Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A wireless sequentially actuated microvalve system

A wireless microvalve system was fabricated based on induction heating for flow control in microfluidics by sequential valve opening. In this approach, we used paraffin wax as a flow plug, which can be changed from solid to liquid with adjacent heating elements operated by induction heating. Programmable opening of valves was devised by using different thermal responses of metal discs to a magnetic field. Copper and nickel discs with a diameter of 2.5 mm and various thicknesses (50, 100 and 200 µm) were prepared as heating elements by a laser cutting method, and they were integrated in the microfluidic channel as part of the microvalve. A calorimetric test was used to measure the thermal properties of the discs in terms of kinds of metal and disc thickness. Sequential openings of the microvalves were performed using the difference in the thermal response of 100 µm thick copper disc and 50 µm thick nickel disc for short-interval openings and 200 µm thick copper disc and 100-µm-thick nickel disc for long-interval openings. The thermal effect on fluid samples as a result of induction heating of the discs was studied by investigating lysozyme denaturation. More heat was generated in heating elements made of copper than in those made of nickel, implying differences in the thermal response of heating elements made of copper and nickel. Also, the thickness of the heating elements affected the thermal response in the elements. Valve openings for short intervals of 1–5 s and long intervals of 15–23 s were achieved by using two sets of heating elements. There was no significant change in lysozyme activity by increasing the temperature of the heating discs. This study demonstrates that a wireless sequentially actuated microvalve system can provide programmed valve opening, portability, ease of fabrication and operation, disposability, and low cost.
Working Together to Improve Usability : Challenges and Best Practices

In theory, usability work is an important and wellintegrated activity in developing software. In practice, however, collaboration on improving usability is ridden with challenges relating to conflicting professional goals, tight project schedules, and unclear usability findings. We study those challenges through 16 interviews with software developers, usability experts, and project managers. Four key challenges to successful interaction between stakeholders are identified: poor timing when delivering usability results, results lacking relevance, little respect for other disciplines, and difficulties sharing important information. We discuss practices that address these challenges, and present four guidelines to support the collaboration and professional relationship among developers, usability experts, and project managers. Our observations are further discussed as encompassing multiple perspectives and as a collaborative crossprofessional learning process.
Gag-Specific CD4+ T-Cell Frequency Is Inversely Correlated with Proviral Load and Directly Correlated with Immune Activation in Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 (HIV-2) but Not HIV-1

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection, unlike HIV-1 infection, is normally characterized by low rates of CD4 depletion and low-to-undetectable viremia. We found that the frequency of Gag-specific CD4+ T cells featured positive correlations with the expression of markers of CD4 activation and a negative correlation with peripheral blood mononuclear cell-associated proviral load in infection with HIV-2, in contrast with HIV-1. Moreover, HIV-2-infected individuals exhibited a greater ability to respond to HIV-1 Gag peptides (heterologous responses). Our data suggest a potential link between HIV-2-specific CD4 responses, immune activation, and viral control, which may in turn relate to the better prognosis associated with HIV-2 infection.
A prospective 2-year study of emergency department patients with early-phase primary psychosis or substance-induced psychosis.

OBJECTIVE The authors examined treatment utilization and outcomes over 2 years among patients admitted to emergency departments with early-phase primary or substance-induced psychosis. The main hypothesis was that patients with substance-induced psychosis would have a more benign course of illness than those with primary psychosis METHOD Using a prospective naturalistic cohort study design, the authors compared 217 patients with early-phase primary psychosis plus substance use and 134 patients with early-phase substance-induced psychosis who presented to psychiatric emergency departments at hospitals in Upper Manhattan. Assessments at baseline and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months included psychiatric diagnoses, service use, and institutional outcomes using the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Disorders; psychiatric symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; social, vocational, and family functioning using the World Health Organization Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule; and life satisfaction using the Quality of Life Interview. Longitudinal analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS Participants with primary psychosis were more likely to receive antipsychotic and mood-stabilizing medications, undergo hospitalizations, and have outpatient psychiatric visits; those with substance-induced psychosis were more likely to receive addiction treatments. Only a minority of each group received minimally adequate treatments. Both groups improved significantly over time on substance dependence, psychotic symptoms, homelessness, and psychosocial outcomes, and few group-by-time interactions emerged. CONCLUSIONS Patients presenting to Upper Manhattan emergency departments with either early-phase primary psychosis or substance-induced psychosis improved steadily over 2 years despite minimal use of mental health and substance abuse services.
New model for predicting tensile strength and density of eucalyptus handsheets based on an activation parameter calculated from fiber distribution characteristics

