Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measurement and regulation of cardiac ventricular repolarization: from the QT interval to repolarization morphology

Ventricular repolarization (VR) is a crucial step in cardiac electrical activity because it corresponds to a recovery period setting the stage for the next heart contraction. Small perturbations of the VR process can predispose an individual to lethal arrhythmias. In this review, I aim to provide an overview of the methods developed to analyse static and dynamic aspects of the VR process when recorded from a surface electrocardiogram (ECG). The first section describes the list of physiological and clinical factors that can affect the VR. Technical aspects important to consider when digitally processing ECGs are provided as well. Special attention is given to the analysis of the effect of heart rate on the VR and its regulation by the autonomic nervous system. The final section provides the rationale for extending the analysis of the VR from its duration to its morphology. Several modelling techniques and measurement methods will be presented and their role within the arena of cardiac safety will be discussed.
Associations between 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Immunologic, Metabolic, Inflammatory Markers in Treatment-Naive HIV-Infected Persons: The ANRS CO9 «COPANA» Cohort Study

Objectives Low 25(OH)D has been associated with dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and inflammation in both general and HIV-infected (mostly treated) populations. We investigated these associations in antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected persons. Design We measured plasma 25(OH)D, metabolic, immunologic and inflammatory markers in 355 persons (204 Whites, 151 Blacks) at enrollment in the ANRS COPANA cohort. Methods 25(OH)D levels were categorized <10 ng/mL (severe deficiency) and <20 ng/mL (deficiency). Statistical analyses were adjusted for sampling season, ethnicity and the interaction between season and ethnicity. Results 25(OH)D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL), deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL) were highly prevalent (93%, 67% and 24% of patients, respectively). Blacks had significantly lower 25(OH)D than Whites (median: 13 vs. 17 ng/mL, P<0.001), with markedly less pronounced seasonal variation. Smoking and drinking alcohol were associated with having a 25 OHD level<10 ng/mL. In patients with 25(OH)D<10 ng/mL, the proportion of persons with a CD4 count<100/mm3 was higher than in patients with 25(OH)D≥10 ng/mL (18.8% vs. 10.7%, P = 0.04). Persons with 25 OHD<10 ng/mL had higher levels of hsCRP (1.60 mg/L [IQR: 0.59–5.76] vs. 1.27 mg/L [0.58–3,39], P = 0.03) and resistin (16.81 ng/L [IQR: 13.82–25.74] vs. 11.56 ng/L [IQR: 8.87–20.46], P = 0.02), and, among Blacks only, sTNFR2 (2.92 ng/mL [2.31–4.13] vs. 2.67 ng/mL, [1.90–3.23], P = 0.04). The strength and significance of the association between CD4<100/mm3 and 25 OHD<10 ng/mL were reduced after adjustment on sTNFR1, sTNFR2, and hsCRP levels. In multivariate analysis, a CD4 count <100/mm3, resistin concentration and smoking were independently associated with 25(OH)D<10 ng/mL. Conclusions Severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with low CD4 counts and increased markers of inflammation in ARV-naïve HIV-infected persons.
Poly(Acrylic Acid)/Bentonite Composites for Removing High Concentration of Methylene Blue

The poly (acrylic acid)/Bentonite composites (PAA/Bent) was prepared by in-situ polymerization. The structure of PAA/Bent was characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM, which indicated that AA intercalated into the interlayers of bentonite, and composite was formed between Bent and PAA. The PAA/Bent was used as a polymer adsorbent to remove methylene blue, a typical cationic dyes. Some important influencing factors on removing MB by PAA/Bent were investigated. The optimum adsorption conditions were obtained as following: the PAA/Bent dosage is 0.08 g, contacting 20 min at room temperature (25 °C), the pH value had little effect on MB adsorption, PAA/Bent can be used to treat wastewater with a broad range of pH value. The removal ratio of MB got to 99.4 %, and the adsorption capacity was 310.7 mgg-1. The removal mechanism is also investigated. It was charge neutralization and physical adsorption. In summary, the results indicated that PAA/Bent is an effective adsorbent and can be used to treat high concentration of MB wastewater.
Ironclad C++: a library-augmented type-safe subset of c++

