Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of myocardial mechanics in top-level endurance athletes: three-dimensional speckle tracking evaluation

Aims The determinants of systolic function in the performing heart are not completely understood. Aim of the study was to assess the contributors of left ventricular (LV) strain components, using 3D speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in endurance athletes. Methods and Results A total of 36 top-level male endurance athletes (AT) and 36 age-matched sedentary normal controls (NC) underwent standard and real-time 3D echocardiography. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global area strain (GAS), and global radial strain (GRS) were assessed using 3D STE. AT had significantly higher GLS (-22.1 ± 4.4 vs. -18.4 ± 3.5%; P < 0.0001), GCS (-17.9 ± 2.4 vs. -16.0 ± 3.2; P = 0.006), and GAS (-35.5 ± 6.7 vs. -30.2 ± 4.9; P < 0.0001), while GRS did not differ significantly with NC. At separate multiple linear regression analyses, heart rate emerged as independent predictor of GLS (β = -0.37, P < 0.002), GCS (β = -0.32, P = 0.007), GAS (β = -0.37, P < 0.001), and GRS (β = -0.29, P = 0.019); LV mass was independently associated with GLS (β = 0.34, P = 0.009) and GAS (β = 0.41, P < 0.001) but not with GCS and GRS, while diastolic blood pressure predicted GCS (β = -0.46, P < 0.0001), GAS (β = -0.28; P = 0.006), and GRS (β = -0.42, P < 0.001). No independent correlation emerged for body surface area and stroke volume. By replacing LV mass with end-diastolic volume, the latter showed independent association with GCS (β = -0.65, P = 0.028) and with GRS (β = -0.60, P < 0.05). Conclusion AT have an increased myocardial function at rest when compared with NC, this being elicited mainly by subendocardial and mid-wall fibres. Sinus bradycardia, LV mass, and afterload are independent determinants of supernormal myocardial deformation at rest.
Bionics science for development of production engineering

Organizmy żywe przystosowały swoją budowę i pokrycie ciała do bezpiecznego i racjonalnego realizowania podstawowych czynności życiowych. Wiele z tych patentów natury może być inspiracją do rozwiązywania problemów inżynierskich. Przedstawiono przykłady wykorzystania bioinspiracji w rozwoju inżynierii produkcji. SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: bionika, właściwości warstwy wierzchniej, odporność na zużycie, wytrzymałość zmęczeniowa
Near-infrared fluorescent probes in cancer imaging and therapy: an emerging field

Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging is an attractive modality for early cancer detection with high sensitivity and multi-detection capability. Due to convenient modification by conjugating with moieties of interests, NIRF probes are ideal candidates for cancer targeted imaging. Additionally, the combinatory application of NIRF imaging and other imaging modalities that can delineate anatomical structures extends fluorometric determination of biomedical information. Moreover, nanoparticles loaded with NIRF dyes and anticancer agents contribute to the synergistic management of cancer, which integrates the advantage of imaging and therapeutic functions to achieve the ultimate goal of simultaneous diagnosis and treatment. Appropriate probe design with targeting moieties can retain the original properties of NIRF and pharmacokinetics. In recent years, great efforts have been made to develop new NIRF probes with better photostability and strong fluorescence emission, leading to the discovery of numerous novel NIRF probes with fine photophysical properties. Some of these probes exhibit tumoricidal activities upon light radiation, which holds great promise in photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and photoimmunotherapy. This review aims to provide a timely and concise update on emerging NIRF dyes and multifunctional agents. Their potential uses as agents for cancer specific imaging, lymph node mapping, and therapeutics are included. Recent advances of NIRF dyes in clinical use are also summarized.
Fatigue and Sleep Among Employees With Prospective Increase in Work Time Control: A 1-Year Observational Study With Objective Assessment