Abstract The activation parameter developed is based on the fiber wall thickness distribution, fiber curl distribution, and water retention value of the unrefined fibers. The mechanical properties of paper that contain chemical pulp depend, among other things, on the free fiber segment activation between fiber-fiber crossings that is created during drying. Experimental data revealed that the degree of fiber swelling is responsible together with the fiber shape factor (curl) and fiber wall thickness for the extent of fiber network activation. The amount of bonding between fibers also affects fiber segment activation. Based on the experimental data, it was deduced that interfiber bonding ability of fibers, characterized as the water retention value, was mainly responsible for the development of handsheet density. Tensile index development was more affected by the morphology of fibers, which was the main determinant for high activation potential of fibers. Factor analysis was used to identify the main causes of variation for a refining data set of 20 Eucalyptus grandis samples. Three independent descriptors were found to be responsible for the majority of the variation: the bonding and activation factor, the factor of microcompressions, and the factor of fiber wall thickness and fiber curl. The activation parameter developed in this study can be used to determine the effect of fiber segment activation and inter-fiber bonding on the inplane mechanical properties of paper.
Evaluation of vitamin B12 effects on DNA damage induced by paclitaxel

Abstract Paclitaxel (PAC) is an anticancer drug that has been shown to generate free radicals leading to irreversible cell injury. Vitamin B12 has antioxidative properties and can protect DNA from free radicals. In this study, we examined the possible genotoxic effect of PAC on DNA as well as the possible protective effect of vitamin B12 on DNA damage induced by paclitaxel. Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were measured in cultured human blood lymphocytes treated with PAC (10 µM) and/or vitamin B12 (2.7 mg/mL). Our results showed that PAC significantly increased the frequencies of SCEs (p < 0.001) and CAs (p < 0.001) in human blood lymphocytes, as compared to controls. These DNA damages, caused by PAC drug, were prevented by pretreatment of cells with vitamin B12. In addition, we showed that PAC induced an increase in 8-OHdG, a marker of oxidative DNA damage, and that this increase was prevented by vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 seems to protect against genotoxicity induced by PAC in human blood lymphocytes.
Geometric Optimization Methods for Independent Component Analysis Applied on Gene Expression Data

DNA microarrays provide a huge amount of data and require therefore dimensionality reduction methods to extract meaningful biological information. Independent component analysis (ICA) was proposed by several authors as an interesting means. Unfortunately, experimental data are usually of poor quality because of noise, outliers and lack of samples. Robustness to these hurdles will thus be a key feature for an ICA algorithm. This paper identifies a robust contrast function and proposes a new ICA algorithm.
Three-Dimensional Characterization of BaZrO3 Precipitates in Y1-xGdxBa2Cu3O7-y Prepared by TFA-MOD Using STEM-Tomography

