Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visceral adipose tissue is more strongly associated with insulin resistance than subcutaneous adipose tissue in Chinese subjects with pre-diabetes

Abstract Aims: To investigate the value of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in a cohort of a community’s residents who were diagnosed as pre-diabetes, and to evaluate the association of VAT and SAT with insulin resistance. Methods: This study was based on cross-sectional analysis of data from 107 adults. VAT and SAT were assessed by computed tomography. Insulin resistance was defined by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance >2.69. The relationship of VAT and SAT with insulin resistance were examined by linear regression. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association of VAT and SAT with insulin resistance. Results: A total of 87 subjects had VAT ≥100 cm2. Thirty-six out of 107 (33.6%) subjects were detected to have insulin resistance, 71 were normal (66.4%), and all had insulin resistance with VAT ≥100 cm2. VAT (r = 0.378, p < .001) and SAT (r = 0.357, p < .001) were significantly and positively correlated with insulin resistance. In multiple regression analysis when VAT and SAT were simultaneously included after adjustment for age, gender, BMI, and WC, the association between VAT and insulin resistance was still maintained (p = .003), but that of SAT was lost. Conclusion: Pre-diabetic subjects with insulin resistance had elevated levels of VAT. VAT was more strongly associated with insulin resistance than SAT in Chinese subjects with pre-diabetes.
Adaptability of Parabolic Wave Equation and Gaussian Beam Shooting methods to electromagnetic propagation in urban configurations

In spite of well-known limitations, ray based methods are the quasi-unique tool for modelling the electromagnetic propagation in urban areas. As an alternative to these methods, two models based on the resolution of the Parabolic Wave Equation, and on Gaussian Beam Shooting, are proposed. Both are specifically adapted to meet the challenges of urban areas propagation: three-dimensional, wide angle approximation and considering the backscatter propagation for the first one; taking into account ground and grazing angles for the second one. A preliminary test case is presented and configurations of interest under processing are detailed.
The Experience of Depression

There is a lack of research in health psychology on the subjective experience of adolescents with mental health disorders. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of depression and the journey into therapy of young people (YP) diagnosed with depression. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six YP (5 female, aged 15–19). Interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The following four key themes were identified: “Suffering is experienced as overwhelming,” “An experience of loneliness and isolation,” “Struggling to understand the suffering,” and “Therapy as a last resort. ” Reasons for a delay in accessing treatment were not knowing what is “normal,” the feeling that they have to deal with it by themselves, and/or the lack of a caring adult who supports the YP in getting help. The findings suggest the ongoing importance of reducing stigma and promoting mental health education for YP as well as parents, school staff, and health professionals.
New Optimal Pulsewidth Modulation for Single DC-Link Dual-Inverter Fed Open-End Stator Winding Induction Motor Drive

The multilevel topology with dual inverters feeding both ends of an open-end stator winding of an induction motor has been introduced around two decades ago. A common-mode inductor is usually required in series with motor windings to suppress zero-sequence or common-mode currents. In case of medium voltage high-power drives, low device switching frequency operation is preferred to improve the overall system efficiency. However, it increases the harmonic distortion of machine stator currents. Therefore, the goal of our study is to propose new optimal pulse width modulation to achieve: low device switching frequency, minimal harmonic distortion of machine stator currents, and elimination of zero-sequence currents. The main idea is to select the switching angles of two inverters such that zero-sequence components are eliminated and, then, perform optimization to determine switching angles that minimize the harmonic distortion of machine stator currents. The experimental results obtained from dual two-level and dual three-level inverter fed 1.5-kW open-end stator winding IM drive demonstrated the effectiveness of a proposed modulation technique.
Unveiling Undercover Cropland Inside Forests Using Landscape Variables: A Supplement to Remote Sensing Image Classification

