Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, by Maternal Diabetes Status at First and Second Deliveries, Massachusetts, 1998–2007

Introduction Understanding patterns of diabetes prevalence and diabetes-related complications across pregnancies could inform chronic disease prevention efforts. We examined adverse birth outcomes by diabetes status among women with sequential, live singleton deliveries. Methods We used data from the 1998–2007 Massachusetts Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data System, a population-based cohort of deliveries. We restricted the sample to sets of parity 1 and 2 deliveries. We created 8 diabetes categories using gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and chronic diabetes mellitus (CDM) status for the 2 deliveries. Adverse outcomes included large for gestational age (LGA), macrosomia, preterm birth, and cesarean delivery. We computed prevalence estimates for each outcome by diabetes status. Results We identified 133,633 women with both parity 1 and 2 deliveries. Compared with women who had no diabetes in either pregnancy, women with GDM or CDM during any pregnancy had increased risk for adverse birth outcomes; the prevalence of adverse outcomes was higher in parity 1 deliveries among women with no diabetes in parity 1 and GDM in parity 2 (for LGA [8.5% vs 15.1%], macrosomia [9.7% vs. 14.9%], cesarean delivery [24.7% vs 31.3%], and preterm birth [7.7% vs 12.9%]); and higher in parity 2 deliveries among those with GDM in parity 1 and no diabetes in parity 2 (for LGA [12.3% vs 18.2%], macrosomia [12.3% vs 17.2%], and cesarean delivery [27.0% vs 37.9%]). Conclusions Women with GDM during one of 2 sequential pregnancies had elevated risk for adverse outcomes in the unaffected pregnancy, whether the diabetes-affected pregnancy preceded or followed it.
Breast- v. formula-feeding: impacts on the digestive tract and immediate and long-term health effects

The health benefits of breast-feeding have been recognised for a long time. In particular, breast-feeding is associated with lower incidence of necrotising enterocolitis and diarrhoea during the early period of life and with lower incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity later in life. The higher nutritional and protective degree of human milk is related to its nutritional composition that changes over the lactation period and to the biological activities of specific components while lower growth rate of breast-fed infants may be attributed to their self-regulation of milk intake at a lower level than formula-fed infants. Many results now suggest that the developmental changes in intestinal and pancreatic function that occur postnatally are modulated by the diet. Indeed, formula-feeding induces intestinal hypertrophy and accelerates maturation of hydrolysis capacities; it increases intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation, but does not induce evident differences in microbiota composition. Whether these changes would be beneficial for enhancing absorptive capacities and for educating the gut-associated immune system remains to be further studied. Moreover, it is evident that formula-feeding increases basal blood glucose and decreases plasma ketone body concentrations, while discrepancies on postprandial glycaemia, insulin and incretin responses in both human studies and experimental studies are inconclusive. Manipulating the composition of formula, by reducing protein content, adding prebiotics, growth factors or secretory IgA can modulate intestinal and pancreatic function development, and thereby may reduce the differential responses between breast-fed and formula-fed neonates. However, the developmental responses of the digestive tract to different feeding strategies must be elucidated in terms of sensitivity to developing diseases, taking into account the major role of the intestinal microbiota.
A Lightweight ConvNet for 4D Multi-Structure Segmentation of Cardiac Cine-MRI

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for heart function assessment. We present a method for automatic segmentation of the left ventricular cavity (LVC), right ventricular cavity (RVC), and left ventricle myocardium (LVM) with a simplified, lightweight variation of the U-net trained in the cloud allowing for high throughput analysis. Dice indices on the test set were 0.95 for the LVC and 0.85 for both the LVM as RVC. A dashboard was created for visualization of the segmentation inferred cardiac function parameters. We demonstrate that this simple model trained on only a subset of the data yields satisfying segmentation results that can clinically aid cardiologists in diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients as well as facilitate big data research on cardiac function.
Brain signal variability as a window into the bidirectionality between music and language processing: moving from a linear to a nonlinear model

