Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceptual Analysis of Vibrotactile Flows on a Mobile Device

"Vibrotactile flow" refers to a continuously moving sensation of vibrotactile stimulation applied by a few actuators directly onto the skin or through a rigid medium. Research demonstrated the effectiveness of vibrotactile flow for conveying intuitive directional information on a mobile device. In this paper, we extend previous research by investigating the perceptual characteristics of vibrotactile flows rendered on a mobile device and proposing a synthesis framework for vibrotactile flows with desired perceptual properties.
Chronic stress at work and the metabolic syndrome: prospective study

Abstract Objectives To investigate the association between stress at work and the metabolic syndrome. Table 4 Risk of having the metabolic syndrome by relative index of inequality of employment grade. Multivariate multiple imputation logistic regression models: non-retired men and women in the Whitehall II cohort at phase 5 Odds ratio (95% CI) P for linear trend Reduction in log odds from model I Age+sex (model I) 2.33 (1.38 to 3.93) <0.01 Age+sex+work stress 2.13 (1.22 to 3.71) 0.01 10.5% Age+sex+health behaviours 2.04 (1.05 to 3.95) 0.04 15.6% Age+sex+work stress+behaviours 1.86 (0.96 to 3.61) 0.07 26.4% Design Prospective cohort study investigating the association between work stress and the metabolic syndrome. Participants 10 308 men and women, aged 35-55, employed in 20 London civil service departments at baseline (the Whitehall II study); follow-up was an average of 14 years. Main outcome measures Work stress based on the iso-strain model, measured on four occasions (1985-99). Biological measures of the metabolic syndrome, based on the National Cholesterol Education Program definition, measured in 1997-9. Results A dose-response relation was found between exposure to work stressors over 14 years and risk of the metabolic syndrome, independent of other relevant risk factors. Employees with chronic work stress (three or more exposures) were more than twice as likely to have the syndrome than those without work stress (odds ratio adjusted for age and employment grade 2.25, 95% confidence interval 1.31 to 3.85). Conclusions Stress at work is an important risk factor for the metabolic syndrome. The study provides evidence for the biological plausibility of the link between psychosocial stressors from everyday life and heart disease.
Hemodynamic Effects of Long-Term Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Analysis by Pressure-Volume Loops

Background— Acute hemodynamic effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) were reported previously, but detailed invasive studies showing hemodynamic consequences of long-term CRT are not available. Methods and Results— We studied 22 patients scheduled for implantation of a CRT device based on conventional criteria (New York Heart Association class III or IV, left ventricular [LV] ejection fraction <35%, left bundle-branch block, and QRS duration >120 ms). During diagnostic catheterization before CRT, we acquired pressure-volume loops using conductance catheters during atrial pacing at 80, 100, 120, and 140 bpm. Studies were repeated during biventricular pacing at the same heart rates after 6 months of CRT. Our data show a significant clinical benefit of CRT (New York Heart Association class change from 3.1±0.5 to 2.1±0.8; quality-of-life score change from 44±12 to 31±16; and 6-minute hall-walk distance increased from 260±149 to 396±129 m; all P<0.001), improved LV ejection fraction (from 29±10% to 40±13%, P<0.01), decreased end-diastolic pressure (from 18±8 to 13±6 mm Hg, P<0.05), and reverse remodeling (end-diastolic volume decreased from 257±67 to 205±54 mL, P<0.01). Previously reported acute improvements in LV function remained present at 6 months: dP/dtmax increased 18%, −dP/dtmin increased 13%, and stroke work increased 34% (all P<0.01). Effects of increased heart rate were improved toward more physiological responses for LV ejection fraction, cardiac output, and dP/dtmax. Moreover, our study showed improved ventricular-arterial coupling (69% increase, P<0.01) and improved mechanical efficiency (44% increase, P<0.01). Conclusions— Hemodynamic improvements with CRT, previously shown in acute invasive studies, are maintained chronically. In addition, ventricular-arterial coupling, mechanical efficiency, and chronotropic responses are improved after 6 months of CRT. These findings may help to explain the improved functional status and exercise tolerance in patients treated with CRT.
In Vivo VL-Targeted Activation-Induced Apoptotic Supraclonal Deletion by a Microbial B Cell Toxin1

