Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Zfp580 Regulates Paracrine and Endocrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 Differently in the Brain and Blood After a Murine Stroke

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (Igf1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (Igfbp3) are endocrine and paracrine factors that influence stroke occurrence, severity, and recovery. Low levels of endocrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 were associated with larger infarct volumes and unfavorable outcomes. Paracrine Igf1 is brain cytoprotective and improves functional recovery after stroke. In this study, we evaluated the effects of zinc finger protein 580 (Zfp580) on endocrine and paracrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 after stroke. Zfp580 suppressed the expression of Igf1 and Igfbp3 in cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3) as determined by real-time RT-PCR. Zfp580 was suppressed by combined oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and mediated the effect of OGD on Igf1 and Igfbp3. In vivo, we evaluated paracrine regulation by real-time RT-PCR of brain lysates and endocrine regulation by ELISA of blood samples. Genomic ablation of Zfp580 did not alter basal paracrine or endocrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 levels. After transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), Zfp580 was globally elevated in the brain for up to 3 days. Paracrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 were selectively induced in the ischemic hemisphere from day 2 to day 3 or day 1 to day 7, respectively. In Zfp580 knockout mice, the paracrine regulations of Igf1 and Igfbp3 were attenuated while endocrine Igf1 and the molar Igf1/Igfbp3 ratio were increased. In conclusion, Zfp580 differentially controls paracrine and endocrine Igf1 and Igfbp3 after stroke. Inhibition of Zfp580 might be a new treatment target leading to increased activity of Igf1 to improve stroke outcome.
Curcumin Restrains Oxidative Stress of After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Rat by Activating the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a severe hemorrhagic stroke, induces cerebral oxidative stress and severe secondary neurological injury. Curcumin was demonstrated to inhibit oxidative stress in the brain after ICH. However, the pharmacological mechanism needs further research. We used an intrastriatal injection of autologous blood to make the rat ICH model, and then the rat was treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg/day). Modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) and corner test results showed that curcumin could significantly promote the neurological recovery of ICH rats. Meanwhile, curcumin could substantially reduce ROS and MDA in the tissues around intracranial hematoma and prevent GSH depletion. To explore the pharmacological molecular mechanism of curcumin, we used HAPI cells and primary rat cortical microglia for in vitro experiments. In vitro, heme-treated cells were used as the cell model of ICH to explore the molecular mechanism of inhibiting oxidative stress by curcumin treatment. The results showed that curcumin significantly inhibited heme-induced oxidative stress, decreased intracellular ROS and MDA, and promoted Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant gene (HO-1, NQO1, and Gpx4) expression. These results suggest that curcumin inhibits oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Here, our results indicate that curcumin can promote the inhibition of oxidative stress in microglia by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and promoting neurological recovery after ICH, providing a new therapeutic target for clinical treatment of ICH.
Macrofauna Associated With a Rhodolith Bed at an Oceanic Island in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica)

Rhodoliths are round calcareous red algae that form extensive beds and associated with them are a diverse suite of species. Rhodolith beds are among the least known coastal–marine ecosystems, and even less is understood about their associated flora and fauna. Here, we present an evaluation of the biodiversity larger than 500 μm associated with rhodoliths at Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica, an oceanic island in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, 500 km offshore of the mainland. This research determined the influence of rhodolith degree of aggregation (distance among individual rhodolith) as well as rhodolith complexity, volume, and mass in relation to the diversity, composition, and biomass of the associated fauna. A total of 145 taxa were collected in 60 rhodolith samples. Arthropods, polychaetes, and mollusks were the dominant taxa in terms of richness, and crustaceans + acari represented >50% of the total abundance. Five potentially new species were collected in this study. Collections identified 31 new records, with 20 of them being newly reported genera for Isla del Coco. Many of the organisms found were juveniles as well as adult stages bearing eggs, demonstrating the importance of this ecosystem. The faunal composition changed along the gradient of rhodolith aggregation. Moderately aggregated rhodoliths (separated by 5 to 10 cm) had the highest diversity, with the highest averages of taxon richness and total numerical abundance and the highest faunal biomass. There were more organisms in more complex rhodoliths; nevertheless, the complexity of the rhodolith did not affect the number of taxa or total organism biomass. Larger rhodoliths, in size and mass, favored higher amounts of taxa and organisms. The rhodolith bed studied is an example of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis because the highest value of biodiversity of invertebrates was at the moderate aggregation level of rhodoliths. In this density of rhodoliths, the fauna was less exposed to hard environmental conditions and prevented dominant species.
Temperament Dimensions and Awakening Cortisol Levels in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective To investigate whether temperament dimensions, Effortful Control (EC), Surgency-Extraversion (SE), and Negative Affectivity (NA), are associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and how they relate to awakening cortisol levels, as a proxy measure of peripheral arousal. Methods Parent-rated temperament and saliva samples were collected from 55 children with ADHD and 65 age-matched controls. Results Compared to controls, youths with ADHD showed lower EC, higher NA, and lower awakening cortisol levels but did not differ in SE. Similar findings emerged in dimensional analyses linking temperament traits to inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. The results remained unchanged when controlling for the presence of co-occurring opposition-defiance and anxiety traits, as well as medication status. Temperament dimensions were not associated with cortisol levels. Conclusions Poor temperamental emotional and cognitive self-regulation showed significant associations with ADHD but did not appear to be linked to the under-arousal typically seen in ADHD.
Epidemiology, Management, Quality of Testing and Cost of Syphilis in Germany: A Retrospective Model Analysis

