Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-Density Lipoproteins and Coronary Heart Disease

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) play an important role in the process of reverse cholesterol transport, the pathway by which the cholesterol in extrahepatic tissues is transported through plasma to the liver for recycling or for excretion from the body in bile. The concentration of HDL cholesterol is a powerful inverse predictor of the development of coronary heart disease, leading to a widely held view that HDL protects against the development of atherosclerosis. The mechanism by which HDLs protect is unknown. To date, no studies have been designed specifically to test the proposition that increasing the concentration of HDL cholesterol translates into a reduction in coronary risk. Nevertheless, in a subgroup of the Helsinki Heart Study, it was found that a substantial proportion of the beneficial effect of gemfibrozil was explicable in terms of an increase in the concentration of HDL cholesterol.
The Effect of the 2015 Earthquake on the Bacterial Community Compositions in Water in Nepal

We conducted a study to examine the effect of seasonal variations and the disruptive effects of the 2015 Nepal earthquake on microbial communities associated with drinking water sources. We first characterized the microbial communities of water samples in two Nepali regions (Kathmandu and Jhapa) to understand the stability of microbial communities in water samples collected in 2014. We analyzed additional water samples from the same sources collected from May to August 2015, allowing the comparison of samples from dry-to-dry season and from dry-to-monsoon seasons. Emphasis was placed on microbes responsible for maintaining the geobiochemical characteristics of water (e.g., ammonia-oxidizing and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria and archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria) and opportunistic pathogens often found in water (Acinetobacter). When examining samples from Jhapa, we identified that most geobiochemical microbe populations remained similar. When examining samples from Kathmandu, the abundance of microbial genera responsible for maintaining the geobiochemical characteristics of water increased immediately after the earthquake and decreased 8 months later (December 2015). In addition, microbial source tracking was used to monitor human fecal contamination and revealed deteriorated water quality in some specific sampling sites in Kathmandu post-earthquake. This study highlights a disruption of the environmental microbiome after an earthquake and the restoration of these microbial communities as a function of time and sanitation practices.
Nogo-A, a Potent Inhibitor of Neurite Outgrowth and Regeneration

Abstract The lack of regrowth of injured neurons in the adult central nervous system (CNS) of higher vertebrates was accepted as a fact for many decades. In the last few years a very different view emerged; regeneration of lesioned fibre tracts in vivo could be induced experimentally, and molecules that are responsible for inhibition and repulsion of growing neurites have been defined. Mechanisms that link cellular phenomena like growth cone turning or growth cone collapse to intracellular changes in second messenger systems and cytoskeletal dynamics became unveiled. This article reviews recent developments in this field, focusing especially on one of the best characterised neurite outgrowth inhibitory molecules found in CNS myelin that was recently cloned: Nogo-A. Nogo-A is a high molecular weight transmembrane protein and an antigen of the monoclonal antibody mAb IN-1 that was shown to promote long-distance regeneration and functional recovery in vivo when applied to spinal cord-injured adult rats. Nogo-A is expressed by oligodendrocytes in white matter of the CNS. With the molecular characterisation of this factor new possibilities open up to achieve structural and functional repair of the injured CNS.
Early retirement due to occupational injury: who is at risk?

BACKGROUND As the workforce is rapidly ageing, research on the consequences of occupational injuries in older workers is becoming more important. One adverse outcome unique to older workers, early retirement, has significant negative social and economic consequences for workers and employers. Although linked to poor worker health, the roles of workplace factors and occupational injury have not been well-defined. METHOD Changes in retirement plans attributed to an occupational injury were studied in a population-based sample of 1,449 New Hampshire workers aged <or=55, using a mailed survey. Questions addressed pre-and post-injury health, job satisfaction, work capacity, nature and severity of injury, medical care, employer response, work status, pain, and financial problems. RESULT Eleven percent planned to retire earlier due to their work injury, and their outcomes were significantly worse. In a multivariate model, pre-injury dissatisfaction with the job and with medical care, and poor physical and mental health status were related to intent to retire early. CONCLUSION These factors may represent opportunities for early identification and intervention with individuals at high risk for poor post-injury outcomes. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the importance of these preliminary findings.
Changes in Intentions, Planning, and Self-efficacy Predict Changes in Behaviors

