Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring activity pacing in women with lower-extremity osteoarthritis: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE We examined how women with osteoarthritis naturally use activity pacing and how pacing relates to symptoms and physical activity within daily routines. METHOD Thirty women with knee or hip osteoarthritis (mean age = 63.8 +/- 6.9) wore an actigraph accelerometer and repeatedly reported activity pacing, pain, and fatigue. Using the median split, symptom patterns were compared for low and high pacers. The relationship between activity pacing and physical activity was also examined. RESULTS Activity pacing was low (1.4 +/- 0.9); pain and fatigue were mild (1.0 +/- 0.7 and 1.1 +/- 0.7, respectively). When compared with low pacers, high pacers had more severe, escalating symptoms. Activity pacing was related to lower physical activity (beta = -28.14, SE = 6.24), t(586) = -4.51, p = . 0001. CONCLUSION. Pain, fatigue, and activity pacing use varied depending on average activity pacing level. High pacers may benefit from interventions to manage daily symptoms.
Maximal-exponent factors in strings ✩

The exponent of a string is the quotient of its length over its smallest period. The exponent and the period of a string can be computed in time proportional to the string length. We design an algorithm to compute the maximal exponent of all factors of an overlap-free string. Our algorithm runs in lineartime on a fixed-size alphabet, while a naive solution of the question would run in cubic time. The solution for non overlap-free strings derives from algorithms to compute all maximal repetitions, also called runs, occurring in the string. We also show there is a linear number of occurrences of maximal-exponent factors in an overlap-free string. Their maximal number lies between 0.66n and 2.25n in a string of length n. The algorithm can additionally locate all of them in linear time.
Novel metabolites and roles for α-tocopherol in humans and mice discovered by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics.

BACKGROUND Contradictory results from clinical trials that examined the role of vitamin E in chronic disease could be a consequence of interindividual variation, caused by factors such as xenobiotic use. Cometabolism of vitamin E with other pharmaceutical products could affect the bioavailability of the drug. Thus, it is necessary to understand fully the metabolic routes and biological endpoints of vitamin E. OBJECTIVE The objective was to uncover novel metabolites and roles of vitamin E in humans and mouse models. DESIGN Human volunteers (n = 10) were fed almonds for 7 d and then an α-tocopherol dietary supplement for 14 d. Urine and serum samples were collected before and after dosing. C57BL/6 mice (n = 10) were also fed α-tocopherol-deficient and -enriched diets for 14 d. Urine, serum, and feces were collected before and after dosing, and liver samples were collected after euthanization. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis tools were used to analyze the samples. RESULTS Three novel urinary metabolites of α-tocopherol were discovered in humans and mice: α-carboxyethylhydroxychroman (α-CEHC) glycine, α-CEHC glycine glucuronide, and α-CEHC taurine. Another urinary metabolite, α-CEHC glutamine, was discovered in mice after α-CEHC gavage. Increases in liver fatty acids and decreases in serum and liver cholesterol were observed in mice fed the α-tocopherol-enriched diet. CONCLUSION Novel metabolites and metabolic pathways of vitamin E were identified by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and will aid in understanding the disposition and roles of vitamin E in vivo.
Factor XIII-A Val 34 Leu polymorphism might be associated with myocardial infarction risk : an updated meta-analysis

Although many epidemiologic studies have investigated the FXIII-A Val34Leu polymorphism and their associations with myocardial infarction (MI), definite conclusions can’t be drawn. To clarify the effects of FXIII-A Val34Leu polymorphism on the risk of MI, a meta-analysis was performed. Related studies were identified from PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM) till 10 August 2014. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of the associations. A total of 12 studies including 3139 MI cases and 6343 healthy controls were involved in this meta-analysis. A significantly decreased MI risk was found (adjusted OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.600.82, P < 0.00001). In the subgroup analysis by age, significantly decreased risks were found in the young population (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91, P = 0.008) and old population (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.50-0.80, P = 0.0001). In the subgroup analysis by gender, significantly decreased risks were found in male (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.34-0.88, P = 0.01) and female (OR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.95, P = 0.02). When we limited the meta-analysis to studies that controlled for confounders such as age, sex, BMI, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and fibrinogen, a significant association between FXIII-A Val34Leu polymorphism and MI risk remained. This meta-analysis provides the evidence that FXIII-A Val34Leu polymorphism may significant associated with the MI risk.
THE METROLOGY OF COUNTING PROTEIN PARTICLES

A common degradation pathway for protein-based drugs is the growth of protein aggregates or particles. Counting and characterization of these particles is needed to assure the quality, efficacy, and safety of this type of drug. The unusual physical attributes of protein particles lead to difficulties in obtaining accurate particle counts with traditional calibration standards and methods. We describe the development of instrument-response models, novel instrumentation, and novel reference materials to address this metrology issue.
An additional protection layer for confidential OSNs posts

