Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heart Rate: An Important Confounder of Pulse Wave Velocity Assessment

Arterial stiffness is a strong determinant of cardiovascular risk. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an index of arterial stiffness, and its prognostic value has been repeatedly emphasized. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of heart rate (HR) on PWV. Twenty-two subjects with a mean age of 77.8±8.4 (SD) years and permanent cardiac pacing were studied. In each subject, PWV was measured at 5 different pacing frequencies in the same session (60, 70, 80, 90, 100 bpm), the order of the various frequencies being randomly determined. Furthermore, to test the reproducibility, a repeat measurement of PWV was obtained in one randomly selected frequency. Blood pressure (BP) was measured by conventional means at each pacing frequency. PWV appeared fairly reproducible because no significant difference was disclosed between the 2 measurements obtained at the same HR level (P =0.5) and both measurements were strongly correlated (r =0.87, P <0.001). No significant BP variation was observed during pacing. There was a highly significant effect of HR on PWV estimated by a one-way, within-subjects analysis of variance (P =0.01). This study demonstrates that HR is an important factor in the intraindividual variation of PWV in elderly subjects. This raises methodological concern about the measurement of this parameter. Standardizing PWV for HR level seems mandatory if one wants to interpret PWV changes in clinical trials or in the follow-up of patients.
The effect of methemoglobin formation in sickle cell disease.

On a biochemical level, sickle cell disease is perhaps the most completely understood disease of man. In spite of this, no satisfactory treatment is available to patients afflicted with this disorder. The clinical manifestations of sickle cell anemia are varied. Some of the complaints of patients with this disease can be ascribed directly to the lack of oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Other symptoms, however, such as the painful crises, the leg ulcers and bone infarcts, are not due to anemia alone. They do not occur in other anemias of equal severity and must thus be ascribed to additional factors. One such factor might be the distortion which sickle cells undergo when the oxygen tension is lowered. Any means by which the shape change of red cells could be inhibited might, therefore, benefit patients with this disorder. Reports of attempts to modify the sickling process by changing the pH of the environment of red cells through the administration of sodium bicarbonate (1) or by poisoning red cell carbonic anhydrase with acetazolamide (Diamox) have been published (2). Clinical results of acetazolamide treatment have been disappointing (3). We are not aware of published confirmation of the effect of alkali therapy on the clinical course of sickle crises, although a recent study (4) showed that it was not possible to influence in vivo sickling by intravenous administration of bicarbonate. The effect of older therapies on sickle cell disease has recently been reviewed by Dacie (5). None is considered effective. To our knowledge, studies of the effect of any drug therapy on in vivo red cell survival have not been published.
Modulation of bft expression by the Bacteroides fragilis pathogenicity island and its flanking region

To establish a recombinant system for high‐level expression of biologically active Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT), we studied the expression of bft in non‐toxigenic B. fragilis (NTBF) strains. The bft gene and the B. fragilis pathogenicity island (BfPAI) were cloned into NTBF strains with two distinct genetic patterns: (i) pattern II, strains lacking the BfPAI and its flanking region; and (ii) pattern III, strains lacking the BfPAI but containing its flanking region. Analysis of BFT activity of these recombinant strains on HT29/C1 cells showed that both the BfPAI and its flanking regions are important to optimal BFT activity. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis indicated that the BfPAI and its flanking regions modulate bft expression. Further experiments demonstrated that the ≈ 700 bp region upstream of bft is the BfPAI region critical for optimal bft expression. We conclude that both the region flanking the BfPAI and ≈ 700 bp region upstream of bft are crucial to maximal BFT production by ETBF strains.
A comparison of the Prochaska Cycle of Change and the Holling Adaptive Cycle

The Prochaska Cycle of Change was developed in the field of cognitive behaviour and is used in areas such as nursing and criminal justice to effect behavioural changes in people. This proposes a cycle with the phases of pre-contemplation, contemplation, determination, action and maintenance. The Holling Adaptive Cycle was developed from research into ecological systems and is also used in such areas as financial and organizational systems. This model proposes a cycle of exploitation, conservation, release and re-organization. This paper attempts to map the two cycles on top of each other and explore how this mapping might provide useful metaphors, enhance our understanding of both cycles and provide useful tools for offenders to understand their behaviour. Resilience is a central concept of the Adaptive Cycle and in work with offenders. Just as building resilience helps natural and organizational systems to be adaptive, so too will it assist offenders to gain appropriate governance over themselves and avoid falling back into further offending. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influencia del valor percibido en la fidelidad de los clientes de actividades virtuales frente a las actividades con técnico en centros de fitness

