Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomonitoring and Elimination of Perfluorinated Compounds and Polychlorinated Biphenyls through Perspiration: Blood, Urine, and Sweat Study

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made organofluorine chemicals manufactured and marketed for their stain-resistant properties. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are anthropogenic organochlorine compounds previously used in various industrial and chemical applications prior to being banned in the Western world in the 1970s. Both PFCs and PCBs are persistent contaminants within the human organism and both have been linked to adverse health sequelae. Data is lacking on effective means to facilitate clearance of PFCs and PCBs from the body. Methods. Blood, urine, and sweat were collected from 20 individuals (10 healthy participants and 10 participants with assorted health problems) and analyzed for PFCs and PCBs using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results. Some individual PCB congeners, but not all, were released into sweat at varying concentrations. None of the PFCs found in serum testing appeared to be excreted efficiently into perspiration. Conclusions. Induced perspiration may have some role in facilitating elimination of selected PCBs. Sweat analysis may be helpful in establishing the existence of some accrued PCBs in the human body. Sweating does not appear to facilitate clearance of accrued PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonate), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), or PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), the most common PFCs found in the human body.
Providing Learning Computing Labs using Hosting and Virtualization Technologies

This paper presents a computing hosting system to provide virtual computing laboratories for learning activities. This system is based on hosting and virtualization technologies. All the components used in its development are free software tools. The computing lab model provided by the system is a more sustainable and scalable alternative than the traditional academic computing lab, and it requires lower costs of installation and operation.
Population Coding and Decoding in a Neural Field: A Computational Study

This study uses a neural field model to investigate computational aspects of population coding and decoding when the stimulus is a single variable. A general prototype model for the encoding process is proposed, in which neural responses are correlated, with strength specified by a gaussian function of their difference in preferred stimuli. Based on the model, we study the effect of correlation on the Fisher information, compare the performances of three decoding methods that differ in the amount of encoding information being used, and investigate the implementation of the three methods by using a recurrent network. This study not only re-discovers main results in existing literatures in a unified way, but also reveals important new features, especially when the neural correlation is strong. As the neural correlation of firing becomes larger, the Fisher information decreases drastically. We confirm that as the width of correlation increases, the Fisher information saturates and no longer increases in proportion to the number of neurons. However, we prove that as the width increases furtherwider than p2 times the effective width of the turning functionthe Fisher information increases again, and it increases without limit in proportion to the number of neurons. Furthermore, we clarify the asymptotic efficiency of the maximum likelihood inference (MLI) type of decoding methods for correlated neural signals. It shows that when the correlation covers a nonlocal range of population (excepting the uniform correlation and when the noise is extremely small), the MLI type of method, whose decoding error satisfies the Cauchy-type distribution, is not asymptotically efficient. This implies that the variance is no longer adequate to measure decoding accuracy.
Endothelium-Mediated Relaxation of Porcine Collateral-Dependent Arterioles Is Improved by Exercise Training

Background—Endothelium-dependent modulation of coronary tone is impaired in the collateral-dependent coronary microcirculation. We used a porcine model of chronic coronary occlusion and collateral development to evaluate the hypothesis that exercise training enhances endothelium-mediated relaxation and increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) mRNA levels of collateral-dependent microvasculature. Methods and Results—Adult female miniature swine were subjected to chronic, progressive ameroid occlusion of the proximal left circumflex coronary artery (LCx); after 2 months, animals were randomly exposed to 16-week exercise-training (EX group; treadmill running) or sedentary (SED group; cage confinement) protocols. After completion of EX or SED programs, coronary arterioles (≈100 &mgr;m in diameter) were isolated from collateral-dependent LCx (distal to occlusion) and nonoccluded left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) regions of each heart. Arterioles were studied by in vitro videomicroscopy or frozen for ecNOS mRNA analysis (RT-PCR techniques). Relaxation to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator bradykinin was decreased (P <0.05) in arterioles isolated from collateral-dependent LCx versus nonoccluded LAD regions of SED animals. Bradykinin-mediated relaxation, however, was not different in LCx versus LAD arterioles isolated from EX animals. Nitroprusside-induced relaxation was unaffected by either chronic occlusion or exercise. Importantly, ecNOS mRNA expression was significantly decreased in arterioles isolated from LCx versus LAD regions of SED animals. After training, ecNOS mRNA expression was not different between LAD and LCx arterioles. Conclusions—These data indicate that exercise training enhances bradykinin-mediated relaxation of collateral-dependent LCx arterioles isolated after chronic coronary occlusion, most likely because of effects on ecNOS mRNA expression and increased production of NO.
Spatial distribution by size and age and allometric relationships of a spruce population in west Greenland

