Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exercise training increases arterial compliance in patients with congestive heart failure.

Systemic arterial compliance (SAC) makes an important contribution to cardiac afterload, and thus is a significant determinant of left ventricular work. Previous studies have suggested that arterial compliance may be reduced in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), and that SAC is increased after a 4-week exercise training programme in healthy, sedentary individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week exercise training programme on arterial mechanical properties, left ventricular performance and quality of life in CHF patients. A total of 21 patients with NYHA class II or III CHF (mean+/-S.D. age 55+/-13 years) were randomly allocated to either an 8-week exercise training group or a "usual lifestyle" control group. SAC, as determined non-invasively using applanation tonometry and Doppler aortic velocimetry, increased from 0.57+/-0.11 to 0.77+/-0.14 arbitrary compliance units (mean+/-S.E.M.; P=0.01) in the exercise group, while no change occurred in the control group. Left ventricular structure and function was assessed by echocardiography, and these parameters were unchanged over the 8-week study period. Exercise training significantly increased exercise capacity, measured by a 6-min walking test (474+/-27 to 547+/-34 m; P=0.008). Quality of life, as assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Evaluation, demonstrated a decrease in heart failure symptoms from 46+/-7 to 24+/-5 units (P=0.01) following the exercise training programme. These data show that exercise training improves SAC in patients with CHF. The accompanying improvement in exercise capacity may be due, in part, to an improvement in arterial function.
Localized RhoA GTPase activity regulates dynamics of endothelial monolayer integrity.

AIMS Endothelial cells (ECs) control vascular permeability by forming a monolayer that is sealed by extracellular junctions. Various mediators modulate the endothelial barrier by acting on junctional protein complexes and the therewith connected F-actin cytoskeleton. Different Rho GTPases participate in this modulation, but their mechanisms are still partly resolved. Here, we aimed to elucidate whether the opening and closure of the endothelial barrier are associated with distinct localized RhoA activities at the subcellular level. METHODS AND RESULTS Live fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy revealed spatially distinct RhoA activities associated with different aspects of the regulation of endothelial monolayer integrity. Unstimulated ECs were characterized by hotspots of RhoA activity at their periphery. Thrombin receptor activation in the femoral vein of male wistar rats and in cultured ECs enhanced RhoA activity at membrane protrusions, followed by a more sustained RhoA activity associated with cytoplasmic F-actin filaments, where prolonged RhoA activity coincided with cellular contractility. Unexpectedly, thrombin-induced peripheral RhoA hotspots were not spatially correlated to the formation of large inter-endothelial gaps. Rather, spontaneous RhoA activity at membrane protrusions coincided with the closure of inter-endothelial gaps. Electrical impedance measurements showed that RhoA signalling is essential for this protrusive activity and maintenance of barrier restoration. CONCLUSION Spontaneous RhoA activity at membrane protrusions is spatially associated with closure, but not formation of inter-endothelial gaps, whereas RhoA activity at distant contractile filaments contributes to thrombin-induced disruption of junctional integrity. Thus, these data indicate that distinct RhoA activities are associated with disruption and re-annealing of endothelial junctions.
Learning and memory disabilities in IUGR babies: Functional and molecular analysis in a rat model

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is the failure of the fetus to achieve its inherent growth potential, and it has frequently been associated with neurodevelopmental problems in childhood. Neurological disorders are mostly associated with IUGR babies with an abnormally high cephalization index (CI) and a brain sparing effect. However, a similar correlation has never been demonstrated in an animal model. The aim of this study was to determine the correlations between CI, functional deficits in learning and memory and alterations in synaptic proteins in a rat model of IUGR.
Identification of multiple salicylic acid-binding proteins using two high throughput screens

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important hormone involved in many diverse plant processes, including floral induction, stomatal closure, seed germination, adventitious root initiation, and thermogenesis. It also plays critical functions during responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. The role(s) of SA in signaling disease resistance is by far the best studied process, although it is still only partially understood. To obtain insights into how SA carries out its varied functions, particularly in activating disease resistance, two new high throughput screens were developed to identify novel SA-binding proteins (SABPs). The first utilized crosslinking of the photo-reactive SA analog 4-AzidoSA (4AzSA) to proteins in an Arabidopsis leaf extract, followed by immuno-selection with anti-SA antibodies and then mass spectroscopy-based identification. The second utilized photo-affinity crosslinking of 4AzSA to proteins on a protein microarray (PMA) followed by detection with anti-SA antibodies. To determine whether the candidate SABPs (cSABPs) obtained from these screens were true SABPs, recombinantly-produced proteins were generated and tested for SA-inhibitable crosslinking to 4AzSA, which was monitored by immuno-blot analysis, SA-inhibitable binding of the SA derivative 3-aminoethylSA (3AESA), which was detected by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, or SA-inhibitable binding of [3H]SA, which was detected by size exclusion chromatography. Based on our criteria that true SABPs must exhibit SA-binding activity in at least two of these assays, nine new SABPs are identified here; nine others were previously reported. Approximately 80 cSABPs await further assessment. In addition, the conflicting reports on whether NPR1 is an SABP were addressed by showing that it bound SA in all three of the above assays.
Principles of Electrospray Ionization