Background A multi-dimensional model can be a useful tool for estimating the general impact of disease on the different sectors of the healthcare system. We chose the sexually transmitted disease syphilis for our model due to the good quality of reported data in Germany. Methods The model included gender- and age-stratified incident cases of syphilis (in- and outpatients) provided by a German statutory health insurance company, as well as seroprevalence data on syphilis in first-time blood donors. Age standardized rates were calculated based on the standard German population. The test quality was assessed by extrapolating the number of false-positive and false-negative results based on data from Europe-wide external quality assessment (EQA) schemes. The model analysis was validated with the reported cases and diagnosis-related group (DRG)-statistics from 2010 to 2012. The annual direct and indirect economic burden was estimated based on the outcomes of our model. Results The standardized results were slightly higher than the results reported between 2010 and 2012. This could be due to an underassessment of cases in Germany or due to limitations of the dataset. The number of estimated inpatients was predicted with an accuracy of 89.8 %. Results from EQA schemes indicated an average sensitivity of 92.8 % and an average specificity of 99.9 % for the recommended sequential testing for syphilis. Based on our model, we estimated a total average minimal annual burden of €20,292,110 for syphilis on the German healthcare system between 2010 and 2012. Conclusions The linking of claims data, results from EQA schemes, and blood donor surveillance can be a useful tool for assessing the burden of disease on the healthcare system. It can help raise awareness in populations potentially at risk for infectious diseases, demonstrate the need to educate potential risk groups, and may help with predictive cost calculations and planning.
Day-Ahead Optimal Interval Scheduling for Building Energy System Considering Building Envelope Virtual Energy Storage Uncertainties

The heat storage property of building envelopes is usually modeled into virtual energy storage (VES) and regarded as a flexibility resource to support the energy scheduling of building energy systems (BESs). However, the adjustable potential of VES is uncertain, incurred by several ambient random variables with/without specific probability distributions, posing challenges in determining the operational planning schemes of the BES. This article is intended to study a day-ahead optimal scheduling method for a PV-integrated BES (known as PV-BES) with the consideration of VES using interval optimization methods. First, an interval number is used to characterize the uncertainties of outdoor temperature, light irradiance, and the occupant’s behavior reflected by the uncontrollable household load. Second, an interval VES model is developed by modeling VES’s virtual charge–discharge power (VCDP) with an interval number. Finally, a day-ahead optimal interval scheduling model for the PV-BES considering VES is formulated, aiming to minimize the electricity energy purchase cost of the PV-BES from the external grid. Numerical simulation is conduced, and the results validated the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Endocardial Radiofrequency Ablation vs. Septal Myectomy in Patients With Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Septal myectomy (SM) has been the gold standard therapy for most patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Endocardial radiofrequency ablation of septal hypertrophy (ERASH) is a novel treatment for septal reduction. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety between two treatment strategies. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases to identify relevant studies published up to March 2021. Random-effect models were used to calculate standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) and septal thickness. Results Twenty-five studies are included in this review, eighteen studies for SM and seven studies for ERASH. During follow-up, there were significant reductions of the mean resting LVOTG in adults (SM groups: SMD = −3.03, 95% CI [−3.62 to −2.44]; ERASH groups: SMD = −1.95, 95% CI [−2.45 to −1.45]) and children (SM groups: SMD = −2.67, 95% CI [−3.21 to −2.12]; ERASH groups: SMD= −2.37, 95% CI [−3.02 to −1.73]) after the septal reduction therapies. For adults, SM groups contributed to more obvious reduction than ERASH groups in interventricular septal thickness (SM groups: SMD = −1.82, 95% CI [−2.29 to −1.34]; ERASH groups: SMD = −0.43, 95% CI [−1.00 to 0.13]). The improvement of the New York Heart Association class was similar in the two groups (SM groups: 46.4%; ERASH groups: 46.7%). The periprocedural mortality in SM and ERASH were 1.1 and 1.8%, respectively. Conclusions This systematic review suggests that SM is superior to ERASH in the treatment of HOCM. But for the patients who are at risk for open cardiac surgeries or prefer a less invasive approach, ERASH might be an optional approach.
Acceptability of the voice your values, an advance care planning intervention in persons living with mild dementia using videoconferencing technology

