Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of congenital heart disease in newborns after pulse oximetry screening introduction.

INTRODUCTION Congenital heart defects are the most common congenital malformations in the newborn with an estimated incidence ranging between 6-9 ‰. In Tunisia, this incidence reaches 1.9 ‰. This can be explained by misdiagnosed cases. In fact, the diagnosis is based mainly on clinical examination which allows making the diagnosis only in 50 in 75 % of the cases. Several studies showed the interest of pulse oximetry oximeter in the screening of cyanogenic and duct dependent congenital heart diseases. The Objective of our work is to determine the incidence of congenital heart diseases screened by physical examination coupled with the measure of transcutaneous saturation Methods: forward-looking and descriptive Study, concerning all the births of the central maternity of Sousse, during a period of 12 months. We have measured transcutaneous saturation of all the newborn children in association to routine physical, examination. This study aimed to screen congenital heart disease and then calculate their incidence. RESULTS during the period of the study 10447 newborn children had been born in the central maternity of Sousse. Among whom, 26 had a congenital heart defect. The incidence of the neonatal cardiac malformations in our current study was found in 2.77 ‰ of alive births. It was about 1.1 ‰ of newborns in a similar study practised in 2009 (Chi2=76.2 et p<10-4). The heart disorder was diagnosed following the grip taking of the only percutaneous saturation in 5 newborn children and following the clinical examination in 21. CONCLUSION the measure of the transcutaneous saturation in the first day of life is a little expensive and specific method for the early screening of the duct dependent cardiac malformations.
Unexpected behavior of a gene trap vector comprising a fusion between the Sh ble and the lacZ genes

A new gene trap vector has been designed, comprised of a fusion between the Sh ble gene, which confers resistance to the antibiotic phleomycin, and the lacZ gene (phleal fusion gene). A synthetic splice acceptor, made of the yeast branchpoint followed by a pyrimidin‐rich sequence of 27 nucleotides, is included at the 5′ extremity. The linearized gene trap vector was introduced into mouse embryonic stem cells (ES cells), and 40 phleomycin resistant (phleAL) cell lines possessing a single copy of the insert were selected. They were stable in expressing the lacZ gene. Reporter gene expression was studied at days 8.5 and 10.5 of embryonic development in chimeric embryos obtained after injection of phleoL ES clones into 8‐cell stage embryos. Out of 20 phleal lines examined, 14 exhibited β‐galactosidase expression at day 10.5. Use of the phleal fusion gene trap vector to select genes expressed in ES cells, therefore, is compatible with the isolation of genes expressed at midgestation. However, and most intriguingly, 10 out of these 14 cell lines (71%) displayed reporter gene expression mostly in heart and liver. Two of them exhibited, in addition, expression in central nervous system (CNS) or in CNS and limb buds, respectively. Germline chimeras were subsequently obtained and 15 mouse lines have been established. Intercrosses of animals heterozygous for the insertion revealed a mutant phenotype in several lines. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aging, maintenance, and reliability - approaches to preserving equipment health and extending equipment life

A survey is offered for the various maintenance methods available for operators to preserve equipment health and extend equipment life. The methods range from the simplest, "follow-the-manual" types to detailed probabilistic approaches. To get the most out of maintenance, one has to select a mathematical model where optimization is possible. Another choice, of which operators are becoming more and more aware, is to apply a maintenance policy. This article concentrates on maintenance policies and their applications. Maintenance policy is based not on a rigid schedule but on the "as needed" principle. This can be implemented with or without mathematical models
Stray Light of Spectacle Lenses Compared with Stray Light in the Eye