espanolCada vez mas los centros de fitness incorporan las nuevas tecnologias en sus servicios deportivos, encontrandonos con una nueva tendencia desarrollada a partir de la evolucion natural de las actividades dirigidas con tecnico (AADDT). Esta son las actividades dirigidas virtuales (AADDV) en las que la inexistencia del tecnico resulta ser uno de los aspectos mas llamativos, no solo en la experiencia sino tambien en terminos de costes. El objetivo de este estudio fue el analisis del valor percibido y la fidelidad de los clientes en ambas actividades, analizando las diferencias existentes entre dichas actividades y la relacion entre ambas. La muestra se compuso de 216 usuarios de un centro de fitness (128 mujeres y 88 hombres) con edades comprendidas entre los 35 a 65 anos. Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas entre el valor percibido y la fidelidad respecto a los dos servicios deportivos, obteniendo valores mas positivos en las actividades que requieren un tecnico deportivo, influyendo positivamente el valor percibido sobre la fidelidad. El resultado obtenido ofrece a los responsables de los centros de fitness una oportunidad para el analisis y para la anexion o no de este tipo de servicios deportivos. EnglishMore and more fitness centers incorporate new technologies in their sports services, finding with a new trend like virtual fitness classes (AADDV) in which the lack of trainer turns out to be one of the most striking aspects not only in experience but also in terms of costs. Also this type of activity comes as the natural evolution of the instructor fitness classes (AADDT). The objective of this study was the analysis of perceived value and customer loyalty in both activities, exploring the differences between these services and the influence its. The sample was composed of 216 members of a fitness center (128 women and 88 men) aged between 35 and 65. The results show significant differences between the perceived value and loyalty between the two sports services, getting more positive values in the activities that require a technical sport with regard to directed virtual activities, positively influence the perceived value on loyalty. The result provides those responsible for fitness centers an opportunity for analysis and for annexation or not this type of sports services.
Investigation of the side pain "stitch" induced by running after fluid ingestion.

PURPOSE Text books attribute the side pain "stitch" during exercise to changes in blood flow to the viscera, but the little available research favors stretching of visceral ligaments. We therefore induced and modified stitch experimentally to investigate its cause and possible treatments. METHODS Ten active healthy young men reported the intensity of stitch during sessions of intermittent exercise after drinking either no fluid (control) or a body-mass-adjusted volume (14 mL x kg(-1)) of each of four fluids: water, Exceed, decarbonated Coca-Cola, and a hypertonic solution of the nonabsorbable sugar lactulose. Each exercise session consisted of five 5-min bouts of hard running on a treadmill, with 10-min rests between each bout. In another experiment, seven subjects reported the effect of several physical maneuvers on stitch during exercise after drinking decarbonated Coca-Cola. RESULTS Stitch developed to a similar intensity with all fluids during the first two bouts of running; thereafter, stitch declined only with Exceed, reaching the intensity with no fluid by the last two bouts. Bending forward while tightening abdominal muscles, tightening a belt around the waist, or breathing through pursed lips with increased lung volume alleviated stitch within seconds, but attempting to relax abdominal muscles or increasing the impact of foot strike had little effect. CONCLUSIONS Our observations cannot be explained readily by mechanisms involving digestion-induced changes in blood flow but are consistent with the notion that stitch arises when the fluid-engorged gut tugs on visceral ligaments.
People With Intellectual Disabilities About Sexuality: Important Implications for the Development of sex Education

Existing sex education programs have failed in involving people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the development of these programs, which decreases the likelihood that the sex education program will be effective. This study was conducted to assess the perspectives of people with ID on several sexuality-related topics. Semi-structured interviews were held with 20 people with an ID. The reported frequency of sex education the participants receive is low. Their knowledge regarding sex education is mainly limited to topics such as safe sex, contraception and STI’s and tends to be superficial. Additionally, knowledge on safe sex does not always translate to safe sex behavior. Finally, relationships are important for most participants; mainly because they don’t want to be alone. There is a need for high quality sex education. Sex education should be lengthier and taught more frequently, focusing on a variety of sexuality-related topics. Furthermore, sex education should include the improvement of sexuality-related skills as well. To increase the likelihood of a program to be effective it is advisable that a theory- and evidence-based framework is used for its development.
Identity and the Itinerant Online Learner.

