Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary bitter melon seed increases peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ gene expression in adipose tissue, down-regulates the nuclear factor-κB expression, and alleviates the symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome.

The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which bitter melon seed (BMS) alleviates the symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome and elucidate the mechanism by which BMS exerts beneficial effects. Three-month-old female Zucker rats were assigned to following groups: lean control (L-Ctrl), obese control (O-Ctrl), and obese + BMS (O-BMS). The control groups were fed AIN-93M purified rodent diet, and the O-BMS group was fed AIN-93M diet modified to contain 3.0% (wt/wt) ground BMS for 100 days. After 100 days of treatment, BMS supplementation in the obese rats lowered the total serum cholesterol by 38% and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels by about 52% and increased the ratio of serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to total cholesterol compared to the O-Ctrl group. The percentage of total liver lipids was about 32% lower and serum triglyceride levels were 71% higher in the O-BMS group compared to the O-Ctrl group. Serum glucose levels were significantly lowered partly because of the increase in the serum insulin levels in the BMS-based diet groups. BMS supplementation increased the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in the white adipose tissue of the obese rats significantly (P < .05) and down-regulated the expression of PPAR-γ, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and interferon-γ mRNA in heart tissue of the obese rats. The findings of this study suggest that BMS improves the serum and liver lipid profiles and serum glucose levels by modulating PPAR-γ gene expression. To our knowledge, this study for the first time shows that BMS exerts cardioprotective effects by down-regulating the NF-κB inflammatory pathway.
A Survey on Motion Detection Using WiFi Signals

WiFi signals based applications, such as indoor localization, human activity recognition and trace tracking, have been increasing attention in the past decade. WiFi signals are sensitive to the change of indoor environment, so the above mentioned applications encounter challenges which contain dynamic indoor environment, device diversity and motion influence. We mainly survey techniques of motion detecting and estimate changes of WiFi signals reflected by motion behaviors. Moreover, we analyze the impact of motion behaviors on applications based on WiFi signals, and deeply research developmental trend of WiFi signals. Finally, we pay closed attention to opportunities and future research directions in this new and large open area.
Assessment of cardiovascular risk in waiting‐listed renal transplant patients: a single center experience in 558 cases

Abstract: Cardiac screening is recommended to prevent cardiovascular death after renal transplantation. This retrospective observational study illustrates the results of application of a cardiac assessment algorithm in a series of 558 renal transplant candidates at a single center in Turin, Italy. A dipyridamole‐stress sestamibi myocardial scintiscan (DMS) performed in 302/558 (54.1%) cases was positive in 52 (17.2%), negative in 200 (66.2%), borderline in 16 (5.3%), and with signs of previous necrosis in 34 (11.4%). Coronary lesions detected by angiography in 48.1% of the 52 positives were treated medically (13.5%) or by percutaneous/surgical procedure (34.6%). Coronary lesions were detected in 14.1% of asymptomatic population subgroup. The minor and major cardiovascular event rates and the cardiovascular death rate were 1.9%, 0%, and 0%, respectively, in positive DMS group (high‐cardiological risk) vs. 10%, 4.5%, and 3.5% in the negatives (p > 0.5; n.s.). It is suggested that not increased cardiovascular event or deaths rates in the high‐risk group reflect early coronary lesion detection and correction. Since 55.9% of cardiovascular events or deaths occurred in the negative group more than 24 months after the DMS, its mandatory repetition every two yr after a negative finding is recommended.
Elevated B lymphocyte stimulator levels are associated with increased damage in an Irish systemic lupus erythematosus cohort.

OBJECTIVE The overall aim of this study is to identify clinical and serological features that are associated with B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) elevation in a homogeneous Caucasian SLE population and thereby identify patients who are most likely to benefit from BLyS blockade. METHODS Patients with SLE (as per ACR criteria) were recruited. Clinical history, disease activity measures and laboratory measures of disease were recorded. BLyS levels were determined by ELISA. RESULTS BLyS elevation was defined as being higher than the 95th percentile of BLyS levels measured in controls. Patients were divided into two groups: those with elevated BLyS levels (group 1, n = 23) and those with normal BLyS levels (group 2, n = 22). Elevated BLyS levels were significantly associated with patients of younger age and shorter disease duration. In keeping with previous reports, patients with elevated BLyS levels had more active disease (SLEDAI 5.1 vs 0.86, P < 0.001); however, our analysis also demonstrates that BLyS elevation was significantly associated with increased organ damage at 5-year follow-up [Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index (SLICC/ACR DI) 0.53 vs 0.13, P = 0.012]. Furthermore, the presence of Sm autoantibody significantly predicted elevated BLyS levels in a Caucasian population. BLyS levels were significantly higher in those with musculoskeletal involvement, malar rash, renal disease and evidence of immunological activity. CONCLUSION BLyS blockade may be most beneficial if introduced early in the course of disease in young Caucasian patients presenting with renal, musculoskeletal and skin disease in an effort to reduce long-term damage.
The role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the generation of high heart rates and blood pressures in reptiles

