Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of a generalized Zakharov system q

In this paper, we propose and study two time-splitting spectral methods for the generalized Zakharov system. These methods are spectrally accurate in space, second order in time, and unconditionally stable. The unconditional stability of the methods offers greater numerical efficiency than those given in previous papers, especially in the subsonic regime. Our numerical experiments confirm the accuracy and stability. In particular, we analyze their behavior in the subsonic regime. The first method, using the exact time integration in phase space for the wave equation for the nondispersive field, converges uniformly with respect to the sound speed for the dispersive wave field, while the second method, using the Crank–Nicolson method in the same step, with an initial layer fix by an L-stable time discretization, converges uniformly with respect to the sound speed for both dispersive and nondispersive fields. Using these new methods we also study the collision behavior of two solitons, in the subsonic region as well as the transsonic region. We obtain numerical results which are quantitatively different from those reported in previous papers using lower resolution numerical techniques. 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Exploring the Link between Germline and Somatic Genetic Alterations in Breast Carcinogenesis

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified candidate genes contributing to cancer risk through low-penetrance mutations. Many of these genes were unexpected and, intriguingly, included well-known players in carcinogenesis at the somatic level. To assess the hypothesis of a germline-somatic link in carcinogenesis, we evaluated the distribution of somatic gene labels within the ordered results of a breast cancer risk GWAS. This analysis suggested frequent influence on risk of genetic variation in loci encoding for “driver kinases” (i.e., kinases encoded by genes that showed higher somatic mutation rates than expected by chance and, therefore, whose deregulation may contribute to cancer development and/or progression). Assessment of these predictions using a population-based case-control study in Poland replicated the association for rs3732568 in EPHB1 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–0.98; Ptrend = 0.031). Analyses by early age at diagnosis and by estrogen receptor α (ERα) tumor status indicated potential associations for rs6852678 in CDKL2 (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.10–1.00; Precessive = 0.044) and rs10878640 in DYRK2 (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.32–4.30; Pdominant = 0.003), and for rs12765929, rs9836340, rs4707795 in BMPR1A, EPHA3 and EPHA7, respectively (ERα tumor status Pinteraction<0.05). The identification of three novel candidates as EPH receptor genes might indicate a link between perturbed compartmentalization of early neoplastic lesions and breast cancer risk and progression. Together, these data may lay the foundations for replication in additional populations and could potentially increase our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms of breast carcinogenesis.
Obesity, adiponectin and vascular inflammatory disease

Purpose of review Obesity is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in industrial countries. It is now clear that adipose tissue secretes various bioactive substances, conceptualized as adipocytokines, and that dysregulation of adipocytokines directly contributes to obesity-related diseases. Chronic inflammatory processes contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. In this review, the authors focus on the relationship between adiponectin, a recently discovered anti-atherogenic adipocytokine, and vascular inflammation. Recent findings Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, an adipocyte-specific protein, are reduced in obese subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Adiponectin inhibits the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α-induced endothelial adhesion molecules, macrophage-to-foam cell transformation, tumor necrosis factor-α expression in macrophages and adipose tissues, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. In addition, adenovirus-expressed adiponectin reduces atherosclerotic lesions in a mouse model of atherosclerosis, and adiponectin-deficient mice exhibit an excessive vascular remodeling response to injury. Clinically, hypoadiponectinemia is closely associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. Summary Adiponectin acts as an anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic plasma protein. Adiponectin is an endogenous biologically relevant modulator of vascular remodeling linking obesity and vascular disease.
Reverse redistribution of technetium-99m-sestamibi following direct PTCA in acute myocardial infarction.

UNLABELLED A pattern of reverse redistribution (RR) has not been documented in myocardial 99mTc-sestamibi imaging. The purpose of the study was to clarify the time-related changes in myocardial distribution of 99mTc-sestamibi in patients with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS Myocardial SPECT with 99mTc-sestamibi was performed in 27 patients with acute myocardial infarction within 1 wk after the onset. Twenty-three patients received direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and 4 patients did not. Myocardial images were obtained 1 hr (early) and 3 hr (delayed) after the injection of 99mTc-sestamibi. Regional myocardial uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi was scored from 4 (normal) to 0 (no activity), and the RR pattern was defined as a decrease of more than 1 in the regional score at the 3-hr delayed images. Regional myocardial uptake and clearance of 99mTc-sestamibi was also assessed quantitatively. Coronary arteriography and left ventriculography were performed 1 mo later. RESULTS Out of 22 patients with successful PTCA, RR of 99mTc-sestamibi was observed in 15 patients (68%). Persistent defects (PD) were seen in 12 patients (7 patients with successful PTCA, 1 patient with unsuccessful PTCA, and 4 patients who did not receive angioplasty). In patients with RR, regional uptake of 99mTc-sestamibi in the area of myocardial infarction decreased from 54% +/- 10% in the early images to 43% +/- 8% in the delayed images (p < 0.01). Technetium-99m-sestamibi clearance from the myocardium was faster in the infarct area than in the normal area (26% +/- 7% versus 9% +/- 6%, p < 0.01). Coronary arteriography performed 1 mo later revealed that the patency of the infarct related artery was 100% (15/15) in patients with RR and 50% (6/12) in those with PD (p < 0.01). The extent and severity of a wall motion abnormality were less in patients with RR than in those with PD (extent: 24 +/- 10 versus 36 +/- 9 chord, p < 0.01; severity: -2.7 +/- 0.4 versus -3.4 +/- 0.6 s.d./chord, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION The RR of 99mTc-sestamibi was observed in 68% of patients after successful direct PTCA and was associated with the accelerated clearance of 99mTc-sestamibi from the myocardium. The presence of RR in 99mTc-sestamibi imaging indicates the patency of the infarct-related artery and predicts the preserved left ventricular function.
Prototyping a Student Model for Educational Games