Can latent true changes in intention, planning, and self-efficacy account for latent change in two health behaviors (physical activity as well as fruit and vegetable intake)? Baseline data on predictors and behaviors and corresponding follow-up data four weeks later were collected from 853 participants. Interindividual differences in change and change—change associations were analyzed using structural equation modeling. For both behaviors, similar prediction patterns were found: changes in intention and self-efficacy predicted changes in planning, which in turn corresponded to changes in behavior. This evidence confirms that change predicts change, which is an inherent precondition in behavior change theories.
Contributions of strength and body composition to the gender difference in anaerobic power.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the significant factors contributing to the difference between men and women in anaerobic power (AP) generation. METHODS. PARTICIPANTS College men (n = 113) and women (n = 175) were randomly selected for evaluation from a fitness class prior to training. MEASURES AP was determined from the Margaria-Kalamen stair run. Dynamic strength was evaluated from the 1-RM single-leg extension. Body composition was estimated from gender-specific skinfold prediction equations. RESULTS Discriminant analysis identified %fat, fat-free mass (FFM), and leg extension strength as significant components differentiating between men and women and allowed proper gender classification in 99% of the cases. When both strength and body composition variables were held constant by covariance, there was no significant difference between men and women in AP (F = 1.25). A multiple regression equation using %fat, FFM, and leg extension strength predicted AP (R = 0.91) with an error of 150 W. When the multiple regression equations was applied to a cross-validation sample, AP could be accurately predicted (r = 0.91, t = 0.17) with an average error of 3% +/- 21%. CONCLUSIONS Body size and dynamic strength are the major factors explaining the explosive leg power difference between men and women without a specific or unique gender quality.
Epidemiologic typing and delineation of genetic relatedness of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by macrorestriction analysis of genomic DNA by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

To evaluate the usefulness of phenotypic and genotypic analyses for the epidemiologic typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), we characterized 64 epidemic MRSA isolates and 10 sporadic methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates from a university hospital and 18 MRSA isolates from hospitals in different geographical areas. Chromosomal DNA macrorestriction analysis with SstII was resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and compared with antibiotype analysis, phage type analysis, and standard genomic DNA restriction analysis with BglII. Indices of the discriminatory ability of these methods were 0.982, 0.959, 0.947, and 0.959, respectively. Macrorestriction patterns of 94% of MRSA isolates from patients, personnel, and the environment associated with a nosocomial outbreak were closely related (similarity coefficient, 85 to 100%). In contrast, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates showed a marked diversity of macrorestriction patterns (median similarity, 41%). MRSA isolates from other geographical areas showed diverse macrorestriction patterns, with the exception of four isolates displaying identical or closely related patterns; these isolates were associated with concurrent outbreaks in four other Belgian hospitals. A concordance of genomic DNA macrorestriction typing with phenotypic methods was observed for 60 to 65% of MRSA isolates, and a concordance with standard DNA restriction analysis was found for 79 to 98% of these isolates. In conclusion, genomic DNA macrorestriction analysis was a useful complement to phenotypic methods for delineating epidemic isolates of MRSA, for identifying their nosocomial reservoirs, and for tracing their intra- and interhospital spread. The genetic relatedness of MRSA isolates, as estimated by this technique, appeared to correlate with their space-time clustering.
Plausible Methods For Populating Virtual Scenes

We describe a series of experiments investigated the perception of urban crowds and the implementation of these results in a real-time crowd system. Our first series of perceptual experiments examined the role of context in locations containing pedestrian crowds, where properties of the location affect the formation of the individuals making up the crowd, i.e. their position and orientation. Our second set of experiments focussed on small groups of individuals. We considered group size and number of dynamic groups, and looked at body motions and audio desynchronisation of individuals in conversational groups. We also discuss the implementation of results from these experiments in a real-time crowd system.
Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-Dependent Platelet-Derived Microvesicles Trigger Procoagulant Effects and Amplify Oxidative Stress

The fundamental mechanisms that underlie platelet activation in atherothrombosis are still obscure. Oxidative stress is involved in central features of atherosclerosis. Platelet-derived microvesicles (PMVs) could be important mediators between oxidative stress and platelet activation. CD36 could be a receptor of PMVs, thus generating a PMV-CD36 complex. We aimed to investigate the detailed pathway by which oxidative damage contributes to platelet activation by the PMV-CD36 complex. We found that oxidized low-density lipoprotein stimulated the generation of PMVs. PMVs enhanced normal platelet activation, as assessed by the expression of integrin αIIbβ3, secretion of soluble P-selectin and platelet aggregation, but CD36-deficient platelets were not activated by PMVs. The function of the PMV-CD36 complex was mediated by the MKK4/JNK2 signaling axis. Meanwhile, PMVs increased the level of 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α, a marker of oxidative stress, in a CD36- and phosphatidylserine-dependent manner. We concluded that PMVs are important mediators between oxidative stress and platelet activation. PMVs and CD36 may be effective targets for preventing platelet activation in cardiovascular diseases.
Eye Gaze Assistance for a Game-Like Interactive Task