This paper outlines a preliminary study of the kinds of strategies that master students draw upon for interpreting and enacting their identities in online learning environments. Based primarily on the seminal works of Goffman (1959) and Foucault (1988), the Web of Identity Model (Koole, 2009; Koole and Parchoma, 2012) is used as an underlying theoretical framework for this research study. The WoI model suggests that there are five major categories of “dramaturgical” strategies: technical, political, structural, cultural, and personal-agential. In the data collection, five online master of education students participated in semi-structured, online interviews. Phenomenography guided the data collection and analysis resulting in an outcome space for each strategy of the WoI model. The study results indicate that online learners actively employ a variety of strategies in interpreting and enacting their identities. The outcome spaces provide insights into ways in which online learners can manage their identity performances and strategies for ontological re-alignment (reconceptualization of oneself). Further study has the potential to elucidate how learning designers and online instructors might facilitate such identity-work in order to shape productive online environments.
Texture‐based parametric active contour for target detection and tracking

In recent years, active contour models (ACM) have been considered as powerful tools for image segmentation and object tracking in computer vision and image processing applications. This article presents a new tracking method based on parametric active contour models. In the proposed method, a new pressure energy called “texture pressure energy” is added to the energy function of the parametric active contour model to detect and track a texture target object in a texture background. In this scheme, the texture features of the contour are calculated by a moment‐based method. Then, by comparing these features with texture features of the target object, the contour curve is expanded or contracted to be adapted to the object boundaries. Experimental results show that the proposed method is more efficient and accurate in the tracking of objects compare to the traditional ones, when both object and background are textures in nature. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 19, 187–198, 2009
Long-term trends in blood lead levels among children in Chicago: relationship to air lead levels.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate trends in blood lead levels among children in Chicago from 1968 through 1988, and to determine the impact of the changes in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) blood lead level of concern. METHODS We reviewed a systematic sample of blood lead screening records of the Chicago Department of Health Laboratory for high-risk children aged 6 months to 5 years. Median blood lead levels for each quarter of the years 1974 through 1988 were determined and regressed against mean air lead levels recorded at air-monitoring stations in Chicago during the same period. RESULTS Median blood lead levels declined from 30 micrograms/dL in 1968 to 12 micrograms/dL in 1988, and were strongly associated with declining average air lead levels (r = .8, P < .001) from 1974 through 1988. A regression model using log-transformed data predicted a decline of 0.56 microgram/dL in the median blood lead level with each 0.1 microgram/m3 decline in the mean air lead level when the air lead level was near 1.0 microgram/m3; the predicted slope was steeper at lower air lead levels. Despite the nearly 20-fold reduction in air lead levels, the median blood lead level of 12 micrograms/dL in 1988 indicates substantial continuing lead exposure. The CDC blood lead level of concern was lowered twice from 1968 to 1988, but due to the decline in blood lead levels, fewer than 30% of the children were above the level of concern throughout most of the study. CONCLUSION Although substantial lead exposure persists in Chicago, reductions in airborne lead emissions seem to have contributed to a long-term decline in the median blood lead level of high-risk Chicago children.
A novel multifocus image fusion scheme based on pixel significance using wavelet transform

In this paper, we propose a novel fusion rule for combining multifocus images of a scene by taking their weighted average in wavelet domain. The weights are decided adaptively by computing significance of the pixel using information available at finer resolution bands such that the proposed significance depends on the strength of edges giving more weightage to pixel with sharper neighborhood. The performance have been extensively tested on several pairs of multifocus images and compared quantitatively with various existing methods. The analysis shows that the proposed method increases the quality of the fused image significantly, both visually and in terms quantitative parameters, by achieving major reduction in artefacts.
Airway remodelling in asthma: role for mechanical forces

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease with functional and structural changes, leading to bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction. Airway structural changes or airway remodelling consist of epithelial injury, goblet cell hyperplasia, subepithelial layer thickening, airway smooth muscle hyperplasia and angiogenesis. These changes were previously considered as a consequence of chronic airway inflammation. Even though inhaled corticosteroids can suppress airway inflammation, the natural history of asthma is still unaltered after inhaled corticosteroid treatment. As such there is increasing evidence for the role of mechanical forces within the asthmatic airway contributing to airway structural changes.
Empiric Therapy for Cancer Patients: Comparative Study of Ticarcillin-Tobramycin, Ticarcillin-Cephalothin, and Cephalothin-Tobramycin

Three combinations of antibiotics (cephalothin-tobramycin, cephalothin-ticarcillin, and ticarcillin-tobramycin) were administered empirically to 186 patients with cancer who were suspected of having a life-threatening infection. In approximately one-half of these patients, gram-negative infection was documented bacteriologically and consisted of septicemia in 50% of these patients. The three antimicrobial regimens were similarly effective and resulted in a favorable clinical response in approximately 55% of the patients. The administration of the cephalothin-tobramycin combination was associated with a significantly higher frequency of nephrotoxicity than that of the other two regimens.
Numerical study on damage identification using fractal theory and curvature method