Y1-xGdxBa2Cu3O7-y film with BaZrO3 was fabricated on CeO2 buffered LaMnO3/ion beam assisted deposition MgO/Gd2Zr2O7/Hastelloy C276TM substrates by the trifluoroacetates metal organic deposition process, whose microstructural and elemental analyses were performed by transmission electron microscopy. Y1-xGdxBa2Cu3O7-y film with the thickness about 700 nm was found composed of c-axis oriented grains and large numbers of randomly oriented precipitates, such as (Y,Gd)2Cu2O5, CuO and BaZrO3. (Y,Gd)2Cu2O5 and CuO precipitates were heterogeneously dispersed in the Y1-xGdxBa2Cu3O7-y matrix with their sizes ranging between 100 and 200 nm, and BaZrO3 precipitates were uniformly dispersed with their sizes ranging between 10 and 20 nm. Electron tomography with elemental information was performed further to reveal the three-dimensional information of BaZrO3 precipitates.
An Integrated Filtering Antenna Array With High Selectivity and Harmonics Suppression

In this paper, a new design of an antenna array with integrated functions of filtering, harmonics suppression, and radiation is proposed. The device employs a multi-port network of coupled resonators, which is synthesized and designed as a whole to fulfill the functions of filtering, power combination/division, and radiation. The 50-Ω interfaces between the cascaded filter, power divider, and antenna in traditional RF front-ends are eliminated to achieve a highly integrated and compact structure. A novel resonator-based four-way out-of-phase filtering power divider is proposed and designed. It is coupled to the patch array, rendering a fourth-order filtering response. The coupling matrix of the resonator network is synthesized. The physical implementations of the resonators and their couplings are detailed. Compared to a traditional patch array, the integrated filtering array shows an improved bandwidth and frequency selectivity. In addition, the harmonic of the antenna array is suppressed due to the use of different types of resonators. To verify the concept, a 2×2 filtering array at S-band is designed, prototyped, and tested. Good agreement between simulations and measurements has been achieved, demonstrating the integrated filtering antenna array has the merits of wide bandwidth, high frequency selectivity, harmonics suppression, stable antenna gain, and high polarization purity.
Forming mesh topology for Bluetooth ad hoc networks

In this paper, a heuristic algorithm in forming Bluetooth mesh topology is presented. The algorithm forming the scatternet includes two stages. In the first stage, a root node begins to create a conventional tree-shaped topology. In the second stage, a backward connection mechanism is introduced to increase more connection paths and to convert the tree-shaped into a web-shaped topology. The mechanism contains two connection models including the master/slave web (MSW) and the slave/slave web (SSW) models. The MSW model connects additional intermediate master/slave nodes and the SSM model interconnects more leaf nodes as well as both models build the web-shaped topologies. These two models are implemented in the heuristic algorithm to construct a mesh-shaped topology. Simulation results show that the mesh topology effectively reduces the path length than a tree and a hybrid ring-tree scatternet. As a result, the heuristic algorithm contains both MSW and SSW models as well as generates an efficient mesh topology for Bluetooth-based ad hoc networks.
Learning opposites with evolving rules

The idea of opposition-based learning was introduced 10 years ago. Since then a noteworthy group of researchers has used some notions of oppositeness to improve existing optimization and learning algorithms. Among others, evolutionary algorithms, reinforcement agents, and neural networks have been reportedly extended into their “opposition-based” version to become faster and/or more accurate. However, most works still use a simple notion of opposites, namely linear (or type-I) opposition, that for each x ∈ [a; b] assigns its opposite as x̆I = a + b - x. This, of course, is a very naive estimate of the actual or true (non-linear) opposite x̆II, which has been called type-II opposite in literature. In absence of any knowledge about a function y = f(x) that we need to approximate, there seems to be no alternative to the naivety of type-I opposition if one intents to utilize oppositional concepts. But the question is if we can receive some level of accuracy increase and time savings by using the naive opposite estimate x̆I according to all reports in literature, what would we be able to gain, in terms of even higher accuracies and more reduction in computational complexity, if we would generate and employ true opposites? This work introduces an approach to approximate type-II opposites using evolving fuzzy rules when we first perform “opposition mining”. We show with multiple examples that learning true opposites is possible when we mine the opposites from the training data to subsequently approximate x̆II = f(x; y).
Alpha 1-adrenergic control of chloride transport in the rat S1 proximal tubule.

