Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vertical stiffness asymmetries during drop jumping are related to ankle stiffness asymmetries

Asymmetry in vertical stiffness has been associated with increased injury incidence and impaired performance. The determinants of vertical stiffness asymmetry have not been previously investigated. Eighteen healthy men performed three unilateral drop jumps during which vertical stiffness and joint stiffness of the ankle and knee were calculated. Reactive strength index was also determined during the jumps using the ratio of flight time to ground contact time. “Moderate” differences in vertical stiffness (t17 = 5.49; P < 0.001), “small” differences in center of mass displacement (t17 = −2.19; P = 0.043), and “trivial” differences in ankle stiffness (t17 = 2.68; P = 0.016) were observed between stiff and compliant limbs. A model including ankle stiffness and reactive strength index symmetry angles explained 79% of the variance in vertical stiffness asymmetry (R2 = 0.79; P < 0.001). None of the symmetry angles were correlated to jump height or reactive strength index. Results suggest that asymmetries in ankle stiffness may play an important role in modulating vertical stiffness asymmetry in recreationally trained men.
Thermal contact conductance between the bundle and the conduit in cable-in-conduit conductors

Temperature rise in a quenching cable-in-conduit conductor is strongly affected by thermal contact conductance between the bundle and conduit. To evaluate this temperature rise, conductance is measured by using two experimental techniques. In the first experiments, we apply a current to a short conductor cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature and observe the temperature rise of the bundle and conduit. The conductance is calculated from the temperature difference. In the second experiments, contact conductance is directly measured under compressive pressure at room temperature by using a small copper block with heaters. The results show that the contact conductance is affected by surface pressure and is almost independent of the conductivity of ambient gas. Therefore, to evaluate temperature rise in a quenching conductor, it is necessary to measure conductance under a surface pressure equivalent to an electromagnetic force.
Survivable Replica Placement in Tree-Based Dependency Models

In complex systems, such as data centers, component failure is ubiquitous. Studies have shown that many complex systems do not effectively mitigate the impact of correlated failures. A model for handling correlated failure based upon hierarchical dependencies between multiple points of failure is presented. The dependency model is generic in the sense that it makes no assumptions concerning the hardware or system domain to which it may be applied, therefore it can be applied to model dependencies among failure events in multiple contexts. Under this failure model, the problem of placing replicas on storage nodes is considered. This problem can be solved by a dynamic programming algorithm which computes an optimal placement of a single data replica with respect to a hierarchical failure model in polynomial time. Finally, the limitations of the model are discussed, along with planned improvements.
Solving Transactional Control in Current Management Frameworks

Policy Based Network Management has been presented as a paradigm for efficient and customisable management systems. The IETF has provided a framework to describe the concept but some aspects still open like transactional control. In fact transactional control mechanisms are receiving today great attention in the scope of network management. In here, we identify the lacks of current management paradigms concerning transactional control and we propose a policy-based network management system that allows specify operations over aggregations of agents and that provides high-level atomic transactions.
Geographical proximity and depressive symptoms among adult child caregivers: social support as a moderator

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study examined whether geographical proximity is a predictor of depressive symptoms, and whether family and friend support can moderate the relationship between geographical proximity and depressive symptoms. Method: A survey of 557 adult child primary caregivers was conducted in Shanghai, China in 2013. Geographical proximity was measured as a categorical variable: coresidence, short distance (less than 30 minutes’ travel time), and long distance (more than 30 minutes’ travel time). Family and friend support were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center on Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multiple regression analyses and interaction terms were used to test the moderating roles of family and friend support. Results: Adult child caregivers who live more than 30 minutes away from care recipients experienced higher depressive symptoms than coresiding caregivers (β = .114, p < .01). Family support (β = −.408, p < .05) and friend support (β = −.235, p < .05) were protective factors that lessened depressive symptoms for long-distance adult child caregivers. Conclusion: This study adds spatial dimension to caregiving literature and extends stress process theory. These findings have important implications for service planning and social support for adult child caregivers.
Object detection with hough forests using HaarHOG descriptor

In this paper we propose a new method for detecting object class instances based on Hough transform. Hough forests which are adapted to perform Hough transform have been efficiently used for single-class object detection. In this work we extend them using HaarHOG descriptor which is a combination of Haar wavelet and HOG descriptor. As a result, we increase the number of feature channels in Hough forests. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed method performs as well as the traditional Hough forests and can also improve the detection accuracy for certain values of detection parameter.
Hepatobiliary disposition of rhodamine 123 in isolated perfused rat livers