Simply supported beam bridges are the most widely distributed kind of bridges, which are most commonly used in short and medium span bridges. Therefore, it is imperative to study their damage detection methods which can be used in engineering. To solve this problem, on the basis of fractal theory and curvature mode shapes method, this paper presents a damage identification method of simply supported beams: curvature difference method of waveform fractal dimension. Based on a numerical simply supported beam model, numerical simulation results using the technique under pulse excitation indicate that the proposed method can not only used in damage localization, but also in damage severity identification of the damaged elements. Moreover, effects of different excitation methods on results are examined. The proposed approach exhibits the insusceptibility to noise.
Silver Recovery from Acidic Solutions by Formation of Nanoparticles and Submicroparticles of Ag on Microfiltration Membranes

Despite environmental regulations, wastewaters generated by some industries are in some cases discharged into lakes, rivers or reservoirs after inefficient treatments or without any pretreatment for the elimination or reduction of certain pollutants. Effluents may sometimes contain valuable elements with significant commercial value such as precious metals. Recovery of these metals is important because they could be harmful to aquatic life in lakes and rivers and because of its economic value. There are legal provisions regarding the composition of an effluent: in the case of liquids containing silver, it is a maximum of 5 ppm. It is known, however, that the silver ion could create a complex especially with thiosulfate, which has little effect on health. Even if silver would not affect health and there were no restrictions to its discharge, there is an important reason to recover it: its value and scarcity. Annual global demand for silver is currently of 24,500 metric tons, used in a vast array of industrial and consumer products. For example, silver is widely used in industrial electroplating as a protective coating or as adornment. Silver reflects light very well, so it is used in car headlights and mirrors. A laboratory that uses silver in its production could discharge monthly, a value of 150 to 1,800 dollars in silver. Worldwide, approximately 57% of the silver present in discarded products is recovered. It has the highest rates of recovery among the most commonly used metals, but much of it is still lost in the various emissions to the environment.
Goniophotometric System for Measuring Object Surface Reflection Using Robot Arms

This paper proposes a goniophotometric system for measuring light reflection on an object surface using two commercial robot arms and a digital camera. It allows four degrees of freedom in incident and viewing angles necessary for full parametrization of a reflection model. Collected images are transformed as if they were all captured from the same viewing direction. A database of measured surface reflection is then constructed directly from the pixel values of the transformed images at each individual point on the object surface for a whole set of incident and viewing angles. From the collected image database, the parameters for the Torrance-Sparrow surface reflection model, such as diffuse reflectance, specular reflectance and surface roughness, are estimated. The proposed system enables two-dimensional pixel-wise measurement and modeling of surface reflectance, and thus, can deal with objects with spatially nonuniform surface reflectance. Experiments were performed on colored polyvinyl chloride sheets. The estimated Torrance-sparrow reflection models showed good agreement with the measurement data obtained by the proposed system.
Production and Perception of Pauses in Speech

Silences can make or break the conversation: if two persons involved in a conversation have different ideas about the typical length of pauses, they will face problems with turn taking. Pauses occur in conversation for a number of reasons, for example for breathing, thinking, word-searching and turn taking management. In this dissertation, we explore the production and perception of pauses in speech. Our aim consists of three main parts: to describe and analyse the production of pauses, to investigate the perception of pauses, and to examine the role of pauses in turn-taking. Our hypothesis is that pauses fill varying functions, and that these functions depend on the context of the pauses. We believe that the duration of pauses may be linked to the pause type, and that we adapt the our pause lengths to the persons we are speaking to. Further, we suggest that pauses occur regularly throughout dialogues. We also hypothesise that the duration of pauses in speech affect the processing of speech. Pauses are tied to the process of turn taking, and as we learn more about the nature of pauses we may also be able to further develop our understanding of the process of turn holding and turn yielding. We will also be able to use the information about pause production and perception when modelling turn taking in dialogue systems. Our results show that pause lengths vary greatly across speakers, pause types and dialogues. Pauses tend to be entrained by speakers involved in dialogues, and pauses occur regularly throughout conversations. We also found evidence that pauses have a positive impact on memorising spoken utterances. While speakers adapt their pause lengths to the other speaker in the conversation, they are inclined to keep a consistent ratio between pause types, and this is not dependent on the conversational partner. While it is interesting to look at pauses separately, we need to put them into context to really understand their functions. To highlight the role of pauses in conversation, we proposed an updated turn taking model, where the results from our studies are integrated.