Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sleep restriction in adolescents: forging the path towards obesity and diabetes?

813 Editorial—St-Onge and Shechter There is mounting epidemiological data linking short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults.1-4 Although not defining cause, these studies have raised questions that are beginning to be answered, albeit mostly in adults. Moderate (2 h per night) and severe (up to 4 h per night) sleep restriction in adults have been found to affect both food intake and appetite. Our laboratory5 and others6,7 have reported that restricting sleep in normal sleepers increases food intake, mostly by increasing intake of snacks7 and fat.5 However, despite clearer associations between short sleep duration and obesity in the pediatric than the adult epidemiological literature,4 there is little clinical evidence for a causal effect in children. To our knowledge, only one intervention study has assessed the impact of sleep restriction on energy balance in adolescents.8 That study, conducted in 15to 19-year-old boys, tested the effects of 3 nights of 4-h (i.e., restricted sleep) compared to 9-h bedtimes (i.e., longer sleep) on energy expenditure and energy intake. The results showed greater energy expenditure and lower energy intake at a test meal during restricted sleep relative to healthy sleep, contrary to the authors’ hypotheses. Although this was a well-designed study, it may have failed to provide accurate information on the impact of sleep restriction on energy balance due to the limited extent of the sleep restriction, lack of ad libitum access to food and physical activity data, and restriction of assessments to only adolescent males. In this issue of SLEEP, Beebe and colleagues9 are to be commended for providing much needed information on the impact of sleep restriction, to an extent similar to what happens on school nights, in both adolescent boys and girls. They conducted a study with an innovative design in an attempt to reproduce real-life situations: teens spent 6.5 or 10 h time in bed (TIB) Monday through Friday, with free sleep times on weekend nights, in a crossover design. During the 5 controlled sleep nights, wake-up times were held constant between sleep conditions. This resulted in 6.3 h and 8.9 h of sleep under restricted sleep and unrestricted sleep, respectively, similar to the self-reported sleep times of 9.3 h on non-school nights and 7.1 h on school nights. In the restricted sleep condition, food intake, assessed by a single 24-h recall, tended to be higher than in the 10-h TIB sleep condition, which we speculate was accounted for by a greater intake of sweets and desserts. EDITORIAL
Reducible rank codes and their applications to cryptography

We present a new family of so-called reducible rank codes which are a generalization of rank product codes . This family includes maximal rank distance (MRD) codes for lengths n>N in the field F/sub N/. We give methods for encoding and decoding reducible rank codes. A public key cryptosystem based on these codes and on the idea of a column scrambler is proposed. The column scrambler "mixes" columns of a generator (parity-check) matrix of a code. It makes the system more resistant to structural attacks such as Gibson's attacks. Possible attacks on the system are thoroughly studied. The system is found to be secure against known attacks for public keys of about 16 kbits and greater.
A Comprehensive in Vitro and in Silico Analysis of Antibiotics That Activate Pregnane X Receptor and Induce CYP3A4 in Liver and Intestine

We have investigated several in silico and in vitro methods to improve our ability to predict potential drug interactions of antibiotics. Our focus was to identify those antibiotics that activate pregnane X receptor (PXR) and induce CYP3A4 in human hepatocytes and intestinal cells. Human PXR activation was screened using reporter assays in HepG2 cells, kinetic measurements of PXR activation were made in DPX-2 cells, and induction of CYP3A4 expression and activity was verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and testosterone 6β-hydroxylation in primary human hepatocytes and LS180 cells. We found that in HepG2 cells CYP3A4 transcription was activated strongly (>10-fold) by rifampin and troleandomycin; moderately (≥7-fold) by dicloxacillin, tetracycline, clindamycin, griseofulvin, and (≥4-fold) erythromycin; and weakly (>2.4-fold) by nafcillin, cefaclor, sulfisoxazole, and (>2-fold) cefadroxil and penicillin V. Similar although not identical results were obtained in DPX-2 cells. CYP3A4 mRNA and protein expression were induced by these antibiotics to differing extents in both liver and intestinal cells. CYP3A4 activity was significantly increased by rifampin (9.7-fold), nafcillin and dicloxacillin (5.9-fold), and weakly induced (2-fold) by tetracycline, sufisoxazole, troleandomycin, and clindamycin. Multiple pharmacophore models and docking indicated a good fit for dicloxacillin and nafcillin in PXR. These results suggest that in vitro and in silico methods can help to prioritize and identify antibiotics that are most likely to reduce exposures of medications (such as oral contraceptive agents) which interact with enzymes and transporters regulated by PXR. In summary, nafcillin, dicloxacillin, cephradine, tetracycline, sulfixoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, and griseofulvin exhibit a clear propensity to induce CYP3A4 and warrant further clinical investigation.
In vitro formation of gap junction vesicles