To identify in vivo the specific alpha-adrenergic receptor mediating direct neural control of chloride transport in the rat S1 proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), the major effector site of neural regulation, microperfusion was employed in conjunction with the alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonists, prazosin and rauwolscine. Using a glomerular ultrafiltrate-like perfusate, prazosin markedly inhibited chloride transport by -42% (302 +/- 10 to 176 +/- 5 peq.mm-1.min-1, P < 0.0001). Using a sodium chloride perfusate, which measures the active component of chloride absorption (J(Cl)act) (control, 153 peq.mm-1.min-1) plus a constant passive (479 peq.mm-1.min-1) component, both prazosin and acute renal denervation reduced J(Cl)act by -38% and -44% (-58 and -67 peq.mm-1.min-1, each P < 0.05). In contrast, rauwolscine caused no significant change in J(Cl)act using either perfusate. Prazosin regulates chloride transport via protein kinase C (PKC), since preactivation of PKC by phorbol abolished inhibitory impact of prazosin. Inhibition of J(Cl)act by prazosin (-58 peq.mm-1.min-1) was fully additive to either the stimulation or inhibition (losartan) of angiotensin II (55 or -49 peq.mm-1.min-1), which uses the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) second messenger system [observed changes, not significantly different from 0 and -99 peq.mm-1.min-1; expected changes, not significantly different from 0 and -107 peq.mm-1.min-1]. In conclusion, neural control of S1 PCT chloride absorption in vivo is mediated by alpha 1-adrenergic receptors, which can selectively regulate J(Cl)act by altering PKC activity, independently of the cAMP second messenger system.
Reliability and Validity of Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey, Korean Version

Background The Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS) is a self-administered questionnaire developed in the United States to evaluate the severity of the common cold and its reliability has been validated. We developed a Korean language version of this questionnaire by using a sequential forward and backward translation approach. The purpose of this study was to validate the Korean version of the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-K) in Korean patients with common cold. Methods This multicenter prospective study enrolled 107 participants who were diagnosed with common cold and consented to participate in the study. The WURSS-K includes 1 global illness severity item, 32 symptom-based items, 10 functional quality-of-life (QOL) items, and 1 item assessing global change. The SF-8 was used as an external comparator. Results The participants were 54 women and 53 men aged 18 to 42 years. The WURSS-K showed good reliability in 10 domains, with Cronbach’s alphas ranging from 0.67 to 0.96 (mean: 0.84). Comparison of the reliability coefficients of the WURSS-K and WURSS yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.71 (P = 0.02). Validity of the WURSS-K was evaluated by comparing it with the SF-8, which yielded a Pearson correlation coefficient of −0.267 (P < 0.001). The Guyatt’s responsiveness index of the WURSS-K ranged from 0.13 to 0.46, and the correlation coefficient with the WURSS was 0.534 (P < 0.001), indicating that there was close correlation between the WURSS-K and WURSS. Conclusions The WURSS-K is a reliable, valid, and responsive disease-specific questionnaire for assessing symptoms and QOL in Korean patients with common cold.
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy Levels of Sulfated Progesterone Metabolites Inhibit Farnesoid X Receptor Resulting in a Cholestatic Phenotype