Electrospray ionization is today the most widely used ionization technique in chemical and biochemical analysis. Interfaced with a mass spectrometer it allows the investigation of the molecular composition of liquid samples. With electrospray a large variety of chemical substances can be ionized. There is no limitation in mass which thus enables even the investigation of large noncovalent protein complexes. Its high ionization efficiency profoundly changed biomolecular sciences because proteins can be identified and quantified on trace amounts in a high throughput fashion. This review article focuses mainly on the exploration of the underlying ionization mechanism. Some ionization characteristics are discussed that are related to this mechanism. Typical spectra of peptides, proteins, and noncovalent complexes are shown and the quantitative character of spectra is highlighted. Finally the possibilities and limitations in measuring the association constant of bivalent noncovalent complexes are described.
[-174 G/C polymorphism of interleukin 6 gene in women with type 1 diabetes].

BACKGROUND A polymorphism located in the promoter region (-174 G/C) of interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been linked to early onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and increased body mass index (BMI). AIM To evaluate the possible association of this -IL-6 gene 174 GIC polymorphism with T1D, BMI and metabolic control in T1D patients in a case-control study. PATIENTS AND METHODS -174 G I C polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism in 145 women with T1D and 103 healthy controls. BMI and BMI-Z-scores were tabulated and metabolic control was recorded. RESULTS There was a higher frequency for the C allele in T1D patients compared with the control group (21% versus 14.1%, p = 0.047). No significant differences in genotype frequencies for the -174 GIC polymorphism of IL-6 gene between patients with T1D and controls, were observed. There were no significant associations with T1D and BMI. CONCLUSIONS A higher frequency of C allele in women with T1D was the only finding in this series, suggesting that the polymorphic variant is not related to weight gain in these patients.
Unsupervised Detection of Cover Song Sets: Accuracy Improvement and Original Identification

The task of identifying cover songs has formerly been studied in terms of a prototypical query retrieval framework. However, this framework is not the only one the task allows. In this article, we revise the task of identifying cover songs to include the notion of sets (or groups) of covers. In particular, we study the application of unsupervised clustering and community detection algorithms to detect cover sets. We consider current state-of-the-art algorithms and propose new methods to achieve this goal. Our experiments show that the detection of cover sets is feasible, that it can be performed in a reasonable amount of time, that it does not require extensive parameter tuning, and that it presents certain robustness to inaccurate measurements. Furthermore, we highlight two direct outcomes that naturally arise from the proposed framework revision: increasing the accuracy of query retrieval-based systems and detecting the original song within a set of covers.
Search with Refinement

Search with Refinement Preliminary. Please do not cite or distribute The development of online search technology has profound impacts on consumers, business, and the society. One important feature of online search is that consumers are able to refine the search results using tools such as sorting and filtering. Albeit such refinement tools have significant effects on consumer behavior and market structure, there is little empirical research documenting and measuring the effects. We propose a structural model of optimal consumer search that coherently integrates the decisions of consumer search and refinement as well as the structure of uncertainty about the products. The model is estimated using a unique data set of individual level search activities of hotels provided by a large travel website. We find that the refinement tools encourage 57% more searches and enhance the utility of the purchased product by nearly 20%. However, most websites by default rank search results according to the results’ qualities or relevance to consumers (e.g., Google). We find that if consumers are uninformed about such default rules for ranking, they may engage in disproportionally more searches using the refinement tools. As a consequence, the overall welfare surplus may deteriorate by up to 8%. In contrast, when consumers are informed that the default ranking of the results already reflects the qualities, they search less and the welfare surplus increases 3.3%. We also find the refinement leads to a less concentrated market structure.
The epidemiological profile of hysterectomy in rural Chinese women: a population-based study

