Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retro-orbital injection is an effective route for radiopharmaceutical administration in mice during small-animal PET studies

Background and aimSmall-animal PET is acquiring importance for pre-clinical studies. In rodents, radiotracers are usually administrated via the tail vein. This procedure can be very difficult and time-consuming as soft tissue extravasations are very frequent and tail scars can prevent repeated injections after initial failure. The aim of our study was to compare the retro-orbital (RO) versus tail vein intravenous (i.v.) administration of 18F-FDG and 11C-choline in mice for small-animal PET studies. MethodsWe evaluated four healthy female ICR CD1 mice according to the following protocol. Day 1: each animal underwent an i.v. injection of 28 MBq of 11C-choline. PET scan was performed after 10 min and 40 min. Day 2: each animal received an RO injection of 28 MBq of 11C-choline. A PET scan was performed after 10 min and 40 min. Day 3: each animal received an i.v. injection of 28 MBq of 18F-FDG. A PET scan was performed after 60 min and 120 min. Day 4: each animal received an RO injection of 28 MBq of 18F-FDG. A PET scan was performed after 60 min and 120 min. Administration and image acquisition were performed under gas anaesthesia. For FDG studies the animals fasted for 2 h and were kept asleep for 20–30 min after injection, to avoid muscular uptake. Images were reconstructed with 2-D OSEM. For each scan ROIs were drawn on liver, kidneys, lung, brain, heart brown fat and muscles, and the SUV was calculated. We finally compared choline i.v. standard acquisition to choline RO standard acquisition; choline i.v. delayed acquisition to choline RO delayed acquisition; FDG i.v. standard acquisition to FDG RO standard acquisition; FDG i.v. delayed acquisition to FDG RO delayed acquisition. ResultsThe RO injections for both 18F-FDG and 11C-choline were comparable to the intravenous injection of 18F-FDG for the standard and delayed acquisitions. ConclusionThe RO administration in mice represents a technical advantage over intravenous administration in being an easier and faster procedure. However, its use requires high specific activity while its value in peptides and other receptor-specific radiopharmaceuticals needs further assessment.
PIA - Practical support for everyday life results of the user tests

PIA (Personal IADL Assistant) aims to improve the everyday competencies of older people. It provides video instructions to help with operating everyday tasks or handling technologies in the household. User tests were conducted in order to analyse the usability, functionality and usefulness of the PIA prototype 2. Furthermore recommendations for improvement were collected. 24 caregivers and older people participated in this study. Caregivers had to record two or more videos and afterwards link them to NFC (Near Field Communication) tags. Older people had to fulfil the respective task recorded by their caregivers with the help of the video instruction. Results indicate that the PIA system is considered as a highly useful system. Nevertheless some problems occurred when interacting with the app on the tablet for both caregivers and older people. Results of these research activities are used to revise the PIA prototype 2, which will be evaluated in further tests.
Female fertility, obstetric and gynaecological history in coeliac disease: a case control study

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of infertility, abortions and perinatal mortality, age at menarche and menopause in coeliac disease. Method: This was a case control study in which patients and controls, matched for age and sex, were sent questionnaires about their fertility profile and other obstetric and gynaecological problems. All 80 patients and 70 controls replied, but only 68 pairs could be matched for this study. Results: The mean age of menarche in patients was significantly older (13.6 years) than in controls (12.7 years). The mean ages at menopause in patients and controls were 47.6 and 50.1 years, respectively. The mean number of children born to patients was significantly less at 1.9 (SD± 0.9) compared to 2.5 (SD± 1.2) in controls. Before diagnosis the mean number of children born to patients was 1.4 and 1.8 in controls. After diagnosis and treatment, patients had 0.5 children (SD±0.9) compared to 0.7 in controls (SD±1.2). It seems likely that the overall difference in fertility is due to relative infertility prior to diagnosis and its correction by a gluten‐free diet. Significantly more conceptions amongst women with coeliac disease (15%) ended in miscarriage prior to diagnosis than amongst controls (6%). After diagnosis and treatment the rate of miscarriage was similar. There were 120 live babies and 7 stillbirths to patients compared with 161 live babies and 1 stillbirth to controls. Conclusions: Patients with CD are subfertile and have an increased incidence of stillbirths and perinatal deaths.
Effectiveness of a School-based Intervention to Increase Health Knowledge of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Rural Mississippi Middle School Children