Stray light in spectacle lenses may affect the overall vision. It may also affect the measurement of ocular stray light, contrast sensitivity, or glare sensitivity. This article describes common stray light characteristics for glass and plastic spectacle lenses and compares this to the stray light characteristics of the eye, which are well known from the literature. Stray light is described by the skirts of the point-spread function (PSF), which were measured for angles from 4° to 30°. The PSF of spectacle lenses appears to follow the equation PSF = a10 · (&thgr;/10)b, with a10 and b representing fitting parameters and &thgr; representing the stray light angle. The slope b is on average −2, which similar to that of the eye. For clean spectacle lenses, the PSF is usually at least an order of magnitude lower than that of the eye, whereas “as worn” (uncleaned) spectacle lenses may approach the PSF of the eye. To reach the PSF of the eye, the spectacle lens needs to be contaminated by as much as one or two fingerprints. The article also shows that plastic spectacle lenses degrade much faster than glass spectacle lenses when looking at the amount of stray light.
Comparison of chelating agents DMPS, DMSA and EDTA for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic metal exposure.

Aims: Several chelating agents are presently used among environmental physicians to diagnose and treat a chronic metal overexposure. We evaluated and compared the binding capacity of the most common chelating agents DMPS (2, 3-dimercapto-1propanesulfonic acid), DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid), also called Succimer) and EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) for the potentially toxic metals Antimony (Sb), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb) and Mercury (Hg). Secondly, we evaluated how the nutrient elements Calcium (Ca), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) are affected by the chelating agents tested. Study Design: Through ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy) analysis of urine from environmentally burdened patients, we determined which chelating agent in oral or injectable form has the best potential to be used as a provocation test for the diagnosis of multiple metal over exposure, and which chelating agent is best used for the detoxification treatment of a single metal exposure. Place and Duration of Study: Micro Trace Minerals and Friedle Laboratories, Hersbruck/Regensburg, Germany, between January 2011 and February 2013. Methodology: Data utilized is based on urine samples from chronically exposed Original Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(9): 1821-1835, 2014 1822 patients, male and female adults, received from chelation therapists. Acutely intoxicated patients were not included. Results: The intravenous application of DMPS is most suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of a single or multiple metal exposure, involving the metals Sb, As and Hg. Both EDTAs (NaCaEDTA and NaEDTA), administered intravenously, are the agents of choice for Cd, while Pb can be chelated using DMSA, DMPS, or the EDTAs. Both EDTAs have a strong Zn binding ability, but only NaEDTA is suitable for binding appreciable amounts of Ca. DMPS best binds Cu. Conclusion: The intravenous application of DMPS is most useful for the diagnosis of multiple metal overexposure. It is also the treatment of choice for Sb, As and Hg and has the strongest Cu binding ability of the chelators tested.
Propositional Attitudes: Fregean Representation and Simulative Reasoning

This paper describes briefly a general notation that has been constructed for representing information about propositions! attitudes, and a method that is being developed for using this notation to reason about such Information. The notation is Fregean in spirit, and is based on McCarthy's first-order theory of individual concepts and propositions, extended to permit adequate representation of Iterated propositional attitudes, and with a semantically simpler representation of quantified propositions and "definite-description" concepts of Individuals. The notation provides a systematic and Intuitively motivated way of dealing with apparent failures of extensionality and quantification into Intentional constructions. The reasoning method is knowledge-based, and uses a program's own ordinary inferential apparatus to "simulate" the reasoning of other intelligent organisms. The method thus avoids any need for redundant re-representation of Information about propositions at higher levels in the hierarchy of concepts, and provides a natural approach to making realistic inferences about the propositions! attitudes of others.
The aftermath of an industrial disaster

An explosion in a Danish supertanker under construction in 1994 caused the death of six workers and injured 15. Six months later 270 workers took part in this study, which analyses the relationships between objective stressors, the workers' own feelings and the reactions of their families after the explosion together with training, attitude to the workplace, general outlook, and received crisis help. Traumatisation, coping style and crisis support was assessed via the Impact of Event Scale (IES), the Coping Styles Questionnaire (CSQ) and the Crisis Support Scale (CSS). Emotionally, workers and their families were strongly affected by the explosion. The IES‐score was 17.6 and the invasion score 9.1. The degree of traumatisation was higher in the group who had an ‘audience position’ than in the group who was directly hit by the explosion. Training in rescue work did not protect against adverse effects. Rescue work had a strong impact on the involved. Social support was a significant factor, that seems to buffer negative effects. High level of social integration, effective leadership in the situation, and professional crisis intervention characterised the disaster situation. All the same, 41 per cent of the workers reached the caseness criteria by Horowitz (IES ≥ 19).
Effect of Near Physiologic Insulin Therapy on Hypoglycemia Counterregulation in Type-1 Diabetes