When a pedagogical agent system aims to provide students with interactive help, it needs to know what knowledge the student has and what goals the student is currently trying to achieve. That is, it must do both assessment and plan recognition. These modeling tasks involve a high level of uncertainty when students are allowed to follow various lines of reasoning and are not required to show all their reasoning explicitly. In this paper, the student model for interactive edutainment applications is proposed. This model is based on Bayesian Networks to expose constructs and parameters of rules and propositions pertaining to game and problem solving activities. This student model could be utilized as the emotion generation model for student and agent as well.
Teams and lead creators in cultural and creative industries: evidence from the Italian haute cuisine

Purpose Into cultural and creative industries, the innovation is increasingly realized by a lead creator which is supported by a specific team. Hence, this paper aims to understand the composition of this particular team. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an in-depth case study of “Dal Pescatore”. This is the Italian restaurant keeping the highest award previewed by Michelin Guide from the longer period. The main figures of the restaurant are the head chefs (Nadia and Giovanni Santini) who are continually supported by a dedicated team Findings The analysis underlines the necessity to create a team which combines aged people linked to firms’ tradition with a low percentage of young foreign apprentices. If the old-timer member assures a deep understanding of the firm’s knowledge base, the young foreign apprentice can show an high learning attitude through which he/she more easily shares their different knowledge. Research limitations/implications This study discussed organizational efforts to foster innovation capacities of the main individuals into a firm. However, the present research suffers from some limitations which limits the generalizability of the results beyond the company studied: a single case study on a small and family firm with consolidated organizational routines. In addition, this research does not solutions about the mechanisms of interaction among these different team members. Originality/value Recent studies observed how a number of cultural and creative firms innovate through a particular team that develops the ideas of a lead creator. Nevertheless, despite the increasing importance of these teams, their composition remains unclear.
iMACSIM: a program for multi-level analog circuit simulation

The authors describe a new program called iMACSIM which allows multi-level, mixed-domain simulation of analog integrated circuits. The program performs the simulation of different subcircuits at the behavioral, functional, and electrical levels concurrently. It also enables some parts of the circuit to be simulated using discrete-time algorithms while other portions are processed by continuous-time techniques. Simulations are presented to demonstrate the functionality of the program. <<ETX>>
Chartistic - A new non-verbal measurement tool towardsthe emotional experience of music

The aim of the current studies is the development of a new, practical non-verbal measurement tool in order to capture the emotional experience of music. 33 emotions of the Geneva Emotion Music Scale have been reduced to five emotions in a pre-test. The five emotions: love, sadness, tension, calmness and joyful action have been translated into five male and five female characters. After validating the new scale in study 2, a third study has been conducted testing fifteen songs, divided into Dutch hits, Dutch flops and unknown hits from foreign countries. The songs represent five genres: pop, hip-hop, dance, rock and singer-songwriter. Results show that the new scale is capable of differentiating between hits, flops and different genres. The most important emotions that differ significantly between hits and flops are ‗joyful action‘ and ‗calmness‘. Emotions predict 18% of the variance in hit potential. ‗Joyful action‘ is the strongest predictor.
A Platform for Multimedia Traffic Forwarding in Software Defined Networks

This paper presents a platform for multimedia traffic forwarding in OpenFlow Software Defined Networks (SDN). Its functional structure, developed as an extension to OpenFlow controller, uses a selective packet forwarding mechanism, QoS mechanism and multimedia cache mechanism to enable its operation. Preliminary results demonstrate that the proposed platform can be used in SDN environments, enabling selective packet forwarding and providing QoS and cache resources for multimedia traffic flows.
Association of diagnostic coding with trends in hospitalizations and mortality of patients with pneumonia, 2003-2009.