Background: Few school-based interventions have been evaluated to assess health awareness among children in rural southern areas. The purpose of this controlled investigation was to increase health awareness among middle school-aged children residing in a racially diverse rural community in Mississippi. Methods: This investigation assessed health knowledge before and after a 16-week school-based intervention in 205 fifth-grade students. Height, weight, BMI, body composition, waist circumference, dietary intake, blood lipids and lipoprotein concentrations, blood glucose concentrations, and resting blood pressure were measured to enhance student awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Values in the intervention school were compared with those obtained simultaneously in a control school within the same community. Results: The school-based intervention was effective in increasing health knowledge in the intervention as compared with the control school. Secondarily, it was effective in improving certain dietary behaviors. Utilizing health care professionals in the classroom to teach students appropriate lifestyles and actually measuring cardiovascular risk factors to increase awareness among students was effective in increasing overall health knowledge. Conclusions: Health knowledge of rural adolescents can be increased through partnerships with schools and multidisciplinary teams of health care professionals. Ongoing efforts to reduce childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease risk factors are urgently needed, and information obtained during this investigation may be used in planning school-based interventions in other diverse, rural communities.
A novel secure distributed disk system

The paper proposes a novel secure distributed disk system. By dynamically exploiting file-system semantics of on-disk data blocks and sensing activities of the local file system, the disk system can be integrated with the current file systems seamlessly without changing the standard block interface between them and can efficiently manage accesses to the files from multiple hosts. And the disk system adopts a new data distribution scheme to ensure confidentiality, reliability and availability of data, and a credibility evaluation strategy to prevent some attacks from malicious clients and data servers.
Clinical evaluation of paresthesia steering with a new system for spinal cord stimulation.

OBJECTIVE The goal was to evaluate, in a clinical study, the predicted performance of the transverse tripolar system for spinal cord stimulation, particularly the steering of paresthesia, paresthesia coverage, and the therapeutic range of stimulation. METHODS Six transverse tripolar electrodes were implanted in the lower thoracic region in four patients experiencing chronic neuropathic pain. Electrode positions, relative to the spinal cord, were estimated from computed tomographic scans. A dual-channel stimulator was used for initial percutaneous tests, and an implanted single-channel stimulator was used for follow-up test sessions. Nine "balance" settings and several cathode-anode combinations were used with the dual-channel and single-channel stimulator, respectively. In each test, the increase of paresthesia coverage from the perception threshold to the discomfort threshold was registered on a body map and the corresponding voltages were recorded. RESULTS Paresthesia steering occurred in all but one patient. The normalized steering score, enabling quantitative comparisons of paresthesia steering among tests and patients, showed that maximum paresthesia steering occurred when the electrode was at least 3 mm dorsal to the spinal cord and centered <2 mm from its midline. Paresthesia coverage included 70 to 100% of the body up to the electrode level, unless the electrode migrated or had broken wires. The therapeutic range, defined as the discomfort/perception of paresthesia threshold ratio, varied from 1.6 to 4.0. CONCLUSION The clinical performance of transverse tripolar stimulation is in accordance with the characteristics predicted by computer modeling. It enables finer control of paresthesia than that achieved by polarity changes in conventional spinal cord stimulation systems.
The Determinants of Mergers & Acquisitions in a Resource-Based Industry: What Role for Environmental Sustainability?

This paper examines the relationship between environmental stringency and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in a highly polluting, resource-based industry. Specifically, it seeks to determine whether buyers are targeting countries with the same or different levels of environmental stringency than in their own country, i.e. whether pollution havens exist in the global mining industry. Rather than aggregate investment, which has been used by most previous studies, we analyze a dataset of individual investment choices. We model the choice of country and the amount invested jointly as the two variables are likely to be correlated. The choice of country is modeled using a random parameters multinomial Logit model. We use a hitherto unanalyzed data set of the value paid for all completed M&A in the mining industry worldwide between 1994 and 2006. We find no evidence of pollution havens in this industry. If anything, buyers from countries with high levels of environmental stringency are more likely to invest in countries with a similar level of environmental stringency and make larger investments in them than in less environmentally stringent countries.
Oral anticoagulation therapy upon discharge in hospitalized patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a retrospective cohort study

ABSTRACT Objectives: Availability of direct oral anticoagulants and CHA2DS2VASc/HAS-BLED scoring tools underscore the importance of appropriate and safe use of oral anticoagulation therapy (OACT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate stroke prevention pharmacotherapy in adult patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) discharged from a large, community-based hospital. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a de-identified data collection sheet for data extraction (demographics, admitting diagnosis, OACT prior to admission and at discharge, concomitant medications that could increase bleed risk and/or acid-suppressive therapies). CHA2DS2VASc and HAS-BLED scores were calculated. Descriptive statistics were generated to describe all parameters. Frequency counts and percentages summarized categorical variables while mean ± standard deviation were determined for continuous variables. Results: Data from 180 patients were evaluated and of these 177 (98.3%) received OACT regardless of stroke risk upon discharge, as determined by CHA2DS2VASc scoring tool. The mean CHA2DS2VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 3.61 ± 1.7 and 2.13 ± 1.26, respectively. At discharge, eight patients at low-stroke risk received OACT for unclear reasons, one intermediate-stroke risk patient received aspirin only, and two patients at high-stroke risk did not receive OACT due to concerns about bleeds. In 66 patients at high-bleed risk, only half received concomitant acid-suppressive therapy. Conclusions: Decision to add OACT is often guideline-driven, however, individualized circumstances in which clinicians and patients find themselves are also important considerations. Determination of ischemic stroke risk should be performed with CHA2DS2VASc scoring tool to exclude patients who may not benefit from OACT. HAS-BLED scoring tool should be used to identify any modifiable bleeding risk factors present with subsequent initiation of management strategies. Availability of complete medical histories and meticulous documentation are necessary for multiple clinicians to continuously determine optimal pharmacotherapy during follow-up visits.
Benchmark Environments for Multitask Learning in Continuous Domains