To interfere with host immune responses, some microbial pathogens produce proteins with the properties of superantigens, which can interact via conserved V region framework subdomains of the Ag receptors of lymphocytes rather than the complementarity-determining region involved in the binding of conventional Ags. In recent studies, we have elucidated how a model B cell superantigen affects the host immune system by targeting a conserved VH site on the Ag receptors of B lymphocytes. To determine whether these findings represent a general paradigm, we investigated the in vivo immunobiologic properties of protein L of Peptostreptococcus magnus (PpL), a microbial Ig-binding protein specific for a V region site on Ig L chains. Our studies confirmed that PpL binding is restricted to a subset of murine Vκ-expressing B cells, and found that B cells with stronger PpL-binding activity are associated with certain B cell subsets: splenic marginal zone (CD21high CD23low), splenic CD1+, peritoneal B-1a (IgDlow CD5+), and CD21high CD24high B cells in peripheral lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes, and Peyer’s patches. Infusion of PpL triggered a sequence of events in B cell receptor (BCR)-targeted B cells, with rapid down-regulation of BCR, the induction of an activation phenotype, and limited rounds of proliferation. Apoptosis followed through a process heralded by the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, the induction of the caspase pathway, DNA fragmentation, and the deposition of B cell apoptotic bodies. These studies define a common pathway by which microbial toxins that target V region-associated BCR sites induce programmed cell death.
Incomplete colonoscopy: maximizing completion rates of gastroenterologists.

BACKGROUND Cecal intubation is one of the goals of a quality colonoscopy; however, many factors increasing the risk of incomplete colonoscopy have been implicated. The implications of missed pathology and the demand on health care resources for return colonoscopies pose a conundrum to many physicians. The optimal course of action after incomplete colonoscopy is unclear. OBJECTIVES To assess endoscopic completion rates of previously incomplete colonoscopies, the methods used to complete them and the factors that led to the previous incomplete procedure. METHODS All patients who previously underwent incomplete colonoscopy (2005 to 2010) and were referred to St Paul's Hospital (Vancouver, British Columbia) were evaluated. Colonoscopies were re-attempted by a single endoscopist. Patient charts were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS A total of 90 patients (29 males) with a mean (± SD) age of 58 ± 13.2 years were included in the analysis. Thirty patients (33%) had their initial colonoscopy performed by a gastroenterologist. Indications for initial colonoscopy included surveillance or screening (23%), abdominal pain (15%), gastrointestinal bleeding (29%), change in bowel habits or constitutional symptoms (18%), anemia (7%) and chronic diarrhea (8%). Reasons for incomplete colonoscopy included poor preparation (11%), pain or inadequate sedation (16%), tortuous colon (30%), diverticular disease (6%), obstructing mass (6%) and stricturing disease (10%). Reasons for incomplete procedures in the remaining 21% of patients were not reported by the referring physician. Eighty-seven (97%) colonoscopies were subsequently completed in a single attempt at the institution. Seventy-six (84%) colonoscopies were performed using routine manoeuvres, patient positioning and a variable-stiffness colonoscope (either standard or pediatric). A standard 160 or 180 series Olympus gastroscope (Olympus, Japan) was used in five patients (6%) to navigate through sigmoid diverticular disease; a pediatric colonoscope was used in six patients (7%) for similar reasons. Repeat colonoscopy on the remaining three patients (3%) failed: all three required surgery for strictures (two had obstructing malignant masses and one had a severe benign obstructing sigmoid diverticular stricture). CONCLUSION Most patients with previous incomplete colonoscopy can undergo a successful repeat colonoscopy at a tertiary care centre with instruments that are readily available to most gastroenterologists. Other modalities for evaluation of the colon should be deferred until a second attempt is made at an expert centre.
The Influence of Culture on the Relationship between the Entrepreneurial Orientation and the Potential of Franchising in Emerging Countries : the Case of Egypt