A method is described that uses trypsin digestion combined with collagenase-hyaluronidase which produces a population of gap junction vesicles. The hexagonal lattice of subunits ("connexons") comprising the gapjunctions appears unaltered by various structural criteria and by buoyant density measurements. The gap junction vesciles are closed by either a single or a double profile of nonjunctional "membrane," which presents a smooth, particle-free fracture face. Horseradish peroxidase and cytochrome c studies have revealed that about 20% of the gap junction vesicles are impermeable to proteins 12,000 daltons or larger. The increased purity of the trypsinized junction preparation suggests that one of the disulfide reduction products of the gap- junction principal protein may be a nonjunctional contaminating peptide. The gap junction appears to be composed of a single 18,000- dalton protein, connexin, which may be reduced to a single 9,000-dalton peak. The number of peptides in this reduced peak are still unknown.
A Portfolio Method for cross-organisational Process Design

This paper describes a portfolio methodology for developing conceptual frameworks for cross-organisational business process re-engineering projects. After capturing the state of the art in information and knowledge acquisition, a framework to enhance the organizational learning processes – as starting point for reengineering activities – can be defined. The methodology uses business process modelling entities for personal, role and organizational knowledge, objectives and information objects. The classification of the knowledge and information acquisition effort allows to evaluate the benefits of reengineering alternatives of the contemplated organizational learning processes. The approach was developed for and tested on collaborative product development processes in small and medium sized enterprises.
Integration of antiretroviral therapy with tuberculosis treatment.

BACKGROUND We previously reported that integrating antiretroviral therapy (ART) with tuberculosis treatment reduces mortality. However, the timing for the initiation of ART during tuberculosis treatment remains unresolved. METHODS We conducted a three-group, open-label, randomized, controlled trial in South Africa involving 642 ambulatory patients, all with tuberculosis (confirmed by a positive sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli), human immunodeficiency virus infection, and a CD4+ T-cell count of less than 500 per cubic millimeter. Findings in the earlier-ART group (ART initiated within 4 weeks after the start of tuberculosis treatment, 214 patients) and later-ART group (ART initiated during the first 4 weeks of the continuation phase of tuberculosis treatment, 215 patients) are presented here. RESULTS At baseline, the median CD4+ T-cell count was 150 per cubic millimeter, and the median viral load was 161,000 copies per milliliter, with no significant differences between the two groups. The incidence rate of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or death was 6.9 cases per 100 person-years in the earlier-ART group (18 cases) as compared with 7.8 per 100 person-years in the later-ART group (19 cases) (incidence-rate ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44 to 1.79; P=0.73). However, among patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 50 per cubic millimeter, the incidence rates of AIDS or death were 8.5 and 26.3 cases per 100 person-years, respectively (incidence-rate ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.07 to 1.13; P=0.06). The incidence rates of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) were 20.1 and 7.7 cases per 100 person-years, respectively (incidence-rate ratio, 2.62; 95% CI, 1.48 to 4.82; P<0.001). Adverse events requiring a switching of antiretroviral drugs occurred in 10 patients in the earlier-ART group and 1 patient in the later-ART group (P=0.006). CONCLUSIONS Early initiation of ART in patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 50 per cubic millimeter increased AIDS-free survival. Deferral of the initiation of ART to the first 4 weeks of the continuation phase of tuberculosis therapy in those with higher CD4+ T-cell counts reduced the risks of IRIS and other adverse events related to ART without increasing the risk of AIDS or death. (Funded by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and others; SAPIT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00398996.).
Social capital meets identity

This article reports on a qualitative study of social capital within an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander context. Using data generated from 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews collected by Aboriginal community development workers, this article describes two worlds of social capital available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The primary source of bonding social capital comes from family and wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community connections. In the context of an oppressive history and experiences of ongoing racism and discrimination, a second world of bridging social capital remains elusive to many Indigenous Australians. Our findings suggest that to understand the tensions between the two social capitals requires an engagement with the complexities of identity. We argue that it is vital to explore the texture of social capital, rather than just measure its volume.
Outcomes of a Behavioral Intervention to Increase Condom Use and Reduce HIV Risk Among Urban African American Young Adults