There is convincing empirical evidence for bidirectional transfer between music and language, such that experience in either domain can improve mental processes required by the other. This music-language relationship has been studied using linear models (e.g., comparing mean neural activity) that conceptualize brain activity as a static entity. The linear approach limits how we can understand the brain’s processing of music and language because the brain is a nonlinear system. Furthermore, there is evidence that the networks supporting music and language processing interact in a nonlinear manner. We therefore posit that the neural processing and transfer between the domains of language and music are best viewed through the lens of a nonlinear framework. Nonlinear analysis of neurophysiological activity may yield new insight into the commonalities, differences, and bidirectionality between these two cognitive domains not measurable in the local output of a cortical patch. We thus propose a novel application of brain signal variability (BSV) analysis, based on mutual information and signal entropy, to better understand the bidirectionality of music-to-language transfer in the context of a nonlinear framework. This approach will extend current methods by offering a nuanced, network-level understanding of the brain complexity involved in music-language transfer.
Alternative methodology for assessing cracking resistance of hot mix asphalt mixtures with overlay tester

Several highway agencies have either implemented or considered implementing performance tests to predict the cracking potential of asphalt concrete (AC) mixes in the laboratory setting. One such test, the overlay tester (OT), simulates the opening and closing of the cracks induced by daily temperature variations and tensile strain generated by the traffic load. The variability of the OT results is expressed as a major concern in reliably characterising cracking potential of the AC mixes. A more fundamental analysis process and more mechanistic performance indicators were implemented that consider the two stages of the cracking mechanism (i.e. crack initiation and crack propagation). The repeatability of the proposed performance indices, critical fracture energy and crack progression rate, seems to be better than the current criterion based on the number of cycles to dissipate 93% of the initial maximum peak load. The proposed cracking methodology and associated preliminary failure limits seem to characterise and discriminate satisfactorily the cracking resistance of AC mixes. Given its promise in this study, the proposed OT test method is recommended as a routine test during the mix-design process of AC mixes to predict and screen their cracking susceptibility.
Size Dependence of Temperature-Related Optical Properties of PbS and PbS/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dots

The effect of PbS core size on the temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) of PbS/CdS quantum dots (QDs) in the temperature range of 100–300 K was thoroughly investigated and compared with shell-free PbS QDs. The core/shell QDs show significantly smaller PL intensity variation with temperature at a smaller PbS size, while a larger activation energy when the PbS domain size is relatively large, suggesting both different density and different distribution of defects/traps in the PbS and PbS/CdS QDs. The most remarkable difference consists in the PbS size dependence of the energy gap temperature coefficient (dE/dT). The PbS/CdS QDs show unusual non-monotonic dE/dT variation, resulting in the reversal of the dE/dT difference between the PbS and PbS/CdS QDs at a larger PbS size. In combination with theoretical calculations, we find that, although lattice dilation and carrier-phonon coupling are generally considered as dominant terms, the unique negative contribution to dE/dT from the core/shell interfacia.
A novel three-phase bidirectional DC-DC converter for UPS applications

Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) typically require bidirectional DC-DC converters to interface batteries to a DC bus. These converters should allow batteries to supply power when the input AC voltage is down and to be charged when the input AC is up again. A novel bidirectional three-phase DC-DC converter for UPS applications is proposed in the paper. The converter is suitable for UPS systems where batteries have large amounts of current flowing in and out. In this paper, the proposed converter is introduced, its operation is explained, and guidelines for the design of key elements are given. The feasibility of the converter is confirmed with results obtained from a prototype converter.
QTM: Modelling Query Execution with Tasks

