Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a pilot promotora program for Latino forest workers in southern Oregon.

BACKGROUND Forest work, an occupation with some of the highest injury and illness rates, is conducted primarily by Latino immigrant workers. This study evaluates a pilot program where promotoras (lay community health educators) provided occupational health and safety trainings for Latino forest workers. METHODS Evaluation methods included a focus group, post-tests, and qualitative feedback. RESULTS Community capacity to address working conditions increased through (i) increased leadership and community access to information and resources; and (ii) increased worker awareness of workplace health and safety rights and resources. Fear of retaliation remains a barrier to workers taking action; nevertheless, the promotoras supported several workers in addressing-specific workplace issues. CONCLUSIONS For working conditions to significantly improve, major structural influences need to be addressed. A long-term, organizationally supported promotora program can play a key role in linking and supporting change at the individual, interpersonal and community levels, contributing to and supporting structural change.
Chemical Pretreatment of Growth Plate Cartilage Increases Immunofluorescence Sensitivity

Immunofluorescence detection of proteins in growth plate cartilage is often unsuccessful because of innate autofluorescence, fixative-induced fluorescence, and dense cartilage matrix, which can inhibit antibody penetration. To overcome these limitations, the authors have tested various chemical pretreatments, including the autofluorescence quencher sodium borohydride, the antigen retrieval method of boiling sodium citrate, sugar-degrading enzymes (hyaluronidase, heparinase, and chondroitinase), and the proteolytic enzyme protease XXIV. Here the authors show that, in most cases, background fluorescence in cartilage is the primary obstacle to high-quality imaging. Blocking intrinsic fluorescence of the specimen in combination with specific pretreatments allows visualization using antibodies that previously did not generate a robust signal in the growth plate. Each antibody requires a specific combination of chemical pretreatments that must be empirically determined to achieve optimal staining levels. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc. org. Please visit this article online to view these materials.
Reconstruction Method of Magnetic Induction Tomography Based on Filter Back-Projection

Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) is a new method contact-less method of conductivity tomography, and it gets the conductivity of biology based on electromagnetic detecting. In the excitation of excitation coil the biologic tissue inspires perturbation, which could be measured by receiver coils. For the questions of MIT system, a new multi-channel magnetic induction imaging system model with rotatable platform was proposed in this paper, and a reconstruction method based on filter back-projection was presented. First, the detected data was supplemented to a round, and then was interpolated in the reconstruction process. At last the reconstructed image was got. Experiment results demonstrate that this model is an effective model in magnetic detecting and the conductivity of different objects can be distinguished effectively, and the conductivity in the detecting area could be imaging by the model and reconstruction method.
Generation Investment Equilibria With Strategic Producers—Part I: Formulation

The first of this two-paper series proposes a methodology to characterize generation investment equilibria in a pool-based network-constrained electricity market, where the producers behave strategically. To this end, the investment problem of each strategic producer is represented using a bilevel model, whose upper-level problem determines the optimal investment and the supply offering curves to maximize its profit, and whose several lower-level problems represent different market clearing scenarios. This model is transformed into a mathematical program with equilibrium constraint (MPEC) through replacing the lower-level problems by their optimality conditions. The joint consideration of all producer MPECs, one per producer, constitutes an equilibrium problem with equilibrium constraints (EPEC). To identify the solutions of this EPEC, each MPEC problem is replaced by its Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions, which are in turn linearized. The resulting mixed-integer linear system of equalities and inequalities allows determining the EPEC equilibria through an auxiliary MILP problem.
Populating ConceptNet Knowledge Base with Information Acquired from Japanese Wikipedia

