Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Home wireless sensing system for monitoring nighttime agitation and incontinence in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) often experience urinary incontinence and agitation during sleep. There is some evidence that these phenomena are related, but the relationships (and the subsequent opportunity for caregiver intervention) has never been formally studied. In this work, the relationships among the times of occurrence of nighttime agitation, sleep continuity and duration, and urinary incontinence are identified for persons with AD by using innovative, non-invasive technology. Deployments in 12 homes demonstrate both the utility of the technical monitoring system and the discovered correlations between agitation and incontinence for these 12 AD patients. Implications of possible interventions are discussed. Lessons learned for technical, non-technical and health care implications are presented.
Elements of a ‘nervous system’ in sponges

Genomic and transcriptomic analyses show that sponges possess a large repertoire of genes associated with neuronal processes in other animals, but what is the evidence these are used in a coordination or sensory context in sponges? The very different phylogenetic hypotheses under discussion today suggest very different scenarios for the evolution of tissues and coordination systems in early animals. The sponge genomic ‘toolkit’ either reflects a simple, pre-neural system used to protect the sponge filter or represents the remnants of a more complex signalling system and sponges have lost cell types, tissues and regionalization to suit their current suspension-feeding habit. Comparative transcriptome data can be informative but need to be assessed in the context of knowledge of sponge tissue structure and physiology. Here, I examine the elements of the sponge neural toolkit including sensory cells, conduction pathways, signalling molecules and the ionic basis of signalling. The elements described do not fit the scheme of a loss of sophistication, but seem rather to reflect an early specialization for suspension feeding, which fits with the presumed ecological framework in which the first animals evolved.
Nanomedicines in the treatment of anemia in renal disease: focus on CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator)

Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with erythropoietin deficiency being the major contributing factor. The availability of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) has been a seminal advance in the treatment of anemia related to chronic kidney disease. Over the course of the last decade and a half, newer generations of ESAs have become available. The first-generation ESAs or epoetins have a relatively shorter half-life and have traditionally been administered up to 3 times per week intravenously or subcutaneously to maintain adequate hemoglobin (Hb) levels. At the turn of the century, darbepoetin alfa, a hyperglycosylated form, became available for clinical use. It conferred greater metabolic stability in vivo owing to two additional N-linked carbohydrate chains attached to the protein backbone and has a half-life 3 times longer than that of epoetin (Macdougall et al 1999). Recently developed and undergoing phase III clinical trials is the third-generation ESA, Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator (CERA), which has a methoxy-polyethylene glycol polymer chain integrated and has a longer elimination half-life than the first- and second-generation ESAs. Its receptor binding characteristics also differ from those of previous ESAs. Its major advantage is that extended dosing intervals are possible in the management of anemia related to erythropoietin deficiency.
Propulsive performance of biologically inspired flapping foils at high Reynolds numbers

SUMMARY Propulsion and maneuvering underwater by flapping foil motion, optimized through years of evolution, is ubiquitous in nature, yet marine propulsors inspired by examples of highly maneuverable marine life or aquatic birds are not widely implemented in engineering. Performance data from flapping foils, moving in a rolling and pitching motion, are presented at high Reynolds numbers, Re=Uc/ν, or O(104), where U is the relative inflow velocity, c is the chord length of the foil, and ν is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid, from water tunnel experiments using a foil actuator module designed after an aquatic penguin or turtle fin. The average thrust coefficients and efficiency measurements are recorded over a range of kinematic flapping amplitudes and frequencies. Results reveal a maximum thrust coefficient of 2.09, and for low values of angle of attack the thrust generally increases with Strouhal number, without much penalty to efficiency. Strouhal number is defined as St=2h0f/U, where f is the frequency of flapping, and 2h0 is the peak-to-peak amplitude of flapping. The thrust and efficiency contour plots also present a useful performance trend where, at low angles of attack, high thrust and efficiency can be gained at sufficiently high Strouhal numbers. Understanding the motion of aquatic penguins and turtle wings and emulating these motions mechanically can yield insight into the hydrodynamics of how these animals swim and also improve performance of biologically inspired propulsive devices.
Cardiomyocyte marker expression in dogs with left atrial enlargement due to dilated cardiomyopathy or myxomatous mitral valve disease.

