Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Hypertension and the Right Ventricle—Thinking outside the Box (Third International Right Heart Failure Summit, Part 1)

The Third International Right Heart Failure Summit (Boston, MA) convened a group of international clinical and scientific experts in pulmonary vascular disease and right heart disease to explore cutting-edge developments in the mechanisms and clinical management of right-sided cardiovascular disease. The symposium was organized into three distinct sessions, the first of which was titled “Pulmonary Hypertension and the Right Ventricle—Thinking outside the Box” and will be the focus of this review. Three internationally renowned experts in pulmonary hypertension and right heart disease—Drs. Stuart Rich, Sean Gaine, and Harm Bogaard—each delivered provocative lectures. The first lecture, by Dr. Rich, was titled “Current Classification for Pulmonary Hypertension—Why Are We Ignoring the Structural Basis of the Disease? ” Rich focused on the current classification system of pulmonary hypertension and provided a unique historical perspective. He also addressed the need to evolve the prevailing conceptual framework of our approach to pulmonary vascular diseases and right ventricular dysfunction, including the future design of pulmonary hypertension clinical trials. Dr. Gaine delivered the second lecture, titled “Treatment Algorithm for Pulmonary Hypertension: Tunnel Vision of our Current Approach. ” Gaine emphasized the tripartite model of pulmonary hypertension management, namely, supportive measures, pharmacologic therapy, and rescue therapy. Specifically, he detailed how each of these entities is changing as our understanding of the unmet needs in the field of pulmonary hypertension is becoming increasingly apparent. Finally, Dr. Bogaard provided a lecture titled “Treating Right Heart Failure: Why Does the Art of Medicine Lead the Science? ” Bogaard provided a stimulating review of cutting-edge translational research of right ventricular function and dysfunction. In particular, he described a variety of molecular and cellular changes that occur in the hypertrophied right ventricle and contrasted those changes that may be adaptive from those that are maladaptive and may be potential therapeutic targets.
The sensitivity of event logs, self-administered questionnaires and photoplethysmography to detect treatment-induced changes in female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION The literature provides little evidence on what type of endpoints should be used to assess treatment-induced improvement in female sexual function. AIM The main goal of this study was to provide empiric evidence on the sensitivity of different types of measures for detecting treatment-induced changes in female sexual dysfunction diagnosis. METHODS The measures investigated in this study included event logs, self-administered questionnaires (Female Sexual Functioning Index; FSFI), vaginal photoplethysmography, and continuous subjective sexual arousal measured during exposure to erotic videos. Participants were 24 women with female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) who received sex therapy, placebo, or gingko biloba in a four-arm double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. FSAD was diagnosed utilizing a semistructured interview administered at pre- and post-treatment. Those women who did not meet FSAD criteria at post-treatment (N = 10) were labeled as "improved," while women who still met FSAD criteria (N = 14) were categorized as "not improved" even if they showed signs of improvements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Change scores from pre- to post-treatment on the FSFI, event logs, vaginal photoplethysmography, and continuous subjective levels of sexual arousal were used to predict whether women improved at post-treatment. Results were checked with exact logistic regression to control for the small sample size. RESULTS The FSFI was the only measure to significantly predict whether women improved at post-treatment. The findings from this study lend support for the use of validated questionnaires as endpoint criteria in detecting treatment-induced changes in women's sexual dysfunction.
Temporal contrast AER pixel with 0.3%-contrast event threshold

Bioluminescence analysis methods require measurement of small temporal variations of scene brightness over a 2d spatial array. Conventional solutions use low-noise frame-based image sensors and high resolution ADCs to achieve the required sensitivity to small fluctuations of less than 1%. Here we report a pixel design for address event representation (AER) temporal contrast detection that is optimized for detecting small relative changes of intensity. Detected changes exceeding a threshold asynchronously generate events. The pixel uses two successive gain stages to memorize and amplify changes of intensity, allowing detection of changes as small as 0.3% of intensity; a factor of about 50 better than prior capabilities for event-based temporal contrast sensors.
A genome-wide analysis in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes reveals 46 male accessory gland genes, possible modulators of female behavior

