Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How to carry out a field walking test in chronic respiratory disease

Educational Aims To provide recommendations for conducting field walking tests in people with chronic respiratory disease, from the new European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society Technical Standard To provide information to assist in selecting a field walking test in people with chronic respiratory disease. Key points The 6MWT, ISWT and ESWT are valid and reliable tests of functional exercise capacity in people with COPD. The 6MWT is also widely used in other chronic respiratory disorders. There is a learning effect for the 6MWT and ISWT, so two tests must be performed if the tests are being used to measure change over time, with the best distance recorded. The 6MWT is very sensitive to changes in the way it is conducted, including use of encouragement, provision of supplemental oxygen, changes in track layout and length, and use of wheeled walkers. These factors should be held constant when the test is repeated. The 6MWT, ISWT and ESWT are strenuous tests, with cardiorespiratory responses that are similar to those during a maximal incremental exercise test. As a result, the contraindications and precautions for these field walking tests should be the same as for a laboratory-based incremental exercise test. Summary The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and American Thoracic Society (ATS) have recently published a Technical Standard which documents the standard operating procedures for the 6-min walk test (6MWT), incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) and endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT). The Technical Standard shows that all three tests are valid and reliable measures of functional exercise capacity in people with chronic respiratory disease and makes recommendations for standardising their performance. Key findings and recommendations of the Technical Standard include: The 6MWT, ISWT and ESWT are strenuous tests which elicit cardiorespiratory responses that are similar to those observed during a maximal incremental exercise test. As a result, the contraindications and precautions for field walking tests should be consistent with those used for a laboratory-based incremental exercise test. There is strong evidence of a learning effect for the 6MWT and ISWT. Two tests should be performed when the 6MWT or ISWT are used to measure change over time. The 6MWT, ISWT and ESWT are responsive to treatment effects in people with chronic respiratory disease, particularly for rehabilitation. The 6MWT is very sensitive to variations in methodology, including use of encouragement, provision of supplemental oxygen, changes in track layout and length, and use of wheeled walkers. These factors should be documented and held constant on repeat testing. The lowest SpO2 recorded during a 6MWT is an important marker of disease severity and prognosis. Continuous pulse oximetry is recommended during the 6MWT, to ensure that the lowest SpO2 is recorded. In adults with chronic respiratory disease, a change in 6-min walk distance of 30 m or more indicates a clinically significant change has occurred.
Rapid changes in shear stress induce dissociation of a Gαq/11–platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 complex

It has been recently shown that endothelial platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (PECAM‐1) expression is pro‐atherogenic. PECAM‐1 is involved in sensing rapid changes in fluid shear stress but the mechanisms for activating signalling complexes at the endothelial cell junction have yet to be elucidated. Additional studies suggest the activation of membrane‐bound G proteins Gαq/11 also mediate flow‐induced responses. Here, we investigated whether PECAM‐1 and Gαq/11 could act in unison to rapidly respond to fluid shear stress. With immunohistochemistry, we observed a co‐localization of Gαq/11 and PECAM‐1 at the cell–cell junction in the atheroprotected section of mouse aortae. In contrast, Gαq/11 was absent from junctions in atheroprone areas as well as in all arterial sections of PECAM‐1 knockout mice. In primary human endothelial cells, temporal gradients in shear stress led to a rapid dissociation of the Gαq/11–PECAM‐1 complex within 30 s and a partial relocalization of the Gαq/11 staining to perinuclear areas within 150 min, whereas transitioning fluid flow devoid of temporal gradients did not disrupt the complex. Inhibition of G protein activation eliminated temporal gradient flow‐induced Gαq/11–PECAM‐1 dissociation. These results allow us to conclude that Gαq/11–PECAM‐1 forms a mechanosensitive complex and its localization suggests the Gαq/11–PECAM‐1 complex is a critical mediator of vascular diseases.
Polymers at Surfaces and Interfaces: Adhesion and the mechanical properties of polymer interfaces at the molecular level