The disposition of rhodamine 123 (RH-123), a known marker of P-glycoprotein, and its liver-generated glucuronide metabolite (RH-Glu), a marker of Mrp2, was studied in an isolated perfused rat liver model. Livers were perfused with a buffer containing 0.1 µg ml−1 RH-123 for 30 or 60 min or for 30 min followed by 90 min of drug-free perfusion, and the concentrations of the drug and its metabolites were determined in the perfusate, bile, and the liver tissue. The outlet perfusate concentrations of RH-123 and RH-Glu reached an apparent plateau during the continuous infusion of the drug, with a very extensive extraction ratio of approximately 96% for the parent drug. However, the biliary excretion rates of both RH-123 and generated RH-Glu continued to rise almost linearly during the entire 60 min of drug infusion. This was associated with a linear increase in the amount of RH-123 recovered in the liver between 30 and 60 min of drug infusion, resulting in a significant (>50% of the administered dose) recovery of the marker in the liver both after 30 and 60 min of perfusion. Additionally, the washout experiments showed that the declines in the biliary excretion rates of RH-123 and RH-Glu were parallel to that of RH-123 concentration in the liver in the absence of drug input. The hepatobiliary disposition of RH-123 in rats is unique because of its substantial and time-dependent accumulation in the liver, resulting in a lack of steady-state in its biliary excretion despite apparent steady-state in the perfusate.
Multidrug resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa in contemporary medical practice: findings from urinary isolates at a Nigerian university teaching hospital

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that is often encountered in urinary tract infection (UTI) worldwide and has shown varied antibiotic susceptibility patterns. This study was therefore designed to ascertain the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the organism in Jos. Data on antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa generated from urine samples by the Microbiology laboratory of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) was compiled for a period of three years (July 2001- June 2004). Additional information was obtained from the records department of the hospital. Samples were collected, stored and processed using standard laboratory procedures. The rate of isolation of P. aeruginosa from urine samples was found to be 4.6% (n=127) from 12,458 samples. From male population 34% (n=43) were isolated and 66% (n=84) were recovered from females population with a significant (P against antibiotics was extremely high. Prophylactic antibiotic medication against UTI should be carefully weighed against this undesirable possible outcome (resistance). Susceptibility testing should be adopted as a basic routine laboratory procedure in hospitals and clinics in order to guide appropriately on the right choice of antibiotics. Finally, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and cefuroxime should be considered on isolation of P. aeruginosa from UTI, especially in the absence of a sensitivity report as well as for prophylactic options. Key Words: Antimicrobial Susceptibility; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; UTI
Tyrosine 343 in the erythropoietin receptor positively regulates erythropoietin‐induced cell proliferation and Stat5 activation.

While previous studies with truncated erythropoietin receptors (EpRs) have suggested that the tyrosine phosphorylation of the EpR does not play a role in Ep‐induced proliferation, we have found, using a more subtle, full length EpR mutant, designated Null, in which all eight of the intracellular tyrosines have been substituted with phenylalanine residues, that Null cells require substantially more Ep than wild‐type cells in order to proliferate as efficiently. A comparison of Ep‐induced proliferation with Ep‐induced tyrosine phosphorylation patterns, using wild‐type and Null EpR‐expressing cells, revealed that Stat5 tyrosine phosphorylation and activation correlated directly with proliferation. Moreover, studies with a Y343F EpR point mutant and various EpR deletion mutants revealed that both Ep‐induced proliferation and Stat5 activation were mediated primarily through Y343, but that other tyrosines within the EpR could activate Stat5 in its absence.
Problems in standardization of digitalis-like substance assays by means of competitive immunological methods.

340 CLINICALCHEMISTRY. Vol. 33, No. 2, 1987 parathyroid gland, medullothyroid gland, and pancreas f3 cells), l,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and enzymes are involved (3,4). Moreover, arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are calcium-dependent (3, 5). In IDD women, the significant negative correlation between P1Ca and total cholesterol might be accounted for by the internalization of the calcium or even the cholesterol in the artery wall at a younger age, depending on whether cholesterol or calcium increased in their plasma. Thus, an increase in plasma cholesterol could allow P1-Ca to penetrate into the artery intima, to form atherosclerotic plaques in patients for whom atherosclerosis is very common and occurs early (4). The Bogalusa Heart Study (Framingham Junior survey) has just provided additional proof that cholesterol is one, if not the major, cause of atherosclerosis (6). Could calcium be the missing piece in this puzale of atherosclerotic plaque formation? Once again, biological results are not the same for both sexes (2-4). The epidemiologic, clinical, ergometric, and therapeutic particularities of women presenting with coronary insufficiency have just been described (7). Our results raise questions that were not resolved in that study, and suggest that much work remains to be done.
Heterogeneous structures formed by conserved RNA sequences within the HIV reverse transcription initiation site