The design of secure and usable access schemes to personal data represent a major challenge of online social networks (OSNs). State of the art requires prior interaction to grant access. Sharing with users who are not subscribed or previously have not been accepted as contacts in any case is only possible via public posts, which can easily be abused by automatic harvesting for user profiling, targeted spear-phishing, or spamming. Moreover, users are restricted to the access rules defined by the provider, which may be overly restrictive, cumbersome to define, or insufficiently fine-grained. We suggest a complementary approach that can be easily deployed in addition to existing access control schemes, does not require any interaction, and includes even public, unsubscribed users. It exploits the fact that different social circles of a user share different experiences and hence encrypts arbitrary posts. Assembling only well-established cryptographic primitives, we prove that the security of our scheme is determined by the entropy of the required knowledge. We consequently analyze the efficiency of an informed dictionary attack and assess the entropy to be on par with common passwords. A fully functional implementation is used for performance evaluations, and available for download on the Web.
Synaptic Changes in AMPA Receptor Subunit Expression in Cortical Parvalbumin Interneurons in the Stargazer Model of Absence Epilepsy

Feedforward inhibition is essential to prevent run away excitation within the brain. Recent evidence suggests that a loss of feed-forward inhibition in the corticothalamocortical circuitry may underlie some absence seizures. However, it is unclear if this aberration is specifically linked to loss of synaptic excitation onto local fast-spiking parvalbumin-containing (PV+) inhibitory interneurons, which are responsible for mediating feedforward inhibition within cortical networks. We recently reported a global tissue loss of AMPA receptors (AMPARs), and a specific mistrafficking of these AMPARs in PV+ interneurons in the stargazer somatosensory cortex. The current study was aimed at investigating if cellular changes in AMPAR expression were translated into deficits in receptors at specific synapses in the feedforward inhibitory microcircuit. Using western blot immunolabeling on biochemically isolated synaptic fractions, we demonstrate a loss of AMPAR GluA1–4 subunits in the somatosensory cortex of stargazers compared to non-epileptic control mice. Furthermore, using double post-embedding immunogold-cytochemistry, we show a loss of GluA1–4-AMPARs at excitatory synapses onto cortical PV+ interneurons. Altogether, these data indicate a loss of synaptic AMPAR-mediated excitation of cortical PV+ inhibitory neurons. As the cortex is considered the site of initiation of spike wave discharges (SWDs) within the corticothalamocortical circuitry, loss of AMPARs at cortical PV+ interneurons likely impairs feed-forward inhibitory output, and contributes to the generation of SWDs and absence seizures in stargazers.
A novel compact 3-dB forward-wave directional coupler with periodic capacitive enhancement

A compact forward-wave directional coupler using periodic capacitive loadings has been proposed. The phase difference between the even and odd modes can be significantly enlarged, which makes the size of the coupler more compact. A simple equivalent model of the unit cell is developed to predict the electrical lengths and the Bloch impedances for both even and odd modes. A test sample is fabricated on an FR4 substrate. The coupling level of 3.4 dB can be measured at 1.7 GHz with a small electrical length of 0. 19λg.
An Efficient and Secure User Revocation Scheme in Mobile Social Networks

Mobile social network (MSN) is a promising networking and communication platform for users having similar interests (or attributes) to connect and interact with one another. For many recently introduced secure MSN data communication schemes, attribute-based encryption is often adopted to preserve user privacy and prevent outside attackers from eavesdropping. In this paper, we propose an efficient and secure user revocation scheme to address inside attacks based on an attribute-based encryption technique. The proposed scheme enables a trusted authority (TA) to flexibly control the data decryption capability of mobile social users. It disables malicious users from decrypting any data packet. As a result, proper user behavior is encouraged, inside attacks are reduced, and network security is enhanced. Through the analysis, we demonstrate that the proposed user revocation scheme is able to resist attribute collusion attacks and revoke collusion attacks. Extensive simulation results further confirm that the proposed scheme has much smaller communication overhead and much shorter delay than the existing solution [1].
Emotion Analysis as a Regression Problem - Dimensional Models and Their Implications on Emotion Representation and Metrical Evaluation