Objectives: This observational study aimed to determine how 1-year changes in work time control (WTC) have an impact upon objectively measured fatigue and sleep among employees. Methods: Thirty-nine employees were divided into two groups according to whether or not their WTC increased from baseline to 1 year later. Psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and wrist actigraphy were used to objectively measure fatigue and sleep, respectively. Self-reported outcomes were also measured. Results: The increased WTC group showed gradual improvements in PVT performance and sleep quality over the course of the follow-up period compared with the not-increased WTC group. Between-group differences were statistically significant for PVT lapses and tended to be significant for PVT speed after 1 year. Conclusions: A progressive increase in WTC could play a crucial role in reducing fatigue and promoting sleep among employees.
The influence of the fear facial expression on prosocial responding

Perceiving distress cues appears to be associated with prosocial responding. This being the case, it was hypothesised that the fear facial expression would elicit prosocial responding in perceivers. In Study 1, participants indicated that fear and sadness expressions would be associated with greater sympathy and willingness to help the expresser than would neutral expressions. In Study 2, participants were primed with fear or neutral expressions before reading vignettes featuring protagonists in mild distress. Fear-primed participants reported more sympathy and desire to help the protagonists than neutral-primed participants. Moreover, participants who recognised fear most accurately, as measured by a standard facial expression recognition task, showed the greatest increases in prosocial responding following fear expression primes. This corroborates the notion, supported by research as disparate as behavioural research on bystander intervention and clinical research on psychopaths, that exposure to and correct interpretation of certain distress cues may predict an individual's likelihood of behaving prosocially.
Early rehabilitation after fast-track total hip replacement

Objective: To assess the within-day inter-rater reliability of a test battery of functional performance, muscle strength and leg extension power on total hip replacement patients. Design: A test–retest design was used. Setting: Orthopaedic department at a Regional Hospital in Denmark. Subjects: Two convenience samples of 20 total hip replacement patients were included. Intervention: The tests were performed three months after total hip replacement. Two raters performed test and re-test, with two hours rest in-between. Main measures: The test battery included: sit-to-stand performance, 20-metre maximum walking speed, stair climb performance, isometric muscle strength (hip abduction/flexion), and leg extension power. Absolute reliability was assessed with Bland Altman plots, standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change. Relative reliability was assessed with intra-class correlation coefficient. Results: Systematic differences between testers were seen in tests of walking speed (0.32 seconds p = 0.03) and stair climb performance (0.18 seconds p = 0.003). In per cent of the grand mean, the standard error of measurement was 3%–10%, indicating the measurement error on a group level, and the minimal detectable change was 10%–27%, indicating the measurement error on an individual level. The intra-class correlation coefficients were above 0.80 in all tests (range 0.83–0.95). Conclusions: The tests showed acceptable relative and absolute inter-rater reliability on a group level, but not on an individual level (except from test of walking speed and stair climb performance). Systematic differences between testers were considered clinically irrelevant (0.3 and 0.2 seconds).
Canine and Feline Meningiomas: Diagnosis,Treatment, and Prognosis