The worldwide demand for food has been increasing due to the rapidly growing global population, and agricultural lands have increased in extent to produce more food crops. The pattern of cropland varies among different regions depending on the traditional knowledge of farmers and availability of uncultivated land. Satellite images can be used to map cropland in open areas but have limitations for detecting undergrowth inside forests. Classification results are often biased and need to be supplemented with field observations. Undercover cropland inside forests in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia was assessed using field observed percentage cover of land use/land cover classes, and topographic and location parameters. The most influential factors were identified using Boosted Regression Trees and used to map undercover cropland area. Elevation, slope, easterly aspect, distance to settlements, and distance to national park were found to be the most influential factors determining undercover cropland area. When there is very high demand for growing food crops, constrained under restricted rights for clearing forest, cultivation could take place within forests as an undercover. Further research on the impact of undercover cropland on ecosystem services and challenges in sustainable management is thus essential.
OPTIMIZATION OF BACTERIAL DIAGNOSIS YIELD AFTER NEEDLE ASPIRATION IN IMMUNOCOMPETENT ADULTS WITH BRAIN ABSCESSES

OBJECTIVE Brain abscesses (BA) are life threatening, even in immunocompetent patients, in part because microbiological diagnosis is often lacking and management is empirical. Recent epidemiological changes make it all the more important to have a precise microbiological diagnosis. Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of a strategy aimed at obtaining a microbiological diagnosis in immunocompetent patients presenting with suspected BAs. METHODS We conducted a cohort study including all consecutive patients suspected of having BAs according to clinical, biological, and radiological findings. Severely immunocompromised patients were excluded. Aspiration was performed free-hand in patients with superficial abscesses (<1 cm depth from the cortical surface) and under stereotactic guidance in patients with deep-seated abscesses. Microbiological diagnosis was optimized, using the best aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions, blood culture bottles inoculated in the operating room, and molecular biology techniques if necessary. Antibiotic treatment was adapted according to the findings. RESULTS Twenty-six patients were suspected of having BAs during the study period. Twenty-four patients benefited from aspiration (stereotactic puncture in 3 cases), which was safe, confirmed the diagnosis of BAs, and yielded microbiological diagnosis in all cases, even in those patients who had previously received antibiotics (n = 8; 33%). In 10 patients (42%), microbiological results led to a different choice in antibiotic therapy than the recommended empirical regimen. CONCLUSION Microbiological diagnosis can be obtained in all cases of BA. This is achieved by the conjunction of rapid needle aspiration and the optimization of microbiological diagnosis resulting from fast management of the surgical specimen, good anaerobic culture conditions, and the use of blood culture bottles and molecular biology techniques when appropriate. Moreover, it is of clinical and therapeutic interest when BAs are suspected in immunocompetent patients.
Effect of eight weeks of endurance exercise training on right and left ventricular volume and mass in untrained obese subjects: a longitudinal MRI study

The aim of the present investigation was to examine how 8 weeks of intense endurance training influenced right and left ventricular volumes and mass in obese untrained subjects. Ten overweight subjects (19–47 years; body mass index of 34±5 kg/m2) underwent intensive endurance training (rowing) three times 30 min/week for 8 weeks at a relative intensity of 72±8% of their maximal heart rate response (mean±SD). Before and after 8 weeks of endurance training, the left and the right end‐diastolic volume (EDV), end‐systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume (SV) and ventricular mass (VM) were measured by Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Submaximal heart rate decreased from 126±5 to 113±3 b.p.m. (10%; P<0.01), and from 155±5 to 141±4 b.p.m. (9%; P<0.001) at submaximal workloads of 70 and 140 W (110 W for women), respectively (mean±SEM). Resting ventricular parameters increased significantly: left ventricular SV, EDV and VM increased by 6%, 7% and 13%, respectively (P<0.01). The right side of the heart showed significant changes in SV, EDV and VM with increase of 4%, 4% and 12%, respectively (P<0.05). Eight weeks of endurance training significantly increased left ventricular SV and right ventricular SV, due to an increase in left ventricular EDV and right ventricular EDV. Furthermore, left VM and right VM increased. We conclude that using MRI and a longitudinal design it was possible to demonstrate similar and balanced changes in the right and left ventricle in response to training.
Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Personal Mastery Among Sexual Minority African-American Female Sex Workers