Preface 1. Introduction and overview 2. The surface of a simple polymer melt 3. Experimental techniques 4. Polymer/polymer interfaces 5. Adsorption and surface aggregation from polymer solutions and mixtures 6. Tethered polymer chains in solutions and melts 7. Adhesion and the mechanical properties of polymer interfaces at the molecular level 8. Polymers spread at air/liquid interfaces Index.
Physical Properties of Nano-Structured Zinc Oxide Thin Films Deposited by Radio-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

In this work, ZnO thin films were deposited by RF Magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures in the range of 100-400oC on glass substrate. The thin films were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and I-V measurement, for morphology and electrical properties study. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study the structural and morphology of the thin films. The particle size varied from 41nm to 146nm showing that the nucleation of ZnO thin films as the substrate temperatures increased. Higher particle size was observed as the substrate temperatures increased up to 400oC as well as high conductivity of thin films at 400oC.
Model checking coalitional games in shortage resource scenarios

Verification of multi-agents systems (MAS) has been recently studied taking into account the need of expressing resource bounds. Several logics for specifying properties of MAS have been presented in quite a variety of scenarios with bounded resources. In this paper, we study a different formalism, called Priced Resource-Bounded Alternating-time Temporal Logic (PRBATL), whose main novelty consists in moving the notion of resources from a syntactic level (part of the formula) to a semantic one (part of the model). This allows us to track the evolution of the resource availability along the computations and provides us with a formalisms capable to model a number of real-world scenarios. Two relevant aspects are the notion of global availability of the resources on the market, that are shared by the agents, and the notion of price of resources, depending on their availability. In a previous work of ours, an initial step towards this new formalism was introduced, along with an EXPTIME algorithm for the model checking problem. In this paper we better analyze the features of the proposed formalism, also in comparison with previous approaches. The main technical contribution is the proof of the EXPTIME-hardness of the the model checking problem for PRBATL, based on a reduction from the acceptance problem for Linearly-Bounded Alternating Turing Machines. In particular, since the problem has multiple parameters, we show two fixed-parameter reductions.
3DIV: A 3D-genome Interaction Viewer and database

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin structure is an emerging paradigm for understanding gene regulation mechanisms. Hi-C (high-throughput chromatin conformation capture), a method to detect long-range chromatin interactions, allows extensive genome-wide investigation of 3D chromatin structure. However, broad application of Hi-C data have been hindered by the level of complexity in processing Hi-C data and the large size of raw sequencing data. In order to overcome these limitations, we constructed a database named 3DIV (a 3D-genome Interaction Viewer and database) that provides a list of long-range chromatin interaction partners for the queried locus with genomic and epigenomic annotations. 3DIV is the first of its kind to collect all publicly available human Hi-C data to provide 66 billion uniformly processed raw Hi-C read pairs obtained from 80 different human cell/tissue types. In contrast to other databases, 3DIV uniquely provides normalized chromatin interaction frequencies against genomic distance dependent background signals and a dynamic browsing visualization tool for the listed interactions, which could greatly advance the interpretation of chromatin interactions. ‘3DIV’ is available at http://kobic.kr/3div.
Finding the gap: revealing local disparities in coverage of maternal, newborn and child health services in South Sudan using lot quality assurance sampling