As demand drives systems to generalize to various domains and problems, the study of multitask, transfer and lifelong learning has become an increasingly important pursuit. In discrete domains, performance on the Atari game suite has emerged as the de facto benchmark for assessing multitask learning. However, in continuous domains there is a lack of agreement on standard multitask evaluation environments which makes it difficult to compare different approaches fairly. In this work, we describe a benchmark set of tasks that we have developed in an extendable framework based on OpenAI Gym. We run a simple baseline using Trust Region Policy Optimization and release the framework publicly to be expanded and used for the systematic comparison of multitask, transfer, and lifelong learning in continuous domains.
NITRIC OXIDE AND SUPEROXIDE INTERACTIONS IN THE KIDNEY AND THEIR IMPLICATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SALT‐SENSITIVE HYPERTENSION

1 Enhanced superoxide () activity as a result of the inhibition of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme results in vasoconstrictor and antinatriuretic responses in the canine kidney; these responses were shown to be greatly enhanced during inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Glomerular filtration rate remained mostly unchanged during SOD inhibition in the intact nitric oxide (NO) condition, but was markedly reduced during NOS inhibition. These findings indicate that endogenous NO has a major renoprotective effect against by acting as an anti‐oxidant. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition was also shown to enhance endogenous activity. 2 Experiments in our laboratory using dogs, rats and gene knockout mice have shown that renal vasoconstrictor and antinatriuretic responses to acute or chronic angiotensin (Ang) II administration are mediated, in part, by generation. In the absence of NO, enhanced activity largely contributes to AngII‐induced renal tubular sodium reabsorption. Acute or chronic treatment with the scavenger tempol in experimental models of hypertension (induced by chronic low‐dose treatment with AngII and NO inhibitors) causes an improvement in renal haemodynamics and in excretory function, abolishes salt sensitivity and reduces blood pressure. 3 The present mini review also discusses related studies from many other laboratories implicating a role for and its interaction with NO in the development of salt‐sensitive hypertension. 4 Overall, the collective data support the hypothesis that an imbalance between the production of NO and in the kidney primarily determines the condition of oxidative stress that alters renal haemodynamics and excretory function leading to sodium retention and, thus, contributes to the development of salt‐sensitive hypertension.
Increased power capability of standard drive inverters by sequential switching

This paper presents a new approach for increasing the power capability of standard two level voltage source inverters while increasing the effective PWM frequency by sequential switching of parallel connected inverters. The improved power capability and increased PWM frequency is used for an electrical test bench to test drive inverters under real power conditions. Thereby the parallel connected inverters of the test bench can be of the same type as the inverter under test. Hence there exists no power limit for drive inverter testing with respect to the product range of the manufacturer.
In-Depth Study on Synthesis Load Modeling

Detailed procedures for the modeling of synthesis load models (SLM) of actual power network are presented, then the classification indices based on 1oad characteristics and the principle of load classification are expounded. Based on the results of general investigation of 220 kV and 330kV substations in China’s power grid, the load characteristics are classified, and detailed load characteristic investigation of selected different kinds of typical substations are carried out. By use of statistical synthesis, the SLM for typical substations, in which the distribution networks are taken into account, are built; and the modeling results are disseminated and applied to whole Chinese power grid. Besides, the load model parameters are evaluated and verified via post-disturbance simulation method. The effectiveness of the built SLM is validated by the fitting of some disturbance incidents.
Cardiovascular responses during a submaximal exercise test in patients with Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are physically less active than controls, and autonomic dysfunction may contribute to this sedentary lifestyle. Specifically, an altered cardiovascular response to physical effort may restrict physical activities. OBJECTIVE To assess the cardiovascular responses to a submaximal exercise test in PD patients and controls, 546 sedentary PD patients and 29 sedentary healthy controls performed the Åstrand-Rhyming submaximal cycle exercise test. METHODS Average heart rate was used to estimate maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Variables that may affect submaximal activity in PD patients, including disease severity, fatigue, and level of physical activity in daily life, were recorded. RESULTS Fewer PD patients (46%) completed the submaximal exercise test successfully than the controls (86%). The estimated VO2max of patients with a successful test was 34% lower than the controls (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analyses revealed that higher body weight, lower systolic blood pressure, lower resting heart rate, and lower maximal workload were associated with an increased risk of an inadequate heart rate increase during submaximal exercise (R2 = 27%). PD patients with a successful submaximal exercise test had lower estimated VO2max values than controls. CONCLUSIONS Importantly, half of the PD patients had an inadequate heart rate increase during submaximal exercise, which was likely caused by cardiac sympathetic denervation leading to autonomic dysfunction. PD patients should therefore be screened to identify their limitations in exercise performance. Caution should be applied when prescribing beta blockers, as they might limit physical activities further.
Expression of SPARC and the osteopontin‐like protein during skeletal development in the cichlid fish Oreochromis mossambicus