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine hormonal counterregulation during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in type-1 diabetic patients during long-term near normoglycemic insulin therapy and intensive clinical care. Methods: Type-1 diabetic patients (age 35.3 ± 2 years, body mass index 22.8 ± 1 kg·m–2, mean diabetes duration 13.6 (11–17 years), mean HbA1c during the last year 6.6 ± 0.1%) and nondiabetic subjects were studied during (0–120 min) and after (120–240 min) hypoglycemic (3.05 mmol/l) hyperinsulinemic (∼330 pmol/l) clamp tests. Results: During hypoglycemia peak plasma concentrations of glucagon (199 ± 16 vs. 155 ± 11 ng/l, p < 0.05), epinephrine (4,514 ± 644 vs. 1,676 ± 513 pmol/l, p < 0.001), norepinephrine (2.21 ± 0.14 vs. 1.35 ± 0.19 nmol/l, p < 0.01) and cortisol (532 ± 44 vs. 334 ± 61 nmol/l) were reduced in the diabetic patients. Plasma lactate did not change from baseline values (0.51 ± 0.06 mmol/l) in diabetic but doubled in healthy subjects (1.13 ± 0.111 mmol/l, p < 0.001 vs. control). During the posthypoglycemic recovery period plasma concentrations of free fatty acids were higher in diabetic patients at 240 min (1.34 ± 0.12 vs. 2.01 ± 0.23 mmol/l, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite long-term near physiologic insulin substitution and the low incidence of hypoglycemia, hormonal hypoglycemia counterregulation was impaired in type-1 diabetic patients after a diabetes duration of more than 10 years.
Contractile properties of human motor units in health, aging, and disease

The primary function of skeletal muscle is to produce force for postural control and movement. Although the contractile properties of the whole muscle are useful functional indicators, they do not accurately reflect the heterogeneity of the constituent motor units (MUs) and their changes in health and disease. However, data on the contractile properties of human MUs, in comparison to other animal species, are relatively sparse. This, in part, is due to greater methodological challenges of in vivo studies of MUs in the human. The purpose of this review is to critically appraise the methods used in humans; to describe the normative data from different muscle groups; to discuss differences between data from healthy humans and other animal species; and, last, to characterize changes of the MU contractile properties in aging, disease, and in response to intervention. Because the spike‐triggered averaging technique can only be used to study the twitch properties, other methods were subsequently developed to measure a wider range of contractile properties. Although there is general agreement between human data and those from other animal species, major differences do exist. Potential reasons for these discrepancies include true biological differences, but differences in the techniques used may also be responsible. Although limited, measurement of MU contractile properties in humans has provided insight into the changes associated with aging and motoneuronal diseases and provides a means of gauging their adaptive capacity for training and immobilization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 1113–1133
Melanoma Differentiation-associated Gene 7/IL-24 Exerts Cytotoxic Effects by Altering the Alternative Splicing of Bcl-x Pre-mRNA via the SRC/PKCδ Signaling Axis*