This paper presents a method of acquiring IsA assertions (hyponymy relations), AtLocation assertions (informing of location of objects) and Located Near assertions (informing of neigh boring locations) automatically from Japanese Wikipedia XML dump files. To extract IsA assertions, we use the Hyponymy extraction tool v1.0, which analyses definition, category and hierarchy structures of Wikipedia articles. The tool also produces information-rich taxonomy from which, using our original method, we can extract additional information, in this case AtLocation and Located Near type of assertions. Experiments showed that both methods produce positive results: we were able to acquire 5,866,680 IsA assertions with 99.0% reliability, 131,760 AtLocation assertion pairs with 93.0% reliability and 6,217 Located Near assertion pairs with 99.0% reliability. Our method exceeded the baseline system considering both precision and the number of acquired assertions.
Distributed Control in HPX A Report Submitted in Partial Satisfaction of the Requirements for the Ph . D Qualifying Examination in Computer Science , Indiana University

Tasks in an unordered algorithm can be performed in any order and the final result does not depends on the task processing order. However, prioritizing tasks improve the efficiency of the algorithm. In our earlier work, we proposed a work scheduling mechanism for unordered distributed algorithms, called “Distributed Control” (DC). In our prior work we compared DC performance by implementing a DC based Single Source Shortest Path (SSSP) algorithm. We compared performance of popular ∆-Stepping based SSSP implementation with DC based SSSP. Our results showed that DC performance is much better compared to ∆-Stepping. Our previous implementation was based on a runtime environment called AM++. In this paper, we discuss a DC implementation based on HPX-3; a distributed runtime environment for ParalleX execution model. We will discuss implementation challenges encountered and various strategies used to overcome those and also a performance comparison between our previous implementation and current implementation.
Substance Use Among American Indian Youth in an Eastern City

Abstract This study represents one of the first efforts to examine substance use among American Indian (AI) youth in an Eastern city. As part of a school-based study in metropolitan Columbus, Ohio, 596 self-identified AI youth (grades 6-12) completed surveys describing their use of alcohol, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, marijuana and inhalants. Net of gender, grade and family structure, AI youth were more likely than their white peers to regularly use most substances while overall prevalence resembled estimates from studies of urban AI youth in the Western United States. These findings highlight the complex interactions of geography, identity and risk behavior among ethnic minority adolescents.
Jane, John ... Leslie? A Historical Method for Algorithmic Gender Prediction

This article describes a new method for inferring the gender of personal names using large historical datasets. In contrast to existing methods of gender prediction that treat names as if they are timelessly associated with one gender, this method uses a historical approach that takes into account how naming practices change over time. It uses historical data to measure the likelihood that a name was associated with a particular gender based on the time or place under study. This approach generates more accurate results for sources that encompass changing periods of time, providing digital humanities scholars with a tool to estimate the gender of names across large textual collections. The article first describes the methodology as implemented in the gender package for the R programming language. It goes on to apply the method to a case study in which we examine gender and gatekeeping in the American historical profession over the past half-century. The gender package illustrates the importance of incorporating historical approaches into computer science and related fields. [1]
A new compensation scheme for the inverse kinematics tasks of flexible robot arms

An inverse kinematics problem of flexible manipulators is considered. The problem is of importance for compensation of tip deflections when the manipulators perform quasi-static operations. Based upon kinematic and static relationships, a definition of the inverse kinematic task of flexible manipulators is formulated. Specific features of the task are considered, and a conventional approach applicable for resolving the task is analyzed. To avoid disadvantages of the conventional approach, an implicit iterative scheme based upon step-by-step compensation for the relative elastic deflections is proposed. Corresponding convergence conditions of the scheme are derived, and applicability of the scheme is verified through simulation. <<ETX>>
Percutaneous retrieval of lost or misplaced intravascular objects.