Advance care planning (ACP) can improve outcomes for persons living with dementia (PLwD). Clinicians see the lack of acceptability of these conversations as a barrier to ACP in individuals with mild dementia. COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the need for ACP discussions in older adults, particularly for those living with dementia. In light of the pandemic, much of the healthcare is provided virtually, but little evidence exists on how to best implement ACP virtually. We designed Voice Your Values (VYV), a tailored ACP intervention for persons living with mild dementia and their trusted individuals such as friends or family. Purpose Determine the acceptability of the VYV intervention, in terms of its content and the potential utility of videoconferencing to deliver it. Methods For this pilot study, we recruited 21 dyads of older adults with mild dementia and their trusted individuals from five geriatric clinics in Ontario, Canada. The tailored VYV intervention was delivered to dyads over two sessions over videoconferencing. Acceptability was assessed using scores on a modified Treatment Evaluation Inventory. The interventionist diary and Researcher Virtual Experience Questionnaire were used to examine facilitators and barriers, whereas Participant Virtual Experience Questionnaire was used to understand their experience. Qualitative data was analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results 100% of the participants rated VYV as acceptable. Participants and researcher rated video and sound quality highly. PLwD who lived with their trusted individuals were more likely to find the intervention acceptable (t = 3.559, p = 0.001, β = 0.323). Five interrelated themes were established that describe the acceptability of the virtually delivered VYV intervention. All PLwD were able to articulate their values and wishes related to being in a terminal and vegetative states and had them documented. Conclusion The virtual VYV intervention was an acceptable approach to ACP in older adults with mild dementia and their trusted individuals.
School performance in Danish children exposed to maternal type 1 diabetes in utero: A nationwide retrospective cohort study

Background Conflicting results have been reported concerning possible adverse effects on the cognitive function of offspring of mothers with type 1 diabetes (O-mT1D). Previous studies have included offspring of parents from the background population (O-BP), but not offspring of fathers with type 1 diabetes (O-fT1D) as the unexposed reference group. Methods and findings This is a population-based retrospective cohort study from 2010 to 2016. Nationally standardized school test scores (range, 1 to 100) were obtained for public school grades 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 in O-mT1D and compared with those in O-fT1D and O-BP. Of the 622,073 included children, 2,144 were O-mT1D, and 3,474 were O-fT1D. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare outcomes, including the covariates offspring with type 1 diabetes, parity, number of siblings, offspring sex, smoking during pregnancy, parental age, and socioeconomic factors. Mean test scores were 54.2 (standard deviation, SD 24.8) in O-mT1D, 54.4 (SD 24.8) in O-fT1D, and 56.4 (SD 24.7) in O-BP. In adjusted analyses, the mean differences in test scores were −1.59 (95% CI −2.48 to −0.71, p < 0.001) between O-mT1D and O-BP and −0.78 (95% CI −1.48 to −0.08, p = 0.03) between O-fT1D and O-BP. No significant difference in the adjusted mean test scores was found between O-mT1D and O-fT1D (p = 0.16). The study’s limitation was no access to measures of glycemic control during pregnancy. Conclusions O-mT1D achieved lower test scores than O-BP but similar test scores compared with O-fT1D. Glycemic control during pregnancy is essential to prevent various adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with type 1 diabetes. However, the present study reduces previous concerns regarding adverse effects of in utero hyperglycemia on offspring cognitive function.
Command of a Doubly-Fed Induction Generator with a Backstepping Controller for a Wind Turbine Application