African Americans comprise nearly half of people in the United States living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but compose one tenth of the population. Infection rate among young African American adults is 11 times that of Whites. The Color It Real Program was a seven-session, weekly administered, age-specific, and culturally tailored intervention designed to provide HIV education and address behavioral motivations (risk awareness, decisional balance exercises, partner negotiation, and attitudes) associated with HIV risk among African Americans ages 18 to 24 years in Atlanta, Georgia. Effectiveness was assessed through a quasi-experimental study design that consisted of intervention (n = 88) and control (n = 52) groups completing a 45-item survey. When controlling for gender and education, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that the intervention group had significant increases in HIV transmission knowledge (F = 4.84, p = .0305), condom use, and intentions to use condoms (F = 4.38, p = .0385). Risky sexual behavior means did not significantly differ between groups (F = 1.44, p = .2331). Results indicate the value of culturally tailored educational strategies toward improved HIV knowledge and adoption of risk reduction strategies. Future studies investigating the differential impact of programs by gender and sexual orientation are also critical. Continued innovation and tailoring of risk reduction strategies for minority young adults will contribute to reducing HIV incidence and prevalence over the life course.
A set of metrics for evaluation of interactive news-on-demand systems

A key issue in any system for distribution of continuous media-on-demand is the capacity of the system with regard to quality of the service specifications, that is, the number of simultaneous streams the system can provide until degradation of quality of reproduction and interactivity perceived by the users. This work presents the evaluation of interactive video-on-demand systems, with special attention to limitations caused by the video server. The evaluation is based on a set of metrics designed to determine the number of streams a video server can support under specific requirements of quality of the service as perceived by the users. To validate the utility of these metrics, a prototype of a news-on-demand service has been built and the load for this kind of systems has been characterised. In addition, a load generator which emulates the concurrent access of several users to the system has been built. The evaluation establishes the relationship between the video server limitations and the quality of the service perceived by the users.
A Review and Meta-Analysis of Age-Based Stereotype Threat: Negative Stereotypes, Not Facts, Do the Damage

Stereotype threat effects arise when an individual feels at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group and consequently underperforms on stereotype relevant tasks (Steele, 2010). Among older people, underperformance across cognitive and physical tasks is hypothesized to result from age-based stereotype threat (ABST) because of negative age-stereotypes regarding older adults’ competence. The present review and meta-analyses examine 22 published and 10 unpublished articles, including 82 effect sizes (N = 3882) investigating ABST on older people’s (Mage = 69.5) performance. The analysis revealed a significant small-to-medium effect of ABST (d = .28) and important moderators of the effect size. Specifically, older adults are more vulnerable to ABST when (a) stereotype-based rather than fact-based manipulations are used (d = .52); (b) when performance is tested using cognitive measures (d = .36); and (c) occurs reliably when the dependent variable is measured proximally to the manipulation. The review raises important theoretical and methodological issues, and areas for future research.
Culture supernatants from V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains isolated from different geographic areas induce cell vacuolation and cytotoxicity.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the HlyA-induced vacuolating effect is produced by V. cholerae O1 ElTor strains isolated from different geographic origins, including Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS Supernatant-induced haemolysis, vacuolating activity and cytotoxicity in Vero cells were recorded. PCR, RFLP analysis and molecular cloning were performed. RESULTS All ElTor strains analyzed induced cellular vacuolation. Ribotype 2 strains isolates from the U.S. gulf coast yielded the highest titer of vacuolating activity. Eight of nine strains were haemolytic, while all strains were PCR positive for the hlyA gene. We cloned the hlyA gene from two ElTor strains, a toxigenic (2514-88, ctxAB+) and a non-toxigenic Mexican strain (CM 91-3, ctxAB-). Supernatant from those recombinant E. coli strains induced haemolysis, cell vacuolation and cytotoxicity. RFLP-PCR analysis revealed similarities in the hlyA gene from all strains tested. CONCLUSION The HlyA-induced vacuolating effect is a widespread phenotype of epidemic V. cholerae O1 ElTor strains.
Transient turbid water mass reduces temperature-induced coral bleaching and mortality in Barbados