Meningiomas are the most common primary tumor of the central nervous system in dogs and cats. Meningiomas are usually histologically benign; however, their biologic behavior may be malignant. Differences between canine and feline meningiomas include histopathologic appearance, prognosis, and therapy. Meningiomas in cats are often fibrotic and usually do not infiltrate the brain tissue; their surgical removal is easier compared with that in dogs, radiation therapy may not be necessary in cats after complete gross tumor resection, and the long-term prognosis is better than that in dogs. This article reviews the origin, histologic subtypes, therapeutic response, and outcome of menin- giomas in dogs and cats.
Coronary microvascular dysfunction and future risk of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Aims Coronary microvascular ischaemia, cardiomyocyte injury and stiffness may play an important role in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). To date, the relationship between coronary flow reserve (CFR), myocardial injury, diastolic dysfunction, and future HFpEF risk is unknown. Methods and results Consecutive patients (n = 201) undergoing evaluation for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) with stress myocardial perfusion positron emission tomography, serum troponin, and transthoracic echocardiography who did not have flow-limiting CAD or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction were identified. Patients were followed up (median 4.1 years) for cardiovascular death and hospitalization for non-fatal myocardial infarction or heart failure. Coronary flow reserve was quantified as stress/rest myocardial blood flow. Early diastolic flow (E) and relaxation (e') velocities were obtained via transmitral and tissue Doppler, respectively. Patients with impaired CFR (<2, n = 108) demonstrated linearly decreasing e' and increasing E/e' consistent with worsening diastolic function (P for trend <0.0001). A detectable troponin was associated with diastolic dysfunction only in the presence of impaired CFR (interaction P = 0.002). In adjusted analyses, impaired CFR was independently associated with diastolic dysfunction (E/e'septal > 15, adjusted OR 2.58, 95%CI 1.22-5.48) and composite cardiovascular outcomes or HFpEF hospitalization alone (adjusted HR 2.47, 95%CI 1.09-5.62). Patients with both impaired CFR and diastolic dysfunction demonstrated >five-fold increased risk of HFpEF hospitalization (P < 0.001). Conclusion In symptomatic patients without overt CAD, impaired CFR was independently associated with diastolic dysfunction and adverse events, especially HFpEF hospitalization. The presence of both coronary microvascular and diastolic dysfunctions was associated with a markedly increased risk of HFpEF events.
Molecular Docking studies of Novel Flavones as Cyclooxygenase- 2 (Cox 2) Inhibitors

INTRODUCTION Cyclooxygenase (COX) is an enzyme that is responsible for the formation of prostanoids. The three main groups of prostanoids -prostaglandins, prostacyclins, and thromboxanes are each involved in the inflammatory response. [1] In the 1990s, researchers discovered that two different COX enzymes existed, now known as COX-1 and COX-2. Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) is known to be present in most tissues. In the gastrointestinal tract, COX-1 maintains the normal lining of the stomach. The enzyme is also involved in kidney and platelet function. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is present at sites of inflammation. [2] While both COX-1 and COX-2 convert arachidonic acid to prostaglandin, resulting in pain and inflammation; their other functions make inhibition of COX-1 undesirable while inhibition of COX-2 is considered desirable. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), commonly prescribed to treat arthritis, work by inhibiting prostaglandins. [3] Traditional NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen), however, can cause gastrointestinal problems including ulcers. Traditional NSAIDs are considered nonselective because they inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2. The inhibition of COX-2 by traditional NSAIDs accounts for the antiinflammatory effect of the drugs while the inhibition of COX-1 can lead to NSAIDs toxicity and associated side effects (ulcers, prolonged bleeding time, kidney problems). [3] Flavones are the compounds belong to a widely distributed group of natural products called flavonoids with a variety of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anticancer and antiinflammatory activities. The anti-inflammatory activity is reported due to inhibition of lipooxygenase by the flavones. [4-5] Flavones are also known to suppress COX-2 transcription. [6] Literature reports that the anti-inflammatory and the anticancer activities of the flavones may be related to each other in view of the overexpression of COX-2 in some types of cancers. [7] In view of these literature findings, we decided to dock a series of flavones into the active site of COX-2 and study the binding pattern. Luteolin is a compound showing COX-2 inhibitory activity, [8] consisting of flavone moiety and SC-558 is selective Research Article
Effects of dietary supplementation of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus natto) on broiler muscle development and meat quality

This paper aims to evaluate the effects of probiotics (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus natto) on muscle development and meat quality of broilers. In this study, 480 broilers (1 day old) were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group A was fed with a basal diet. The basal diets of Group B, Group C, and Group D were respectively supplemented with 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline, 200 mg/kg probiotics, and 400 mg/kg probiotics. On day 21 and day 42, in each group, 18 randomly selected broilers were tested to determine muscle performances. On day 21, compared with Group A, Group C and Group D showed no significant difference in muscle weight, muscle fiber diameter, meat color, drip loss, shear loss, or cooking loss (P > 0.05). On day 42, compared with Group A, Group C and Group D showed significant increases in muscle weight and muscle fiber diameter and significant decreases in b* value, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force (P < 0.05). Compared with Group A and Group B, Group C and Group D showed obviously improved muscle microstructure. In conclusion, diets supplemented with 200 or 400 mg/kg probiotics could promote muscular development and meat quality of broilers in the late stage of growth.
Role of Elevated Organic Carbon Levels and Microbial Activity in Coral Mortality