This paper deals with the modeling and control of a variable speed wind turbine based on the asynchronous doubly-Fed Induction generator DFIG. The goal is to control separately the active and reactive power of the generator with the Backstepping method, using the Lyapunov functions to ensure system stability. A simulation of the control law using Matlab / Simulink was made to verify its validity.
Can Previous Levels of Physical Activity Affect Risk Factors for Cardiorespiratory Diseases and Functional Capacity after COVID-19 Hospitalization? A Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose To evaluate the influence of previous levels of physical activity on hemodynamic, vascular, ventilatory, and functional outcomes after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization. Methods Sixty-three individuals with COVID-19 had their clinical status and previous levels (12 month) of physical activity (Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity) assessed at hospital admission. Individuals were then allocated to lower levels of physical activity (ACTLOWER; N = 22), intermediate levels of physical activity (ACTINTERMEDIATE; N = 22), or higher levels of physical activity (ACTHIGHER; N = 19) groups, according to tertiles of physical activity. Resting hemodynamic (heart rate and brachial/central blood pressures) and vascular (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation) variables, pulmonary function (spirometry), respiratory muscle strength (maximal respiratory pressures), and functional capacity (handgrip strength, five-time sit-to-stand, timed-up and go, and six-minute walking tests) were measured at 30 to 45 days after hospital discharge. Results ACTLOWER showed lower levels (P < 0.05) of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in the first second, maximal voluntary ventilation, and maximal expiratory pressure than ACTHIGHER. ACTLOWER also had lower (P = 0.023) walking distance (~21%,) and lower percentage of predicted walking distance (~20%) at six-minute walking test during follow-up than ACTINTERMEDIATE. However, hemodynamic and vascular variables, handgrip strength, five-time sit-to-stand, and timed-up and go were not different among groups. Conclusion ACTLOWER showed impaired ventilatory parameters and walking performance when compared with ACTHIGHER and ACTINTERMEDIATE, respectively. These results suggest that previous levels of physical activity may impact ventilatory and exercise capacity outcomes 30 to 45 days after COVID-19 hospitalization discharge.
Research of Hierarchical Control Strategy for Photovoltaic & Battery Storage System

According to the complementarity of photovoltaic and battery generation, the structure of photovoltaic and hierarchical storage system and its typical control methods are described in this paper, considering the demand of load side and distribution gird, hierarchical control strategy including primary control and secondary control is discussed, the model of converters and the control loop are presented in detail. The overall structure of hierarchical control composed by P-Q control and voltage-phase droop control is brief and cost-less. A simulation of the basic part in hierarchical control strategy under PSCAD/EMTDC environment is also included in this paper. The evaluation of hierarchical control strategy shows that photovoltaic and hierarchical storage system is practical for the application of distributed generators.
CyberWalk

Despite many recent developments in virtual reality, an effective locomotion interface which allows for normal walking through large virtual environments was until recently still lacking. Here, we describe the new CyberWalk omnidirectional treadmill system, which makes it possible for users to walk endlessly in any direction, while never leaving the confines of the limited walking surface. The treadmill system improves on previous designs, both in its mechanical features and in the control system employed to keep users close to the center of the treadmill. As a result, users are able to start walking, vary their walking speed and direction, and stop walking as they would on a normal, stationary surface. The treadmill system was validated in two experiments, in which both the walking behavior and the performance in a basic spatial updating task were compared to that during normal overground walking. The results suggest that walking on the CyberWalk treadmill is very close to normal walking, especially after some initial familiarization. Moreover, we did not find a detrimental effect of treadmill walking in the spatial updating task. The CyberWalk system constitutes a significant step forward to bringing the real world into the laboratory or workplace.
PiPA: Pipelined profiling and analysis on multicore systems

Profiling and online analysis are important tasks in program understanding and feedback-directed optimization. However, fine-grained profiling and online analysis tend to seriously slow down the application. To cope with the slowdown, one may have to terminate the process early or resort to sampling. The former tends to distort the result because of warm-up effects. The latter runs the risk of missing important effects because sampling was turned off during the time that these effects appeared. A promising approach is to make use of the parallel processing capabilities of the now ubiquitous multicore processors to speed up the profiling and analysis process. In this article, we present Pipelined Profiling and Analysis (PiPA), which is a novel technique for parallelizing dynamic program profiling and analysis by taking advantage of multicore systems. In essence, the application under examination is profiled using a dynamic instrumentation tool. Optimized instrumentation code outputs the profile information in a succinct format, that we call the REP format, to buffers. This lightweight trace compression minimizes the processing overhead impinged on the application whenever a buffer is full. Another thread recovers the required information from the REP buffer. The recovered full profile is then divided up and passed to multiple threads for further analysis. To achieve the best performance, the entire system has to be well-balanced. We have implemented prototypes of PiPA using two dynamic instrumentation systems, namely DynamoRIO and Pin, thereby demonstrating its portability. Our experiments show that PiPA is able to speed up the overall profiling and analysis tasks significantly. Compared to the more than 100× slowdown of Cachegrind and the 32× slowdown of Pin dcache, we achieved a mere 10.2× slowdown on an 8-core system. In this paper, we will also describe the insights we gained in obtaining the balance needed for PiPA to perform optimally.