Melanoma differentiation-associated gene 7 (MDA-7/IL-24) exhibits cytotoxic effects on tumor cells while sparing untransformed cells, and Bcl-x(L) is reported to efficiently block the induction of cell death by MDA-7/IL-24. The expression of Bcl-x(L) is regulated at the level of RNA splicing via alternative 5′ splice site selection within exon 2 to produce either the pro-apoptotic Bcl-x(s) or the anti-apoptotic Bcl-x(L). Our laboratory previously reported that Bcl-x RNA splicing is dysregulated in a large percentage of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors. Therefore, we investigated whether the alternative RNA splicing of Bcl-x pre-mRNA was modulated by MDA-7/IL-24, which would suggest that specific NSCLC tumors are valid targets for this cytokine therapy. Adenovirus-delivered MDA-7/IL-24 (Ad.mda-7) reduced the viability of NSCLC cells of varying oncogenotypes, which was preceded by a decrease in the ratio of Bcl-x(L)/Bcl-x(s) mRNA and Bcl-x(L) protein expression. Importantly, both the expression of Bcl-x(L) and the loss of cell viability were “rescued” in Ad.mda-7-treated cells incubated with Bcl-x(s) siRNA. In addition, NSCLC cells ectopically expressing Bcl-x(s) exhibited significantly reduced Bcl-x(L) expression, which was again restored by Bcl-x(s) siRNA, suggesting the existence of a novel mechanism by which Bcl-x(s) mRNA restrains the expression of Bcl-x(L). In additional mechanistic studies, inhibition of SRC and PKCδ completely ablated the ability of MDA-7/IL-24 to reduce the Bcl-x(L)/(s) mRNA ratio and cell viability. These findings show that Bcl-x(s) expression is an important mediator of MDA-7/IL-24-induced cytotoxicity requiring the SRC/PKCδ signaling axis in NSCLC cells.
The Use of Heterologous Promoters for Adeno‐Associated Virus (AAV) Protein Expression in AAV Vector Production

Although adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors are potentially useful gene transfer vehicles for gene therapy, the vector production system is currently at the developmental stage. We constructed AAV helper plasmids (Rep and Cap expression plasmids) by replacing a native AAV promoter, p5, with various heterologous promoters to examine whether the efficiency of AAV vector production was influenced by modulating the AAV protein expression pattern. The helper plasmids containing heterologous promoters (EF, CMV, SV40, B19p6, and CAG promoters, respectively) expressed Rep78/68 more efficiently than a conventional helper plasmid (pIM45), but the expression of Rep52/40 and Cap decreased, resulting in a significant reduction in AAV vector production. Furthermore, the efficiency of vector production never fully recovered even if the Cap proteins were supplied by an additional expression plasmid. A large amount of Rep78/68 and/or a reduced level of Rep52/40 may have deleterious effects on AAV vector production. The present findings will aid in the development of a more efficient AAV vector production system.
Dezentrale, anomalie-basierte Erkennung verteilter Angriffe im Internet

Die mittlerweile unabdingbare Verfugbarkeit des Internets wird zunehmend durch finanziell motivierte, verteilte Angriffe gestort. Deren schnelle und flachendeckende Erkennung als notwendige Voraussetzung fur effektive Gegenmasnahmen ist Ziel dieser Arbeit. Hierzu werden neue Mechanismen zur Identifikation von Angriffen und zur dezentralen domanenubergreifenden Kooperation verteilter Erkennungssysteme entworfen. Zudem werden die fur die realitatsnahe Evaluierung notwendigen Werkzeuge entwickelt.
Synthetic video sequence for dynamic scenes

New approaches in image and video processing fields need a synthetic dataset for testing the performance of their algorithms in order to improve their outcomes. Many of these approaches depend on a fixed lighting assumption. In the real world, video surveillance may be exposed to different illumination or lighting conditions. In this paper, an algorithm for generating a dynamic blurry video dataset using Gaussian filter and Random Number Generator is proposed to simulate the real world scenes under different illumination or lighting changes. The results showed that the proposed method can be used to generate blurred video dataset from the original video dataset under different illumination conditions.
The spin-orbit angles of the transiting exoplanets WASP-1b, WASP-24b, WASP-38b and HAT-P-8b from Rossiter-McLaughlin observations