The C++ programming language remains widely used, despite inheriting many unsafe features from C---features that often lead to failures of type or memory safety that manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free vulnerabilities, or abstraction violations. Malicious attackers can exploit such violations to compromise application and system security. This paper introduces Ironclad C++, an approach to bringing the benefits of type and memory safety to C++. Ironclad C++ is, in essence, a library-augmented, type-safe subset of C++. All Ironclad C++ programs are valid C++ programs that can be compiled using standard, off-the-shelf C++ compilers. However, not all valid C++ programs are valid Ironclad C++ programs: a syntactic source-code validator statically prevents the use of unsafe C++ features. To enforce safety properties that are difficult to check statically, Ironclad C++ applies dynamic checks via templated ``smart pointer'' classes. Using a semi-automatic refactoring tool, we have ported nearly 50K lines of code to Ironclad C++. These benchmarks incur a performance overhead of 12% on average, compared to the original unsafe C++ code.
The effect of endothelial cell overexpression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 on smooth muscle cell migration.

INTRODUCTION Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a known inhibitor of plasminogen activators, may regulate smooth muscle cell migration (SMC) through alteration in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. METHODS To study the effect of endothelial cell (EC) PAI-1 overexpression on SMC migration, RT-PCR was used to clone the full length PAI-1 gene, which was ligated into the pCMV/myc/ER expression vector. With electroporation, bovine aortic ECs were transfected with either the PAI-1 construct or the empty vector as control. EC PAI-1 overexpression was shown with a specific PAI-1 activity assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The effect of EC PAI-1 overexpression on SMC migration was measured with a modified Boyden-chamber assay. SMC MMP expression was measured with zymography. RESULTS Selected clones (EC9, EC21) had a three-fold to five-fold increase in PAI-1 activity compared with untransfected EC and empty vector EC (ECC). Similarly, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed a 3.5-fold to 5.5-fold increase in PAI-1 levels in EC9 and EC21 versus ECC. Untransfected EC and ECC had similar effects on SMC migratory patterns. Migration of SMC exposed to PAI-1 overexpressing EC was inhibited by 35% to 57% compared with ECC. This inhibitory effect was reversed with addition of exogenous urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Zymography showed downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in SMCs exposed to PAI-1 overexpressing EC. CONCLUSION PAI-1 overexpression with transfected EC inhibits SMC migration. This effect may be mediated through decreased SMC MMP activity.
Variations in Thermal Sensitivity

In the past, confusion has resulted from the use of relative expressions indicative of the direction of temperature change, rather than positive identification of warm and cool sensations. Data are presented which show that at more extreme skin temperatures sudden changes in temperature may result in two readily discernible sensations. The occurrence of each sensation depends upon the magnitude of the change.
Health Forum Thread Recommendation Using an Interest Aware Topic Model

We introduce a general, interest-aware topic model (IATM), in which known higher-level interests on topics expressed by each user can be modeled. We then specialize the IATM for use in consumer health forum thread recommendation by equating each user's self-reported medical conditions as interests and topics as symptoms of treatments for recommendation. The IATM additionally models the implicit interests embodied by users' textual descriptions in their profiles. To further enhance the personalized nature of the recommendations, we introduce jointly normalized collaborative topic regression (JNCTR) which captures how users interact with the various symptoms belonging to the same clinical condition. In our experiments on two real-world consumer health forums, our proposed model significantly outperforms competitive state-of-the-art baselines by over 10% in recall. Importantly, we show that our IATM+JNCTR pipeline also imbues the recommendation process with added transparency, allowing a recommendation system to justify its recommendation with respect to each user's interest in certain health conditions.
Sleep apnea and the subsequent risk of Parkinson’s disease: a 3-year nationwide population-based study