Human beings communicate in abbreviated ways dependent on prior interactions and shared knowledge. Furthermore, humans share information about intentions and future actions using eye gaze. Among primates, humans are unique in the whiteness of the sclera and amount of sclera shown, essential for communication via interpretation of eye gaze. This paper extends our previous work in a game-like interactive task by the use of computerised recognition of eye gaze and fuzzy signature-based interpretation of possible intentions. This extends our notion of robot instinctive behaviour to intentional behaviour.We show a good improvement of speed of response in a simple use of eye gaze information.We also show a significant and more sophisticated use of the eye gaze information, which eliminates the need for control actions on the user's part. We also make a suggestion as to returning visibility of control to the user in these cases.
Computational Analysis of Ducted Turbine Performance

This paper studies the effects of viscous loss, flow separation and base pressure for ducted turbine designs using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Analytical model coefficients for inlet and diffuser efficiency and base pressure coefficient parameterize these effects and have been identified from CFD results. General trends are: the inlet efficiency is nearly unity for the simulated designs; the diffuser efficiency has a significant impact on performance and is degraded by flow separation; and that the base pressure effect can provide a significant performance enhancement. Geometric features influencing each of the aforementioned parameters are identified and a regression based model is proposed for the base pressure coefficient.
Three dimensions of emotion.

All of you have had to face the problems in the general field of emotion, whether your interest was theoretical or practical. I think you will agree that the field is chaotic. When you try to organize it, perhaps f̂ or presentation in a course, you probaoly follow one of two obvious methods. You can admit that "emotion is only a chapter heading," to quote Madison Bentley; in this case you present a sort of smorgasbord of interesting and important facts, and then go on to clinical cases or to experiments on drives in white rats, depending on your inclination. Or, if you wish a more orderly presentation of the topic, you may build it around some of the many theoretical controversies that stud the history of the field. My preference is for the latter method, and after years of following it in class, I think I am beginning to get a satisfactory integration. Let me run over the major theories, and show how they come together.
Seernet at EmoInt-2017: Tweet Emotion Intensity Estimator

The paper describes experiments on estimating emotion intensity in tweets using a generalized regressor system. The system combines various independent feature extractors, trains them on general regressors and finally combines the best performing models to create an ensemble. The proposed system stood 3rd out of 22 systems in leaderboard of WASSA-2017 Shared Task on Emotion Intensity.
Eye opening induces a rapid dendritic localization of PSD-95 in central visual neurons

The membrane-associated guanylate kinase PSD-95 scaffolds N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors to cytoplasmic signaling molecules, and associates with other glutamate receptors at central synapses. However, regulation of PSD-95 in vivo is poorly understood. We provide evidence of an activity-dependent redistribution of PSD-95 to dendrites in central visual neurons that is tied to eye opening. Six hours after eye opening, increased dendritic PSD-95 coimmunoprecipitates with the same proportions of stargazin, increased proportions of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit NR2A, and decreased proportions of NR2B. Sustained high levels of PSD-95 in dendrites are dependent on continued pattern vision in juvenile but not mature animals, suggesting that the stabilization of PSD-95 at synapses may be involved in the control of developmental plasticity.
Molecular analysis of the cytolytic protein ClyA (SheA) from Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli K‐12 carries a gene for a protein denoted ClyA or SheA that can mediate a cytolytic phenotype. The ClyA protein is not expressed at detectable levels in most strains of E. coli, but overproduction suitable for purification was accomplished by cloning the structural gene in an hns mutant strain. Highly purified ClyA protein was cytotoxic to macrophage cells in culture and caused detachment and lysis of the mammalian cells. Results from osmotic protection assays were consistent with the suggestion that the protein formed pores with a diameter of up to 3 nm. Using Acholeplasma laidlawii cells and multilamellar liposomes, we studied the effect of ClyA on membranes with varying compositions and in the presence of different ions. ClyA induced cytolytic release of the fluorescent tracer from carboxyfluorescein‐loaded liposomes, and the release was stimulated if cholesterol was present in the membranes whereas addition of calcium had no effect. Pretreatment of the ClyA protein with cholesterol inhibited the pore formation, suggesting that ClyA could bind to cholesterol. Efficient coprecipitation of ClyA with either cholesterol or 1,2,3‐trioctadecanoylglycerol in aqueous solutions showed that ClyA directly interacted with the hydrophobic molecular aggregates. We tested the possible functional importance of selected ClyA protein regions by site‐directed mutagenesis. Defined mutants of ClyA were obtained with alterations in postulated transmembrane structures in the central part and in a postulated membrane‐targeting domain in the C‐terminal part. Our results were consistent with the suggestion that particular amphiphilic segments are required for ClyA activity. We propose that these domains are necessary for ClyA to form pores.
Modulation of Presynaptic β3-Containing GABAA Receptors Limits the Immobilizing Actions of GABAergic Anesthetics