We present observations of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect for the transiting exoplanet systems WASP-1, WASP-24, WASP-38 and HAT-P-8, and deduce the orientations of the planetary orbits with respect to the host stars’ rotatio n axes. The planets WASP-24b, WASP-38b and HAT-P-8b appear to move in prograde orbits and be well aligned, having sky-projected spin orbit angles consistent with zero: � = 4:7 ± 4:0 � , � =15 +33 � −43� and� = 9:7 +9.0 � −7.7� , respectively. The host stars have Teff < 6250 K and conform with the trend of cooler stars having low obliquities. WASP-38b is a massive planet on a moderately long period, eccentric orbit so may be expected to have a misaligned orbit given the high obliquities measured in similar systems. However, we find no evidence for a large spinorbit angle. By contrast, WASP-1b joins the growing number of misaligned systems and has an almost polar orbit, � = 79:0 +4.5 � −4.3� . It is neither very massive, eccentric nor orbiting a hot host star, and therefore does not share the properties of many other misaligned systems.
DJ-1 Up-regulates Glutathione Synthesis during Oxidative Stress and Inhibits A53T α-Synuclein Toxicity*

DJ-1 is the third gene that has been linked to Parkinson disease. Mutations in the DJ-1 gene cause early onset PD with autosomal recessive inheritance. To clarify the mechanism of DJ-1 protection, we have overexpressed the gene in cultured dopaminergic cells that were then subjected to chemical stress. In the rat dopaminergic cell line, N27, and in primary dopamine neurons, overexpression of wild type DJ-1 protected cells from death induced by hydrogen peroxide and 6-hydroxydopamine. Overexpressing the L166P mutant DJ-1 had no protective effect. By contrast, knocking down endogenous DJ-1 with antisense DJ-1 rendered cells more susceptible to oxidative damage. We have found that DJ-1 improves survival by increasing cellular glutathione levels through an increase in the rate-limiting enzyme glutamate cysteine ligase. Blocking glutathione synthesis eliminated the beneficial effect of DJ-1. Protection could be restored by adding exogenous glutathione. Wild type DJ-1 reduced cellular reactive oxygen species and reduced the levels of protein oxidation caused by oxidative stress. By a separate mechanism, overexpressing wild type DJ-1 inhibited the protein aggregation and cytotoxicity usually caused by A53T human α-synuclein. Under these circumstances, DJ-1 increased the level of heat shock protein 70 but did not change the glutathione level. Our data indicate that DJ-1 protects dopaminergic neurons from oxidative stress through up-regulation of glutathione synthesis and from the toxic consequences of mutant humanα-synuclein through increased expression of heat shock protein 70. We conclude that DJ-1 has multiple specific mechanisms for protecting dopamine neurons from cell death.
IVC: Imperceptible Video Communication

Visible light communication (VLC) has received significant attention recently because it facilitates data communication in scenarios with high user density, where conventional wired and wireless technologies cannot work well due to user mobility and channel contention. However, the existing VLC techniques require specialized hardware for communication to take place, and therefore they are considered impractical for end users yet. Given the abundance of cameras and LCD screens in today’s environment, it makes sense the use of these devices for wireless communication. Specifically, cameras can be used for shooting nearby LCD screens and use them for network access. A couple of works provided feasible solutions to video channel communication, however their works did not overcome at least one of the challenges: low data throughput, reliance on additional infrastructure (Digimarc Technology [1]) and unreadable video (PixNet [2] or COBRA [3]). This demo explores this novel communication medium and presents Imperceptible Video Communication (IVC). A system that takes advantage of both off-the-shelf cameras and LCD displays, and it transfers imperceptible data over a normal video and without the reliance on additional infrastructure.
Electrical breakdown of polymer nanocomposites modulated by space charges

A method is proposed to calculate the density of deep traps formed in interaction zones based on mesoscopic structure and double electric layer of polymer nanocomposites. Then a space charge modulated breakdown model is utilized to investigate electrical breakdown property and its relation with deep traps in interaction zones. It is found that deep traps formed around independent interaction zones suppress the accumulation of space charges and the distortion of electric field, leading to the improvement of breakdown strength.