SUMMARY The functional significance of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in the generation of high heart rates and blood pressures was investigated in four species of reptile; the turtle, Trachemys scripta; the python, Python regius, the tegu lizard, Tupinanvis merianae, and the varanid lizard, Varanus exanthematicus. Force-frequency trials and imposed pauses were performed on ventricular and atrial tissue from each species with and without the SR inhibitor ryanodine, and in the absence and presence of adrenaline. In all species, an imposed pause of 1 or 5 min caused a post-rest decay of force, and a negative force-frequency response was observed in all species within their in vivo frequency range of heart rates. These relationships were not affected by either ryanodine or adrenaline. In ventricular strips from varanid lizards and pythons, ryanodine caused significant reductions in twitch force within their physiologically relevant frequency range. In atrial tissue from the tegu and varanid lizards, SR inhibition reduced twitch force across the whole of their physiological frequency range. In contrast, in the more sedentary species, the turtle and the python, SR inhibition only decreased twitch force at stimulation frequencies above maximal in vivo heart rates. Adrenaline caused an increase in twitch force in all species studied. In ventricular tissue, this positive inotropic effect was sufficient to overcome the negative effects of ryanodine. In atrial tissue however, adrenaline could only ameliorate the negative effects of ryanodine at the lower pacing frequencies. Our results indicate that reptiles recruit Ca2+ from the SR for force development in a frequency and tissue dependent manner. This is discussed in the context of the development of high reptilian heart rates and blood pressures.
Reproducibility and validity of an interviewer-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary intake of urban adults in southern India

We report on the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed for southern India. One hundred and two adult subjects aged ≥20 years drawn from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study participated. The FFQ was developed based on local foods and habits, and was administered three times at 0, 6 and 12 month periods (called FFQ1, FFQ2 and FFQ3) to assess the reproducibility. To test the validity of the FFQ, multiple 24-h recalls collected at 2-monthly intervals for a period of 1 year and the estimated energy intake/basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) ratio were used. The ‘EpiNu’ in-house food and nutrient database was used to compile dietary intakes, which were analyzed for statistical analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient for all three FFQs ranged from 0.72 for carbohydrates to 0.45 for folate. The de-attenuated Pearson correlation for the energy adjusted nutrients between FFQ3 and 24-h recalls ranged from 0.73 for carbohydrates to 0.35 for calcium. Bland and Altman plots for energy intake between the two methods showed the limits of agreement ranged from 768 to −1358 calories/day (±2 standard deviations). Misclassification was low for most of the nutrients. Under-reporting of the energy intake (EI/BMR ratio<1.2) was higher in females than males. This FFQ appears to be a robust tool to measure dietary intakes in southern India.
Intelligent Personal Agent

A busy worker requires a personal assistant to help in managing the overall workload. Since artificial agent can give a better and dynamic solution, this paper describe an Intelligent Personal agent (IPA) that will guide the busy worker in doing his daily work by analyzing his/her task and assisting which task is more important, and when to perform it. It divides the user’s task in two categories Professional and Personal and accordingly assists him/her in completing it. Most of the times less importance is given to professional activities and due to increase in the workload people even forget to complete the personal task. For e.g. Payment of home bills. Today’s world is so busy that we need someone to do our work on behalf of us. The purpose of this agent is to help the user in his professional work simultaneously achieving the personal task also. Agent’s reasoning and planning capability reveals its intelligent behavior. The learning capability of agent allows it to improve its performance by previous experiences. Thus the overall agent design guides the user in terms of managing, reasoning, planning, learning and improving its performance to user preference General Terms: Artificial Intelligence used to develop a personal agent with intelligent behavior.
Cerebral microembolization in the rat: Changes in blood‐brain barrier permeability and cerebral blood flow as related to the degree of ischemia

Unilateral cerebral microembolism was performed in the rat by injecting calibrated, 50 μm in diameter, carbonized microspheres into the internal carotid artery. The events that follow brain ischemia due to cerebral embolization were studied by the analysis of the blood‐brain barrier (BBB) function, the degree of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the development of brain edema.
The role of adipokines as regulators of skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolism and insulin sensitivity