CONTEXT Recent reports suggest that the mortality rate of patients hospitalized with pneumonia has steadily declined. While this may be the result of advances in clinical care or improvements in quality, it may also represent an artifact of changes in diagnostic coding. OBJECTIVE To compare estimates of trends in hospitalizations and inpatient mortality among patients with pneumonia using 2 approaches to case definition: one limited to patients with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia, and another that includes patients with a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia if the principal diagnosis is sepsis or respiratory failure. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Trends study using data from the 2003-2009 releases of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in the annual hospitalization rate and change in inpatient mortality over time. RESULTS From 2003 to 2009, the annual hospitalization rate for patients with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia declined 27.4%, from 5.5 to 4.0 per 1000, while the age- and sex-adjusted mortality decreased from 5.8% to 4.2% (absolute risk reduction [ARR], 1.6%; 95% CI, 1.4%-1.9%; relative risk reduction [RRR], 28.2%; 95% CI, 25.2%-31.2%). Over the same period, hospitalization rates of patients with a principal diagnosis of sepsis and a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia increased 177.6% from 0.4 to 1.1 per 1000, while inpatient mortality decreased from 25.1% to 22.2% (ARR, 3.0%; 95% CI, 1.6%-4.4%; RRR, 12%; 95% CI, 7.5%-16.1%); hospitalization rates for patients with a principal diagnosis of respiratory failure and a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia increased 9.3% from 0.44 to 0.48 per 1000 and mortality declined from 25.1% to 19.2% (ARR, 6.0%; 95% CI, 4.6%-7.3%; RRR, 23.7%; 95% CI, 19.7%-27.8%). However, when the 3 groups were combined, the hospitalization rate declined only 12.5%, from 6.3 to 5.6 per 1000, while the age- and sex-adjusted inpatient mortality rate increased from 8.3% to 8.8% (AR increase, 0.5%; 95% CI, 0.1%-0.9%; RR increase, 6.0%; 95% CI, 3.3%-8.8%). Over this same time frame, the age-, sex-, and comorbidity-adjusted mortality rate declined from 8.3% to 7.8% (ARR, 0.5%; 95% CI, 0.2%-0.9%; RRR, 6.3%; 95% CI, 3.8%-8.8%). CONCLUSIONS From 2003 to 2009, hospitalization and inpatient mortality rates for patients with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia decreased substantially, whereas hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of sepsis or respiratory failure accompanied by a secondary diagnosis of pneumonia increased and mortality declined. However, when the 3 pneumonia diagnoses were combined, the decline in the hospitalization rate was attenuated and inpatient mortality was little changed, suggesting an association of these results with temporal trends in diagnostic coding.
Protein C Deficiency in a Dutch Family with Thrombotic Disease

Summary A rabbit antibody against human protein C was used for the quantitative estimation of protein C in plasma. In healthy individuals protein C antigen ranged from 0.65-1.45 U/ml. Plasma protein C antigen was found to be independent of either age or sex. Under influence of oral anticoagulant treatment the protein C antigen concentration decreased to 0.47 U/ml (at low intensity treatment) or 0.33 U/ml (at high intensity treatment). Using normal ranges of protein C and protein C/factor II and protein C/factor X ratios criteria were developed for the assessment of protein C deficiency. In a Dutch family with a history of thrombotic disease two members were found to have an isolated protein C deficiency, while a third one is suspected of protein C deficiency. In one case it was possible to confirm the diagnosis of suspected protein C deficiency during temporary withdrawal of the anticoagulant therapy.
Abnormal breath tests to lactose, fructose and sorbitol in irritable bowel syndrome may be explained by small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Background : Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and sugar malabsorption (lactose, fructose, sorbitol) may play a role in irritable bowel syndrome. The lactulose breath test is a reliable and non‐invasive test for the diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The lactose, fructose and sorbitol hydrogen breath tests are widely used to detect specific sugar malabsorption.
The evolution of avian wing shape and previously unrecognized trends in covert feathering

Avian wing shape has been related to flight performance, migration, foraging behaviour and display. Historically, linear measurements of the feathered aerofoil and skeletal proportions have been used to describe this shape. While the distribution of covert feathers, layered over the anterior wing, has long been assumed to contribute to aerofoil properties, to our knowledge no previous studies of trends in avian wing shape assessed their variation. Here, these trends are explored using a geometric–morphometric approach with landmarks describing the wing outline as well as the extent of dorsal and ventral covert feathers for 105 avian species. We find that most of the observed variation is explained by phylogeny and ecology but shows only a weak relationship with previously described flight style categories, wing loading and an investigated set of aerodynamic variables. Most of the recovered variation is in greater primary covert feather extent, followed by secondary feather length and the shape of the wing tip. Although often considered a plastic character strongly linked to flight style, the estimated ancestral wing morphology is found to be generally conservative among basal parts of most major avian lineages. The radiation of birds is characterized by successive diversification into largely distinct areas of morphospace. However, aquatic taxa show convergence in feathering despite differences in flight style, and songbirds move into a region of morphospace also occupied by basal taxa but at markedly different body sizes. These results have implications for the proposed inference of flight style in extinct taxa.
Mitochondrial metabolism revisited: a route to cardioprotection.