Research among sexual minorities has traditionally examined problems such as substance use, HIV risk, mental health problems, and victimization. Among sexual minority street-based female sex workers, these vulnerabilities can be magnified. Grounded in theories of resilience, this study examines risk and protective factors associated with a high level of personal mastery among a vulnerable population of women. Data are drawn from baseline interviews from street-based African-American female sex workers enrolled in a randomized intervention trial in Miami, Florida. We compare sexual minority (N = 197) and heterosexual (N = 365) women on measures of risk and protective factors; among sexual minority women we present logistic regression analyses which reveal that severe mental distress and HIV transmission risk are associated with low levels of personal mastery, while protective factors of transportation access and social support are associated with high levels of personal mastery. These findings suggest that these protective factors may potentially facilitate the development of personal mastery and represent beneficial avenues for intervention efforts.
Protocols of confocal microscopy to study vascular dysfunction in Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to autoimmune destruction of islet β-cells, or insufficient insulin secretion, or glucose non-responsive to production of insulin by β-cells. Diabetic vasculopathies, important occurrences of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are related to the major complications of the disease, such as nephropathy, neuropathies, and metabolic disorders. The establishment of the disease and its damages can be evidenced through protocols designed for confocal microscopy. The increasing development of confocal images acquisition methods has supported these protocols to enhance knowledge ranging from macro environment to molecular mechanisms. Studies concerning the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes are highly benefited by technical procedures that involve such specific protocols. By using specific fluorescent probes (fluorophores), it is possible to investigate the installation and the progression of the vascular disorder in studies done in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. In this sense it is necessary to design accurate protocols in order to optimize the use of the available set of probes and fluorescent indicators. This chapter aims to provide a mini-review addressing the use of confocal microscopy techniques to support the comprehension of vascular disorder installation in diabetes as well as of the progression and diagnosis of the disease. Protocols and sample preparations developed in our laboratory and their findings will be described in parallel with the literature data.
Effects of magnesium sulphate on coagulation after laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, measured by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM®)

We investigated the effects of magnesium sulphate on blood coagulation profiles using rotational thromboelastometry in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to the magnesium group (n = 22) or control group (n = 22). The magnesium group received intravenous magnesium sulphate (50 mg.kg−1 followed by a continuous infusion of 15 mg.kg−1.h−1), whereas the control group received the same volume of isotonic saline. Mean (SD) postoperative serum magnesium levels were 1.60 (0.13) mmol.l−1 in the magnesium group compared with 0.98 (0.06) mmol.l−1 in the control group (p < 0.001). All maximum clot firmness values of ROTEM analysis were significantly lower on the third postoperative day in the magnesium group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). We conclude that ROTEM analysis demonstrated that intra‐operative administration of intravenous magnesium sulphate reduces blood hypercoagulability in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.
An Antenna Co-Design Dual Band RF Energy Harvester

RF energy is widely available in urban areas and thus presents a promising ambient energy harvesting source. In this paper, a CMOS harvester circuit is modeled and analyzed in detail at low environmental power levels. Based on the circuit analysis, a design procedure is given for a narrowband energy harvester. The antenna and harvester co-design methodology is discussed to improve RF to DC energy conversion efficiency. We demonstrate that it is difficult to harvest RF energy over a wide frequency band if the ambient RF energy sources are weak, owing to the voltage requirements. Since most ambient RF energy lies in a few narrow bands, a dual/multi-band energy harvester architecture should be able to harvest much of the available RF energy. A dual-band CMOS energy harvester is designed and fabricated using an IBM 0.13 μm process. The simulated and measured results demonstrate a dual-band energy harvester that obtains over 9% efficiency for two different bands (around 900 MHz and around 1900 MHz) at an input power as low as -19.3 dBm. The DC output voltage of this harvester is over 1 V, which can be used to recharge the battery to form an inexhaustibly powered communication system.
Effet du séchage d'échantillons d'un sol ferrugineux tropical sur la détermination de la biomasse microbienne : comparaison de deux méthodes biocidales de référence