OBJECTIVE We report on our experience with percutaneous interventional techniques for retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies or repositioning of misplaced endovascular prostheses. MATERIALS AND METHODS Over a period of 6 years, we attempted percutaneous treatment of intravascular foreign bodies in 45 patients. The 45 foreign objects consisted of 12 endovascular stents, 14 catheter fragments, 11 embolization coils, four guidewire fragments, three vena cava filters, and one cardiac valve fragment. Percutaneous extraction was performed using a combination of multipurpose catheters and nitinol snare loop or grasping forceps. Depending on their composition, misplaced or dislodged intravascular stents were either repositioned or percutaneously removed. RESULTS Percutaneous intervention was successful in 41 (91.1%) of 45 patients. Of 38 patients on whom we performed percutaneous removal, the procedure was successful in 34 patients (89.5%), including 13 of the 14 patients with catheter fragments, all four of the patients with guidewire fragments, 10 of the 11 patients with misplaced or dislodged embolization coils, four of the five patients with misplaced or dislodged endovascular stents, and all three of the patients with misplaced or dislodged vena cava filters. The procedure was not successful in the one patient with a cardiac valve fragment. All seven of the percutaneous repositioning procedures we performed resulted in the endovascular stent being successfully repositioned in a stable intravascular position. Most of the retrieval procedures (77.7%) were performed using the nitinol snare as the primary instrument. No late complications were registered during the follow-up period, which ranged from 9 to 68 months (mean, 42.4 months overall). CONCLUSION Percutaneous techniques for the extraction of intravascular foreign objects or for repositioning of dislocated endovascular stents are highly effective with a low rate of complications and should always be the primary method of choice.
Experimental Tetrahedral Recording : Part Three

If the precautions outlined in Part Two have been followed, the recording should consist of four coincident cardioid (or hypercardioid) signals pointing to the four corners of the cube shown in fig. 1b: LR to rear left downward, LF to front left upwards, RF to front right downwards, and RR to rear right upwards. By matrixing these four signals, it is possible to obtain any conventional microphone characteristic output pointing in any direction.
Extreme Insulin Resistance in Critically Ill Patient With Sepsis

Patients who are critically ill can develop acute insulin resistance manifesting as hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Rarely, patients can develop extreme insulin resistance, defined as having an insulin requirement of >3 units/kg/day (1). We report here a case of a septic patient who developed acute extreme insulin resistance in the critical care setting that was difficult to treat, and after 4 days, reversed rapidly, necessitating rapid down-titration of the intravenous insulin infusion and close blood glucose monitoring to avoid hypoglycemia. This case illustrates a general lack of understanding of 1 ) why severe insulin resistance occurs, 2 ) how to treat this clinical dilemma safely and effectively, and 3 ) what the treatment goals should be to achieve the best medical outcomes. A 64-year-old Hispanic woman with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism was initially admitted with a right humeral head and neck fracture, right malleolar fracture, and navicular fracture. One day after admission, she developed acute hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring continuous positive airway pressure and transfer to the medical intensive care unit (MICU). Before hospitalization, her diabetes regimen included sitagliptin 50 mg daily, metformin 1,000 mg daily, and human insulin 70/30 combination (70% human insulin isophane suspension and 30% human insulin) at a dose of 40–50 units twice daily. Her A1C was 8.5%, and her weight on admission was 110 kg, with a BMI of 44.4 kg/m2. Physical exam was notable for central obesity. She denied any complications of diabetes. The primary team had started the patient on 40 units of subcutaneous insulin glargine daily and a high-dose supplemental corrective scale with insulin lispro to be given every 6 hours. Shortly after transfer to the MICU, the patient developed severe hyperglycemia. When …
Sequence of the GLN1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: role of the upstream region in regulation of glutamine synthetase expression

The GLN1 gene, encoding glutamine synthetase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was sequenced, and its encoded polypeptide was shown to have significant homology to other eukaryotic glutamine synthetases. S1 analysis has defined the transcriptional start site of the gene. Upstream analysis of the gene using lacZ fusions has verified transcriptional control of the gene and has identified a nitrogen upstream activation sequence which is required for the increased transcription of GLN1 seen when glutamine is replaced by glutamate as the nitrogen source. cis-acting sites required for the increased transcription in response to purine starvation also have been localized.
PRESERVE-beta: two-year efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy with nateglinide or glyburide plus metformin.