Purpose Sleep apnea (SA)-induced chronic intermittent hypoxia increases oxidative stress and inflammation, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study evaluated the risk of PD following SA diagnosis. Patients and methods This was a 3-year nationwide population-based matched cohort study using claims data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), Taiwan. We analyzed 1,944 patients diagnosed as having SA between 1997 and 2005 and a matched cohort of 9,720 non-SA patients from the NHIRD. Patients with a history of PD were excluded. Each patient was followed up for 3 years to evaluate subsequent PD development. Results Of the 11,664 patients, 17 (0.9%) and 38 (0.4%) from the SA and matched non-SA cohorts, respectively, were subsequently diagnosed as having PD during follow-up. After adjustments for potential confounders, the SA cohort had a 1.85-fold higher risk of PD than the non-SA cohort (95% confidence interval [CI] =1.02–3.35; P=0.042). After age and sex stratification, PD development was independently associated with SA only in men (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.26; 95% CI =1.11–4.63; P<0.05) and in patients aged ≥60 years (adjusted HR, 1.93; 95% CI =1.01–3.71; P<0.05). Conclusion Our study suggests that patients with SA are at an increased longitudinal risk of PD. Furthermore, age and male sex are independently associated with the risk of PD.
Inflammatory Biomarkers in Atherosclerosis: Pentraxin 3 Can Become a Novel Marker of Plaque Vulnerability

Inflammation is crucially involved in the development of carotid plaques. We examined the relationship between plaque vulnerability and inflammatory biomarkers using intraoperative blood and tissue specimens. We examined 58 patients with carotid stenosis. Following carotid plaque magnetic resonance imaging, 41 patients underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) and 17 underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Blood samples were obtained from the femoral artery (systemic) and common carotid artery immediately before and after CAS (local). Seventeen resected CEA tissue samples were embedded in paraffin, and histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses for IL-6, IL-10, E-selectin, adiponectin, and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) were performed. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, TNFα, E-selectin, VCAM-1, adiponectin, hs-CRP, and PTX3 were measured by multiplex bead array system and ELISA. CAS-treated patients were classified as stable plaques (n = 21) and vulnerable plaques (n = 20). The vulnerable group showed upregulation of the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα), endothelial activation markers (E-selectin and VCAM-1), and inflammation markers (hs-CRP and PTX3) and downregulation of the anti-inflammatory markers (adiponectin and IL-10). PTX3 levels in both systemic and intracarotid samples before and after CAS were higher in the vulnerable group than in the stable group. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that IL-6 was localized to inflammatory cells in the vulnerable plaques, and PTX3 was observed in the endothelial and perivascular cells. Our findings reveal that carotid plaque vulnerability is modulated by the upregulation and downregulation of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors, respectively. PTX3 may thus be a potential predictive marker of plaque vulnerability.
Registration of real and CT-derived virtual bronchoscopic images to assist transbronchial biopsy

This paper describes research work motivated by an innovative medical application: computer-assisted transbronchial biopsy. This project involves the registration, with no external localization device, of a preoperative three-dimensional (3-D) computed tomography (CT) scan of the thoracic cavity (showing a tumor that requires a needle biopsy), and an intraoperative endoscopic two-dimensional (2-D) image sequence, in order to provide assistance in transbronchial puncture of the tumor. Because of the specific difficulties resulting from the data being processed, a multilevel strategy was introduced. For each analysis level, the relevant information to process and the corresponding algorithms were defined. This multilevel strategy, thus, provides the best possible accuracy. Original image processing methods were elaborated, dealing with segmentation, registration and 3-D reconstruction of the bronchoscopic images. In particular, these methods involve adapted mathematical morphology tools, a "daemon-based" registration algorithm, and a model-based shape-from-shading algorithm. This pilot study presents the application of these algorithms to recorded bronchoscopic video sequences for five patients. The preliminary results presented here demonstrate that it is possible to precisely localize the endoscopic camera within the CT data coordinate system. The computer can thus synthesize in near real-time the CT-derived virtual view that corresponds to the actual endoscopic view.
Towards a Toolset for Intranet Evaluation