La determination de la biomasse microbienne (BM) est un outil indispensable a l'etude du fonctionnement microbiologique des sols. Les methodes couramment utilisees imposent des mesures sur sol frais. Cette contrainte est souvent difficile a surmonter lors d'etudes de terrain. Cette etude a pour objectif de preciser les effets d'un sechage prealable de l'echantillon suivi d'une rehumectation avant la mesure de biomasse microbienne par rapport a une mesure faite sur echantillon frais et d'apporter quelques commentaires comparatifs sur deux techniques biocidales d'evaluation de la biomasse microbienne d'un sol. Les deux methodes biocidales testees sont la methode de fumigation extraction (FE) (Amato at Ladd, 1988) et la methode de fumigation incubation (FI) (Jenkinson et Powlson, 1976), dans lesquelles les microorganismes sont tues sous l'action du chloroforme. Pour simuler differentes etapes de la conservation des echantillons de sol, ces mesures ont ete realisees sur des echantillons de sol frais, puis seches a l'air et enfin reconditionnes a l'humidite initiale et incubes 7 jours. Les echantillons ont ete pre-incubes durant 7 jours a differentes humidites: 5% (H5), 100% (H100) et 300% (H300) de la capacite de retention. Les mesures ont ete realisees sur un sol ferrugineux sableux, enrichi (traitement F) ou non (traitement T) par un apport de fumier de 20 g kg-' (equivalent a 30 t MS ha-1). Sur sol frais, la BM du sol amende en fumier est significativement superieure a celle du sol seul mais l'effet du fumier est plus marque quand la BM est mesuree par la FI. Quelque soit la methode, la BM ne depend pas du niveau d'humidite inititale a l'exception de H5 ou la BM mesuree est quasiment nulle. Apres sechage sans rehumectation, la BM est tres faible, quelque soit la methode et l'humidite du sol avant sechage. Si le soi est rehumecte et incube, les resultats obtenus par les deux methodes ne permettent pas de retrouver la BM du sol frais. Cependant, la FE permet de conserver les differences qui existaient entre les traitements avec et sans fumier, que l'on soit a H100 ou H300. Ce dernier procede (sechage- reh u m ectation-incubation) ne permet donc pas d'estimer la BM reelle d'un sol frais meme si la FE en preserve le caractere discriminant. La reconditionnement du sol apres son sechage a l'air ne permet pas le developpement des microorganismes a des seuils equivalents a ceux mesures dans un sol frais. Il est donc essentiel, dans un objectif de determination de la BM reelle, in situ, de conserver les sols a l'etat frais. Pour cela, nous recommandons la methode de conservation testee, sur des sois temperes, et preconisee par Chaussod et al. (1986). Elle consiste a maintenir les echantillons de sol a leur humidite d'origine et a des temperatures comprises entre 4°C et 10°C. (Resume d'auteur)
N‐Ace: Using solvent accessibility and physicochemical properties to identify protein N‐acetylation sites

