitative brain volume abnormalities. Major risk factors, with associated acquired lesions were found in 4 of 12 twins. An MRI lesion without a major risk factor was found in a further 4 of 12 twins. Two of these had unilateral malformations of cortical development, 1 had bilateral periventricular heterotopia, and 1 had focal atrophy. Significant twin–twin differences in MRI volumes without obvious MRI lesions or major risk factors were found in 2 of 12 twins. Both had larger volumes than their co‐twins, and idiopathic generalized epilepsy. No clinical or MRI findings accounting for discordance for epilepsy were found in 2 of 12 twins. In 10 of 12 pairs a clinical or MR correlate of epilepsy was found; some of those were subtle and only apparent by twin–twin comparison. They may be due to occult acquired factors, such as prenatal insults, or to genetic abnormalities resulting from postfertilization genetic processes. Ann Neurol 2001;49:45–52
A Profile of a National Football League Team

Abstract Pryor, JL, Huggins, RA, Casa, DJ, Palmieri, GA, Kraemer, WJ, and Maresh, CM. A profile of a National Football League team. J Strength Cond Res 28(1): 7–13, 2014—The purpose of this study was to document the physical profiles of players on the 2011 New York Giants (NYG) team and to make comparisons with the historical literature on previous National Football League (NFL) player profiles. In this study, height, body mass (BM), body fat percentage (BF%) using skinfold measurements, and several predicted 1 repetition maximal strength and power measures in 30 returning players from the 2011 NYG team, who recently won the Super Bowl, were collected. Players were grouped by position: running back, quarterback (QB), wide receiver (WR), tight end, offensive lineman (OL), defensive lineman (DL), linebacker (LB), and defensive back (DB). Pooled and weighted mean differences (NYG − NFL) and effect sizes were used to evaluate height, BM, and BF% comparisons of NYG to previous NFL studies from 1998 to 2009. The characteristics of the players as a group were: age, height, BM, BF%: 26 ± 2 years, 183.8 ± 9.0 cm, 144.9 ± 20.8 kg, 14.3 ± 5.5%, respectively. Comparisons highlight distinct position-specific dissimilarity in strength measures, BM, and BF%, which reflect current strength training, conditioning, and team play strategy. As expected, NYG positional differences were found for height (p ⩽ 0.05), BM (p ⩽ 0.037), BF% (p ⩽ 0.048), bench press (p ⩽ 0.048), inclined bench press (p ⩽ 0.013), and squat (p ⩽ 0.026). Anthropometrics profiles did not significantly differ from previously published trends in NFL players indicating equity in physical characteristics over the past 13 years. However, NYG LBs, DLs, OLs, QBs, and WRs trended toward less BF% but generally similar BM compared with NFL players, suggesting greater lean BM in these positions. This study adds new players' data to prototypical position-specific databases that may be used as templates for comparison of players for draft selection or physical training.
Concrete pavement forward computation of GPR with FDTD

This paper provides the implementing procedure of finite-difference in time domain (FDTD) for forward computation of Ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The proposed method is implemented by taking into account the stability criterion and the perfect matched layer (PML) and using the MATLAB code. The code applied in modeling the GPR for Pavement detection such as non-defects pavement, the concrete thickness change of pavement and cavity in concrete pavement, results shows the code is feasibility and reason for the concrete pavement forward computation of GPR.
Low risk of sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus

Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was studied between 104 anti‐HCV positive index cases (99 haemophilic men, five women) who have attended the Oxford Haemophilia Centre and 104 (98 female, 6 male) longstanding sexual partners. Ninety‐one percent of the index cases were HCV RNA positive by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 56% were anti‐human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive.
The association of educational attainment and SBP among older community-living adults: the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study

Objective Educational attainment is inversely associated with SBP level in young adulthood. This association has not been studied in an older cohort, and confounding and mediating factors are not well known. Methods The authors hypothesized that higher education is associated with lower levels of SBP independent of many risk factors for hypertension. This prospective observational study included a sample of 764 older community-living participants in the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study. Results Compared to participants with more than college education, regression analyses showed those with a high school education or less had a SBP value 6.33 mmHg higher [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.55–10.10], and those who had a college education had a SBP value 4.01 mmHg higher (95% CI: 0.77–7.25) independent of many hypothesized confounders and mediators. Discussion Results of a path analysis confirmed that higher level of education was associated with lower SBP even after adjustment for hypothesized mediators. Although slightly attenuated by multivariable adjustment for hypertension risk factors, the significant inverse association between educational attainment and SBP was not entirely mediated by these risk factors. These findings indicate that education is inversely associated with SBP in a diverse cohort of community-living older adults, independent of many known or suspected risk factors. Conclusion This study is the first to report the association between education and SBP in an older sample, representing a population at the highest risk for hypertension-related morbidity and mortality.
Immunocytochemical and Ultrastructural Analyses of the Function of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System During Spermiogenesis with the Use of the Inhibitors of Proteasome Proteolytic Activity in the Alga, Chara vulgaris1

Abstract Spermiogenesis in Chara vulgaris and in animals share many common features, including exchange of nucleohistones into nucleoprotamines, remodeling and extreme condensation of chromatin, formation of flagellae and of microtubule manchette, and decrease in cytoplasm volume. In C. vulgaris, spermiogenesis is not preceded by meiosis since this alga is a haplobiont. In the present work we showed that in early spermiogenesis characterized by a significant metabolic activity of spermatids, the inhibitors of proteasomes did not visibly change their ultrastructure but significantly prolonged this process. At late stages of spermiogenesis, MG-132 and epoxomicin dramatically changed the structure of nuclei: regular fibrillar and lamellar structure of chromatin was disturbed and clusters of grains corresponding to aggresomes appeared, but the nucleus shape and cytoplasm structure were the same as in the controls. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that these inhibitors blocked disappearance of histones from nuclei while the structures corresponding to aggresomes were clusters of undegraded ubiquitinated histones, since they gave positive immunosignals indicating the presence of ubiquitin and histones.