Intravenous GABAergic anesthetics are potent hypnotics but are rather ineffective in depressing movements. Immobility is mediated, in part, by the ventral horn of the spinal cord. We hypothesized that the efficacy of these anesthetics in producing immobility is compromised by the activation of GABAA receptors located presynaptically, which modulate GABA release onto neurons in the ventral horn. Because anesthetics acting by modulation of GABAA receptor function require GABA to be present at its binding site, a decrease in GABA release would abate their efficacy in reducing neuronal excitability. Here we report that in organotypic spinal cord slices, the efficacy of the intravenous anesthetic etomidate to depress network activity of ventral horn neurons is limited to approximately 60% at concentrations greater than 1 μM that produce immobility. Depression of spinal network activity was almost abolished in spinal slices from β3(N265M) knock-in mice. In the wild type, etomidate prolonged decay times of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and concomitantly reduced the frequency of action potential-dependent IPSCs. Etomidate prolonged the decay time of GABAA receptors at all tested concentrations. At concentrations greater than 1.0 μM, anesthetic-induced decrease of GABA release via modulation of presynaptic GABAA receptors and enhancement of postsynaptic GABAA receptor-function compensated for each other. The results suggest that the limited immobilizing efficacy of these agents is probably due to a presynaptic mechanism and that GABAergic agents with a specificity for post-versus presynaptic receptors would probably have much stronger immobilizing actions, pointing out novel avenues for drug development.
Variation in proficiency testing performance by testing site.

CONTEXT Congress enacted the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) to promote uniform quality and standards among all testing sites in the United States. The performance indicators specified in the legislation are proficiency testing (PT) performance and periodic inspections. OBJECTIVE To evaluate variation in PT performance by type of testing facility during the first year of compulsory participation under CLIA. DESIGN All 1994 PT score data electronically reported to the Health Care Financing Administration as a component of compliance with the CLIA regulations were obtained. Over 1.2 million PT event scores from 17058 unique testing sites were sorted into 2 groups based on the type of testing facility: hospitals and independent laboratories (HI) and all other testing sites (AOT). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance rates for HI and AOT for each analyte and/or test, according to the criteria specified by the CLIA regulations. RESULTS The aggregate rates of satisfactory event performance for all regulated analytes, tests, and specialties were 97% and 91% for the HI and AOTgroups, respectively. The aggregate odds ratio for unsatisfactory PT event performance for the AOT group compared with the HI group was 2.89, with a range of 2.19 to 7.51 for the individual analytes. CONCLUSION There was a consistent difference in PT performance during the first full year of compulsory PT under the CLIA regulations based on the type of testing facility performing the analysis. Traditional testing sites achieved higher rates of satisfactory performance than newly regulated, alternative testing sites.
Green IT and Green IS: Definition of Constructs and Overview of Current Practices

In this paper, the evolution of environmentally sustainable information systems management, addressed through the terms Green IT and Green IS, is analyzed from an IS research perspective. The theoretical foundations of this research area are examined through a literature review and revised in the scope of a content analysis. The characteristics of Green IT and Green IS are contrasted, and impact areas are identified. Based on these findings, the concepts of Green IT and Green IS are thoroughly defined. Next, a wide range of prevalent Green IT practices is assigned to specific value creation processes of IT departments and presented in a catalogue of Green IT measures. Greens IS initiatives, which enable environmentally sustainable business processes and end products, are categorized and consolidated in a comprehensive list of relevant practices. This paper provides an overview of theoretical constructs and practice-oriented implementation measures, thus facilitating insights to both, academics and practitioners.
Design and Implementation of Control & Communication Unit for Remote Injection System for u-Hospital

This paper suggests remote injection system and explains the design of the system and means of implementation. Remote injection system means a system delivering the precise injection prescribed to the patient in the ward through input into the remote server using wired/wireless communication. The system has been planned in detail. The syringe has been designed to be linked with the Ringer's rubber tube and the independently developed syringe-module is to be used in order to ensure precise and accurate delivery of the injected medication. In development stage of embedded software, object-oriented planning method has been chosen.