Protein acetylation, which is catalyzed by acetyltransferases, is a type of post‐translational modification and crucial to numerous essential biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, apoptosis, and cytokine signaling. As the experimental identification of protein acetylation sites is time consuming and laboratory intensive, several computational approaches have been developed for identifying the candidates of experimental validation. In this work, solvent accessibility and the physicochemical properties of proteins are utilized to identify acetylated alanine, glycine, lysine, methionine, serine, and threonine. A two‐stage support vector machine was applied to learn the computational models with combinations of amino acid sequences, and the accessible surface area and physicochemical properties of proteins. The predictive accuracy thus achieved is 5% to 14% higher than that of models trained using only amino acid sequences. Additionally, the substrate specificity of the acetylated site was investigated in detail with reference to the subcellular colocalization of acetyltransferases and acetylated proteins. The proposed method, N‐Ace, is evaluated using independent test sets in various acetylated residues and predictive accuracies of 90% were achieved, indicating that the performance of N‐Ace is comparable with that of other acetylation prediction methods. N‐Ace not only provides a user‐friendly input/output interface but also is a creative method for predicting protein acetylation sites. This novel analytical resource is now freely available at http://N‐Ace.mbc. NCTU.edu. tw/. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010
Raw Garlic Consumption as a Protective Factor for Lung Cancer, a Population-Based Case–Control Study in a Chinese Population

Protective effect of garlic on the development of cancer has been reported in the in vitro and in vivo experimental studies; however, few human epidemiologic studies have evaluated the relationship. A population-based case–control study has been conducted in a Chinese population from 2003 to 2010, with the aim to explore the association between raw garlic consumption and lung cancer. Epidemiologic data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a standard questionnaire among 1,424 lung cancer cases and 4,543 healthy controls. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted ORs and their 95% confidence intervals (CI), and to evaluate ratio of ORs (ROR) for multiplicative interactions between raw garlic consumption and other risk factors. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, raw garlic consumption of 2 times or more per week is inversely associated with lung cancer (OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.44–0.72) with a monotonic dose–response relationship (Ptrend < 0.001). Furthermore, strong interactions at either additive and/or multiplicative scales were observed between raw garlic consumption and tobacco smoking [synergy index (SI) = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57–0.85; and ROR = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67–0.90], as well as high-temperature cooking oil fume (ROR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.59–1.00). In conclusion, protective association between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer has been observed with a dose–response pattern, suggesting that garlic may potentially serve as a chemopreventive agent for lung cancer. Effective components in garlic in lung cancer chemoprevention warrant further in-depth investigation. Cancer Prev Res; 6(7); 711–8. ©2013 AACR.
SF-36 Health Survey Update

The SF-36 (Medical Outcomes Trust, Boston, MA) is a multipurpose, short-form health survey with only 36 questions. It yields an eight-scale profile of scores as well as physical and mental health summary measures. It is a generic measure, as opposed to one that targets a specific age, disease, or tr
Granulometries and Opening Trees

Granulometries constitute one of the most useful and versatile sets of tools of morphological image analysis. They can be applied to a wide range of tasks, such as feature extraction, texture characterization, size estimation, image segmentation, etc., both for binary and for grayscale images. However, for most applications, traditional granulometry algorithms - involving sequences of openings or closings with structuring elements of increasing size - are prohibitively costly on non-specialized hardware. This has prevented granulometries from reaching a high level of popularity in the image analysis community. This paper addresses the computational aspect of granulometries and proposes a comprehensive set of fast algorithms. In binary images, all but the simplest cases (namely linear granulometries based on openings with line segments) require the prior extraction of opening transforms (also referred to as “granulometry functions”). A very efficient algorithm is proposed for the computation of the most useful opening transforms. In grayscale images, linear granulometries are considered first and a particularly efficient algorithm is described. The concept of an opening tree is then proposed as a gray extension of the opening transform. It forms the basis of a novel technique for computing granulometries based on maxima of openings by line segments in different orientations, as well as pseudo-granulometries based on minima of linear openings. Furthermore, opening trees can be used in local granulometry algorithms, thereby making it possible to compute such objects as size transforms directly from grayscale images. Other applications include adaptive openings and closings, as well as granulometric texture segmentation. The efficiency of this set of algorithms greatly increases the range of problems that can be addressed using granulometries. A number of applications are used throughout the paper to illustrate the usefulness of the proposed techniques.