Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnic and age trends for body composition in women residing in the U.S. Southwest: II. Total fat.

This study assessed body density (BD) in an ethnically diverse sample of women (African American, Caucasian, Mexican American and Native American) (N = 139) who were between 20 and 30 or 40 and 50 yr of age and of normal weight for their height. BD was assessed using three methods: hydrostatically determined density (UWW), total body potassium (TBK) and the Jackson et al. (1980) sum of seven SF with gluteal circumference (SF). Ethnic differences in BD were detected by TBK and UWW. BD from SF did not detect ethnic differences, and the SEE was unacceptable. Based on multiple regression, the prediction equation was: BD = 1.1197794 - 0.000224382 (X3) + 0.006999 (e2) - 0.000320177 (X2) - 0.001892 (e1) + 0.001750 (e3) - 0.000537005 (x1) (where x1 = gluteal C, x2 = age in years, x3 = sum of 7 SF and e1, e2, and e3 describe ethnicity). This formula had a reduced SEE, a higher correlation with hydrostatically determined BD, and was sensitive to ethnic differences detected with other measures of BD. A 24-mmol decrease in potassium was found when comparing the older Caucasian women with the younger Caucasian women, while the difference for the African, Mexican, and Native American groups was 200-300 mmol.
Rapid Communication - Agroinoculation as a Simple Way to Deliver a Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Based Expression Vector

Received: 2002-12-02 Accepted: 2003-03-11 Supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (2002AA227031). * Author for correspondence. Tel: +86 (0)10 62548243; E-mail: <fangrx@sun.im. ac.cn>. As an expression vector with characteristics of relatively high stability and high-level production of heterologous proteins, the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based 30B vector has been available for the experimental use worldwide (Yusibov et al, 1997; Shivprasad et al, 1999; Nemchinov et al, 2000). In a conventional procedure, however, a step of in vitro transcription is required to produce infectious viral RNA prior to inoculation of host plants. This troublesome and expensive process has hindered the use of the 30B vector to some extent. To conquer such disadvantage, we have adopted a technique called agroinoculation in which the cDNA copy of a viral genome, herein 30B, is inserted into the T-DNA under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter in such a way that it can be easily delivered into plant cells and initiate an infection. In order to test the agroinoculation method conveniently, the gfp gene for the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as a reporter gene and inserted into the cloning sites of the viral vector to construct plasmid p35S-30B:: GFP. The agrobacteria harboring the modified vector were simply pressure-infiltrated into a leaf using a needle-less syringe. In this paper, we report high-level expression of GFP in systemic leaves up to 5.2% of total soluble leaf protein, demonstrating that agroinoculation can be used as an efficient and simple way to express foreign proteins in plants from the 30B vector.
Inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase with cerivastatin lowers dense low density lipoproteins in patients with elevated fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE While 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors effectively decrease LDL cholesterol, it remains controversial whether these agents also lower dense LDL, which are considered particularly atherogenic. METHODS We examined the effects of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor cerivastatin on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins in 69 patients with elevated fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or type 2 diabetes, combined hyperlipoproteinemia and increased concentrations of dense LDL (apo B in LDL-5 plus LDL-6 > 25 mg/dl). The study was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group comparison of cerivastatin at 0.4 mg daily for 12 weeks (n = 34) and placebo (n = 35). RESULTS Cerivastatin significantly reduced cholesterol (- 20 %, p < 0.001), IDL cholesterol - 37 %, p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (- 26 %, p < 0.001), apolipoprotein B (- 25 %, p < 0.001), triglycerides (- 12 %, p < 0.05), and raised HDL cholesterol (+ 7.5 %, p < 0.05) and apolipoprotein AI (+ 7.2 %, p < 0.05). Cerivastatin signficantly lowered apolipoprotein B in all LDL subfractions (- 21 to - 28 %, p < 0.05). Absolute changes were greatest in dense LDL and the change in dense LDL made the largest contribution to the change of total LDL. The change of dense LDL was highly correlated with baseline values. There was no consistent relationship between the effect of cerivastatin on triglycerides and the decrease of dense LDL. CONCLUSIONS The HMG CoA reductase inhibitor cerivastatin lowers total and LDL cholesterol and the concentration of dense LDL in patients with elevated fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes.
Effects of Organic Mulches and Fertilization on Soil Microbial Activity, Nutrient Availability, and Growth of River Birch