INTRODUCTION Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) are common heart conditions in dogs. They have different etiology and pathogenesis and although other studies focused on changes in the left ventricles of the affected hearts, the aim of our study was to assess the expressions of some intrinsic proteins in the enlarged left atria. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed an immunohistochemical analysis of left atrial specimens obtained from 15 dogs with DCM, 35 dogs with MMVD and six control dogs. We assessed the expression of following proteins: SERCA1, SERCA2, sarcomeric actinin, smooth muscle actin, and dystrophin. RESULTS We noted a higher percentage of SERCA1-positive cells in the MMVD group and lower percentage of dystrophin-positive cells in the DCM group as compared to control group. The expression of other proteins was similar in the hearts of control dogs and dogs with heart diseases. CONCLUSIONS The observed changes in the expression patterns of some proteins in the atria of dogs with DCM and MMVD suggest that atrial enlargement relies not only on volume overload, but also alterations of the intrinsic proteins can contribute to the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy.
From Formamide to RNA, the Path Is Tenuous but Continuous

Reactions of formamide (NH2COH) in the presence of catalysts of both terrestrial and meteoritic origin yield, in plausible and variegated conditions, a large panel of precursors of (pre)genetic and (pre)metabolic interest. Formamide chemistry potentially satisfies all of the steps from the very initial precursors to RNA. Water chemistry enters the scene in RNA non-enzymatic synthesis and recombination.
The Challenge of Small-Scale Repeats for Indel Discovery

Repetitive sequences are abundant in the human genome. Different classes of repetitive DNA sequences, including simple repeats, tandem repeats, segmental duplications, interspersed repeats, and other elements, collectively span more than 50% of the genome. Because repeat sequences occur in the genome at different scales they can cause various types of sequence analysis errors, including in alignment, de novo assembly, and annotation, among others. This mini-review highlights the challenges introduced by small-scale repeat sequences, especially near-identical tandem or closely located repeats and short tandem repeats, for discovering DNA insertion and deletion (indel) mutations from next-generation sequencing data. We also discuss the de Bruijn graph sequence assembly paradigm that is emerging as the most popular and promising approach for detecting indels. The human exome is taken as an example and highlights how these repetitive elements can obscure or introduce errors while detecting these types of mutations.
Generation NXT: Building Young Engineers With LEGOs

This paper describes key success factors for the implementation and development of a LEGO robotics engineering outreach program for elementary school students in West Texas. The outreach program not only aims at getting young students excited about engineering but at the same time aims at improving retention rates among electrical and computer engineering freshman-level college students by involving them as paid mentors. It particularly takes into consideration the rural character of West Texas, which provides hardly any electrical and computer engineering job opportunities, and the fact that a university with a college of engineering serves as academic hub for the area.
Virtual and Physical Molecular Modeling: Fostering Model Perception and Spatial Understanding

Interpretation of symbols, as well as understanding the particulate nature of matter and spatial structures, are essential skills students need for solving problems in chemistry. However, model perception and understanding the spatial structure of organic molecules has been a source of difficulty for many chemistry students. The research objective was to investigate the effect of using virtual and physical models while teaching organic chemistry on student understanding of new concepts, the spatial structure of new molecules, and preference of a particular model type. The research involved a new teaching method that combines two types of three -dimensional molecular models: physical (plastic) and virtual (computerized). The research population included 276 students from nine high schools in Haifa and the northern part of Israel. Experimental students gained a better understanding of the model concept and were more capable of defining and implementing new concepts, such as isomerism and functional group. They were better capable of mentally traversing across four understanding levels in chemistry: symbol, macroscopic, microscopic and process. Experimental group students were more capable of applying transformation from two-dimensional representations of molecules, provided by either a symbolic or a structural formula, to three-dimensional representations – a drawing of a model, and vice versa. Based on the research findings, we recommend incorporating both virtual and physical models in chemistry teaching/learning as a means to foster model perception and spatial understanding of molecular structure.
Intestinal ion transport and the pathophysiology of diarrhea.

Worldwide, diarrhea claims several million lives annually, mostly those of infants. Poverty, crowding, and contaminated water supplies all contribute. Almost all of these deaths could have been prevented with adequate fluid replacement. Although its incidence is much lower in the more affluent nations, diarrhea remains one of the two most common reasons for visits to pediatric emergency departments and is also common among the institutionalized elderly. Chronic diarrheas, while less common, often present diagnostic dilemmas and can be difficult to manage. This article will begin by reviewing the relevant physiology; then, with that as context, it will consider pathophysiology, both general aspects and specific diarrheal syndromes. Finally, rationales for management will be briefly considered. The review is amply referenced with some of the references listed at the end of the article and some at the JCI website (http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/111/7/931/DC1).
Diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of the lung: comparison of small and large pulmonary nodules.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of pulmonary nodules less than or equal to 1.5 cm in diameter with those of nodules greater than 1.5 cm in diameter. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of 97 patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of a lung nodule and then surgical resection (n = 95) or autopsy (n = 2). By examining CT images, we classified 27 nodules as small ( < or = 1.5 cm) and 70 nodules as large ( > 1.5 cm). Diagnostic accuracy was calculated by comparing cytologic diagnoses based on biopsy with final diagnoses based on histologic findings from surgery or autopsy. Each case was reviewed for possible complications, including pneumothorax and chest tube placement. RESULTS The diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of large nodules was 96%. The diagnostic accuracy for small nodules was 74%, a statistically significant difference (p < .05). The prevalences of pneumothorax in our population were nearly identical for small and large nodules (22 and 21%, respectively). The prevalence of chest tube placement in our population was approximately 2%. The prevalences of chest tube placement were 0% for small nodules and 3% for large nodules. CONCLUSION CT-guided percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy is significantly less accurate for small pulmonary nodules than for large pulmonary nodules, but the complication rates for both are low.
Managing General and Individual Knowledge in Crowd Mining Applications