Over the last decade, several approaches for parallel query execution have emerged. The performance of these approaches is mainly aected by the non-manageable cache hierarchy. However, each approach exploits the capabilities of modern processors dierently. Furthermore, the comparison is dicult due to dierent operator-to-resource assignments during run-time (scheduling strategy) and the number of tuples each operator processes (chunk size). In this paper, we rst classify common DBMS by their scheduling strategies and chunk sizes. Then, we propose a task model called Query Task Model (QTM) that opens a design space for database schedules. With QTM, we generalize the modeling of parallel query execution such that dierent approaches become comparable. Using QTM, we
Predicting Twitter User Demographics from Names Alone

Social media analysis frequently requires tools that can automatically infer demographics to contextualize trends. These tools often require hundreds of user-authored messages for each user, which may be prohibitive to obtain when analyzing millions of users. We explore character-level neural models that learn a representation of a user’s name and screen name to predict gender and ethnicity, allowing for demographic inference with minimal data. We release trained models1 which may enable new demographic analyses that would otherwise require enormous amounts of data collection
Photoperiod-Induced Neuroplasticity in the Circadian System

Seasonal changes in light exposure have profound effects on behavioral and physiological functions in many species, including effects on mood and cognitive function in humans. The mammalian brain's master circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), transmits information about external light conditions to other brain regions, including some implicated in mood and cognition. Although the detailed mechanisms are not yet known, the SCN undergoes highly plastic changes at the cellular and network levels under different light conditions. We therefore propose that the SCN may be an essential mediator of the effects of seasonal changes of day length on mental health. In this review, we explore various forms of neuroplasticity that occur in the SCN and other brain regions to facilitate seasonal adaptation, particularly altered phase distribution of cellular circadian oscillators in the SCN and changes in hypothalamic neurotransmitter expression.
Performance characteristics of epoxy asphalt paving material for thin orthotropic steel plate decks

ABSTRACT Early pavement distress caused by heavy traffic is frequently observed on bridges with relatively thin decks of orthotropic design, particularly in hot climates. This study investigates the possible use of epoxy asphalt to stiffen the thin deck/pavement composite, minimise deflection and ultimately fatigue failure. Three different epoxy asphalt binders were used and two pavement mix designs were employed. The binder and pavement mixture properties were evaluated by direct tensile and pull-off strength test on the binder, Marshall test of the paving mixture and flexural fatigue tests of paving mixture on steel plates. Test results show that a relatively high modulus binder and a relatively stiff pavement can effectively reduce the composite’s deflection and improve fatigue resistance on a relatively thin steel plate. Binder adhesion to the aggregate in the composite seems to play a pivotal role and the strength of this bond may have a close relationship with the stiffness of the pavement.
Anticoagulation of Behcet’s Disease with Thrombosis: A Series of 28 Cases in a Tertiary Care Centre in Saudi Arabia

Behcet’s disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. There is few data about BD in Saudi Arabia. This is a retrospective chart review study of 28 patients of BD with thrombosis on long term anticoagulation. A total of 28 BD patients, their mean age was 43.8 (25-60) years. The mean age of first thrombosis was 29.2 (14-42) years. Provoked thrombosis was reported in 17.86% of the patients. The commonest site of thrombosis was superficial femoral vein 35.71%, followed by popliteal vein 32.14%, pulmonary embolism (PE) 32.14%. Anti B2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies was identified in 31.82% of patients, Anti cardiolipin Antibodies in 22.73%, Leiden factor V in 18.18%. Activity of the disease during thrombosis was recognized as oral ulcer 44.44%, genital ulcer 33.33%, Human leukocyte antigen-B (HLAB) was 32.14%. Thrombosis while patient on anticoagulation was reported in 32.14% of patients. Bleeding was reported in 14.29% of patients, common site of bleeding was gastrointestinal bleeding. Survival rate was 78.57% and 2 patients were died (7.14%) due to malignancy. Conclusion: Thrombosis in BD patients is male predominance, more in venous, has low mortality, frequency of thrombosis is more in the presence of thrombophilia and active BD. The prevalence of thrombophilia among BD patients is high. The presence of thrombophilia still affect the physician decision regarding the initiation and duration of anticoagulation in BD. The incidence of bleeding with long term anticoagulation is low. Further research is needed to find out the prevalence of cancer among BD in Saudis.
Open-label, cluster randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a brief letter from a GP on unscheduled medical contacts associated with the start of the school year: the PLEASANT trial