Coral reefs are suffering a long-term global decline, yet the causes remain contentious. The role of poor water quality in this decline is particularly unclear, with most previous studies providing only weak correlations between elevated nutrient levels and coral mortality. Here we experimentally show that routinely measured components of water quality (nitrate, phosphate, ammonia) do not cause substantial coral mortality. In contrast, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is rarely measured on reefs, does. Elevated DOC levels also accelerate the growth rate of microbes living in the corals’ surface mucopolysaccharide layer by an order of magnitude, suggesting that mortality occurs due to a disruption of the balance between the coral and its associated microbiota. We propose a model by which elevated DOC levels cause Caribbean reefs to shift further from coral to macroalgal dominance. Increasing DOC levels on coral reefs should be recognized as a threat and routinely monitored.
Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant (Ozurdex) in Coats’ Disease

We injected an intravitreal dexamethasone implant in two eyes of 2 pediatric patients with Coats' disease in addition to other treatment modalities, such as intravitreal ranibizumab injection and indirect laser photocoagulation. In both eyes, intraocular pressure moderately rose in a temporary fashion. The dexamethasone implant seems to be a valuable addition to the armamentarium of treatment options for Coats' disease as it necessitates fewer injections than anti-VEGF injections and thereby fewer sessions of general anesthesia in the pediatric population.
Don't compare Apples to Oranges: Extending GERBIL for a fine grained NEL evaluation

In recent years, named entity linking (NEL) tools were primarily developed as general approaches, whereas today numerous tools are focusing on specific domains such as e.g. the mapping of persons and organizations only, or the annotation of locations or events in microposts. However, the available benchmark datasets used for the evaluation of NEL tools do not reflect this focalizing trend. We have analyzed the evaluation process applied in the NEL benchmarking framework GERBIL [16] and its benchmark datasets. Based on these insights we extend the GERBIL framework to enable a more fine grained evaluation and in deep analysis of the used benchmark datasets according to different emphases. In this paper, we present the implementation of an adaptive filter for arbitrary entities as well as a system to automatically measure benchmark dataset properties, such as the extent of content-related ambiguity and diversity. The implementation as well as a result visualization are integrated in the publicly available GERBIL framework.
Intravenous Inoculation with Chlamydia muridarum Leads to a Long-Lasting Infection Restricted to the Gastrointestinal Tract

ABSTRACT Chlamydia has been detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of both animals and humans. However, it remains unclear whether the chlamydial organisms can be introduced into the gastrointestinal tract via pathways independent of the oral and anal routes. We have recently shown that Chlamydia muridarum spreads from the genital tract to the gastrointestinal tract potentially via the circulatory system. To test whether hematogenous C. muridarum can spread to and establish a long-lasting colonization in the mouse gastrointestinal tract, we inoculated mice intravenously with a luciferase-expressing C. muridarum strain and monitored its distribution. After tail vein inoculation, most luciferase-generated bioluminescence signals were detected in the mouse abdominal area throughout the experiment. The ex vivo imaging revealed that the abdominal signals came from the gastrointestinal tract tissues. Simultaneous monitoring of chlamydial organisms in individual organs or tissues revealed an initial stage of systemic spreading followed by a long-lasting infection in the gastrointestinal tract. A retro-orbital vein inoculation of the C. muridarum organisms at a lower dose in a different mouse strain also led to colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. We have demonstrated that intravenous C. muridarum inoculation can result in colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting that the chlamydial organisms may use the sexual behavior-independent circulation pathway to infect the gastrointestinal tract.
Architectural decision modeling with reuse: challenges and opportunities