We determined the effects of mulching with composted yard waste and recycled ground wood pallets, with and without fertilization, on soil organic matter, microbial activity, nitrogen cycling, and growth of river birch, Betula nigra. Both mulches increased soil organic matter content and more than doubled microbial respiration, which is consistent with the hypothesis that soil microbes are generally carbon-limited. Effects on nitrogen availability, however, were highly dependent on the C:N ratio of the mulch. Mulching with composted yard waste, with a low C:N ratio of 17:1, dramatically increased total soil N as well as N mineralization rate. This increased plant available N, as well as foliar nitrogen concentration and growth of river birch. Fertilization had no effect on the growth of trees mulched with composted yard waste, which indicates that composted yard waste serves as a high quality organic fertilizer that can meet fully the nutrient requirements of both microbes and plants as it decomposes. On the other hand, mulching with high C:N (125:1) wood pallets stimulated microbial growth while adding little nitrogen to the soil. Microbes immobilized a high proportion of the limited nitrogen pool, thereby slowing the growth of river birch. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that soil microbes out-compete plants for nitrogen, and that addition of organic matter with high C:N ratios can induce nutrient deficiencies in plants by stimulating microbial growth. Fertilization relaxed this competition, increasing the growth of river birch that had been mulched with ground wood. This study demonstrates conclusively that organic mulches can have major effects on soil fertility and plant growth that are dependent on their C:N ratio. Understanding the dominant influence of soil microbes on nitrogen availability is key to understanding the dynamics of mulch effects on soil fertility.
Social contact patterns of school-age children in Taiwan: comparison of the term time and holiday periods

SUMMARY School closure is one of the most common interventions in the early weeks of an influenza pandemic. Few studies have investigated social contact patterns and compared individual student contact characteristics during the school term and holiday periods in Taiwan. Here, we conducted a well-used questionnaire survey in a junior high school (grades 7–8) in June 2013. All 150 diary-based effective questionnaires covering conversation and skin-to-skin contact behaviour were surveyed. Two questionnaires for each participant were designed to investigate the individual-level difference of contact numbers per day during the two periods. The questionnaire response rate was 44%. The average number of contacts during term time (20·0 contacts per day) and holiday periods (12·6 contacts per day) were significantly different (P < 0·05). The dominant contact frequencies and duration were everyday contact (89·10%) and contacts lasting less than 5 minutes (37·09%). The greatest differences occurred within the 13–19 years age groups. The result presented in this study provide an indication of the likely reduction in daily contact frequency that might occur if a school closure policy was adopted in the event of an influenza pandemic in Taiwan. Comparing contact patterns during term time and holiday periods, the number of contacts decreased by 40%. This study is the first research to investigate the contact numbers and contact characteristics for school-age children during the school term and a holiday period in Taiwan. With regard to public health, this study could provide the basic contact information and database for modelling influenza epidemics for minimizing the spread of influenza that depends on personal contacts for transmission.
Modeling dermatophytosis in reconstructed human epidermis: A new tool to study infection mechanisms and to test antifungal agents

&NA; Dermatophytosis is a superficial fungal infection of keratinized structures that exhibits an increasing prevalence in humans and is thus requesting novel prophylactic strategies and therapies. However, precise mechanisms used by dermatophytes to adhere at the surface of the human epidermis and invade its stratum corneum are still incompletely identified, as well as the responses provided by the underlying living keratinocytes during the infection. We hereby report development of an in vitro model of human dermatophytosis through infection of reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) by arthroconidia of the anthropophilic Trichophyton rubrum species or of the zoophilic Microsporum canis and Arthroderma benhamiae species. By modulating density of arthroconidia in the inoculum and duration of exposure to such pathogens, fungal infection limited to the stratum corneum was obtained, mimicking severe but typical in vivo situation. Fungal elements in infected RHE were monitored over time by histochemical analysis using periodic‐acid Schiff‐staining or quantified by qPCR‐detection of fungal genes inside RHE lysates. This model brings improvements to available ones, dedicated to better understand how dermatophytes and epidermis interact, as well as to evaluate preventive and therapeutic agents. Indeed, miconazole topically added to RHE was demonstrated to inhibit fungal infection in this model.
A new common-mode voltage reduction technique for multilevel inverters

In this paper, a novel common-mode voltage reduction technique is proposed for a three-phase multilevel inverter. The technique can be used to control capacitors voltages and load currents with low switching losses. It can be applied to a three-phase three-level inverter with the flying capacitor topology. One of the advantages of this method is that the technique can be applied to more voltage levels without significantly changing the control algorithm. The simulation results of a five-level inverter in this paper indicate that the proposed technique can be used to implement a multilevel inverter.
Misoprostol: A Quarter Century of Use, Abuse, and Creative Misuse