Malgre l'augmentation fantastique dans notre connaissance de la franchise, seulement une quantite relativement limitee de recherche a ete dirigee sur le sujet hors des Etat-unis et de l'Europe. Le lieu ou se deroule notre recherche rapportee ici, l'Egpte, compte orienter certaines caracteristiques des proprietaires de PME vers le contexte de la franchise. Cette etude vise a trouver des reponses a plusieurs questions ; quel est le potentiel d'adoption du concept de la franchise comme moyen de croissance dans les pays emergents ? Y a-t-il une relation entre l'orientation entrepreneuriale des proprietaires d'entreprises et leur potentiel de franchisage ? Les elements de culture jouent-ils un role significatif pour moderer la relation entre l'orientation entrepreneuriale et le potentiel de franchisage ? Y a-t-il des differences significatives entre les fondateurs d'entreprises et les non-fondateurs en ce qui concerne leur potentiel de franchisage et leur orientation entrepreneuriale ? Pour obtenir des reponses aux problemes de recherche, un modele reliant les variables principales de la recherche (le potentiel de franchisage, l'orientation entrepreneuriale et la culture) a ete developpe. Fonde sur la litterature, les hypotheses sont developpees et testees. Les resultats montrent que l'individualisme modere negativement la relation entre le potentiel de franchisage et l'orientation entrepreneuriale, ainsi que l'existence de differences significatives entre les fondateurs d'entreprises et les non-fondateurs.
Ovarian sex steroid receptors and sex hormones in androgenized rats.

This study evaluated for the first time the effects of different doses of the anabolic steroid nandrolone decanoate (ND) on the expression of ovarian steroid receptors (AR, ER-α (ESR1) and ER-β (ESR2)) and related sex hormones after treatment and recovery periods in adult rats. The animals were injected subcutaneously with doses of ND (1.87, 3.75, 7.5 or 15 mg/kg b.w.) or mineral oil (control group) for 15 days, and the experimental groups were divided into three periods of evaluation: (a) ND treatment for 15 days, (b) ND treatment and recovery for a period of 30 days and (c) ND treatment and recovery for a period of 60 days. Estrous cycle was monitored daily. At the end of each period, rats were killed for collection of blood and ovaries. Persistent diestrus occurred in all rats during ND treatment and after 30-day recovery. The highest dose of ND was able to maintain all rats arrested at diestrus until 60-day recovery. The expression of steroid receptors varied in a dose- and period-dependent manner, having a more pronounced response with the dose of 15 mg ND/kg. ND treatment increased serum levels of testosterone, 17β-estradiol and dihydrotestosterone, especially at the highest doses of 7.5 and 15 mg ND/kg. No change was observed in the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), whereas levels of the luteinizing hormone (LH) varied according to the dose and period. In conclusion, the ovarian sex steroid receptors and sex hormones were restored only at lower doses of ND and after a longer period of recovery.
Automatic head motion prediction from speech data

In this paper we present a novel approach to generate a sequence of head motion units given some speech. The modelling approach is based on the notion that head motion can be divided into a number of short homogeneous units that can be modelled individually. The system is based on Hidden Markov Models (HMM), which are trained on motion units and act as a sequence generator. They can be evaluated by an accuracy measure. A database of motion capture data was collected and manually annotated for head motion and is used to train the models. It was found that the model is good at distinguishing high activity regions from regions with less activity with accuracies around 75 percent. Furthermore the model is able to distinguish different head motion patterns based on speech features somewhat reliably, with accuracies reaching almost 70 percent.
Oestrogens, Dopamine and Mood

investigated in animal models. In man the difficulties of extrapolating from experimental pain in the laboratory to chronic pain patients is succinctly put in the critique (Loeser, 1979) of an investigation of doxepin in acute pain (Chapman and Butler, 1978). lt is therefore necessary to look at clinical data. In assessing reports of antidepressants in chronic pain it is clearly important to have information on the mood state of the patients because the presence of significant depression will influence the response of the pain symptoms to this treatment. It is partly because insufficient attention has been paid to the presence or absence of depression in patients with chronic pain that so many questions still surround the use of anti depressant drugs in such patients. The report by Ben-Tovim and Schwartz illustrates very clearly that pain has both an affective and a cognitive component, and may be greatly influenced by the general level of emotional response. The hypo algesia in their patients was to acute painful stimuli and one would be wary of speculating on the relevance of these findings to patients with chronic pain. Since acute and chronic pain are such different clinical entities these results are not necessarily incompatible with the common association of chronic pain and depression.
Madeus: an authoring environment for interactive multimedia documents

