Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in regional ventilation after autologous blood clot pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have suggested that pulmonary embolism (PE) and pulmonary artery occlusion result in a shift in alveolar ventilation away from unperfused regions. This study aimed to directly assess changes in regional specific ventilation (sV(A)) due to autologous blood clot PE using positron emission tomography. METHODS Pulmonary embolism was created in six anesthetized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated sheep by injecting cylindrical clots of autologous blood (7 mm in diameter and height). Clots were progressively infused into a central vein until a stable mean pulmonary artery pressure between 30 and 40 mmHg was achieved. A multislice positron emission tomography camera was used to image 15 contiguous, 6.5-mm-thick transverse cross-sections of the chest beginning just above the diaphragm. sV(A) from perfused regions (sV(A),(p)) was assessed as the ventilatory turnover rate of the tracer NN after central venous injection of NN-labeled saline. RESULTS Pulmonary embolism obstructed flow to 64% of imaged areas. Before PE, (sV(A),(p))was equivalent in areas that would remain perfused and those that would become embolized after PE (0.021 +/- 0.007 0.021 +/- 0.006 s(-1); P = nonsignificant). After PE, sV(A),(p) of areas remaining perfused increased to 0.033 +/- 0.011 s (-1) (P < 0.005). This effect on regional sV(A),(p) could have been caused by active redistribution of sV(A),(p) or by a reduction in tracer concentration of perfused areas due to the dead space common to perfused and embolized regions. Model simulations indicated that the common dead-space effect could only explain a small part of the sV(A),(p) increase. CONCLUSIONS An increase in sV(A),(p) of perfused regions occurs following PE with 7-mm autologous blood clots. This increase is most likely caused by a shift in ventilation away from embolized areas mediated by hypocapnic pneumoconstriction.
A Bayesian Method for Guessing the Extreme Values in a Data Set

For a large number of data management problems, it would be very useful to be able to obtain a few samples from a data set, and to use the samples to guess the largest (or smallest) value in the entire data set. Min/max online aggregation, top-k query processing, outlier detection, and distance join are just a few possible applications. This paper details a statistically rigorous, Bayesian approach to attacking this problem. Just as importantly, we demonstrate the utility of our approach by showing how it can be applied to two specific problems that arise in the context of data management.
Influence of Weight Reduction on Plasma Lipoproteins in Obese Patients

To determine the influence of weight reduction on plasma lipoproteins, studies were carried out in 15 nondiabetic patients of varying degrees of obesity and four obese insulin-dependent diabetics. All studies were carried out on a metabolic ward and patients underwent three dietary periods: Period 1,4 to 5 weeks of weight maintenance in the obese state; Period II, caloric restriction to 1000 kcal/day to a weight loss of within 10% of ideal body weight; and Period III, again weight maintenance for 4 to 5 weeks near ideal body weight. Similar results were obtained for both nondiabetics and diabetics. Many patients had mildly elevated plasma triglycerides in Period I; they fell to the normal range in Period II and remained low in Period III. Total cholesterol levels decreased early in Period II, but levels began to rise near the end of caloric restriction, and in Period III, they were similar to Period I. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels followed a pattern similar to that of total cholesterol. High density lipoprotein cholesterol was relatively low in Period I (38 ± 2 mg/dl ± SEM); throughout weight loss, levels tended to rise, and in Period III, the average high density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly higher (46 ± 2 mg/dl).
The interactome of LIM domain proteins: The contributions of LIM domain proteins to heart failure and heart development

LIM domain proteins all contain at least one double zinc‐finger motif. They belong to a large family and here we review those expressed mainly in mammalian hearts, but particularly in cardiomyocytes. These proteins contain between one and five LIM domains and usually these proteins contain other domains that have specific functions such as actin‐binding, kinases and nuclear translocation motifs. While several recent reviews have summarised the importance of individual LIM domain proteins, this is the first review of its kind to cover all LIMs associated with the heart. Here we examine 33 LIM proteins (including three that bind to, but do not themselves contain, LIM domains) that are implicated in either the development of the heart, heart disorders and failure, or both. Our analysis is consistent with the view that cardiac LIM domain proteins form multiple extensive networks of multi‐protein complexes within the myocardium. This multiplicity of binding partners probably protects the heart as it is challenged to maintain cardiac output, until the imbalance reaches a turning point that results in failure. We believe that the complexity of LIM interactions is properly described by the term LIM interactome.
Melting of crystallized sunflower honey by high power ultrasonic method