OBJECTIVE To compare long-term efficacy and safety of initial combination therapy with nateglinide/metformin versus glyburide/metformin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a randomized, multicenter, double-masked, 2-year study of 428 drug-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients received 120 mg a.c. nateglinide or 1.25 mg q.d. glyburide plus 500 mg q.d. open-label metformin for the initial 4 weeks. During a subsequent 12-week titration period, glyburide and metformin were increased by 1.25- and 500-mg increments to maximum daily doses of 10 and 2,000 mg, respectively, if biweekly fasting plasma glucose (FPG) > or = 6.7 mmol/l. Nateglinide was not titrated. Blinding was maintained by use of matching placebo for nateglinide and glyburide. An 88-week monitoring period followed, during which HbA1c (A1C), FPG, and postprandial glucose excursions (PPGEs) during an oral glucose tolerance test were measured. RESULTS In nateglinide/metformin-treated patients, mean A1C was 8.4% at baseline and 6.9% at week 104. In glyburide/metformin-treated patients, mean A1C was 8.3% at baseline and 6.8% at week 104 (P < 0.0001 vs. baseline for both treatments, NS between treatments). The deltaPPGE averaged -96 +/- 19 (P < 0.0001) and -57 +/- 22 mmol.l(-1). min(-1) (P < 0.05) in patients receiving nateglinide/metformin and glyburide/metformin, respectively, whereas deltaFPG was -1.6 +/- 0.2 (P < 0.0001) and -2.4 +/- 0.2 mmol/l (P < 0.0001) in patients receiving nateglinide/metformin and glyburide/metformin, respectively (P < 0.01 between groups). Thus, the two treatments achieved similar efficacy with differential effects on FPG versus PPGE. Hypoglycemia occurred in 8.2 and 17.7% of patients receiving nateglinide/metformin and glyburide/metformin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Similar good glycemic control can be maintained for 2 years with either treatment regimen, but nateglinide/metformin may represent a safer approach to initial combination therapy.
Identification of a Major Carbohydrate Capping Group of the L-selectin Ligand on High Endothelial Venules in Human Lymph Nodes as 6-Sulfo Sialyl Lewis X*

We investigated the molecular species of sulfated sialyl Lewis X determinants, the putative L-selectin ligand, expressed on high endothelial venules (HEV) in human lymph nodes. Comparison of the reactivity pattern of HEV with the reactivity of the pure 6-sulfo, 6′-sulfo, or 6,6′-bissulfo sialyl Lewis X determinant with hitherto known anti-sialyl Lewis X antibodies strongly suggested 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X to be the best candidate for the major sulfated sialyl Lewis X determinant on HEV, followed by 6,6′-bissulfo sialyl Lewis X, whereas 6′-sulfo sialyl Lewis X was unlikely. We newly generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) G152 and G72 directed against 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X, which intensely labeled HEV in immunohistochemical examination and inhibited binding of recombinant L-selectin-IgG to HEV, suggesting that the determinant serves as a ligand for L-selectin. To test the concomitant expression of 6,6′-bissulfo sialyl Lewis X, specific mAbs (G2706, G27011, G27037, and G27039) were generated, but all antibodies failed to react to HEV. Next, we established mAbs (AG97 and AG273) directed against 6-sulfo Lewis X, the asialo form of 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X. The antibodies were not reactive to untreated HEV, but strongly reacted to sialidase-treated HEV. This indicated the predominance of the sialylated form of 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X and minimal expression of its asialo form, corroborating that it was synthesized by fucosyltransferase VII, the isoenzyme that preferentially produces the sialylated form of the determinant.
On the concept and the interest of virtual power plant: Some results from the European project Fenix