Architectural decision modeling aims at supporting the software architecture design process by capturing a reusable body of architectural knowledge. Whereas significant progress has been made towards this vision, there still remains a number of open problems. This paper outlines selected research challenges and opportunities related to knowledge capturing and sharing, model evolution and verification, and the integration of the architectural design process with existing software development methodologies. Our goal is to start a discussion on a roadmap for future research on reusable modeling of architectural decisions.
Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins: Subtle Regulators of Cellular Redox Signaling Reviewing Editors: Jerzy Beltowski, Joseph Burgoyne, Gabor Csanyi, Sergey Dikalov, Frank Krause, Anibal Vercesi, and Jeremy Ward

Abstract Significance: Mitochondria are the energetic, metabolic, redox, and information signaling centers of the cell. Substrate pressure, mitochondrial network dynamics, and cristae morphology state are integrated by the protonmotive force Δp or its potential component, ΔΨ, which are attenuated by proton backflux into the matrix, termed uncoupling. The mitochondrial uncoupling proteins (UCP1–5) play an eminent role in the regulation of each of the mentioned aspects, being involved in numerous physiological events including redox signaling. Recent Advances: UCP2 structure, including purine nucleotide and fatty acid (FA) binding sites, strongly support the FA cycling mechanism: UCP2 expels FA anions, whereas uncoupling is achieved by the membrane backflux of protonated FA. Nascent FAs, cleaved by phospholipases, are preferential. The resulting Δp dissipation decreases superoxide formation dependent on Δp. UCP-mediated antioxidant protection and its impairment are expected to play a major role in cell physiology and pathology. Moreover, UCP2-mediated aspartate, oxaloacetate, and malate antiport with phosphate is expected to alter metabolism of cancer cells. Critical Issues: A wide range of UCP antioxidant effects and participations in redox signaling have been reported; however, mechanisms of UCP activation are still debated. Switching off/on the UCP2 protonophoretic function might serve as redox signaling either by employing/releasing the extra capacity of cell antioxidant systems or by directly increasing/decreasing mitochondrial superoxide sources. Rapid UCP2 degradation, FA levels, elevation of purine nucleotides, decreased Mg2+, or increased pyruvate accumulation may initiate UCP-mediated redox signaling. Future Directions: Issues such as UCP2 participation in glucose sensing, neuronal (synaptic) function, and immune cell activation should be elucidated. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 667–714.
Influence of the non-linearity of fabric tensile behavior for preforming modeling of a woven flax fabric

The preforming step, which is the first stage of the RESIN Transfer Molding process, has been analyzed by many experimental or numerical approaches in the literature for reinforcements made of synthetic fibers. The complex mechanical behavior of a flax-based plain weave fabric was studied with the view to investigate its formability. Non-linearities in the fabric tensile behavior were observed. A preforming numerical finite element tool was used and validated by performing comparisons between experimental and numerical results. Different tensile behavior models (linear and strongly non-linear) were implemented to investigate their effect on the final shape characteristics. The tool was also used to investigate the effect of the process parameters on the computed preform shape (shear angles and draw-in) for both implemented tensile behaviors. Results show that better correlations take place when using the non-linear tensile behavior. This therefore demonstrates the importance of taking into account non-linearities in the tensile reinforcement behavior while simulating the forming of woven textile reinforcements.
Rigidity of polyhedral surfaces, II

We study the rigidity of polyhedral surfaces using variational principles. The action functionals are derived from the cosine laws. The main focus of this paper is on the cosine law for a nontriangular region bounded by three possibly disjoint geodesics. Several of these cosine laws were first discovered and used by Fenchel and Nielsen. By studying the derivative of the cosine laws, we discover a uniform approach to several variational principles on polyhedral surfaces with or without boundary. As a consequence, the work of Penner, Bobenko and Springborn and Thurston on rigidity of polyhedral surfaces and circle patterns are extended to a very general context.