This research was aimed at determining the optimum condition for melting of crystallized sunflower honey using high power ultrasonic at 26, 32.5, 39, 45.5 and 52 W. It was found that temperature in honey was increased and melting time was reduced with increasing power. By increasing the power, the color and hydroxymethylfurfural was increased but antioxidant and enzyme diastase content was reduced. The optimum melting condition was at 52 W and 1 hour melting time. At this condition, the melted honey had the highest residual antioxidant activity and enzyme diastase content with lower increasing level of hydroxymethylfurfural content. The melted honey had the highest level of brightness (L) and had the lowest a and b values. High power ultrasonic process at the optimum condition could maintain quality of the sunflower honey in a similar manner as natural honey.
Comments on "An Optimality Principle Governing Human Walking"

The paper in question [G. Arechavaleta, J. P. Laumond, H. Hicheur, and A. Berthoz, “An optimality principle governing human walking,” IEEE Trans. Robot. , vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 5-14, Feb. 2008] suggested that human-walking paths minimize variation in curvature and hence can be approximated by the solution to an optimal control problem. This conclusion was reached by analysis of experimental data based on the maximum principle. We correct two errors in this analysis and consider their consequences.
Recuperating Website Link Structure Using Fuzzy Relations between the Content and Web Pages

The link structure of website allows us to spread the link power of home page to the individual pages of the site. In this paper we define the content and web pages as two important and prominent factors in website navigation and restate the enhancement in the website navigation as making some useful changes in the link structure of the website based on the aforementioned factors. Then we suggest a new method for proposing the changes using fuzzy approach to optimize the website architecture. Applying the proposed method to a real case of Azad Institute of Engineering & Technology (AIET) Lucknow website, we discuss the results of the novel approach at the final section.
All about Speckles: Speckle Density

No real effort is needed to get random speckle patterns. Why? While I imagine that a ‘‘perfectly’’ created uniform pattern would cause issues, all manually produced patterns, even those from grids, are unique enough to not cause problems with the correlation. The advantage of all hand applied speckles, are the imperfections that will make each speckle unique. Sometimes with uniform patterns, an initial guess may be needed, particularly in stereo-DIC. Confusion during the initial guess is probably the biggest drawback to stencil patterns where it can be difficult to locate a unique starting speckle for the cross-correlation. For this reason, I will often mark by hand
Out of Sight but Not out of Mind: Alternative Means of Communication in Plants

Current knowledge suggests that the mechanisms by which plants communicate information take numerous forms. Previous studies have focussed their attention on communication via chemicals, contact and light; other methods of interaction between plants have remained speculative. In this study we tested the ability of young chilli plants to sense their neighbours and identify their relatives using alternative mechanism(s) to recognised plant communication pathways. We found that the presence of a neighbouring plant had a significant influence on seed germination even when all known sources of communication signals were blocked. Furthermore, despite the signalling restriction, seedlings allocated energy to their stem and root systems differently depending on the identity of the neighbour. These results provide clear experimental evidence for the existence of communication channels between plants beyond those that have been recognized and studied thus far.
Application of a large deformation nonlinear-viscoelastic viscoplastic viscodamage constitutive model to polymers and their composites