Objectives Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on women in developed countries; however, little is known about the epidemiology of hysterectomy in low-income to middle-income regions. This study seeks to evaluate the prevalence of hysterectomy and its risk factors in rural China. Methods Questionnaires were collected from 3328 female adults aged 25â€“69 years in rural Anyang, China, in 2009â€“2011. Hysterectomy status was ascertained by the gynaecologist at the time of cytological test. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess the risk factors for hysterectomy. Results The overall prevalence of hysterectomy was 3.31% (110/3328). Women above the age of 40 years had a higher prevalence of prior hysterectomy, compared with those aged 25â€“39 years (5.01% vs 0.33%). Obesity was marginally related with a higher risk of hysterectomy (adjusted OR=1.59; 95%â€‰CI 0.99 to 2.56; body mass index (BMI) â‰¥28.0 vs 18.5 â‰¤ BMI <24.0). History of prior pregnancy loss conferred a greater risk for hysterectomy (adjusted OR=1.51; 95%â€‰CI 1.02 to 2.23). Of the 75 (68.18%, 75/110) cases who provided further information on hysterectomy, 84.00% (63/75) had undergone total abdominal hysterectomy and 70.67% (53/75) had received surgery for leiomyoma. Conclusions Rural Chinese women had a relatively low prevalence of hysterectomy, and the majority of reported hysterectomies were performed abdominally for leiomyoma. Hysterectomy prevalence differed significantly by age, BMI and history of pregnancy loss. This study expands the current understanding of the epidemiology of hysterectomy in lower resource areas.
Forced expiratory volume in one second: not just a lung function test but a marker of premature death from all causes

The clinical utility of spirometric screening of asymptomatic smokers for early signs of air flow limitation has recently come under review. The current authors propose that reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is more than a measure of airflow limitation, but a marker of premature death with broad utility in assessing baseline risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, coronary artery disease and stroke, collectively accounting for 70–80% of premature death in smokers. Reduced FEV1 identifies undiagnosed COPD, has comparable utility to that of serum cholesterol in assessing cardiovascular risk and defines those smokers at greatest risk of lung cancer. As such, reduced FEV1 should be considered a marker that identifies smokers at greatest need of medical intervention. Smoking cessation has been shown to attenuate FEV1 decline and, if achieved before the age of 45–50 yrs, may not only preserve FEV1 within normal values but substantially reduce cardiorespiratory complications of smoking. Recent findings suggest inhaled drugs (bronchodilators and corticosteroids), and possibly statins, may be effective in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The current authors propose that spirometry has broad utility in identifying smokers who are at greatest risk of cardiorespiratory complications and greatest benefit from targeted preventive strategies, such as smoking cessation, prioritised screening and effective pharmacotherapy.
Secondary school students knowledge level of the concepts of meteorology and environmental education between rural and urban Morogoro in Tanzania

The study established if there is any significant difference in students‟ understanding levels on meteorology and environmental education concepts between rural and urban areas. A survey method was used to collect information from a sample of 480 form four students who were randomly selected from 12 schools in both rural and urban Morogoro. It was observed that urban students were significantly more knowledgeable of the basic concepts of environmental education and climate change than rural students. However, there was no significant difference in students‟ understanding between rural and urban students on some concepts of climate change and the role of man on the environment. Therefore educational stake holders need to ensure that both rural and urban environmental aspects are clearly understood by all students from the two localities for sustainable utilization of the environmental resources.
Distinguishing Easy and Hard Instances

Error analysis is a key step in developing statistical parsers. In doing this, we manually discover typical cases by examining parser output. In this paper we argue that the process can be speeded up by considering the output from an ensemble of parsers. We do this by resampling small proportions (10% and up) from the training data, and exploiting the high diversity of the resulting parsers - resulting from the sparseness of natural-language data. Varying the sample size, we can trace the gradual learning of each instance and classify instances into a few types. This division helps in distinguishing instances which are hard for the system, from instances which may be learned in principle. We suggest that such analysis can yield a qualitative approach to evaluation of statistical parsers.
Compact Electromagnetic Bandgap Structures for Notch Band in Ultra-Wideband Applications

This paper introduces a novel approach to create notch band filters in the front-end of ultra-wideband (UWB) communication systems based on electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures. The concept presented here can be implemented in any structure that has a microstrip in its configuration. The EBG structure is first analyzed using a full wave electromagnetic solver and then optimized to work at WLAN band (5.15–5.825 GHz). Two UWB passband filters are used to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the novel EBG notch band feature. Simulation results are provided for two cases studied.
Face processing in psychiatric conditions.