Misoprostol is a prostaglandin E1 analog originally intended for use to prevent NSAID-induced gastric ulcers. However, because of its cervical ripening and uterotonic property, misoprostol has become one of the most useful drugs in obstetrics and gynecology. Misoprostol has proven to be a very convenient and flexible drug because of its formulation as a tablet that is stable and that can be administered orally, rectally, vaginally and by the sublingual route. Beginning with its abuse for illegal abortion in the late 1980s, misoprostol has quickly become established as one of the most effective drugs for terminating pregnancies in the first and second trimesters, as well as for inducing labor in the third trimester. Its use for routine prevention of postpartum hemorrhage has not been so successful, partly as the high doses required for this indication often result in troublesome side effects. Despite the large body of medical evidence about its efficacy and relative safety, the use of misoprostol in pregnant women remained off-label until the spring of 2002. Target Audience Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives After completion of this article, the reader should be able to outline the pharmacologic properties of the misoprostol, to list the adverse effects of misoprostol, and to summarize the off-label uses of misoprostol.
Visual Question Answering Using Various Methods

This project tries to apply deep learning tools to enable computer answering question by looking at images. In this project, the visual question answering dataset[1] is introduced. This dataset consists of 204,721 real images, 614,164 question and 50,000 abstract scenes, 150,000 questions. Various methods are reproduced. The analysis on different models are presented.
MinerVA: A Decision Support Model That Uses Novel Text Mining Technologies

With the ever inflating information in modern societies, enterprises are working in a complex, open and mobilizing environment. The operational environment is vital for competitiveness. In order to monitor the competitive environment, we propose to integrate state-of-the art text mining technologies, such as opinion mining, event change detection and patent trend change mining in a decision support system model called Miner of Valid Actions (MinerVA) that is based on Porter's five forces framework.
Defining the suitable adjacent microgrids to form a temporary system of coupled microgrids

Majority of the remote areas have self-sufficient and isolate electricity systems. These systems are preferred to generate the majority of the electricity from renewable energy resources if they are available in the area to reduce the cost of electricity production. Thereby, they can be assumed as sustainable islanded microgrids. Large remote areas may be supplied by multiple adjacent microgrids, each with a different operator. The adjacent microgrids may couple and exchange power temporarily to support each other under emergencies such as overloading, generation shortfalls, or faults. Defining the suitable nearby microgrid(s) to be coupled is a challenging task. This paper uses a heuristic-based optimization approach to evaluate the suitability of the connection of nearby microgrids and the minimum technical impacts on the newly generated system. The impact of the developed approach is assessed by MATLAB-based numerical analyses under a stochastic environment.
Running in new and worn shoes: a comparison of three types of cushioning footwear

Objectives: In this study, the effect of shoe degradation on running biomechanics by comparing the kinetics and kinematics of running in new and worn shoes was investigated. Three types of footwear using different cushioning technologies were compared. Design: Longitudinal study. Setting: Pre- and post-tests on overground running at 4.5 m s−1 on a 20-m laboratory runway; performance measured using a force platform and a motion capture system. Participants: 24 runners (14 men and 10 women) Interventions: 200 miles of road running in the same pair of shoes. Within-group factor: shoe condition (new/worn); between-group factor: footwear type (air/gel/spring). Main outcome measurements: Stance time was calculated from force data. External loads were measured by maximum vertical force and loading rate. Kinematic changes were indicated by sagittal plane angles of the torso, hip, knee and ankle at critical events during the stance phase. Results: Stance time increased (p = 0.035) in worn shoes. The torso displayed less maximum forward lean (p<0.001) and less forward lean at toe-off (p<0.001), while the ankle displayed reduced maximum dorsiflexion (p = 0.013) and increased plantar flexion at toe-off (p<0.001) in worn shoes. No changes in the hip and knee angles. No between-group difference among the three footwear groups or condition by type interaction was found in any measured variables. Conclusions: As shoe cushioning capability decreases, runners modify their patterns to maintain constant external loads. The adaptation strategies to shoe degradation were unaffected by different cushioning technologies, suggesting runners should choose shoes for reasons other than cushioning technology.
Generalization of Iterative Restoration Techniques for Super-Resolution

The resolution enhancement of an image is always desirable, for almost all situations, but mainly if the image has the purpose of visual analysis. The hardware development for increasing the image resolution at its capture still has a higher cost than the algorithm solutions for super-resolution (SR). Like image restoration, super-resolution is also an ill-conditioned inverse problem. This work analyses the iterative restoration methods (Van Cittert, Tikhonov-Miller and Conjugate Gradient) which propose solutions for the ill-conditioning problem and compares them with the IBP method (Iterative Back Projection) proposed by Irani-Peleg [1] and Komatsu et al. [2]. The analysis of the found similarities is the basis of a generalization, that other iterative restoration methods can have their properties adapted, such as regularization of the ill-conditioning, noise reduction and other degradations and the increase of the convergence rate can be incorporated to the techniques of super-resolution.
Centrifugal Force Induces Human Ligamentum Flavum Fibroblasts Inflammation Through Activation of JNK and p38 Pathways