Based on the effective stress concept in continuum damage mechanics and the large deformation theory, a viscodamage model, coupled with Schapery-type nonlinear-viscoelasticity and Perzyna-type viscoplasticity constitutive models, is used in order to simulate and predict the inelastic and time-dependent damage behavior of polymeric materials and their composites. The thermo-viscodamage model is presented as a function of temperature, total effective strain, damage history, and a damage-driving force expressed in terms of the deviatoric stress invariants in the undamaged configuration. This expression for the damage force allows for the distinction between the influence of compression and extension loading conditions on damage nucleation and growth. Also, the ability of the constitutive model for predicting the tertiary creep, which shows the nonlinear behavior of polymers during damage growth and nucleation, is presented. The numerical algorithm for integrating the coupled constitutive model is implemented in the finite element software Abaqus via the user-material subroutine UMAT. The model capability in predicting the nonlinear-viscoelastic, viscoplastic, and damage behavior of polymers is demonstrated through comparison of model predictions with experimental measurements in different loading conditions including creep tests and constant strain rate tests over a range of stress levels, strain rates, and temperatures. Also, a general thermodynamic framework for deriving a coupled viscoelastic–viscoplastic–viscodamage constitutive model is presented.
Série Scientifique Scientific Series Model Error in Contingent Claim Models Dynamic Evaluation We Gratefully Acknowledge Essential Support from the Cirano (centre Interuniversitaire De Recherche En Analyse Des Organisations), Montréal, and the Kamakura Corporation for Jarrow. This Paper Has Benifitt

Ce document est publié dans l'intention de rendre accessibles les résultats préliminaires de la recherche effectuée au CIRANO, afin de susciter des échanges et des suggestions. Les idées et les opinions émises sont sous l'unique responsabilité des auteurs, et ne représentent pas nécessairement les positions du CIRANO ou de ses partenaires. This paper presents preliminary research carried out at CIRANO and aims to encourage discussion and comment. The observations and viewpoints expressed are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily represent positions of CIRANO or its partners. CIRANO Le CIRANO est une corporation privée à but non lucratif constituée en vertu de la Loi des compagnies du Québec. Le financement de son infrastructure et de ses activités de recherche provient des cotisations de ses organisations-membres, d'une subvention d'infrastructure du ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, de même que des subventions et mandats obtenus par ses équipes de recherche. La Série Scientifique est la réalisation d'une des missions que s'est données le CIRANO, soit de développer l'analyse scientifique des organisations et des comportements stratégiques. CIRANO is a private non-profit organization incorporated under the Québec Companies Act. Its infrastructure and research activities are funded through fees paid by member organizations, an infrastructure grant from the Ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, and grants and research mandates obtained by its research teams. The Scientific Series fulfils one of the missions of CIRANO: to develop the scientific analysis of organizations and strategic behaviour. and the participants of the seminars at CIRANO, Cornell, and Wharton. We thank Carol Marquardt for letting us use her daily interest rate data. Résumé / Abstract Résumé Nous incorporons formellement l'incertitude des paramètres et l'erreur de modèle dans l'estimation des modèles d'option et la formulation de prévisions. Ceci permet l'inférence de fonctions d'intérêt (prix de l'option, biais, ratios) cohérentes avec l'incertitude des paramètres et du modèle. Nous montrons comment extraire la distribution postérieure exacte (de fonctions) des paramètres. Ceci est crucial parce que l'utilisation la plus probable, réestimation périodique des paramètres, est analogues à des échantillons de petite taille et demande l'incorporation d'informations a priori spécifiques. Nous développons des modèles Monte Carlo de chaînes markoviennes afin de résoudre les problèmes d'estimation posés. Nous fournissons des tests de spécification, à la fois pour l'échantillon et le modèle prédictif, qui peuvent être utilisés pour les tests dynamiques …
Coronary CT Angiography Incorporating Doppler-Guided Prospective ECG Gating in Patients with High Heart Rate: Comparison with Results of Traditional Prospective ECG Gating