Emotion analysis (EA) and sentiment analysis are closely related tasks differing in the psychological phenomenon they aim to catch. We address ﬁne-grained models for EA which treat the computation of the emotional status of narrative documents as a regression rather than a classiﬁcation problem, as performed by coarse-grained approaches. We introduce Ekman’s Basic Emotions (BE) and Russell and Mehrabian’s Valence-Arousal-Dominance (VAD) model—two major schemes of emotion representation following opposing lines of psychological research, i.e., categorical and dimensional models— and discuss problems when BEs are used in a regression approach. We present the ﬁrst natural language system thoroughly evaluated for ﬁne-grained emotion analysis using the VAD scheme. Although we only employ simple BOW features, we reach correlation values up until r = . 65 with human annotations. Furthermore, we show that the prevailing evaluation methodology relying solely on Pearson’s correlation coefﬁcient r is deﬁcient which leads us to the introduction of a complementary error-based metric. Due to the lack of comparable (VAD-based) systems, we, ﬁnally, introduce a novel method of mapping between VAD and BE emotion representations to create a reasonable basis for comparison. This enables us to evaluate VAD output against human BE judgments and, thus, allows for a more direct comparison with existing BE-based emotion analysis systems. Even with this, admittedly, error-prone transformation step our VAD-based system achieves state-of-the-art performance in three out of six emotion categories, out-performing all existing BE-based systems but one.
Scalable information extraction for web queries

The dominant way to find information on the web nowadays is through search. General search engines are very effective, but search phrases and results are unstructured and that limits a user's ability to further automate the processing of the search results. In recent years, we have seen efforts to build systems that support more precise query on the web for certain content verticals. We describe the general problems for building an extensible web query system and present one of our projects in this area – a vertical search portal for online courses.
Preanalytical, Analytical, and Computational Factors Affect Homeostasis Model Assessment Estimates

OBJECTIVE—We investigated how β-cell function and insulin sensitivity or resistance are affected by the type of blood sample collected or choice of insulin assay and homeostatis model assessment (HOMA) calculator (http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Insulin was measured using 11 different assays in serum and 1 assay in heparinized plasma. Fasting subjects with normoglycemia (n = 12), pre-diabetes, i.e., impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance (n = 18), or type 2 diabetes (n = 67) were recruited. Patients treated with insulin or those who were insulin antibody–positive were excluded. HOMA estimates were calculated using specific insulin (SI) or radioimmunoassay (RIA) calculators (version 2.2). RESULTS—All glucose values were within model (HOMA) limits but not all insulin results, as 4.3% were <20 pmol/l and 1% were >300 pmol/l. β-Cell function derived from different insulin assays ranged from 67 to 122% (median) for those with normoglycemia (P = 0.026), from 89 to 138% for those with pre-diabetes (P = 0.990), and from 50 to 81% for those with type 2 diabetes (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, insulin resistance ranged from 0.8 to 2.0 (P = 0.0007), from 1.9 to 3.2 (P = 0.842), and from 1.5 to 2.9 (P < 0.0001), respectively. This twofold variation in HOMA estimates from the various insulin assays studied in serum may be significant metabolically. Insulin was 15% lower in heparinized plasma (used in the original HOMA study) compared with serum, which is now more commonly used. β-Cell function differed by 11% and insulin resistance by 15% when estimates derived from specific insulin were calculated using the RIA rather than the SI calculator. CONCLUSIONS—To enable comparison of HOMA estimates among individuals and different research studies, preanalytical factors and calculator selection should be standardized with insulin assays traceable to an insulin reference method procedure.
The New High-Efficiency Hybrid Neutral-Point-Clamped Converter

This paper introduces a novel three-level voltage-source converter (VSC) as an alternative to known three-level topologies, including the conventional neutral-point-clamped converter (NPCC), many T-type VSCs, and active NPCC. It is shown that, operating in the low converter dc-link voltage range, this new solution not only can achieve higher efficiency than many typical three-level structures but also can overcome their drawback of asymmetrical semiconductor loss distribution for some operating conditions. Therefore, a remarkable increase of the converter output power capability and/or system reliability can be accomplished. The switching states and commutations of the converter, named here as hybrid NPCC (H-NPCC), are analyzed, and a loss-balancing scheme is introduced. Five- and seven-level H-NPCC topologies with loss-balancing features are also presented. Finally, a semiconductor-area-based comparison is used to further evaluate many three-level VSC systems. Interestingly, the total chip area of the proposed H-NPCC is already the lowest for low switching frequencies.
Examination of purified single-walled carbon nanotubes on activated sludge process using batch reactors

This paper evaluated the impact of over 90% purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the activated sludge wastewater treatment process through a batch-scale study. We found that SWCNTs adsorbed 16.9% of the soluble COD (sCOD, soluble chemical oxygen demand) without activated sludge present. Statistical analysis of the experimental data demonstrated that only four experimental parameters, i.e., surface charge, sCOD, mixed liquor suspended solids, and sludge volume index were significantly impacted by the addition of SWCNTs; other parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, specific resistance to filtration, and relative hydrophobicity were not significantly impacted. Further examination of the four affected parameters illustrated that SWCNTs improved sludge settleability and made the surface of the activated sludge flocs less negatively charged. The addition of SWCNTs appeared to improve sCOD removal due mostly to absorption. This research also found that the impacts observed were from the SWCNTs, not the impurities within the SWCNTs tested.
Crest evolution in newts: implications for reconstruction methods, sexual selection, phenotypic plasticity and the origin of novelties