Reverse transcription is a key process in the early steps of HIV infection. This process initiates within a specific complex formed by the 5′ UTR of the HIV genomic RNA (vRNA) and a host primer tRNALys3. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we detect two distinct conformers adopted by the tRNA/vRNA initiation complex. We directly show that an interaction between the conserved 8-nucleotide viral RNA primer activation signal (PAS) and the primer tRNA occurs in one of these conformers. This intermolecular PAS interaction likely induces strain on a vRNA intramolecular helix, which must be broken for reverse transcription to initiate. We propose a mechanism by which this vRNA/tRNA conformer relieves the kinetic block formed by the vRNA intramolecular helix to initiate reverse transcription.
Systems of imprimitivity for the clifford group

It is known that if the dimension is a perfect square the Clifford group can be represented by monomial matrices. Another way of expressing this result is to say that when the dimension is a perfect square the standard representation of the Clifford group has a system of imprimitivity consisting of one dimensional subspaces. We generalize this result to the case of an arbitrary dimension. Let k be the square-free part of the dimension. Then we show that the standard representation of the Clifford group has a system of imprimitivity consisting of k-dimensional subspaces. To illustrate the use of this result we apply it to the calculation of SIC-POVMs (symmetric informationally complete positive operator valued measures), constructing exact solutions in dimensions 8 (hand-calculation) as well as 12 and 28 (machine-calculation).
ATP‐Sensitive K+ Channel‐Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy Proteome Remodeled by Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy

Transplantation of pluripotent stem cells has proven beneficial in heart failure, yet the proteomic landscape underlying repair remains largely uncharacterized. In a genetic model of dilated cardiomyopathy elicited by pressure overload in the KCNJ11 (potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 11) null mutant, proteome‐wide profiles were here resolved by means of a systems approach prior to and following disease manifestation in the absence or presence of embryonic stem cell treatment. Comparative two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed a unique cardiomyopathic proteome in the absence of therapy, remodeled in response to stem cell treatment. Specifically, linear ion trap quadrupole‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry determined the identities of 93 and 109 differentially expressed proteins from treated and untreated cardiomyopathic hearts, respectively. Mapped protein–protein relationships and corresponding neighborhoods incorporated the stem cell‐dependent subproteome into a nonstochastic network with divergent composition from the stem cell‐independent counterpart. Stem cell intervention produced a distinct proteome signature across a spectrum of biological processes ranging from energetic metabolism, oxidoreductases, and stress‐related chaperones to processes supporting protein synthesis/degradation, signaling, and transport regulation, cell structure and scaffolding. In the absence of treatment, bioinformatic interrogation of the disease‐only proteome network prioritized adverse cardiac outcomes, ablated or ameliorated following stem cell transplantation. Functional and structural measurements validated improved myocardial contractile performance, reduced ventricular size and decreased cardiac damage in the treated cohort. Unbiased systems assessment unmasked “cardiovascular development” as a prioritized biological function in stem cell‐reconstructed cardiomyopathic hearts. Thus, embryonic stem cell treatment transformed the cardiomyopathic proteome to demote disease‐associated adverse effects and sustain a procardiogenic developmental response, supplying a regenerative substrate for heart failure repair. STEM CELLS 2010;28:1355–1367
ACE 2 deficiency modifies renoprotection afforded by ACE inhibition in experimental diabetes

Objective: The degradation of angiotensin (Ang) II by angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), leading to the formation of Ang 1–7, is an important step in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and one which is significantly altered in the diabetic kidney. This study examines the role of ACE2 in early renal changes associated with diabetes, and the influence of ACE2 deficiency on ACE inhibitor-mediated renoprotection. Methods: Streptozotocin diabetes was induced in male c57bl6 mice and ACE2 KO mice. After five weeks of study, animals were randomised to receive the ACE inhibitor, perindopril (2 mg/kg/day). Wild-type mice were further randomised to receive the selective ACE2 inhibitor, MLN-4760 (10 mg/kg/day) and followed for an additional five weeks. Markers of renal function and injury were then assessed. Results: The induction of diabetes in wild-type mice was associated with a reduction in renal ACE2 expression and decreased Ang1-7. In diabetic mice receiving MLN-4760 and in ACE2 KO mice, diabetes-associated albuminuria was enhanced, associated with an increase in blood pressure. However, renal hypertrophy and fibrogenesis were reduced in diabetic mice with ACE2 deficiency and hyperfiltration was attenuated. Diabetic wild type mice treated with an ACE inhibitor experienced a reduction in albuminuria and blood pressure. These responses were attenuated in both diabetic ACE2 KO mice and diabetic mice receiving MLN-4760. However, other renoprotective and antifibrotic actions of ACE inhibition in diabetes were preserved in ACE2 deficient mice. Conclusions: The expression of ACE2 is significantly modified by diabetes, which impacts both on the pathogenesis of kidney disease, as well as the responsiveness to RAS blockade. These data indicate that ACE2 is a complex, and site-specific modulator of diabetic kidney disease.
Light microscopic diagnosis of microsporidiosis in patients with AIDS.