Several adipose‐derived cytokines (adipokines) have been suggested to act as a link between accumulated fat mass and altered insulin sensitivity. Resistin and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) have been implicated in impairing insulin sensitivity in rodents; conversely, two other adipokines, leptin and adiponectin, increase insulin sensitivity in lean and obese rodents. Currently, there is considerable focus on the concept that lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle leads to the development of insulin resistance. Adiponectin and leptin have each been demonstrated to increase rates of fatty acid (FA) oxidation and decrease muscle lipid content, which may in part be the underlying mechanism to their insulin sensitizing effect. These effects on FA metabolism appear to be mediated in part through the activation of AMP‐activated protein kinase. Evidence derived from animal and human studies suggests that the ability of leptin and adiponectin to stimulate FA oxidation in muscle is impaired in the obese condition. Thus, leptin and adiponectin resistance may be an initiating factor in the accumulation of intramuscular lipids, such as diacylglyerol and ceramide, and the ensuing development of insulin resistance. Lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise are able to restore the sensitivity of muscle to leptin. The actual physiological roles of resistin and TNF‐α in altering muscle lipid metabolism are more controversial, but each has been shown to directly impair insulin signalling and consequently, insulin stimulated glucose uptake in muscle. However, the possibility that resistin and TNF‐α reduces insulin sensitivity in muscle by directly impairing FA metabolism in this tissue leading to lipid accumulation, has been virtually unexamined. Thus, the contribution of various adipokines to the development of insulin resistance is complex and not fully understood. Finally, the effects of these adipokines on metabolism and insulin sensitivity are generally studied in isolation, making it difficult to predict the interactive effects and the net impact on insulin sensitivity.
The Role of Haemoglobin A1c in Screening Obese Children and Adolescents for Glucose Intolerance and Type 2 Diabetes.

INTRODUCTION In 2012, an international expert committee in diabetes wrote in favor of screening adult and paediatric patients for glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes using glycated haemoglobin. The aim of this study was to evaluate glycated haemoglobin utility as a screening tool in a young obese mainly Caucasian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS Children [(n = 266), body mass index z-score 3.35 ± 0.59, 90% Caucasian 90%, 55% female, median age 12.3 (range: 8.9 - 17.6) years old] recently referred to a tertiary hospital-based obesity clinic underwent a routine oral glicose tolerance test and glycated haemoglobin measurement. EXCLUSION CRITERIA abnormal forms of haemoglobin and conditions linked to increased erythrocyte turnover. RESULTS The oral glicose tolerance test diagnosed 13 (4.9%) subjects as prediabetic but none as diabetic. According to glycated haemoglobin, 32 would be prediabetic (29 false positives) and one would be diabetic (when he was only glucose intolerant). On the other hand, 10 prediabetic patients would not have been identified (false negatives). Glycated haemoglobin receiver operator characteristic analysis area under the curve was 0.59 (CI 95% 0.40 - 0.78), confirming its reduced capacity to identify prediabetes. Better results were achieved when calculating receiver operator characteristic analysis area under the curve for fasting glucose (0.76;CI 95% 0.66 - 0.87), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (0.77; CI 95% 0.64 - 0.90) and triglycerides:HDL cholesterol ratio (0.81; CI 95% 0.66 - 0.96). DISCUSSION In Paediatric populations, especially when mainly Caucasian, glycated haemoglobin does not seem to be a useful screening tool for prediabetes. CONCLUSION For this reason, it would appear premature to advise it as a diagnostic tool until significantly more data is available. Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance and triglycerides: HDL cholesterol have higher precision and can be calculated using a fasting blood sample.
A Retained Stitch in Time Saves 9 - But Does it Increase the Risk of Deep Prosthetic Infection?

Introduction During the posterior approach to the hip, the short external rotators are detached and secured with stay sutures. At the time of definitive closure, some surgeons incorporate the initial sutures into their repair while others discard for fresh sutures, presumably as an infection prevention measure. We have conducted a pilot study to investigate whether the incorporation of the primary stay sutures may constitute an infection risk to the patient undergoing a total hip replacement through the posterior approach. Materials and methods The pilot study was conducted between August 2014 and June 2015. A pair of suture specimens were sent from 25 patients to microbiology, 1 set of primary stay sutures and 1 set of control sutures. All operations were carried out by the senior author through a posterior approach. Results All specimens were analysed for bacterial and fungal growth, using extended cultures. 1 set of primary sutures had a positive growth, likely from skin contamination; 1 set of control sutures also had a positive growth, likely from environmental contamination. Conclusions Our pilot study suggests that the practice of incorporating the primary stay sutures for definitive soft tissue repair of the short external rotators, rather than exchanging them for new sutures, can be deemed safe.
Failure to Test for HIV in Rural Ethiopia