Purpose As Doppler ultrasound has been proven to be an effective tool to predict and compress the optimal pulsing windows, we evaluated the effective dose and diagnostic accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CTA) incorporating Doppler-guided prospective electrocardiograph (ECG) gating, which presets pulsing windows according to Doppler analysis, in patients with a heart rate >65 bpm. Materials and Methods 119 patients with a heart rate >65 bpm who were scheduled for invasive coronary angiography were prospectively studied, and patients were randomly divided into traditional prospective (n = 61) and Doppler-guided prospective (n = 58) ECG gating groups. The exposure window of traditional prospective ECG gating was set at 30%–80% of the cardiac cycle. For the Doppler group, the length of diastasis was analyzed by Doppler. For lengths greater than 90 ms, the pulsing window was preset during diastole (during 60%–80%); otherwise, the optimal pulsing intervals were moved from diastole to systole (during 30%–50%). Results The mean heart rates of the traditional ECG and the Doppler-guided group during CT scanning were 75.0±7.7 bpm (range, 66–96 bpm) and 76.5±5.4 bpm (range: 66–105 bpm), respectively. The results indicated that whereas the image quality showed no significant difference between the traditional and Doppler groups (P = 0.42), the radiation dose of the Doppler group was significantly lower than that of the traditional group (5.2±3.4mSv vs. 9.3±4.5mSv, P<0.001). The sensitivities of CTA applying traditional and Doppler-guided prospective ECG gating to diagnose stenosis on a segment level were 95.5% and 94.3%, respectively; specificities 98.0% and 97.1%, respectively; positive predictive values 90.7% and 88.2%, respectively; negative predictive values 99.0% and 98.7%, respectively. There was no statistical difference in concordance between the traditional and Doppler groups (P = 0.22). Conclusion Doppler-guided prospective ECG gating represents an improved method in patients with a high heart rate to reduce effective radiation doses, while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy.
Prevention of Cognitive Impairment in the Midlife Women

Forgetfulness is common symptom with age. Especially for midlife women, hormonal cessation by menopausal change is one of the causes in cognitive disorders. And neuropathological changes in brain can lead to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and eventually dementia. Prevention of MCI is important for decreasing progression to dementia. This article presents therapeutic approaches based on pathophysiologic changes in brain for preventing cognitive decline.
Experiment Research on Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network

Experiment is the effective research means. In this paper, an experiment platform for underwater acoustic sensor networks(UASNs) is designed and developed, which serves as the testing and evaluating system of UASNs and is convenient, flexible and scalable. In this platform, an automatic testing language is proposed, which can support performance testing of point-to-point underwater acoustic communication without interference of researcher. Moreover, end-to-end networking experimentation of UASNs can be done with this platform. Lots of research works on UASNs are done based on this platform and a great deal of experiment data on underwater acoustic communication and networking are accumulated.
Applications of Discrepancy Theory in Multiobjective Approximation

We apply a multi-color extension of the Beck-Fiala theorem to show that the multiobjective maximum traveling salesman problem is randomized 1/2-approximable on directed graphs and randomized 2/3-approximable on undirected graphs. Using the same technique we show that the multiobjective maximum satisfiablilty problem is 1/2-approximable.
Astroblastoma: A Case Report

Astroblastoma is one of the very unusual type of tumors, whose histogenesis has not been clarified. It occurs mainly among children or young adults. Astroblastoma is grossly well-demarcated, and shows histologically characteristic perivascular pseudorosettes with frequent vascular hyalinization. Perivascular pseudorosettes in astroblastoma have short and thick cytoplasmic processes and blunt-ended foot plates. A 15-yr-old girl presented with headache and diplopia for one and a half year. A well-demarcated mass, 9.7 cm in diameter, was found in the right frontal lobe in brain MRI, and it was a well-enhanced inhomogenous mass. Cystic changes of various sizes were observed inside the tumor mass as well as in the posterior part of the mass, but no peritumoral edema was found. Histologically, this mass belongs to a typical astroblastoma, and no sign of anaplastic astrocytoma, gemistocytic astrocytoma or glioblastoma was found in any part of the tumor. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed diffuse strong positivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, vimentin and neuron specific enolase, and focal positivity for epithelial membrane antigen and CAM 5.2, while showing negativity for synaptophysin, neurofilament protein, pan-cytokeratin and high molecular weight keratin.
Distinct roles of the Pumilio and FBF translational repressors during C. elegans vulval development