In the Arctic, climate change is altering the assemblages of species able to survive in this system. Several white spruce (Picea glauca) trees, planted in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland beginning in 1976, have persisted well beyond the latitudinal treeline. New individuals appear to have recruited naturally from seeds produced by these initial trees. I collected morphometric and spatial data for individuals from two forest stands as well as data on habitat characteristics. My findings allowed me to analyze how age and size are spatially structured in these populations; investigate environmental conditions that may be influencing this distribution; and compare the allometric relationships in these populations to a population in the native range of Picea glauca. This information provides baseline knowledge enabling investigation into future questions about the individualand population-level growth of Picea glauca occurring outside the range of their presumed natural distribution. With findings from studies such as this, we can better understand how these trees are responding to dynamic systems and the factors that may be influencing the colonization of new ecosystems in response to climatic changes.
Triggering of Suicidal Erythrocyte Death by Amphotericin B

Amphotericin B is widely used as antifungal drug. Side effects include anemia. A variety of drugs and diseases associated with anemia has recently been shown to trigger suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis, i.e. cell membrane scrambling and cell shrinkage. Eryptosis may be triggered by increased cytosolic Ca2+ activity and by lack of ATP. The present study explored whether amphotericin B stimulates eryptosis. Cell membrane scrambling was estimated from annexin V-binding to phosphatidylserine exposed at the cell surface, cell shrinkage from forward scatter in FACS analysis, cytosolic Ca2+ activity from Fluo3 fluorescence and the cytosolic ATP concentration from a luciferase-based assay. Exposure to amphotericin B (0.1 - 1 μg/ml) within 48 hours significantly increased annexin V-binding, decreased forward scatter, increased cytosolic Ca2+ activity and decreased cytosolic ATP content. In conclusion, amphotericin B stimulates suicidal cell death of erythrocytes, which may in turn contribute to the clearance of circulating erythrocytes and thus to anemia.
Orienting Attention in Aging and Parkinson's Disease: Distinguishing Modes of Control

Past research on attentional orienting and Parkinson's disease (PD) has been compromised because the experimental paradigms tended to confound different forms of orienting. We sought to overcome this by examining the attentional orienting of three distinct groups (PD-patients, age-matched controls, and young controls) on five different tasks, four of which isolated pure forms of orienting. On two covert orienting tasks PD patients oriented volitional (Experiment 1) and reflexive (Experiment 2) covert attention in a healthy and normal manner for their age. On two overt orienting tasks, PD patients were found to execute volitional eye movements that were prone to undershoot their target goal (Experiment 3), and reflexive eye movements that were unusually fast (Experiment 4). When required to perform an antisaccade task (Experiment 5), which combines reflexive and volitional modes of overt orienting, PD patients performed normally This indicates that using a task which combines different modes of orienting creates a situation that is more than the sum of its parts. Together our study supports the thesis that it is crucial to isolate and investigate different modes of attentional control.
PSwarm: a hybrid solver for linearly constrained global derivative-free optimization

PSwarm was developed originally for the global optimization of functions without derivatives and where the variables are within upper and lower bounds. The underlying algorithm used is a pattern search method, or more specifically, a coordinate search method, which guarantees convergence to stationary points from arbitrary starting points. In the (optional) search step of coordinate search, the algorithm incorporates a particle swarm scheme for dissemination of points in the feasible region, equipping the overall method with the capability of finding a global minimizer. Our extensive numerical experiments showed that the resulting algorithm is highly competitive with other global optimization methods based only on function values. PSwarm is extended in this paper to handle general linear constraints. The poll step now incorporates positive generators for the tangent cone of the approximated active constraints, including a provision for the degenerate case. The search step has also been adapted accordingly. In particular, the initial population for particle swarm used in the search step is computed by first inscribing an ellipsoid of maximum volume to the feasible set. We have again compared PSwarm with other solvers (including some designed for global optimization) and the results confirm its competitiveness in terms of efficiency and robustness.
Lecithin as a Therapeutic Agent in Ulcerative Colitis