Crowd mining frameworks combine general knowledge, which can refer to an ontology or information in a database, with individual knowledge obtained from the crowd, which captures habits and preferences. To account for such mixed knowledge, along with user interaction and optimization issues, such frameworks must employ a complex process of reasoning, automatic crowd task generation and result analysis. In this paper, we describe a generic architecture for crowd mining applications. This architecture allows us to examine and compare the components of existing crowdsourcing systems and point out extensions required by crowd mining. It also highlights new research challenges and potential reuse of existing techniques/components. We exemplify this for the OASSIS project and for other prominent crowdsourcing frameworks.
SAR in human head due to mobile phone exposure

In the present paper, the values of SAR in case of human exposure to mobile phone was determined via different methods. For SAR values determination were studied and compared two case of exposure, one in near field and other in far field. Also it was determined the SAR in human head depending by distance between human head and the mobile phone. The values obtained by numerical simulation using adequate electromagnetic field analysis software such as CST Studio Suite are compared with those obtained by analytical methods for SAR obtained in some cases of the far field exposure.
Baseline characteristics, management practices, and long-term outcomes of Middle Eastern patients in the Second Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE-2)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Limited data are available on patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and their long-term outcomes in the Arabian Gulf countries. We evaluated the clinical features, management, in-hospital, and long-term outcomes in such a population. DESIGN AND SETTING A 9-month prospective, multicenter study conducted in 65 hospitals from 6 countries that also included 30 day and 1-year mortality follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS ACS patients included those with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS), including non-STEMI and unstable angina. The registry collected the data prospectively. RESULTS Between October 2008 and June 2009, 7930 patients were enrolled. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)], 56 (17) years; 78.8% men; 71.2% Gulf citizens; 50.1% with central obesity; and 45.6% with STEMI. A history of diabetes mellitus was present in 39.5%, hypertension in 47.2%, and hyperlipidemia in 32.7%, and 35.7% were current smokers. The median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival for STEMI patients was 178 minutes (interquartile range, 210 minutes); 22.3% had primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 65.7% thrombolytic therapy, with 34% receiving therapy within 30 minutes of arrival. Evidence-based medication rates upon hospital discharge were 68% to 95%. The in-hospital PCI was done in 21% and the coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 2.9%. The in-hospital mortality was 4.6%, at 30 days the mortality was 7.2%, and at 1 year after hospital discharge the mortality was 9.4%; 1-year mortality was higher in STEMI (11.5%) than in NSTEACS patients (7.7%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Compared to developed countries, ACS patients in Arabian Gulf countries present at a relatively young age and have higher rates of metabolic syndrome features. STEMI patients present late, and their acute management is poor. In-hospital evidence-based medication rates are high, but coronary revascularization procedures are low. Long-term mortality rates increased severalfold compared with in-hospital mortality.
Hospitalisations due to exacerbation of asthma and COPD.

BACKGROUND Patients with exacerbation of asthma and COPD often need instant treatment, and acute hospitalisation may be necessary. The aim of the study was to determine what sort of contact patients had with doctors, and what sort of treatment they received immediately prior to hospitalisation due to exacerbation. MATERIAL AND METHOD A questionnaire was distributed to patients aged over 18 who were hospitalised because of asthma or COPD exacerbation in Helgeland Hospital and the University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, between January 2010 and January 2011. The patients answered questions on the duration of the exacerbation, their contact with doctors and their medical treatment prior to hospitalisation. RESULTS Data received from 100 of the 122 patients were analysed. The median duration of illness prior to the first contact with a doctor was four days. 52 of the patients had contacted their primary doctor first, 40 contacted A&E first, while eight contacted the hospital directly. The first contact with a doctor resulted in the hospitalisation of 56 patients: 21 (40 %) of those who contacted their primary doctor and 26 (70 %) of those who contacted A&E. 41 patients were hospitalised without being clinically examined by the admitting doctor the same day, 32 after a telephone consultation with their primary doctor or an A&E doctor. Patients aged over 70 were more frequently admitted without a clinical examination, as were patients who had been hospitalised previously. INTERPRETATION Patients with asthma or COPD exacerbation are often hospitalised directly after a telephone consultation with their primary doctor or an A&E doctor.
Improved H3K27ac histone mark prediction using k-mer proximity feature