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most prevalent pregnancy‐specific liver disease and is associated with an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes, including preterm labor and intrauterine death. The endocrine signals that cause cholestasis are not known but 3α‐sulfated progesterone metabolites have been shown to be elevated in ICP, leading us to study the impact of sulfated progesterone metabolites on farnesoid X receptor (FXR)‐mediated bile acid homeostasis pathways. Here we report that the 3β‐sulfated progesterone metabolite epiallopregnanolone sulfate is supraphysiologically raised in the serum of ICP patients. Mice challenged with cholic acid developed hypercholanemia and a hepatic gene expression profile indicative of FXR activation. However, coadministration of epiallopregnanolone sulfate with cholic acid exacerbated the hypercholanemia and resulted in aberrant gene expression profiles for hepatic bile acid‐responsive genes consistent with cholestasis. We demonstrate that levels of epiallopregnanolone sulfate found in ICP can function as a partial agonist for FXR, resulting in the aberrant expression of bile acid homeostasis genes in hepatoma cell lines and primary human hepatocytes. Furthermore, epiallopregnanolone sulfate inhibition of FXR results in reduced FXR‐mediated bile acid efflux and secreted FGF19. Using cofactor recruitment assays, we show that epiallopregnanolone sulfate competitively inhibits bile acid‐mediated recruitment of cofactor motifs to the FXR‐ligand binding domain. Conclusion: Our results reveal a novel molecular interaction between ICP‐associated levels of the 3β‐sulfated progesterone metabolite epiallopregnanolone sulfate and FXR that couples the endocrine component of pregnancy in ICP to abnormal bile acid homeostasis. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;)
Rate-Control vs Rhythm-Control for Atrial Fibrillation: A Controversy Reluctant to Die in the Era of Dronedarone?

Although restoring atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm seems beneficial in patients with non-permanent AF, clinical trials have not observed any convincing benefit of a rhythm-control strategy compared with a rate-control strategy. This may be related with the adverse effects associated with antiarrhythmic drugs that may offset any beneficial effect of this approach. Dronedarone has been recently approved for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation and is the only antiarrhythmic agent that has shown a benefit in the reduction of the incidence of hospitalization due to cardiovascular events or death compared with placebo. As AFFIRM is the most relevant clinical trial that has suggested that rhythm and rate control rates strategies are similar, and ATHENA the most important study analyzing the effects of dronedarone in patients with atrial fibrillation, the results of both studies have been compared.
Laboratory-Based Markers as Predictors of Brain Infarction During Carotid Stenting: a Prospective Study.

AIM New ischemic lesions in the brain can be detected in approximately 50% of patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS). We wished to discover the laboratory-based predictors of new infarctions in the brain after CAS. METHODS All consecutive patients with internal carotid artery stenosis of ≥70% with indication for CAS were enrolled in a prospective study for 16 months. All patients used dual antiplatelet therapy for ≥7 days before CAS. Neurologic examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain were undertaken before and at 24 h after CAS. Samples of venous blood were collected at ＜24 h before CAS for the evaluation of hematology, reticulocytes, coagulation markers (PT, APTT, Fbg, Clauss), vWF antigen, PAI-1 activity, PAI-1 polymorphism 4G/5G, and the multiplate (aspirin and clopidogrel) resistance test. Blood samples for the assessment of anti-Xa activity were collected during CAS. Differences in the values of laboratory markers between patients with and without new ischemic lesions of the brain on control MRI were evaluated. RESULTS The cohort comprised 81 patients (53 males; mean age, 67.3±7.2 years). New ischemic infarctions in the brain on control MRI were found in 46 (56.8%) patients. Three of seven patients with resistance to aspirin or clopidogrel had a new ischemic infarction in the brain. No significant differences for particular markers were found between patients with and without an ischemic lesion in the brain. CONCLUSION A high risk of a new ischemic infarction in the brain was detected in patients undergoing CAS, but a laboratory-based predictor of such an infarction could not be identified.
A Variable Length Distributed Source Coding Algorithm for WSNs

Ubiquitous computing has become an integral part of the modern communication system. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are networks of small devices called sensors deployed in a geographical area to sense some physical entity. The sensed information will be then conveyed to the central entity called the Base Station (BS). WSN nodes being generally deployed in harsh environments, recharging or replacing of batteries become an infeasible task. Thus it is desirable to represent the information using as minimum number of bits as possible. One such technique to perform this is source coding. In this paper an attempt is made in proposing a novel algorithm called Variable LengthDistributed Source Coding (VLDSC) which is an improvement over the existing Huffman coding technique. The results validate the betterment in the performance of the proposed algorithm.