Lecithin [phosphatidylcholine (PC)] was shown to account for more than 70% of total phospholipids within the intestinal mucus layer. It is arranged in lamellar membranes (surfactant-like particles) and establishes a hydrophobic barrier preventing invasion of the colonic commensal microbiota. In ulcerative colitis (UC), the mucus PC content was demonstrated to be reduced by about 70%, irrespective of the presence of inflammation. This may be of primary pathogenetic significance allowing bacteria to enter the mucus and induce mucosal inflammation. Therefore, a new therapeutic strategy is being developed to substitute the missing mucus PC content in UC. Indeed, a delayed-release PC formulation was able to compensate the lack of PC and improve the inflammatory activity. In randomized controlled studies, delayed-release PC was proven to be clinically and endoscopically effective, which now awaits a phase III authority approval trial.
Murine Gamma-Herpesvirus 68 Hijacks MAVS and IKKβ to Initiate Lytic Replication

Upon viral infection, the mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS)-IKKβ pathway is activated to restrict viral replication. Manipulation of immune signaling events by pathogens has been an outstanding theme of host-pathogen interaction. Here we report that the loss of MAVS or IKKβ impaired the lytic replication of gamma-herpesvirus 68 (γHV68), a model herpesvirus for human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and Epstein-Barr virus. γHV68 infection activated IKKβ in a MAVS-dependent manner; however, IKKβ phosphorylated and promoted the transcriptional activation of the γHV68 replication and transcription activator (RTA). Mutational analyses identified IKKβ phosphorylation sites, through which RTA-mediated transcription was increased by IKKβ, within the transactivation domain of RTA. Moreover, the lytic replication of recombinant γHV68 carrying mutations within the IKKβ phosphorylation sites was greatly impaired. These findings support the conclusion that γHV68 hijacks the antiviral MAVS-IKKβ pathway to promote viral transcription and lytic infection, representing an example whereby viral replication is coupled to host immune activation.
Private health care in developing countries

Private healthcare provision is growing in low and middle income countries. 1 2 The poor, as well as the rich, often seek health care from private providers, including for conditions of public health importance such as malaria, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections. 3 4 5 The reasons cited by users include better and more flexible access, shorter waiting, greater confidentiality, and greater sensitivity to user needs. 1 6 International policymakers are currently recommending greater use of private providers 7 8 9 on the grounds that they offer consumers greater choice; increase competition in the healthcare market; and remove state responsibility for service provision, thereby encouraging its role as regulator and guarantor. We should, however, be concerned. When examined, the quality of care offered by many private providers is poor. 1 2 10 Furthermore, poor people spend a greater proportion of their income on health care (private or public) than do the rich, often using less qualified or totally untrained private providers. We have recommended three objectives in relation to the private provision of care for conditions of public health importance: widening access, improving quality, and ensuring non-exploitative prices.11 None of these will be simple to achieve; and multifaceted interventions, involving policymakers, providers, and …
How well do we investigate patients with suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage? The continuing need for cerebrospinal fluid investigations

Objective: To demonstrate the extent of compliance with established guidelines for the investigation of suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and the implications of non-compliance. Design: Prospective observational study of practice in three hospitals in the Trent region. Setting: One teaching hospital with a tertiary neuroscience referral centre and two large district general hospitals. Participants: 50 consecutive patients from each centre referred for suspected SAH with negative computed tomography. Main outcome measures: Diagnosis of SAH confirmed or excluded according to guidelines. Results: When the data from the three centres were combined (n = 150 computed tomography negative cases) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) investigation was not performed in 60/150 (40%). In the 90 cases where CSF studies were performed SAH was confirmed in 11 (12%). Conclusion: There is significant non-compliance in following the established guidelines for the investigation of SAH at the centres studied. As the primary cause of non-traumatic SAH is ruptured aneurysm, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality from second haemorrhage, this highlights a major source of concern for clinical governance.
Parallel Shortest Path Algorithm for Voronoi Diagrams with Generalized Distance Functions

Voronoi diagrams are fundamental data structures in computational geometry with applications on different areas. Recent soft object simulation algorithms for real time physics engines require the computation of Voronoi diagrams over 3D images with non-Euclidean distances. In this case, the computation must be performed over a graph, where the edges encode the required distance information. But excessive computation time of Voronoi diagrams prevent more sophisticated deformations that require interactive topological changes, such as cutting or stitching used in virtual surgery simulations. The major bottleneck in the Voronoi computation in this case is a shortest-path algorithm that must be computed multiple times during the deformation. In this paper, we tackle this problem by proposing a GPU algorithm of the shortest-path algorithm from multiple sources using generalized distance functions. Our algorithm was designed to leverage the grid-based nature of the underlying graph used in the simulation. Experimental results report speed-ups up to 65× over a current reference sequential method.
Seasonal shifts in predator body size diversity and trophic interactions in size-structured predator-prey systems.