Usability is an important component of information systems acceptance. Independent consultants in the assessment of organisational intranets often perform heuristic appraisal, a common method of usability evaluation. However, there are alternative usability models that offer valuable analysis in the evaluation process. Using a government organisation’s intranet as a case study, this paper assesses the value of an independent heuristic-based intranet audit by providing a comparable approach to assessment realisable internally in the organisation using questionnaires. Using a single case study, we empirically apply the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), together with some heuristic aspects, to provide an alternative tool for intranet usability and acceptance. We provide insight into the usability impact of intranet design changes, and compare the findings of an external usability audit with the approach outlined. An overall toolset for intranet evaluation is proposed as an initial step for further exploration and potential use.
Effect of Unilateral Non-Rhythmical Stimulation on Bilateral Cerebral Cortex and Muscle Activation in People

Effects of conventional exercise training of robot to stroke patients are not too satisfying, and efficient methods of training are unclear. To test how the non-rhythmical load stimulation affects cerebral cortex by analyzing the coherence between electroencephalographic signals (EEGs) and electromyographic signals (EMGs). Ten healthy subjects, all subjects have no history of neurological diseases (6 men and 4 women, mean age: 24.5 years, range: 22-28). Subjects lay on the experimental platform 75°with respect to the ground, feet on support plates and close to the ground. When non-rhythmical stimulation was performed randomly, one hinge was released and the respected braced force between the foot and support plate disappeared, which caused the corresponding ankle to extend suddenly without relative displacement between the foot and the support plate. Surface EMG signals from tibialis anterior (TA) muscles and EEG signals from cerebral cortex area Cz were recorded, and coherence between them were analyzed. The mean maximum EEG-EMG coherence of the non-rhythmical stimulation side of the ten subjects was consistent across all (9 of 10) within β range (13-30 Hz), and the average value of all in the stimulated side was 23.581Hz. While the mean maximum EEG-EMG coherence of the still side were consistent across all (9 of 10) within α range (8-13 Hz). Our findings suggest that non-rhythmical stimulation to lower limb can stimulate effectively the corresponding area of the cerebral cortex, and this idea could be applied in rehabilitation of central nervous system diseases like stroke.
Predicting evolutionary responses to selection on polyandry in the wild: additive genetic covariances with female extra-pair reproduction

The evolutionary forces that underlie polyandry, including extra-pair reproduction (EPR) by socially monogamous females, remain unclear. Selection on EPR and resulting evolution have rarely been explicitly estimated or predicted in wild populations, and evolutionary predictions are vulnerable to bias due to environmental covariances and correlated selection through unmeasured traits. However, evolutionary responses to (correlated) selection on any trait can be directly predicted as additive genetic covariances (covA) with appropriate components of relative fitness. I used comprehensive life-history, paternity and pedigree data from song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to estimate covA between a female's liability to produce extra-pair offspring and two specific fitness components: relative annual reproductive success (ARS) and survival to recruitment. All three traits showed non-zero additive genetic variance. Estimates of covA were positive, predicting evolution towards increased EPR, but 95% credible intervals overlapped zero. There was therefore no conclusive prediction of evolutionary change in EPR due to (correlated) selection through female ARS or recruitment. Negative environmental covariance between EPR and ARS would have impeded evolutionary prediction from phenotypic selection differentials. These analyses demonstrate an explicit quantitative genetic approach to predicting evolutionary responses to components of (correlated) selection on EPR that should be unbiased by environmental covariances and unmeasured traits.
Performance analysis of second order adaptive filter using Matlab Simulink

Grid-tied distributed energy sources needs a proper synchronization technique which will estimate the phase angle of the grid voltage. The most common synchronisation techniques are being the phase locked loops (PLL)s, which decides the quality of grid utility power. By using different filtering techniques, the disturbance rejection capability in the (PLL)s can be improved. Synchronous reference frame phase locked loop (SRF-PLL) is the most commonly used synchronisation technique because of its simple operation good dynamic response. The conventional (SRF-PLL) controller with high bandwidth when used for synchronization work provides satisfactory performance when the grid voltage is undistorted and balanced. However SRF-PLL does not work properly in case of distorted and polluted grid conditions, so the estimated phase can have a substantial amount of unnecessary ripple. In case the grid voltage is balanced but polluted with higher order harmonic with reasonable amplitude, the detection system bandwidth can be reduced in order to attenuate the effect of harmonics on the output. Here second order adaptive filters (SOAF) are used to extract the harmonic components existing in balanced and polluted harmonic grid signals.
The Light Skin Allele of SLC24A5 in South Asians and Europeans Shares Identity by Descent