The male accessory glands (MAGs) of many insect species produce and secrete a number of reproductive proteins collectively named Acps. These proteins, many of which are rapidly evolving, are essential for male fertility and represent formidable modulators of female postmating behavior. Upon copulation, the transfer of Acps has been shown in Drosophila and other insects to trigger profound physiological and behavioral changes in females, including enhanced ovulation/oviposition and reduced mating receptivity. In Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the principal vectors of human malaria, experimental evidence clearly demonstrates a key role of MAG products in inducing female responses. However, no Acp has been experimentally identified to date in this or in any other mosquito species. In this study we report on the identification of 46 MAG genes from An. gambiae, 25 of which are male reproductive tract-specific. This was achieved through a combination of bioinformatics searches and manual annotation confirmed by transcriptional profiling. Among these genes are the homologues of 40% of the Drosophila Acps analyzed, including Acp70A, or sex peptide, which in the fruit fly is the principal modulator of female postmating behavior. Although many Anopheles Acps belong to the same functional classes reported for Drosophila, suggesting a conserved role for these proteins in mosquitoes, some represent novel lineage-specific Acps that may have evolved to perform functions relevant to Anopheles reproductive behavior. Our findings imply that the molecular basis of Anopheles female postmating responses can now be studied, opening novel avenues for the field control of these important vectors of human disease.
Robotic object manipulation with multilevel part-based model in RGB-D data

The performance of robotic object manipulation relies heavily on the selection of object model. In this article, we develop a multilevel part-based object model by applying latent support vector machine to training a hierarchical object structure. We implement our method with a robot arm and a depth sensor in Robot Operating System, and then we compare the recognition performance of this model with established methods on a point cloud data set and show the manipulation performance of our model on three practical tasks. The result demonstrates that our robot recognizes and manipulates objects more accurately with this multilevel part-based object model.
Advection-dominated Accretion: A Self-similar Solution

We consider viscous rotating accretion flows in which most of the viscously dissipated energy is stored as entropy rather than being radiated. Such advection-dominated flows may occur when the optical depth is either very small or very large. We obtain a family of self-similar solutions where the temperature of the accreting gas is nearly virial and the flow is quasi-spherical. The gas rotates at much less than the Keplerian angular velocity; therefore, the central stars in such flows will cease to spin up long before they reach the break-up limit. Further, the Bernoulli parameter is positive, implying that advection-dominated flows are susceptible to producing outflows. Convection is likely in many of these flows and, if present, will tend to enhance the above effects. We suggest that advection-dominated accretion may provide an explanation for the slow spin rates of accreting stars and the widespread occurrence of outflows and jets in accreting systems.
Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes of Successful Kielland's Rotational Forceps Delivery

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the rates of early neonatal and maternal complications in a consecutive series of successful Kielland's rotational forceps deliveries. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive cases of successful rotational forceps deliveries performed in singleton pregnancies at 36 weeks of gestation or more in a tertiary referral center in Scotland, UK, from 2001 to 2008 (n=873). We also compared outcomes associated with successful rotational forceps deliveries in 2008 (n=150) with those of nonrotational forceps delivery (n=873), ventouse delivery (n=159), spontaneous vertex delivery (n=3,494), and emergency cesarean delivery (n=947). RESULTS: There was one stillbirth associated with a rotational forceps delivery. This was diagnosed before application of forceps. After rotational forceps deliveries, 58 of 872 (6.7%) of live-born neonates were admitted to the neonatal unit. Twenty-seven of 872 (3.1%) neonates had one or more complications that could be attributable to traumatic delivery and seven neonates (0.8%) had a diagnosis of neonatal encephalopathy. When compared with alternative methods of delivery over a single year, neonatal admission rates after delivery by rotational forceps deliveries (5 of 150 [3.3%]) were not significantly different from spontaneous vertex delivery (128 of 3,494 [3.7%; P=1.00]) or ventouse delivery (6 of 159 [3.8%; P=1.00]) and lower than emergency cesarean delivery (106 of 947 [11.2%; P=.002). Postpartum hemorrhage rates after rotational forceps deliveries (8 of 150 [5.3%; P=.008]) were lower than those associated with emergency cesarean delivery (142 of 947 [15.0%; P=.008]). CONCLUSION: Rates of short-term neonatal and maternal complications after successful rotational forceps deliveries are low. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Nickel nitrate: A new junction permeability tracer for the study of the blood‐testis barrier

With the purpose of evaluating a new intercellular tracer, nickel‐K ferrocyanide, we compared results yielded by lanthanum with information provided by nickel. This was done in the seminiferous epithelium of Holtzman rats of several postnatal ages and in a wild local seasonal breeder Galea musteloides. Tissues were studied with transmission electron microscopy and freezefracture replications. Nickel tracing proved to delineate cell contours more intensely and less interruptedly than lanthanum. With regard to seasonal variations in adult galea, the limits of the barrier were similar to those described in other mammals: spermatogonia, preleptotene, and leptotene spermatocytes were surrounded by the tracer in the basal compartment. The zygotenepachytenes were contained in the lumenal compartment and tracers were stopped at the inter—Sertoli cell tight junctions. During the inactive spermatogenic phase in winter, the seminiferous epithelium contained Sertoli cells and occasional germ cells, never beyond the spermatocyte stage. The tracer filled intercellular spaces, indicating that the barrier was incompetent. Some resting germ cells showed nuclear hyperchromasia, karyolysis, organelle loss, cell shrinkage, and cell fusion leading to a multinucleated cells. The inter‐Sertoli tight junctions were scanty and had randomly oriented and discontinuous junctional strands. Moreover, inter—Sertoli cell gap junctions proliferated. During the active spermatogenic phase in summer, junctions were numerous. Their junctional strands were parallel to each other, and continuous.
Hubble Space Telescope observations of SV Cam – II. First derivative light‐curve modelling using phoenix and atlas model atmospheres