1. Theory suggests that the relationship between predator diversity and prey suppression should depend on variation in predator traits such as body size, which strongly influences the type and strength of species interactions. Prey species often face a range of different sized predators, and the composition of body sizes of predators can vary between communities and within communities across seasons. 2. Here, I test how variation in size structure of predator communities influences prey survival using seasonal changes in the size structure of a cannibalistic population as a model system. Laboratory and field experiments showed that although the per-capita consumption rates increased at higher predator-prey size ratios, mortality rates did not consistently increase with average size of cannibalistic predators. Instead, prey mortality peaked at the highest level of predator body size diversity. 3. Furthermore, observed prey mortality was significantly higher than predictions from the null model that assumed no indirect interactions between predator size classes, indicating that different sized predators were not substitutable but had more than additive effects. Higher predator body size diversity therefore increased prey mortality, despite the increased potential for behavioural interference and predation among predators demonstrated in additional laboratory experiments. 4. Thus, seasonal changes in the distribution of predator body sizes altered the strength of prey suppression not only through changes in mean predator size but also through changes in the size distribution of predators. In general, this indicates that variation (i.e. diversity) within a single trait, body size, can influence the strength of trophic interactions and emphasizes the importance of seasonal shifts in size structure of natural food webs for community dynamics.
Effectiveness of cilostazol in transient ischemic attack refractory to aspirin: A report of two cases

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a warning of impending ischemic stroke. It provides an important therapeutic time window in which appropriate intervention may prevent permanent neurological injury. The anti-platelet agent, aspirin, is an option for reducing the risk of stroke following TIA. However, for patients who are not responsive to aspirin, cilostazol may be an effective treatment. The current study presents two cases of TIA that were refractory to aspirin but were successfully treated with cilostazol. In case 1, an 83-year-old female patient suffered from episodes of weakness and numbness of the left extremities. Aspirin alone or aspirin in combination with clopidogrel were not effective. Anticoagulation therapy with low molecular heparin decreased the frequency of ischemic episodes with complete remission following antiplatelet therapy with cilostazol. In case 2, a 51-year-old male presentedwith episodes of paroxysmal weakness of the left extremities with dysarthria. Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin was initiated. Eight episodes of ischemic attack recurred on the seventh day following admission. After the change of the antiplatelet agent to cilostazol, no ischemic episodes recurred, with the exception of three on the first day. This study suggested that cilostazol may be efficacious in the prevention of ischemic stoke following TIA of a non-cardiac origin that was not responsive to aspirin.
Adoption determinants of row planting for wheat production in Munesa District of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Agriculture takes the lion’s share in the economic development of many developing countries, including Ethiopia. Agricultural policy of the years has focused on supporting the introduction of improved technologies to boost production and reduce food insecurity. However, outcomes of such agricultural policies have been influenced by different factors of which low adoption of improved agricultural technology is a major constraint. The objective of this study was therefore, to analyze the determinants of adoption and intensity of use of row planting for wheat production. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 140 wheat producer household heads from the Munesa district of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Data were collected through the administration of semi-structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and the Tobit econometric model. Descriptive result shows that, from 140 sampled households 97 are adopters of wheat row planting while the remaining are non-adopters. The model was used in estimating the determinants of adoption and intensity of use of row planting for wheat production. The model results revealed that education level, labor availability, extension contact, credit use, participation in training and access to improved seed had positively and significantly influenced adoption and intensity of use of row planting for wheat production. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that, policy and development interventions should focus on improving economic and institutional support system for high rates of adoption and intensity leading to improved productivity and income among smallholder farmers. Key words: Adoption, row planting, Tobit model, Munesa, wheat.
Speaker identification from shouted speech: Analysis and compensation

Text-independent speaker identification is studied using neutral and shouted speech in Finnish to analyze the effect of vocal mode mismatch between training and test utterances. Standard mel-frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) features with Gaussian mixture model (GMM) recognizer are used for speaker identification. The results indicate that speaker identification accuracy reduces from perfect (100 %) to 8.71 % under vocal mode mismatch. Because of this dramatic degradation in recognition accuracy, we propose to use a joint density GMM mapping technique for compensating the MFCC features. This mapping is trained on a disjoint emotional speech corpus to create a completely speaker- and speech mode independent emotion-neutralizing mapping. As a result of the compensation, the 8.71 % identification accuracy increases to 32.00 % without degrading the non-mismatched train-test conditions much.