Skin pigmentation is one of the most variable phenotypic traits in humans. A non-synonymous substitution (rs1426654) in the third exon of SLC24A5 accounts for lighter skin in Europeans but not in East Asians. A previous genome-wide association study carried out in a heterogeneous sample of UK immigrants of South Asian descent suggested that this gene also contributes significantly to skin pigmentation variation among South Asians. In the present study, we have quantitatively assessed skin pigmentation for a largely homogeneous cohort of 1228 individuals from the Southern region of the Indian subcontinent. Our data confirm significant association of rs1426654 SNP with skin pigmentation, explaining about 27% of total phenotypic variation in the cohort studied. Our extensive survey of the polymorphism in 1573 individuals from 54 ethnic populations across the Indian subcontinent reveals wide presence of the derived-A allele, although the frequencies vary substantially among populations. We also show that the geospatial pattern of this allele is complex, but most importantly, reflects strong influence of language, geography and demographic history of the populations. Sequencing 11.74 kb of SLC24A5 in 95 individuals worldwide reveals that the rs1426654-A alleles in South Asian and West Eurasian populations are monophyletic and occur on the background of a common haplotype that is characterized by low genetic diversity. We date the coalescence of the light skin associated allele at 22–28 KYA. Both our sequence and genome-wide genotype data confirm that this gene has been a target for positive selection among Europeans. However, the latter also shows additional evidence of selection in populations of the Middle East, Central Asia, Pakistan and North India but not in South India.
A Multicenter Evaluation of Absorbent Products for Children With Incontinence and Disabilities

OBJECTIVE To evaluate all disposable pull-up-style pads (pull-ups) designed for children with learning and or physical disabilities and compare these with a representative sample of disposable diapers (diapers). DESIGN A multicenter randomized crossover trial where all children evaluated each product. SETTING AND CHILDREN A total of 61 community dwelling children with disabilities were recruited from 5 areas throughout the United Kingdom. Families were invited by letter to participate through their local clinical nurse specialist for continence care. INSTRUMENTS Instruments used included a range of questionnaires (product performance, design performance, and design preference questionnaires) and pad weight and leakage diaries. METHODS The children tested 10 products (5 pull-ups and 5 diapers) for up to 1 week per product both at home and at school. Caregivers (parents and guardians) completed the questionnaires after evaluation of individual products and design groups had been completed. They recorded wet product weights and scored pad leakage at each pad change. School staff completed an abbreviated product performance questionnaire for each product. RESULTS There was little difference in the overall performance of the pull-ups compared with the diapers. In the pull-up group, one product performed significantly worse than the others for some performance aspects. Pull-ups worked particularly well for children able to assist with toileting and pad changes. Diapers were liked for ease of changing if the child used calipers, adapted footwear, or trousers. Diapers were more popular than pull-ups for night use, when greater absorbency was required. Neither design performed differently for school or home use. Most caregivers expressed a preference for diapers or pull-ups based on a range of individual needs, for example, level of independence in toileting, discreetness in pad change, fit, and product appearance. CONCLUSIONS Diapers and pull-ups have different strengths and limitations, and both meet the specific needs of individual children. Although pull-ups are more expensive than diapers, their use is justified if based on a thorough assessment of individual need.
Characterizing Online Games

Online games are a rapidly growing Internet application. In order to run a successful online game, game companies and game infrastructure providers must properly manage game workloads and content so that they can maximize player satisfaction while minimizing their own costs. Toward this end, this paper provides a comprehensive, long-term analysis of several popular online games and their players using one of the richest data sets available for online games.