This editorial refers to ‘Inhibition of the malate–aspartate shuttle by pre-ischaemic aminooxyacetate loading of the heart induces cardioprotection’ by N.B. Stottrup et al. , pp. 257–266, this issue. Ischaemic preconditioning confers strong protection against myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion injury.1,2 Although its therapeutic application in the case of acute coronary syndromes is not possible in general, the cellular and molecular processes leading to preconditioning protection may be of interest for the designing of cardioprotective therapies. Many cellular processes have been shown to be involved in preconditioning, including the stimulation of adenosine, bradykinin, and opioid membrane receptors,3 signalling cascades including PKCe and PKG,4,5 nitric oxide,6 and pro-survival kinases such as Akt.7 Mitochondria, a platform of cell signalling and a switch for cell death and survival, are generally regarded to play a key role in transmission and amplification of preconditioning signalling.8 It appears that many signalling processes involved in ischaemic preconditioning converge at the mitochondria.7,9 Stottrup et al. 10 show that by inhibiting the malate–aspartate shuttle …
Biologic Implications from an Epidemiologic Study of Chromate Production Workers

This analysis of an epidemiologic study of chromate production workers evaluates several variables related to the biologic understanding of chromate-induced lung cancer. Age at hire was found to be negatively associated with lung cancer risk. Reducing exposure was found to have benefits that extended into older age, and the benefits were greater when the reduction began at an earlier age. The same cumulative exposure over a short period of time (30 days) had more effect than if the exposure occurred over 10 years. The greater carcinogenic effect among those exposed at an early working age is consistent with an ability to more efficiently reduce hexavalent chromium intracellularly at younger ages. The greater effect at younger ages may also explain why short-term cumulative hexavalent chromium exposure was found to have more effect than the equivalent cumulative exposure spread over a longer term. The SMR for lung cancer was highest in the decade following cessation of exposure and may reflect the extremely irritating nature of hexavalent chromium.
Mast Cells Migrate from Blood to Brain

It is well established that mast cells (MCs) occur within the CNS of many species. Furthermore, their numbers can increase rapidly in adults in response to altered physiological conditions. In this study we found that early postpartum rats had significantly more mast cells in the thalamus than virgin controls. Evidence from semithin sections from these females suggested that mast cells were transiting across the medium-sized blood vessels. We hypothesized that the increases in mast cell number were caused by their migration into the neural parenchyma. To this end, we purified rat peritoneal mast cells, labeled them with the vital dyes PKH26 or CellTracker Green, and injected them into host animals. One hour after injection, dye-filled cells, containing either histamine or serotonin (mediators stored in mast cells), were located close to thalamic blood vessels. Injected cells represented ∼2–20% of the total mast cell population in this brain region. Scanning confocal microscopy confirmed that the biogenic amine and the vital dye occurred in the same cell. To determine whether the donor mast cells were within the blood–brain barrier, we studied the localization of dye-marked donor cells and either Factor VIII, a component of endothelial basal laminae, or glial fibrillary acidic protein, the intermediate filament found in astrocytes. Serial section reconstructions of confocal images demonstrated that the mast cells were deep to the basal lamina, in nests of glial processes. This is the first demonstration that mast cells can rapidly penetrate brain blood vessels, and this may account for the rapid increases in mast cell populations after physiological manipulations.
Ammonium Removal from Landfill Leachate by Means of Multiple Recycling of Struvite Residues Obtained through Acid Decomposition

The treatment of landfill leachate, due to its great polluting load, is a very difficult task. In particular, the abatement of high ammonium concentrations represents one of the main issues. Among the available techniques, struvite precipitation is an effective method for the removal and recovery of NH4+ load. However, due to the lack of phosphorus and magnesium amounts, the struvite formation results in an expensive process in the leachate treatment. To overcome this issue, in the present work, we developed a simple and suitable method for ammonium removal by the multiple recycling of struvite decomposition residues. In this regard, a procedure for acid dissolution of struvite, produced by using industrial grade reagents, was initially defined. The effect of pH, temperature, and acid type was investigated. The experimental results proved the effectiveness of both hydrochloric and acetic acid, which allow a high and selective release of ammonium at T = 50 °C and pH = 5.5. The multiple reuse of decomposition products, combined with the supplementation of a small quantity of phosphorus and magnesium at molar ratios of n(N):n(Mg):n(P) = 1:0.05:0.05, guarantees stable NH4+ abatement of about 82%. The proposed process allows a cost saving of around to 74% and can be easily applied in industrial treatment plants.