Background Asthma is seasonal with peaks in exacerbation rates in school-age children associated with the return to school following the summer vacation. A drop in prescription collection in August is associated with an increase in the number of unscheduled contacts after the school return. Objective To assess whether a public health intervention delivered in general practice reduced unscheduled medical contacts in children with asthma. Design Cluster randomised trial with trial-based economic evaluation. Randomisation was at general practice level, stratified by size of practice. The intervention group received a letter from their general practitioner (GP) in late July outlining the importance of (re)taking asthma medication before the return to school. The control group was usual care. Setting General practices in England and Wales. Participants 12 179 school-age children in 142 general practices (70 randomised to intervention). Main outcome Proportion of children aged 5–16 years who had an unscheduled contact in September. Secondary endpoints included collection of prescriptions in August and medical contacts over 12 months (September–August). Economic endpoints were quality-adjusted life-years gained and health service costs. Results There was no evidence of effect (OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.25 against treatment) on unscheduled contacts in September. The intervention increased the proportion of children collecting a prescription in August by 4% (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.64). The intervention also reduced the total number of medical contacts between September–August by 5% (incidence ratio 0.95; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99). The mean reduction in medical contacts informed the health economics analyses. The intervention was estimated to save £36.07 per patient, with a high probability (96.3%) of being cost-saving. Conclusions The intervention succeeded in increasing children collecting prescriptions. It did not reduce unscheduled care in September (the primary outcome), but in the year following the intervention, it reduced the total number of medical contacts. Trial registration number ISRCTN03000938; Results.
Epidemics in Interconnected Small-World Networks

Networks can be used to describe the interconnections among individuals, which play an important role in the spread of disease. Although the small-world effect has been found to have a significant impact on epidemics in single networks, the small-world effect on epidemics in interconnected networks has rarely been considered. Here, we study the susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) model of epidemic spreading in a system comprising two interconnected small-world networks. We find that the epidemic threshold in such networks decreases when the rewiring probability of the component small-world networks increases. When the infection rate is low, the rewiring probability affects the global steady-state infection density, whereas when the infection rate is high, the infection density is insensitive to the rewiring probability. Moreover, epidemics in interconnected small-world networks are found to spread at different velocities that depend on the rewiring probability.
Differences in SOM Decomposition and Temperature Sensitivity among Soil Aggregate Size Classes in a Temperate Grasslands

The principle of enzyme kinetics suggests that the temperature sensitivity (Q 10) of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is inversely related to organic carbon (C) quality, i.e., the C quality-temperature (CQT) hypothesis. We tested this hypothesis by performing laboratory incubation experiments with bulk soil, macroaggregates (MA, 250–2000 μm), microaggregates (MI, 53–250 μm), and mineral fractions (MF, <53 μm) collected from an Inner Mongolian temperate grassland. The results showed that temperature and aggregate size significantly affected on SOM decomposition, with notable interactive effects (P<0.0001). For 2 weeks, the decomposition rates of bulk soil and soil aggregates increased with increasing incubation temperature in the following order: MA>MF>bulk soil >MI(P <0.05). The Q 10 values were highest for MA, followed (in decreasing order) by bulk soil, MF, and MI. Similarly, the activation energies (Ea) for MA, bulk soil, MF, and MI were 48.47, 33.26, 27.01, and 23.18 KJ mol−1, respectively. The observed significant negative correlations between Q 10 and C quality index in bulk soil and soil aggregates (P<0.05) suggested that the CQT hypothesis is applicable to soil aggregates. Cumulative C emission differed significantly among aggregate size classes (P <0.0001), with the largest values occurring in MA (1101 μg g−1), followed by MF (976 μg g−1) and MI (879 μg g−1). These findings suggest that feedback from SOM decomposition in response to changing temperature is closely associated withsoil aggregation and highlights the complex responses of ecosystem C budgets to future warming scenarios.
Effects of visual-auditory incongruity on product expression and surprise