OBJECTIVE In the past, the diagnosis of chronic intestinal microsporidiosis, an important cause of diarrhea in patients with AIDS, relied upon transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this study, the sensitivity and specificity of the light microscopic (LM) diagnosis of microsporidiosis was determined. METHODS Thirty-four consecutive jejunal biopsies from AIDS patients were evaluated at St. Luke's-Roosevelt and George Washington University Hospital Centers by several light microscopic stains, including hematoxylin and eosin, Gram stain, Giemsa stain, chromotrope 2R modified-trichrome stain, and Giemsa stain of mucosal touch preparations (TP). The results were compared to TEM, as the gold standard, and to estimates of parasite burden from plastic section light microscopy and TP. RESULTS Microsporidiosis was diagnosed by TEM in 15 cases. The diagnosis also was reached by light microscopy in most cases. The sensitivities and negative predictive values of the different techniques ranged from 57% to 88%, while the specificities and positive predictive values ranged from 94% to 100%. All stains gave concordant results in 23 of 34 cases. The parasite burden was lower by TEM (p < 0.05) and TP in cases with discordant (false-negative) results than in those with concordant results, suggesting that a false-negative diagnosis is related to a low parasite burden. CONCLUSION It should be possible to render the diagnosis of intestinal microsporidiosis by LM in most cases. TEM may be needed for the minority of cases with low parasite burden.
Examining cognitive interference and adaptive safety behaviours in tactical vehicle control

Concurrent mental workload degrades some aspects of driving performance, but drivers might be able to modify their behaviour adaptively to accommodate cognitive impairments. For example, they might maintain longer vehicle headway in dual-task conditions to compensate for slowed response times. Studies documenting such adaptive behaviours typically use steady-state driving scenarios such as car following. Yet, driving often involves tactical control situations in which drivers need to monitor multiple aspects of their traffic environment and to accommodate changing goals. In two simulator experiments, this study examined the impact of mental workload on safety margins (distances) that drivers keep when engaged in a tactical control task: passing other vehicles. Although drivers did increase their headway adaptively when engaged in steady-state car following (experiment 2), they did not adapt their behaviour to accommodate cognitive load when performing tactical control manoeuvres. Implications of this difference between steady-state and tactical control driving contexts, both for driving research and for driving safety, are discussed.
Application of Service-oriented Computing and Model-driven Development Paradigms to Business Processes - A Systematic Review

To achieve the defined value for their businesses, current organizations need to manage their business processes in an integrated manner, interconnecting the software systems that support these processes. Over the last few years, new paradigms have appeared to respond to this and other organizational and software needs: Business Process Management (BPM) and Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) which are closely interconnected. Additionally, the Model-Driven Development (MDD) paradigm has been called upon to play an important role in supporting business process implementation by software services. BPM handles the management of business processes, including their modelling, deployment, execution, analysis and improvement. Service-Oriented Computing bases software development on services, which correspond to business concepts and are created in order to perform business processes. Model-Driven Development promotes software development based on models which enable, among other things, transformations and the automatic generation of code for different platforms. With the aim of establishing the bases for research into the integration of these paradigms to support business process management in organizations, a systematic review was carried out, focusing on the current state of the literature concerning the application of serviceoriented and model-driven paradigms to business processes.
Lifestyle screening: development of an acceptable multi-item general practice tool.

AIMS To develop a short screening tool for lifestyle and mental-health risk factors that adults can self-administer, and to determine acceptability and feasibility of use of this tool in primary care settings. METHODS The multi-item tool was designed to screen patients in rural and urban New Zealand general practices for smoking, alcohol and drug misuse, problem gambling, depression, anxiety, abuse, anger, sedentary lifestyle, and weight issues. Patients were offered help for identified risk factors. Fifty consecutive adult patients per practice (n=2,543) were recruited to participate from 20 randomly-selected urban general practitioners; 20 general practice nurses and 11 rural general practitioners. RESULTS Patients came from diverse ethnic, geographical, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The sample prevalence of positive responses identified ranged from 2.8% (gambling) to 42.7% (depression). The number of patients requesting immediate assistance with these responses (0.5 to 13.5%) did not overwhelm clinicians. The tool was well accepted by patients, with few objections to specific questions (0.1-0.8%). Most practitioners stated they will use the screening tool once available. CONCLUSIONS Screening for lifestyle and mental health risk factors is becoming increasingly important in primary health care. This screening tool was acceptable to patients and was not considered overly burdensome by practitioners.