Goals of universal “test and treat” will never be fully realized if testing acceptance remains low, including rural areas, where HIV is increasingly recognized. We surveyed 250 randomly selected households from a rural Ethiopian town (Arba Minch) and surrounding villages about HIV testing experience, knowledge, and attitudes. Of the 558 adults, 45% were never HIV tested. Those never tested for HIV were more likely to be (P < .05) ≥45 years, rural villagers, and unaware of the benefits of antiretroviral therapy treatment and that persons with HIV can appear healthy; they were more likely to believe HIV-infected persons would be stigmatized and unsupported by their communities. Of those never tested, 70% were interested in HIV testing if offered. Despite recommendations that all persons be HIV tested, almost half of the adult residents in this rural community were never tested. Programs to increase HIV testing must include measures to address stigma/discrimination and knowledge deficits including benefits of early diagnosis and treatment.
Comparison of conventional risk factors in middle-aged versus elderly diabetic and nondiabetic patients with myocardial infarction: prediction with decision–analytic model

Background: We sought to predict occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) by means of a classification and regression tree (CART) model by conventional risk factors in middle-aged versus elderly (age ⩾65years) diabetic and nondiabetic patients from the Modares Heart Study. Method: A total of 469 patients were randomly selected and categorized into two groups according to clinical diabetes status. Group I consisted of 238 diabetic patients and group II consisted of 231 nondiabetic patients. Our population was MI positive. The outcome investigated was diabetes mellitus. We used a decision–analytic model to predict the diagnosis of patients with suspected MI. Results: We constructed 4 predictive patterns using 12 input variables and 1 output variable in terms of their sensitivity, specificity and risk. The differences among patterns were due to inclusion of predictor variables. The CART model suggested different variables of hypertension, mean cell volume, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride and uric acid concentration based on middle-aged and elderly patients at high risk for MI. Levels of biochemical measurements identified as best risk cutoff points. In evaluating the precision of different patterns, sensitivity and specificity were 47.9–84.0% and 56.3–93.0%, respectively. Conclusions: The CART model is capable of symbolizing interpretable clinical data for confirming and better prediction of MI occurrence in clinic or in hospital. Therefore, predictor variables in pattern could affect the outcome based on age group variable. Hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hyperuricemia were serious predictors for occurrence of MI in diabetics.
Hypothesis: Duchenne dystrophy viewed as a disturbance of nerve‐muscle interactions

The possibility that some features of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can be explained as a disturbance of nerve‐muscle interaction during development is discussed. It is argued that the initial disturbance in DMD is due to a slower rate of maturation of skeletal muscle fibers. Normally, the maturation of the motor reflexes is closely followed by maturation of the muscle fibers. The possibility is considered that if muscle fibers mature more slowly than normal, they are not able to withstand the type of activity imposed upon them by the mature motoneuron. This applies mainly to the high frequency activity imposed on the fibers of motor units that are destined to become “fast. ” Experimental evidence suggesting such a mechanism is presented.
Modified circular patch antenna based crossover for beamforming applications

Crossover helps in maintaining signal integrity when transmission lines overlap. Planar crossovers will be attractive as the area consumed will be less and can provide transmission and isolation between desired ports. In this paper, a planar crossover is implemented with circular patch as base. For further improvement of characteristics fractals is implemented in the patch. The electrical length of the microstrip circular patch is increased by incorporating slots as fractals, achieving area reduction and better isolation in comparison with parent crossover. For the enhancement of isolation and transmission fractals is implemented by means of Sierpinski method and three iterations are done. On analysis isolation better than -30 dB and transmission ~0 dB is observed at the desired frequency of operation. The proposed crossover is the potential candidate for Butler Matrix in Beamforming applications.
CTIP2 is a negative regulator of P-TEFb

The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) is involved in physiological and pathological events including inflammation, cancer, AIDS, and cardiac hypertrophy. The balance between its active and inactive form is tightly controlled to ensure cellular integrity. We report that the transcriptional repressor CTIP2 is a major modulator of P-TEFb activity. CTIP2 copurifies and interacts with an inactive P-TEFb complex containing the 7SK snRNA and HEXIM1. CTIP2 associates directly with HEXIM1 and, via the loop 2 of the 7SK snRNA, with P-TEFb. In this nucleoprotein complex, CTIP2 significantly represses the Cdk9 kinase activity of P-TEFb. Accordingly, we show that CTIP2 inhibits large sets of P-TEFb- and 7SK snRNA-sensitive genes. In hearts of hypertrophic cardiomyopathic mice, CTIP2 controls P-TEFb-sensitive pathways involved in the establishment of this pathology. Overexpression of the β-myosin heavy chain protein contributes to the pathological cardiac wall thickening. The inactive P-TEFb complex associates with CTIP2 at the MYH7 gene promoter to repress its activity. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that CTIP2 controls P-TEFb function in physiological and pathological conditions.