We adapted a rapid monitoring method to South Sudan, a new nation with one of the world's highest maternal and child mortality rates, aiming to assess coverage of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services at the time of independence, and introducing a monitoring and evaluation system (M&E) for equity‐sensitive tracking of progress related to Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 at national, state and county levels to detect local variability.
The association between childhood asthma and adult chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction There is epidemiological evidence to suggest that events in childhood influence lung growth and constitute a significant risk for adult COPD. The aim of the study is to evaluate for an association between childhood asthma and adult COPD. Methods This longitudinal, prospective study of 6–7-year-old children with asthma has been regularly reviewed every 7 years to the current analysis at 50 years of age. Participants completed respiratory questionnaires and lung function spirometry with postbronchodilator response. At the age of 50, subjects were classified to the following subgroups: non-asthmatics, asthma remission, current asthma and COPD which was defined by FEV1 to FVC ratio postbronchodilator of less than 0.7. Results Of the remaining survivors, 346 participated in the current study (participation rate of 76%) of whom 197 completed both questionnaire and lung function testing. As compared with children without symptoms of wheeze to the age of 7, (non-asthmatics) children with severe asthma had an adjusted 32 times higher risk for developing COPD (95% CI 3.4 to 269). In this cohort, 43% of the COPD group had never smoked. There was no evidence of a difference in the rate of decline in FEV1 (mL/year, 95th CI) between the COPD group (17, 10 to 23) and the other groups: non-asthmatics (16, 12 to 21), asthma remission (20, 16 to 24) and current asthma (19, 13 to 25). Conclusions Children with severe asthma are at increased risk of developing COPD.
Layout Symmetries: Quantification and Application to Cancel Nonlinear Process Gradients

This paper presents criteria, using simple integer arithmetic, to determine if a layout of a pair of devices broken into multiple, identical sections cancels the effect of nonlinear process gradients. These criteria allow quantification of 12 layout symmetries that can be leveraged to cancel specific process gradient components. “Dispersion,” the degree to which device segments are distributed throughout a layout, is also quantified in a simple and intuitive way, and used to identify which of multiple gradient canceling layouts is best. Techniques to construct maximally dispersive quadratic gradient canceling layouts with arbitrary numbers of rows and columns are presented.
Wave Propagation Based Multi-Crack Identification in Beam Structures through Anti-Resonances Information

Cracks bring a serious threat to safety of structures. Most of the failures and fractures of engineering structures are due to initial cracks or fatigue cracks of materials. So it is very important to analyze the vibration characteristics and to identify the damage of cracked structures. A method for multi-crack identification based on wave propagation is proposed in this paper, which makes use of the driving-point mechanical impedance characteristics of the cracked beams stimulated by harmonic force. The proposed identification method is used to characterize the local discontinuity due to cracks, and a simplified rotational spring model is introduced to model cracks. Subsequently, the proposed method is verified by a numerical example of a simply supported steel beam with three cracks. The effect of crack depth on driving-point impedance is investigated. Combined with the first anti-resonances information, the proposed method can identify the presence of cracks, localize the multiple cracks, and qualitatively identify the extent of the crack damages.
Linear local data fusion for sequential test

This paper studies local data fusion for sequential detection. Let a sensor network monitor a Gaussian phenomenon in Gaussian background noise, and let the observation of each sensor be a vector r. In order to reduce the communication burden, each sensor reports a linearly fused scalar x=wT r instead of the raw data r to a processing center, which executes sequential detection. The aim of this paper is how to design the fusion vector w so as to minimize the average expected sample size (AESS) of the detector. Two typically hypothetical cases - equal variance and equal mean - are analyzed, and their optimal fusion vectors are derived.
Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Robust Stabilization of Periodic Orbits of Hybrid Systems: Application to Bipedal Walking

This paper presents a systematic algorithm to design time-invariant decentralized feedback controllers to exponentially and robustly stabilize periodic orbits for hybrid dynamical systems against possible uncertainties in discrete-time phases. The algorithm assumes a family of parameterized and decentralized nonlinear controllers to co-ordinate interconnected hybrid subsystems based on a common phasing variable. The exponential and $\mathcal {H}_{2}$ robust stabilization problems of periodic orbits are translated into an iterative sequence of optimization problems involving bilinear and linear matrix inequalities. By investigating the properties of the Poincaré map, some sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative algorithm are presented. The power of the algorithm is finally demonstrated through designing a set of robust stabilizing local nonlinear controllers for walking of an underactuated 3-D autonomous bipedal robot with nine degrees of freedom, impact model uncertainties, and a decentralization scheme motivated by amputee locomotion with a transpelvic prosthetic leg.
“She Stopped Me From Killing Myself”: Bullied Bloggers’ Coping Behaviors and Support Sources