In order to manage distributed generation and to enhance its valorization within electrical distribution systems, the concept of virtual power plant (VPP) has emerged and is used by many research teams worldwide. It consists in aggregating various small size generating units to form a “single virtual generating unit” that can behave as a conventional one. Such a concept is under development within the EU project FENIX. Two types of aggregation are considered by the FENIX project: the Commercial Virtual Power Plant (CVPP) that tackles the aggregation of small generating units with respect to market integration and the Technical Virtual Power Plant (TVPP) that tackles aggregation of these units with respect to services that can be offered to the grid. The voltage and congestion management of network are the two major services that are detailed in this paper.
A Collision Coupling Model Governs the Activation of Neuronal GIRK1/2 Channels by Muscarinic-2 Receptors

The G protein-activated Inwardly Rectifying K+-channel (GIRK) modulates heart rate and neuronal excitability. Following G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR)-mediated activation of heterotrimeric G proteins (Gαβγ), opening of the channel is obtained by direct binding of Gβγ subunits. Interestingly, GIRKs are solely activated by Gβγ subunits released from Gαi/o-coupled GPCRs, despite the fact that all receptor types, for instance Gαq-coupled, are also able to provide Gβγ subunits. It is proposed that this specificity and fast kinetics of activation stem from pre-coupling (or pre-assembly) of proteins within this signaling cascade. However, many studies, including our own, point towards a diffusion-limited mechanism, namely collision coupling. Here, we set out to address this long-standing question by combining electrophysiology, imaging, and mathematical modeling. Muscarinic-2 receptors (M2R) and neuronal GIRK1/2 channels were coexpressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, where we monitored protein surface expression, current amplitude, and activation kinetics. Densities of expressed M2R were assessed using a fluorescently labeled GIRK channel as a molecular ruler. We then incorporated our results, along with available kinetic data reported for the G-protein cycle and for GIRK1/2 activation, to generate a comprehensive mathematical model for the M2R-G-protein-GIRK1/2 signaling cascade. We find that, without assuming any irreversible interactions, our collision coupling kinetic model faithfully reproduces the rate of channel activation, the changes in agonist-evoked currents and the acceleration of channel activation by increased receptor densities.
A Special Cranial Nucleus (CSF-Contacting Nucleus) in Primates

Background There is a unique nucleus (CSF-contacting nucleus) in the brain of rat. It has been demonstrated in our previous research. The extraordinary feature of this nucleus is that it is not connected to any parenchymal organ but to the CSF. In primates, however, the presence or absence of this nucleus has not been proven. Confirmation of the presence of this nucleus in primates will provide the structural basis for brain-CSF communication and help to understand the neurohumoral regulatory mechanisms in humans. Methods The tracer cholera toxin B subunit conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (CB-HRP) was injected into the CSF in the lateral ventricle (LV) of primate rhesus monkeys. After 48 h, the monkeys were perfused and the brain was dissected out, and sectioned for CB-HRP staining. The CB-HRP positive structures were observed under confocal and electron microscopy. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of the CB-HRP positive neurons cluster was reconstructed by computer software. Results (1) CB-HRP labeling is confined within the ventricle, but not leakage into the brain parenchyma. (2) From the midbrain inferior colliculus superior border plane ventral to the aqueduct to the upper part of the fourth ventricle (4V) floor, a large number of CB-HRP positive neurons are consistently located, form a cluster, and are symmetrically located on both sides of the midline. (3) 3D reconstruction shows that the CB-HRP positive neurons cluster in the monkey brain occupies certain space. The rostral part is large and caudal part is thin appearing a “rivet”-like shape. (4) Under electron microscopy, the CB-HRP positive neurons show different types of synaptic connections with the non-CSF-contacting structures in the brain. Some of the processes stretch directly into the ventricle cavity. Conclusion Same as we did in rats, the CSF-contacting nucleus is also existed in the primate brain parenchyma. We also recommend listing it as the XIII pair of cranial nucleus, which is specialized in the communications between the brain and the CSF. It is significant to the completing of innervation in the organism.