Inflammation has been proposed to be an important causative factor in ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. However, the mechanisms of mechanical load on inflammation of ligamentum flavum remain unclear. In this study, we used an in vitro model of human ligamentum flavum fibroblasts subjected to centrifugal force to elucidate the effects of mechanical load on cultured human ligamentum flavum fibroblasts; we further studied its molecular and biochemical mechanisms. Human ligamentum flavum fibroblasts were obtained from six patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. Monolayer cultures of human ligamentum flavum fibroblasts were subjected to different magnitudes of centrifugal forces. Cell viability, cell death, biochemical response, and molecular response to centrifugal forces were analyzed. It was found that centrifugal stress significantly suppressed cell viability without inducing cell death. Centrifugal force at 67.1 g/cm2 for 60 min significantly increases the production of prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide as well as gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β and IL-6, showed that centrifugal force-dependent induction of cyclooxygense-2 and inducible NO synthase required JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, but not ERK 1/2 activities. This study suggested that centrifugal force does induce inflammatory responses in human ligamentum flavum fibroblasts. The activation of both JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase mechanotransduction cascades is a crucial intracellular mechanism that mediates cyclooxygense-2/prostaglandin E2 and inducible NO synthase/nitric oxide production.
Oxidized low density lipoprotein decreases Rankl‐induced differentiation of osteoclasts by inhibition of Rankl signaling

The role of OxLDL in the generation and progression of atherosclerosis is well admitted. In addition, it is well known that atherosclerosis is often accompanied by perturbations in bone remodeling, resulting in osteoporosis. In the current studies, the effect of Cu2+‐oxidized LDL (OxLDL) on RANKL‐induced RAW264.7 mouse monocytes‐macrophages differentiation to osteoclasts and on RANKL signaling pathway was investigated. OxLDL, within the range of 10–50 µg protein/ml, prevented RANKL‐induced generation of multinucleated osteoclast‐like cells and RANKL‐induced tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity. OxLDL also prevented the RANKL‐induced phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and JNK kinases, together with the RANKL‐induced DNA binding activities of NFkappaB and NFAT transcription factors. Concomitantly, OxLDL enhanced RANKL‐induced generation of reactive oxygen species in a dose‐dependent manner. The antioxidant glutathione (GSH) prevented whereas the prooxidant compound buthionine‐sulfoximine (BSO) enhanced the effect of OxLDL on RANKL‐induced oxidative stress and RANKL‐induced differentiation. Finally, OxLDL also prevented RANKL‐induced TRAP activity and RANKL‐induced bone resorbing activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results demonstrate that OxLDL, by generation of an intracellular oxidative stress, prevents the differentiation of osteoclasts by inhibition of RANKL signaling pathway. This might be related to the fact that atherosclerosis is accompanied by perturbations in bone and vascular remodeling, leading to osteoporosis and vascular calcification. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 572–578, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Creating locally-resolved mobile-source emissions inputs for air quality modeling in support of an exposure study in Detroit, Michigan, USA.

This work describes a methodology for modeling the impact of traffic-generated air pollutants in an urban area. This methodology presented here utilizes road network geometry, traffic volume, temporal allocation factors, fleet mixes, and emission factors to provide critical modeling inputs. These inputs, assembled from a variety of sources,are combined with meteorological inputs to generate link-based emissions for use in dispersion modeling to estimate pollutant concentration levels due to traffic. A case study implementing this methodology for a large health study is presented, including a sensitivity analysis of the modeling results reinforcing the importance of model inputs and identify those having greater relative impact, such as fleet mix. In addition, an example use of local measurements of fleet activity to supplement model inputs is described, and its impacts to the model outputs are discussed. We conclude that with detailed model inputs supported by local traffic measurements and meteorology, it is possible to capture the spatial and temporal patterns needed to accurately estimate exposure from traffic-related pollutants.
Prevalence of Sindbis-related (Pogosta) virus infections in patients with arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the role of Pogosta virus as a triggering infection in non-specific arthritis. METHODS Serum samples of 142 patients with acute arthritis were screened for the evidence of Pogosta virus infection. Serological tests for Chlamydia trachomatis, salmonella, parvovirus B19, and Borrelia burgdorferi were also carried out. As verified later, 78 of the patients had rheumatoid arthritis and 63 seronegative poly- or oligoarthritis, while one had systemic lupus erythematosus. RESULTS In the early stage of the joint symptoms 4 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 with seronegative polyarthritis and 1 with systemic lupus erythematosus had recent Pogosta virus infection. Four of them had probably had Pogosta disease at the time of the onset of arthritis. In 11 patients with a diagnosis of seronegative arthritis, serological evidence of preceding infection due to salmonella or Chlamydia trachomatis was found, strongly suggesting classical reactive arthritis in these cases. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that also a Sindbis virus infection may be associated both to an acute joint inflammation as a part of Pogosta disease or chronic arthritis. At present, this possibility still needs further research.