The variation of the specific intensity across the stellar disc is an essential input parameter in surface brightness reconstruction techniques such as Doppler imaging, where the relative intensity contributions of different surface elements are important in detecting star-spots. We use PHOENIX and ATLAS model atmospheres to model light curves derived from high precision (signal-to-noise ratio ≃ 5000) Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data of the eclipsing binary SV Cam (F9V+K4V), where the variation of specific intensity across the stellar disc will determine the contact points of the binary system light curve. For the first time, we use Χ 2 comparison fits to the first derivative profiles to determine the best-fitting model atmosphere. We show the wavelength dependence of the limb darkening and that the first derivative profile is sensitive to the limb-darkening profile very close to the limb of the primary star. It is concluded that there is only a marginal difference (<1σ) between the Χ 2 comparison fits of the two model atmospheres to the HST light curve at all wavelengths. The usefulness of the second derivative of the light curve for measuring the sharpness of the primary's limb is investigated, but we find that the data are too noisy to permit a quantitative analysis.
Longitudinal Postschool Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities: Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study

This article describes findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) of Special Education Students regarding trends in the employment, wages, postsecondary education, and residential independence of youth with disabilities in their first 5 years after high school. Data from the NLTS indicated strong gains in all four outcome areas over time. In all areas, however, youth with disabilities continued to lag behind their peers in the general population. Several differences between youth in certain disability categories were found regarding employment, postsecondary education, and movement toward independence over time. Longitudinal outcomes also differed widely by gender, ethnicity, and high school completion status.
Parboiled rice: chemical composition and the occurrence of mycotoxins

The objective of this work was to evaluate the incidence of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB B 1 ), deoxynivalenol (DON), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZEA) in parboiled rice with respect to its chemical composition. Eight lots from five different brands of parboiled rice were collected in four samplings, at different seasons, until the amount of 32 lots. It was observed that: DON was present in 22% of the samples (from 180 to 400 ppb); ZEA in 19% (from 317 to 396 ppb); OTA in 12.5% (from 13 and 26 ppb); and AFB B 1 in 9% (from 11 to 74 ppb). The results of the chemical composition were not different from those previously mentioned in the literature concerning parboiled rice. The ash and phenol levels in the contaminated parboiled rice samples suggested that those compounds had a relation to the occurrence of OTA, DON and ZEA mycotoxins.
Temporal genetic change in the last remaining population of woolly mammoth

During the Late Pleistocene, the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) experienced a series of local extinctions generally attributed to human predation or environmental change. Some small and isolated populations did however survive far into the Holocene. Here, we investigated the genetic consequences of the isolation of the last remaining mammoth population on Wrangel Island. We analysed 741 bp of the mitochondrial DNA and found a loss of genetic variation in relation to the isolation event, probably caused by a demographic bottleneck or a founder event. However, in spite of ca 5000 years of isolation, we did not detect any further loss of genetic variation. Together with the relatively high number of mitochondrial haplotypes on Wrangel Island near the final disappearance, this suggests a sudden extinction of a rather stable population.
Preoccupied adult attachment style as a vulnerability factor in the prediction of PTSD among security workers

This study examines post traumatic stress disorder based on data collected in a sample of Belgian security workers (n=81). All individuals experienced a traumatic event in the previous 12 months. The sample was divided into a securely attached and an insecurely attached group. Two research questions were examined. Firstly, differ secure and insecure attached security workers on the examined PTSD scores (re-experiencing, avoidant and hyper arousal)? Secondly, which attachment style can be seen as a vulnerability factor in the prediction of PTSD? The PTSD symptom scales reexperiencing, avoidance and hyper arousal differentiated significantly between the secure and the insecure group. The preoccupied attachment style contributed independently to the prediction of PTSD. Interest has been expressed in medical approaches; therefore, we underlined separately the importance of medical research in relationship to PTSD.
RSA Can Measure ACL Graft Stretching and Migration: Development of a New Method