ABSTRACT Bullying is on the rise, and bullied targets often face consequences when they do not effectively manage their victimization. This study investigates bullied bloggers’ use and evaluations of coping strategies and support sources. Informed by Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) appraisal theory, Tenenbaum, Varjas, Meyers, and Parris’s (2011) model of bullied students’ coping, and social support literature, bullied students’ narratives (N = 100) from five bullying blogs (Pacer’s, I’m Getting Bullied, ReachOut, BullyVille, No Place 4 Hate) are examined. The findings reveal similar negative outcomes with particular coping strategies and support sources for bullied male and female bloggers. These results reinforce coping strategies that many bullying organizations promote in their programs and websites (i.e., do not avoid disclosure, confront bullies, or retaliate), and promote future research about how to improve parents’ and teachers’ supportive communication with bullied youth.
Some risk factors for periodontal bone loss in 50-year-old individuals. A 10-year cohort study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this 10-year prospective study of 50-year-old individuals was to analyze the incidence of periodontal bone loss and potential risk factors for periodontal bone loss. METHODS The subject sample was generated from an epidemiological survey performed in 1988 of subjects living in the County of Värmland, Sweden. A randomized sample of 15% of the 50-year-old inhabitants in the county was drawn. At the 10-year follow-up in 1998, 320 (75%) of the 449 individuals examined at baseline were available for re-examination, out of which 4 had become edentulous. Full-mouth clinical and radiographic examinations and questionnaire surveys were performed in 1988 and 1998. Two hundred and ninety-five individuals (69%) had complete data for inclusion in the analysis of radiographic bone changes over 10 years. Non-parametric tests, correlations and stepwise multiple regression models were used for statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS The mean alveolar bone level (ABL) in 1988 was 2.2 mm (0.05) and a further 0.4 mm (0.57) (p=0.000) was lost over the 10 years. Eight percent of the subject sample showed no loss, while 5% experienced a mean bone loss of >/=1 mm. Smoking was found to be the strongest individual risk predictor (RR=3.2; 95% CI 2.03-5.15). When including as smokers only those individuals who had continued with the habit during the entire 10-year follow-up period, the relative risk was slightly increased (3.6; 95% CI 2.32-5.57). Subjects who had quit smoking before the baseline examination did not demonstrate a significantly increased risk for disease progression (RR=1.3; 95% CI 0.57-2.96). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that smoking, % approximal sites with probing pocket depth >/=4 mm, number of teeth and systemic disease were significant explanatory factors for 10-year ABL loss (R(2)=0.12). For never smokers, statistically significant predictors were number of teeth, mean ABL, % periodontally healthy approximal sites and educational level (R(2)=0.20). CONCLUSION The inclusion of smokers in risk analysis for periodontal diseases may obstruct the possibility to detect other true risk factors and risk indicators.
Fuzzy Signature-Based Discriminative Subspace Projection for Hyperspectral Data Classification

Mixed pixels in the hyperspectral image (HSI) are often misclassified under a strict clustering assumption. In this paper, we relax the assumption and assign a fuzzy signature for each pixel in HSI, whose element indicates the probability it belongs to some class. A fuzzy signature-based discriminative subspace projection (FS-DSP) approach is then developed for simultaneous dimensionality reduction and classification of HSI. In FS-DSP, a signature Laplacian regularizer is derived from both labeled and unlabeled pixels to pull the neighbors with similar fuzzy signatures together. A discriminant term is constructed to further pull different classes away and push the same classes toward after the projection. The two terms are combined to define a subspace projection optimization problem, and an alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm is employed to iteratively calculate fuzzy signatures. Effectiveness of FS-DSP is evaluated by five datasets, and the results show that it exhibits state-of-the-art performance as to the numerical guidelines, such as overall accuracy (OA), average accuracy (AA), and Kappa coefficients (KC), when there are only very few labeled pixels.
Omega 3 fatty acid inhibition of inflammatory cytokine-mediated Connexin43 regulation in the heart