Global warming is seen as one of the greatest threats to the world’s coral reefs and, with the continued rise in sea surface temperature predicted into the future, there is a great need for further understanding of how to prevent and address the damaging impacts. This is particularly so for countries whose economies depend heavily on healthy reefs, such as those of the eastern Caribbean. Here, we compare the severity of bleaching and mortality for five dominant coral species at six representative reef sites in Barbados during the two most significant warm-water events ever recorded in the eastern Caribbean, i.e., 2005 and 2010, and describe prevailing island-scale sea water conditions during both events. In so doing, we demonstrate that coral bleaching and subsequent mortality were considerably lower in 2010 than in 2005 for all species, irrespective of site, even though the anomalously warm water temperature profiles were very similar between years. We also show that during the 2010 event, Barbados was engulfed by a transient dark green turbid water mass of riverine origin coming from South America. We suggest that reduced exposure to high solar radiation associated with this transient water mass was the primary contributing factor to the lower bleaching and mortality observed in all corals. We conclude that monitoring these episodic mesoscale oceanographic features might improve risk assessments of southeastern Caribbean reefs to warm-water events in the future.
A dynamic, architectural plant model simulating resource-dependent growth.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Physiological and architectural plant models have originally been developed for different purposes and therefore have little in common, thus making combined applications difficult. There is, however, an increasing demand for crop models that simulate the genetic and resource-dependent variability of plant geometry and architecture, because man is increasingly able to transform plant production systems through combined genetic and environmental engineering. MODEL GREENLAB is presented, a mathematical plant model that simulates interactions between plant structure and function. Dual-scale automaton is used to simulate plant organogenesis from germination to maturity on the basis of organogenetic growth cycles that have constant thermal time. Plant fresh biomass production is computed from transpiration, assuming transpiration efficiency to be constant and atmospheric demand to be the driving force, under non-limiting water supply. The fresh biomass is then distributed among expanding organs according to their relative demand. Demand for organ growth is estimated from allometric relationships (e.g. leaf surface to weight ratios) and kinetics of potential growth rate for each organ type. These are obtained through parameter optimization against empirical, morphological data sets by running the model in inverted mode. Potential growth rates are then used as estimates of relative sink strength in the model. These and other 'hidden' plant parameters are calibrated using the non-linear, least-square method. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The model reproduced accurately the dynamics of plant growth, architecture and geometry of various annual and woody plants, enabling 3D visualization. It was also able to simulate the variability of leaf size on the plant and compensatory growth following pruning, as a result of internal competition for resources. The potential of the model's underlying concepts to predict the plant's phenotypic plasticity is discussed.
Power harvester design for semi-passive UHF RFID Tag using a tunable impedance transformation

This paper proposes a design of a power harvester for a semi-passive RFID Tag. A tunable impedance transformation circuit is inserted between the antenna and the rectifier unit to maximize the power delivered to the rectifier of a tag and minimize reflections from the antenna input port. A power harvester for the UHF band of 950 MHz has been designed based on a 0.35 µm CMOS technology. This impedance matching is designed to maximize efficiency by characterizing both the tunable impedance transformation circuit and the conventional rectifier circuit. The antenna is modeled as an RF source with series impedance ZS of 50Ω while the rectifier is modeled an impedance ZL, which is approximated from the process and design parameters of the NMOS transistors used in the conventional NMOS rectifier. These two impedances are used to find optimal matching parameters of the chosen lowpass LL matching circuit. The simulation results show that the required voltage for a 1.2V secondary battery can be achieved with the tunable impedance matching circuit and conventional 2-stage rectifier. The DC output of the rectifier yields the maximum DC voltage of 1.77V, the maximum average current of 4. 72µA, and the power conversion efficiency of 15.85% for the input RF power of −14.47dBm at the battery voltage of 1.2V.
Near IR spectroscopy of active galactic nuclei

Using the VLT together with the near infrared instrument ISAAC, we have obtained medium spectral and high spatial resolution observations of a sample of nearby Seyfert galaxies in the H -band. This band is particularly suited for stellar population studies since the stellar component dominates over the AGN nucleus. The H -band also includes the peak contribution from cool stars. The AGN spectra are very rich in strong metallic lines which are sensitive to stellar luminosity class. For 4 out of 5 galaxies the central velocity dispersions are found to be significantly lower than reported in previous studies. Gradients in the stellar population within the central regions were searched for, together with evidence for dilution of the stellar spectral features within the nucleus.
EQS: An Elastic and Scalable Message Queue for the Cloud

With the emergence of cloud computing, on-demand resources usage is made possible. This allows applications to elastically scale out according to the load. One design pattern that suits this paradigm is the event-driven architecture (EDA) in which messages are sent asynchronously between distributed application instances using message queues. However, existing message queues are only able to scale for a certain number of clients and are not able to scale out elastically. We present the Elastic Queue Service (EQS), an elastic message queue architecture and a scaling algorithm which can be adapted to any message queue in order to make it scale elastically. EQS architecture is layered onto multiple distributed components and its management components can be integrated with the cloud infrastructure management. We have implemented a prototype of EQS and deployed it on a cloud infrastructure. A series of load testings have validated our elastic scaling algorithm and show that EQS is able to scale out in order to adapt to an applied load. We then discuss about the elastic scaling of the management layers of EQS and their possible integration with the cloud infrastructure management.
Kidney protective effects of melatonin

Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education Recent studies shown that melatonin administration, attenuated oxidative stress, inflammation, and restored renal function and structure in rats. Melatonin could be an attractive adjunctive therapy, since it is a natural, inexpensive, widely available, orally administered and relatively safe product.