We describe the development of a method using radiostereometric analysis to measure fixation slippage and graft stretching after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Initial development used a glass phantom object, then a series of laxity measurements of cadaveric knees. After this, we prospectively studied 14 patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using bone-patellar tendon-bone and hamstrings grafts. Tantalum markers were inserted into the femur, the tibia, and the graft. Radiostereometric analysis was used to measure sagittal laxity, graft stretching, and fixation slippage postoperatively and at intervals up to 1 year after surgery. The cadaveric knee laxity measured by RSA correlated with clinically-accepted KT2000 measurements. A steady increase in total anteroposterior laxity was found in both clinical groups during the year of followup. Migration of the bony fixations and stretching of the grafts tended to be higher in the hamstrings group. This method of anterior cruciate ligament graft analysis provides a new way to ascertain laxity changes in the reconstruction after surgery. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level II. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Speeding pointing in tiled widgets: understanding the effects of target expansion and misprediction

Target expansion is a pointing facilitation technique where the user's target, typically an interface widget, is dynamically enlarged to speed pointing in interfaces. However, with densely packed (tiled) arrangements of widgets, interfaces cannot expand all potential targets; they must, instead, predict the user's desired target. As a result, mispredictions will occur which may disrupt the pointing task. In this paper, we present a model describing the cost/benefit of expanding multiple targets using the probability distribution of a given predictor. Using our model, we demonstrate how the model can be used to infer the accuracy required by target prediction techniques. The results of this work are another step toward pointing facilitation techniques that allow users to outperform Fitts' Law in realistic pointing tasks.
Dimensiones psicopatológicas de las escalas clínicas del MMPI-2

The aim of this study was to determine the factor model underlying the clinical scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2). The MMPI-2 was administered to a non-probability sample of 362 undergraduate students. The masculinity-femininity scale was removed on account of problems with internal consistency. By generalized least squares, a model of three correlated factors with two correlations between residuals showed an adequate fit to data and was invariant between sexes: psychoticism (clinical scales of schizophrenia, psychasthenia, mania, paranoia and psychopathic deviation), depressive tendency (depression, social introversion, mania and psychasthenia), and propensity to somatoform disorders (hypochondria and hysteria). It is concluded that this model explains the interrelationship of the MMPI-2 clinical scales of both sexes, and a factor of simulated physical symptoms underlies the residual variance of scales of hysteria, psychopathic deviation and social introversion, which is more defined in women than in men.
Acceleration of learning speed in neural networks by reducing weight oscillations

We propose a novel fast learning algorithm in neural networks. The conventional backpropagation algorithm suffers from slow convergence due to weight oscillations at a narrow valley in the error surface. To overcome this difficulty we derive a new gradient term by modifying the original gradient term with an estimated downward direction at a valley. Simulation results show that the proposed method reduces oscillations considerably and achieves fast convergence.
An Empirical Study on End-users Productivity Using Model-based Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are widely used, and studies have shown that most end-user spreadsheets contain nontrivial errors. To improve end-users productivity, recent research proposes the use of a model-driven engineering approach to spreadsheets. In this paper we conduct the first systematic empirical study to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of this approach. A set of spreadsheet end users worked with two different model-based spreadsheets, and we present and analyze here the results achieved.
Identification of Equine Cecal Bacteria Producing Amines in an In Vitro Model of Carbohydrate Overload

ABSTRACT Acute laminitis has been associated with the overgrowth of gram-positive bacteria within the equine hindgut, causing the release of factor(s) leading to ischemia-reperfusion of the digits. The products of fermentation which trigger acute laminitis are, as yet, unknown; however, vasoactive amines are possible candidates. The objectives of this study were to use an in vitro model of carbohydrate overload to study the change in populations of cecal streptococci and lactobacilli and to establish whether certain species of these bacteria were capable of producing vasoactive amines from amino acids. Cecal contents from 10 horses were divided into aliquots and incubated anaerobically with either corn starch or inulin (fructan; both at 1 g/100 ml). Samples were taken at 6-h intervals over a 24-h period for enumeration of streptococci, lactobacilli, and gram-negative anaerobes by a dilution method onto standard selective growth media. The effects of the antibiotic virginiamycin (1 mg/100 ml) and calcium hydrogen phosphate (CaHPO4; 0.3 g/100 ml) were also examined. Fermentation of excess carbohydrate was associated with increases in numbers of streptococci and lactobacilli (2- to 3.5-log unit increases; inhibited by virginiamycin) but numbers of gram-negative anaerobes were not significantly affected. A screening agar technique followed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis enabled the identification of 26 different bacterial strains capable of producing one or more vasoactive amines. These included members of the species Streptococcus bovis and five different Lactobacillus spp. These data suggest that certain bacteria, whose overgrowth is associated with carbohydrate fermentation, are capable of producing vasoactive amines which may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute laminitis.