Background: The proinflammatory cytokine Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), which increases in the heart post myocardial infarction (MI), has been shown to cause loss of Connexin43 (Cx43) function, an event known to underlie formation of the arrhythmogenic substrate. Omega 3 Fatty acids exhibit antiarrhythmic properties and impact IL-1β signaling. We hypothesize that Omega-3 fatty acids prevent arrhythmias in part, by inhibiting IL-1β signaling thus maintaining functional Cx43 channels. Methods: Rat neonatal myocytes or Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Epithelial (MDCK) cells grown in media in the absence (Ctr) or presence of 30 μM docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an Omega-3 Fatty acid) were treated with 0.1 μM activated IL-1β. We determined Cx43 channel function using a dye spread assay. Western blot and immunostaining were used to examine Cx43 levels/localization and downstream effectors of IL-1β. In addition we used a murine model of MI for 24 h to determine the impact of an Omega-3 fatty acid enriched diet on Cx43 levels/localization post MI. Results: IL-1β significantly inhibited Cx43 function in Ctr cells (200.9 ± 17.7 μm [Ctr] vs. 112.8 ± 14.9 μm [0.1 uM IL-1β], p<0.05). However, DHA-treated cells remained highly coupled in the presence of IL-1β [167.9 ± 21.9 μm [DHA] vs. 164.4 ± 22.3 μm [DHA + 0.1 uM IL-1β], p<0.05, n = 4]. Additionally, western blot showed that IL-1β treatment caused a 38.5% downregulation of Cx43 [1.00 au [Ctr] vs. 0.615 au (0.1 μM IL-1β) which was completely abolished in DHA-treated cells (0.935 au [DHA] vs. 1.02 au [DHA + 0.1 μM IL-1β), p < 0.05, n = 3]. Examination of the downstream modulator of IL-1β, NFκβ showed that while hypoxia caused translocation of NFκβ to the nucleus, this was inhibited by DHA. Additionally we found that a diet enriched in Omega-3 Fatty acids inhibited lateralization of Cx43 in the post-MI murine heart as well as limited activation of fibroblasts which would lead to decreased fibrosis overall. Conclusions: Omega 3 Fatty acid treatment inhibited IL-1β-stimulated loss of Cx43 protein, and more importantly, inhibited loss of Cx43 function by inhibiting translocation of NFκβ. In the intact heart a diet enriched in Omega 3 Fatty Acids limited loss of Cx43 at the intercalated disk in the heart following MI. These data suggest that one of cardio-protective mechanisms by which Omega 3 Fatty acids work includes prevention of the pro-arrhythmic loss of Cx43 post MI and the attenuation of cardiac fibrosis after injury.
A deficiency in RFX3 causes hydrocephalus associated with abnormal differentiation of ependymal cells

Ciliated ependymal cells play central functions in the control of cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis in the mammalian brain, and defects in their differentiation or ciliated properties can lead to hydrocephalus. Regulatory factor X (RFX) transcription factors regulate genes required for ciliogenesis in the nematode, drosophila and mammals. We show here that Rfx3‐deficient mice suffer from hydrocephalus without stenosis of the aqueduct of Sylvius. RFX3 is expressed strongly in the ciliated ependymal cells of the subcommissural organ (SCO), choroid plexuses (CP) and ventricular walls during embryonic and postnatal development. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that the hydrocephalus is associated with a general defect in CP differentiation and with severe agenesis of the SCO. The specialized ependymal cells of the CP show an altered epithelial organization, and the SCO cells lose their characteristic ultrastructural features and adopt aspects more typical of classical ependymal cells. These differentiation defects are associated with changes in the number of cilia, although no obvious ultrastructural defects of these cilia can be observed in adult mice. Moreover, agenesis of the SCO is associated with downregulation of SCO‐spondin expression as early as E14.5 of embryonic development. These results demonstrate that RFX3 is necessary for ciliated ependymal cell differentiation in the mouse.