We present Madeus, an authoring environment for interactive multimedia documents. Madeus's aim can be summed up in the following statement: high temporal expressivity must not be reached to the detriment of a user-friendly interface editing approach. We provide the author with a declarative and hierarchical specification language based on an extension of Allen's (1983) algebra. Static temporal checking and dynamic scheduling are based on an extension of temporal constraint networks.
Hardware Assistance for Constrained Circle Constructions II: Cluster Merging Problems

In geometric constraint solving, constructing circles with indeterminate radius is an important sub problem. Such constructions are both sequential, meaning that we seek a circle tangent to three known geometric entities, as well as simultaneous, when several sets of entities, among them variable-radius circles, must be determined together. In Part I of our investigation, we considered sequential constructions in which a single circle had to be constructed from required tangencies to known geometric entities. In Part II, we develop hardware-assisted techniques to solve the simultaneous construction problems of variable-radius circles. We utilize the graphics hardware to determine the solutions. For Part I, this could be accomplished relying fundamentally on constructing distance maps. Here, we need to construct and sample surfaces from configuration space.
The Database of Quantitative Cellular Signaling: management and analysis of chemical kinetic models of signaling networks

MOTIVATION Analysis of cellular signaling interactions is expected to pose an enormous informatics challenge, perhaps even larger than analyzing the genome. The complex networks arising from signaling processes are traditionally represented as block diagrams. A key step in the evolution toward a more quantitative understanding of signaling is to explicitly specify the kinetics of all chemical reaction steps in a pathway. Technical advances in proteomics and high-throughput protein interaction assays promise a flood of such quantitative data. While annotations, molecular information and pathway connectivity have been compiled in several databases, and there are several proposals for general cell model description languages, there is currently little experience with databases of chemical kinetics and reaction level models of signaling networks. RESULTS The Database of Quantitative Cellular Signaling is a repository of models of signaling pathways. It is intended both to serve the growing field of chemical-reaction level simulation of signaling networks, and to anticipate issues in large-scale data management for signaling chemistry. AVAILABILITY The Database of Quantitative Cellular Signaling is available at http://doqcs.ncbs. res.in. Links to the signaling model simulator, GENESIS/Kinetikit are at http://www.ncbs. res.in/~bhalla/kkit/index.html and are also provided from within the database. The database source code is available under the GNU Public License.
Fatty heart and subclinical left ventricular dysfunction: rediscovery of a pathological metabolic process: with a twist.

> Those who have dissected or inspected many [bodies] have at least learnt to doubt; while others who are ignorant of anatomy and do not take the trouble to attend it are in no doubt at all. > > Giovanni B. Morgagni > > The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand. > > Frank Herbert Fatty degeneration of the human heart was first reported by the French cardiologist Corvisart more 200 years ago in 1806,1 while the first distinction of epicardial/pericardial fat from intramyocardial fat was made by the German physician scientist Virchow in 1858.2 Interest in these observations and their cardiovascular consequences continue to grow as techniques for noninvasive assessment of pericardial and intramyocardial fat improve. The amount of fat stored in nonadipocyte tissue (liver and muscle) is usually minimal and tightly regulated; however, recent studies have reported cardiac steatosis in human metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome.3–5 Mahmod et al,6 in this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging , compared 39 subjects with symptomatic (64%) and asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) to 20 healthy controls and found increased myocardial fat in patients with AS. Using 1H-magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy, the authors measured myocardial triglyceride content (MTC) and reported that patients with symptomatic AS had the highest level of MTC as compared with asymptomatic patients and healthy control subjects. MTC values correlated inversely with regional myocardial function using circumferential and longitudinal strain obtained by myocardial tagging methods, with a gradation between the control, asymptomatic AS, and symptomatic AS groups. The authors were able to show a modest correlation of MTC with myocyte lipid content on biopsy samples of a subgroup of patients who underwent surgery ( r s =0.66; P =0.036). 6 Most importantly, the authors demonstrated near complete …
Proactive Behavior of a Personal Assistive Agent