The C. elegans PUF and FBF proteins regulate various aspects of germline development by selectively binding to the 3′ untranslated region of their target mRNAs and repressing translation. Here, we show that puf-8, fbf-1 and fbf-2 also act in the soma where they negatively regulate vulvaI development. Loss-of-function mutations in puf-8 cause ectopic vulval differentiation when combined with mutations in negative regulators of the EGFR/RAS/MAPK pathway and suppress the vulvaless phenotype caused by mutations that reduce EGFR/RAS/MAPK signalling. PUF-8 acts cell-autonomously in the vulval cells to limit their temporal competence to respond to the extrinsic patterning signals. fbf-1 and fbf-2, however, redundantly inhibit primary vulval cell fate specification in two distinct pathways acting in the soma and in the germline. The FBFs thereby ensure that the inductive signal selects only one vulval precursor cell for the primary cell fate. Thus, translational repressors regulate various aspects of vulval cell fate specification, and they may play a conserved role in modulating signal transduction during animal development.
In vitro electrochemical corrosion study of coupled surgical implant materials.

The objective of this study was to produce corrosion behavior data for each of the commonly used metallic alloys in surgical implants. In addition, by applying the known electrochemical corrosion theory, the study aims to predict the behavior of galvanic couples made of any two of the materials. From this predicted behavior, potentially useful couples that are not expected to show significantly increased corrosion rates were identified.
Finite element modelling of effects of roll gap geometry in hot rolling

Abstract In hot rolling, rolling load, torque, motor power, and energy are important measurable process outputs that are influenced by the shape and size of the roll gap. The magnitudes of these output variables are dependent on the extent of inhomogeneous deformation during a rolling pass, which is characterised by the redundant shear strain. A previously developed and validated finite element model is used to simulate the deformation behaviour in a rolling pass. The effects of initial slab thickness, reduction, roll diameter, and speed on the rolling load, torque, temperature distribution in the stock, and redundant shear strain have been computed for rolling of Type 316L stainless steel. Two new concepts – the 'net shear angle' and the 'average shear strain' of a rolling pass have been introduced to quantify the degree of inhomogeneity in deformation. Finally, the results are compared with those of similar rolling theories.
Methylprednisolone Increases Plasma Leptin Levels in Graves' Hyperthyroidism Patients with Active Graves' Ophthalmopathy

Whether leptin, a product of the ob gene, can be stimulated by glucocorticoid administration has been an issue of controversy. We investigated the effect of intravenous administration of methylprednisolone (500 mg/day x 3 days) on plasma levels of leptin in 16 patients (female/male = 11/5) with Graves' hyperthyroidism and active ophthalmopathy who received pulse therapy. Significant elevation of plasma leptin levels started at the eighth hour (13.9+/-1.8 ng/mL, p=0.042) and lasted until the 72nd hour (21.2+/-5.0 ng/mL, p=0.009), as compared with basal levels (8.8+/-1.2 ng/mL). When methylprednisolone was replaced with oral prednisolone (10 mg three times per day x 2 weeks), no difference in plasma leptin levels was noted compared with basal measurement. Under methylprednisolone administration, a significant suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha began at the 24th hour (8.1+/-1.3 pg/mL, p=0.004) and lasted until the 48th hour (8.1+/-1.0 pg/mL, p=0.008), as compared with basal measurement (12.5+/-1.5 pg/mL). Compared with basal levels (93+/-2 mg/dL), significant elevation in the plasma glucose level started at the third hour (135+/-10 mg/dL, p=0.000) and lasted until the 72nd hour (110+/-4 mg/dL, p=0.019). The timing of serum insulin elevation approximated that of plasma glucose (3 hours: 14+/-3 microU/mL, p=0.006) and lasted until the end of prednisolone administration (2 weeks: 12+/-2 microU/mL, p=0.044), when compared with basal levels (14+/-3 microU/mL). We concluded that the parental administration of pharmacological doses of methylprednisolone to patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism could acutely raise their plasma level of leptin.