Functional models of face processing have indicated that dissociations exist between the various processes involved, e.g. between familiar face recognition and matching of unfamiliar faces, and between familiar face recognition and facial expression analysis. These models have been successfully applied to the understanding of the different types of impairment that can exist in neuropsychological patients. In the present study, aspects of face processing in psychiatric patients were investigated in relation to Bruce & Young's (1986) model. Based on this functional model different predictions can be made. We contrast here the impaired expression analysis hypothesis, which is that psychiatric patients would show a deficit in facial expression recognition, but not in facial identity recognition or unfamiliar face matching, with the generalized deficit hypothesis, that patients would be impaired on all tasks. These hypotheses were examined using three forced-choice tasks (facial recognition, facial expression recognition, and unfamiliar face matching) which were presented to schizophrenic and depressed patients, and to non-patient controls. Results showed that schizophrenic patients performed at a significantly lower level than non-patient controls on all three tasks, supporting the generalized deficit hypothesis.
Automatically Extracting Dialog Models from Conversation Transcripts

There is a growing need for task-oriented natural language dialog systems that can interact with a user to accomplish a given objective. Recent work on building task-oriented dialog systems have emphasized the need for acquiring task-specific knowledge from un-annotated conversational data. In our work we acquire task-specific knowledge by defining \textit{sub-task} as the key unit of a task-oriented conversation. We propose an unsupervised, apriori like algorithm that extracts the sub-tasks and their valid orderings from un-annotated human-human conversations. Modeling dialogues as a combination of sub-tasks and their valid orderings easily captures the variability in conversations. It also provides us the ability to map our dialogue model to AIML constructs and therefore use off-the-shelf AIML interpreters to build task-oriented chat-bots. We conduct experiments on real world data sets to establish the effectiveness of the sub-task extraction process. We codify the extracted sub-tasks in an AIML knowledge base and build a chatbot using this knowledge base. We also show the usefulness of the chatbot in automatically handling customer requests by performing a user evaluation study.
Identification of human gene core promoters in silico.

Identification of the 5'-end of human genes requires identification of functional promoter elements. In silico identification of those elements is difficult because of the hierarchical and modular nature of promoter architecture. To address this problem, I propose a new stepwise strategy based on initial localization of a functional promoter into a 1- to 2-kb (extended promoter) region from within a large genomic DNA sequence of 100 kb or larger and further localization of a transcriptional start site (TSS) into a 50- to 100-bp (corepromoter) region. Using positional dependent 5-tuple measures, a quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) method has been implemented in a new program-CorePromoter. Our experiments indicate that when given a 1- to 2-kb extended promoter, CorePromoter will correctly localize the TSS to a 100-bp interval approximately 60% of the time. [Figure 3 can be found in its entirety as an online supplement at http://www.genome. org. ]
Ruminations on Multi-Tenant Databases

This is a position paper on multi-tenant databases. As motivation, it first describes the emerging marketplace of hosted enterprise services and the importance of using multi-tenancy to handle high traffic volumes at low cost. It then outlines the main requirements on multi-tenant databases: scale up by consolidating multiple tenants onto the same server and scale out by providing an administrative framework that manages a farm of such servers. Finally it describes three approaches to implementing multi-tenant databases and compares them based on some simple experiments. The main conclusion is that existing database vendors need to enhance their products to better support multi-tenancy.
Molecular Classification and Prognostication of Adrenocortical Tumors by Transcriptome Profiling

Purpose: Our understanding of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) has improved considerably, yet many unanswered questions remain. For instance, can molecular subtypes of ACC be identified? If so, what is their underlying pathogenetic basis and do they possess clinical significance? Experimental Design: We did a whole genome gene expression study of a large cohort of adrenocortical tissues annotated with clinicopathologic data. Using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 oligonucleotide arrays, transcriptional profiles were generated for 10 normal adrenal cortices (NC), 22 adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), and 33 ACCs. Results: The overall classification of adrenocortical tumors was recapitulated using principal component analysis of the entire data set. The NC and ACA cohorts showed little intragroup variation, whereas the ACC cohort revealed much greater variation in gene expression. A robust list of 2,875 differentially expressed genes in ACC compared with both NC and ACA was generated and used in functional enrichment analysis to find pathways and attributes of biological significance. Cluster analysis of the ACCs revealed two subtypes that reflected tumor proliferation, as measured by mitotic counts and cell cycle genes. Kaplan-Meier analysis of these ACC clusters showed a significant difference in survival (P < 0.020). Multivariate Cox modeling using stage, mitotic rate, and gene expression data as measured by the first principal component for ACC samples showed that gene expression data contains significant independent prognostic information (P < 0.017). Conclusions: This study lays the foundation for the molecular classification and prognostication of adrenocortical tumors and also provides a rich source of potential diagnostic and prognostic markers.