The dorsal crest of newts (Salamandridae) is a novel, phenotypically plastic, sexually selected trait that may evolve in association with complex courtship behaviours. We estimated a near‐comprehensive, time‐calibrated phylogeny for salamandrids and analysed the evolution of their crests and display behaviour. Different models give conflicting reconstructions for crest evolution, showing that likelihood can estimate incorrect ancestral states with strong statistical support. The best‐fitting model suggests that crests evolved once and were lost repeatedly, supporting the hypothesis that sexually selected traits may be frequently lost. We demonstrate the correlated evolution of crests and courtship behaviour and show that species with larger numbers of crest‐related traits have larger repertoires of behaviours. We also show that phenotypically plastic morphological traits can be maintained over long macroevolutionary timescales (∼25–48 Myr). Finally, we use salamandrids to address how novel structures may arise, and support a model involving the expansion and subdivision of pre‐existing structures.
Early transcriptional regulation by C‐peptide in freshly isolated rat proximal tubular cells

Clinical studies have shown that proinsulin C‐peptide exerts renoprotective effects in type 1 diabetes, although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. As C‐peptide has been shown to induce several intracellular events and to localize to nuclei, we aimed to determine whether gene transcription is affected in proximal tubular kidney cells, and if so, whether the genes with altered transcription include those related to protective mechanisms.
Intraoperative Assessment of Esophagogastric Junction Distensibility During Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy

We sought to characterize the changes in esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility during Heller Myotomy with Dor fundoplication using the EndoFLIP device. Intraoperative distensibility measurements on 14 patients undergoing Heller myotomy with Dor fundoplication were conducted over an 18-month period. Minimum esophageal diameter, cross-sectional areas, and distensibility index were measured at 30 and 40 mL catheter volumes before myotomy, postmyotomy, and following Dor fundoplication. Distensibility index is defined as the narrowest cross-sectional area divided by the corresponding pressure expressed in mm2/mm Hg. Heller myotomy was found to lead to significant changes in the distensibility characteristics of the EGJ. Minimum esophageal diameter and EGJ distensibility increased significantly with Heller myotomy.
Impacts of island load shedding and restoration strategies on reliability of microgrid in distribution system

The penetration of distributed generations (DGs) will grow gradually in future distribution system where islanded operation of microgrid (MG) helps to improve local and overall reliability. However, the microgrid load point outage time and outage frequency are affected directly by island load control strategy (load shedding and restoration strategy) which is not wholly considered in existing reliability evaluation methods. This paper proposes two improved strategies based on usual load control strategy considering fluctuation and correlation characteristics of renewable distributed generations power output and load demand. Applying sequential Monte Carlo simulation (SMCS) method,this paper analyzes the impacts of load control strategy on microgrid reliability quantitatively. Simulation results show that island load control strategy has important effect on microgrid reliability ,and the proposed strategies are more reasonable which can further improve microgrid reliability.
The Orthogonality of Psychoticism and Neuroticism: A Factorial Study

Questionnaire scales for the measurement of psychoticism, neuroticism, extraversion and dissimulation (“Lie scale”) were administered to 216 boys and 224 girls 11 and 12 yr. old; all 111 items of the questionnaire were intercorrelated and factor analyzed separately for the two sexes. Four main factors emerged, as expected, with the 3 personality factors (P, E, and N) almost entirely independent of each other. Scales of 20 items were made up to measure each of these factors, as well as L, and the scores on these scales were again largely independent of each other, with the exception of the L scale. The interpretation of these results is discussed.
Incidence and distribution of first-episode mania by age: results from a 35-year study

Background. Few epidemiological studies have investigated incidence by age or age at onset distributions for mania or bipolar disorder. The current study aimed to determine these in a defined area in south-east London, over a 35-year period. Method. All cases of first-episode mania presenting to psychiatric services in Camberwell, south-east London, between 1965 and 1999 were identified. Incidence rates by age, using 5-year age-at-onset bands, were estimated and the structure of the age-at-onset distribution for first-episode mania was investigated using finite mixture distributions (admixture analysis). Results. The incidence of DSM-IV bipolar I disorder (BP I), first manic episode peaked in early adult life (16·38/100000 population per year in the 21–25 years band) with a much smaller peak in mid-life. A two-component normal mixture distribution fitted age at onset better than either a single normal distribution or a three-component mixture, implying the existence of early and later onset subgroups. The early onset group had a stronger family history of bipolar disorder, and showed more acute, severe and atypical symptoms during their first manic episode. Conclusions. The incidence of mania peaks in early adult life but there is clear evidence of early and later onset subgroups which may represent different forms of disorder.