Product experience is influenced by information from all the senses. Our experiments provide insight into how sounds contribute to the overall experience of a product’s expression. We manipulated the sounds of dust busters and juicers so that they either did or did not fit the expressions of the products’ appearances. In some, but not all cases, we found an inverse relationship between the degree-of-fit of a sound and the degree of surprise evoked. Furthermore, we found in some cases that the expression of a product’s sound influenced the overall expression of that product
Differential Induction of Glutathione Transferases and Glucosyltransferases in Wheat, Maize and Arabidopsis thaliana by Herbicide Safeners

Abstract By learning lessons from weed science we have adopted three approaches to make plants more effective in phytoremediation: 1. The application of functional genomics to identify key components involved in the detoxification of, or tolerance to, xenobiotics for use in subsequent genetic engineering/breeding programmes. 2. The rational metabolic engineering of plants through the use of forced evolution of protective enzymes, or alternatively transgenesis of detoxification pathways. 3. The use of chemical treatments which protect plants from herbicide injury. In this paper we examine the regulation of the xenome by herbicide safeners, which are chemicals widely used in crop protection due to their ability to enhance herbicide selectivity in cereals. We demonstrate that these chemicals act to enhance two major groups of phase 2 detoxification enzymes, notably the glutathione transferases and glucosyltransferases, in both cereals and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, with the safeners acting in a chemical- and species-specific manner. Our results demonstrate that by choosing the right combination of safener and plant it should be possible to enhance the tolerance of diverse plants to a wide range of xenobiotics including pollutants.
Validity and application of immunoturbidimetric and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays for the measurement of adiponectin concentration in ponies

BACKGROUND Circulating adiponectin concentrations were lower in ponies with a history of endocrinopathic laminitis and in nonlaminitic ponies that subsequently developed laminitis. The assays used in these studies have been discontinued or are no longer valid. OBJECTIVES (1) to determine the validity of immunoturbidimetric (IT) and enzyme linkedimmunosorbent (ELISA) assays for equine total and high molecular weight (HMW) [adiponectin] measurement and (2) to investigate the association between [adiponectin] measured using these assays and endocrinopathic laminitis. STUDY DESIGN Method validation and cohort study. METHODS Accuracy and precision of IT and ELISA assays for measuring total (TAC) and HMW (HMWAC) [adiponectin] were determined. Using the IT assay, the effects of anti-coagulant and storage temperature were assessed, TAC was measured in previously laminitic (PL) and never laminitic (NL) ponies (n = 6/group). Comparison with a previously validated radioimmunoassay was made in NL ponies (n = 223). Association between TAC and subsequent laminitis development in NL ponies was investigated using univariable logistic regression and ROC curve analysis. RESULTS The IT assay was precise and demonstrated good agreement with the previously validated radioimmunoassay. TAC was significantly (P<0.01) lower in PL (mean ± s.d. 8.9 ± 2.9 μg/mL) compared to NL (24.2 ± 11.8 μg/mL) ponies and in NL ponies that developed laminitis within 12 months (median 4.8 μg/mL; IQR 2.65-13.4 μg/mL) compared to those that remained nonlaminitic (19.9 μg/mL; 9.95-31.5 μg/mL). TAC was significantly (P = 0.01) associated with laminitis occurrence within 12 months. Use of the area under the ROC curve to distinguish animals that did and did not develop laminitis showed good accuracy (0.76). None of the ELISA methods validated satisfactorily. MAIN LIMITATIONS Laminitis risk is based on data from ponies in one region. CONCLUSIONS The IT method is suitable for measurement of equine TAC. TAC is lower in ponies with previous or future laminitis. The ELISA methods are not suitable for measurement of equine HMWAC or TAC.