The increased scope and complexity of tasks that people perform as part of their routine work has led to growing interest in the development of intelligent personal assistive agents that can aid a human in managing and performing tasks. As part of their operation, such agents should be able to anticipate user needs, opportunities, and problems, and then act on their own initiative to address them. We characterize the properties desired for proactive behavior of this type, and present a BDI-based agent cognition model designed to support proactive assistance. Our model for proactive assistance employs a meta-level layer to identify potentially helpful actions and determine when it is appropriate to perform them. We conclude by identifying technical challenges in developing systems that embody proactive behaviors.
Evolution of Evolvability in Gene Regulatory Networks

Gene regulatory networks are perhaps the most important organizational level in the cell where signals from the cell state and the outside environment are integrated in terms of activation and inhibition of genes. For the last decade, the study of such networks has been fueled by large-scale experiments and renewed attention from the theoretical field. Different models have been proposed to, for instance, investigate expression dynamics, explain the network topology we observe in bacteria and yeast, and for the analysis of evolvability and robustness of such networks. Yet how these gene regulatory networks evolve and become evolvable remains an open question. An individual-oriented evolutionary model is used to shed light on this matter. Each individual has a genome from which its gene regulatory network is derived. Mutations, such as gene duplications and deletions, alter the genome, while the resulting network determines the gene expression pattern and hence fitness. With this protocol we let a population of individuals evolve under Darwinian selection in an environment that changes through time. Our work demonstrates that long-term evolution of complex gene regulatory networks in a changing environment can lead to a striking increase in the efficiency of generating beneficial mutations. We show that the population evolves towards genotype-phenotype mappings that allow for an orchestrated network-wide change in the gene expression pattern, requiring only a few specific gene indels. The genes involved are hubs of the networks, or directly influencing the hubs. Moreover, throughout the evolutionary trajectory the networks maintain their mutational robustness. In other words, evolution in an alternating environment leads to a network that is sensitive to a small class of beneficial mutations, while the majority of mutations remain neutral: an example of evolution of evolvability.
PAR-1 Mediates the Thrombin-induced Mesothelial Cell Overproduction of VEGF and PAI-1

Purpose Thrombin mediates an excess in the production of neoangiogenetic (VEGF) and profibrotic (PAI-1) factors in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HMC). The mechanisms leading to this overproduction have not been elucidated so far; in the context of peritoneal dialysis it can result in impaired peritoneal membrane function. Objectives This study was performed to evaluate the presence of the thrombin receptor Proteaseactivated receptor-1 (PAR-1) in HMC and to characterize its function in the thrombin-dependent effects mentioned above. Methods All experiments were performed using cultured primary HMC. Real-Time PCR and Western Blot were used to evaluate PAR-1; ELISA and Real-Time PCR were employed to examine PAR-1 effects on target mediators. Results We found that cultivated primary HMC show a basal presence of PAR-1. Stimulation with IL-1β induced an increase of the mesothelial PAR-1 expression whereas stimulation with glycosilated human serum albumin or the ligand thrombin itself resulted in decreased PAR-1 expression. Stimulation with the specific PAR-1 ligand TFLLR-NH2 caused increased VEGF and PAI-1 levels similar to stimulation with thrombin, whereas preincubation with PAR-1 blocking antibodies ATAP2 and WEDE15 attenuated the thrombin-induced overproduction of VEGF and PAI-1. Conclusions HMC express PAR-1 and the receptor is involved in thrombin effects on these cells. These findings may be a basis for pharmacological prevention of neoangiogenesis and adhesions in the context of peritoneal dialysis and peritonitis.