Prediction of gene regulatory elements-enhancers is computationally challenging because features associated with them are ill-understood. Several histone marks are known to be associated with enhancers locations and have been successfully used to predict multiple thousands of enhancers approximate locations. The k-mer (a short continuous nucleotides of length k) is one of the most commonly engineered features from histone sequences for machine learning task. However, usually large k-mer (i.e. 5 ≤ k ≤ 7) feature set is needed to perform well and no domain knowledge is used. In this study we proposed the k-mer proximity feature which is domain dependent to represent the H3K27ac histone enrichment in DNA sequences. This feature represents the spatial content of DNA sequences. We compare the performances of using the proximity and the k-mer feature for H3K27ac marks prediction and results indicate that the proposed feature gives higher prediction accuracy rates. These findings supported that the proximity feature is a more distinguishing feature of DNA sequences with histone modification enrichment.
Overexpression of Arabidopsis AGD 7 Causes Relocation of Golgi-Localized Proteins to the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Inhibits Protein Trafficking in Plant Cells 1 [ C ] [ OA ]

ADP ribosylation factor (Arf) GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) promote the hydrolysis of GTP bound to Arfs to GDP, which plays a pivotal role in regulating Arfs by converting the active GTP-bound forms of these proteins into their inactive GDPbound forms. Here, we investigated the biological role of AGD7, an Arf GAP homolog, in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We show that AGD7 bears a highly conserved N-terminal region and a unique C-terminal region, interacts with Arf1 both in vitro and in vivo, and stimulates Arf1 GTPase activity in a phosphatidic acid-dependent manner in vitro. In plant cells, AGD7 localized to the Golgi complex, where its overexpression was found to inhibit the Golgi localization of g-subunit of coat proteins and promote the relocation of Golgi proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum in both protoplasts and transgenic plants. Furthermore, overexpression of AGD7 inhibited anterograde trafficking of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum. We propose that AGD7 functions as a GAP for Arf1 in the Golgi complex and plays a critical role in protein trafficking by controlling Arf1 activity.
Genetic Loci Associated With Plasma Concentration of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Apolipoprotein A1, and Apolipoprotein B Among 6382 White Women in Genome-Wide Analysis With Replication

Background—Genome-wide genetic association analysis represents an opportunity for a comprehensive survey of the genes governing lipid metabolism, potentially revealing new insights or even therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease and related metabolic disorders. Methods and Results—We have performed large-scale, genome-wide genetic analysis among 6382 white women with replication in 2 cohorts of 970 additional white men and women for associations between common single-nucleotide polymorphisms and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein (Apo) A1, and ApoB. Genome-wide associations (P<5×10−8) were found at the PCSK9 gene, the APOB gene, the LPL gene, the APOA1-APOA5 locus, the LIPC gene, the CETP gene, the LDLR gene, and the APOE locus. In addition, genome-wide associations with triglycerides at the GCKR gene confirm and extend emerging links between glucose and lipid metabolism. Still other genome-wide associations at the 1p13.3 locus are consistent with emerging biological properties for a region of the genome, possibly related to the SORT1 gene. Below genome-wide significance, our study provides confirmatory evidence for associations at 5 novel loci with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglycerides reported recently in separate genome-wide association studies. The total proportion of variance explained by common variation at the genome-wide candidate loci ranges from 4.3% for triglycerides to 12.6% for ApoB. Conclusion—Genome-wide associations at the GCKR gene and near the SORT1 gene, as well as confirmatory associations at 5 additional novel loci, suggest emerging biological pathways for lipid metabolism among white women.
Limited Bio-Diversity and Other Defects of the Immune System in the Inhabitants of the Islands of St Kilda, Scotland

Intra-species variations in Homo sapiens can contribute to health and resistance to infection, or alternatively to death and disease. The small isolated population of the St Kilda archipelago in the Scottish Hebrides suffered severely from many infectious diseases in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, with greater morbidity and mortality than the inhabitants of similar Scottish communities on other remote islands.