Background: Bones are mainly composed of calcium hydroxyapatite and a proteinous matrix. In this study, we focus on the bone matrix proteins, the fish osteopontin orthologous protein (osteopontin‐like protein; OP‐L) and SPARC, because the current knowledge regarding their expression is fragmentary or contradictory. Results: We first provide a comprehensive and detailed description of skeletal development in the cichlid fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Following this, we analyzed the expression pattern of OP‐L and SPARC in detail during development. OP‐L expression was only found in tissues that undergo ossification (i.e., developing bones and teeth). Furthermore, we show that there is a fundamental difference in cartilage formation of the splanchnocranium and all other cartilages, concerning SPARC expression. Significantly, we show that the initial calcification of cranial bones occurs simultaneously with the expression of OP‐L and SPARC in the osteoblast‐like cells, which appear early in development. Conclusions: The difference in SPARC expression during chondrogenesis of the splanchnocranium is likely based on its different evolutionary history compared with the dermatocranium and chondrocranium. Moreover, our results suggest a co‐occurrence of the initial calcium deposition and bone matrix protein expression during osteogenesis. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of fish skeletal development and evolution. Developmental Dynamics 244:955–972, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An AGAMOUS-Related MADS-Box Gene, XAL1 (AGL12), Regulates Root Meristem Cell Proliferation and Flowering Transition in Arabidopsis1[W][OA]

MADS-box genes are key components of the networks that control the transition to flowering and flower development, but their role in vegetative development is poorly understood. This article shows that the sister gene of the AGAMOUS (AG) clade, AGL12, has an important role in root development as well as in flowering transition. We isolated three mutant alleles for AGL12, which is renamed here as XAANTAL1 (XAL1): Two alleles, xal1-1 and xal1-2, are in Columbia ecotype and xal1-3 is in Landsberg erecta ecotype. All alleles have a short-root phenotype with a smaller meristem, lower rate of cell production, and abnormal root apical meristem organization. Interestingly, we also encountered a significantly longer cell cycle in the strongest xal1 alleles with respect to wild-type plants. Expression analyses confirmed the presence of XAL1 transcripts in roots, particularly in the phloem. Moreover, XAL1∷β-glucuronidase expression was specifically up-regulated by auxins in this tissue. In addition, mRNA in situ hybridization showed that XAL1 transcripts were also found in leaves and floral meristems of wild-type plants. This expression correlates with the late-flowering phenotypes of the xal1 mutants grown under long days. Transcript expression analysis suggests that XAL1 is an upstream regulator of SOC, FLOWERING LOCUS T, and LFY. We propose that XAL1 may have similar roles in both root and aerial meristems that could explain the xal1 late-flowering phenotype.
Quantification of coronary flow reserve in patients with ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and its association with clinical outcomes.

AIMS Patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction frequently show abnormal coronary vascular function, even in the absence of overt coronary artery disease. Moreover, the severity of vascular dysfunction might be related to the aetiology of cardiomyopathy.We sought to determine the incremental value of assessing coronary vascular dysfunction among patients with ischaemic (ICM) and non-ischaemic (NICM) cardiomyopathy at risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS Coronary flow reserve (CFR, stress/rest myocardial blood flow) was quantified in 510 consecutive patients with rest left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45% referred for rest/stress myocardial perfusion PET imaging. The primary end point was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including cardiac death, heart failure hospitalization, late revascularization, and aborted sudden cardiac death.Median follow-up was 8.2 months. Cox proportional hazards model was used to adjust for clinical variables. The annualized MACE rate was 26.3%. Patients in the lowest two tertiles of CFR (CFR ≤ 1.65) experienced higher MACE rates than those in the highest tertile (32.6 vs. 15.5% per year, respectively, P = 0.004), irrespective of aetiology of cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION Impaired coronary vascular function, as assessed by reduced CFR by PET imaging, is common in patients with both ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and is associated with MACE.