Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlled Exposure to Combined Particles and Ozone Decreases Heart Rate Variability

Objective: This experiment was designed to test if controlled exposure to particles and ozone would result in decreased heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: Five asthmatic adults were exposed for 4 hours to; filtered-air, carbon and ammonium nitrate particles, and particles and ozone. Twenty-minute electrocardiograms were obtained before and after each exposure. Results: Standard deviation of all normal-to-normal beat intervals (SDNN) decreased significantly across particles and ozone exposure compared with across filtered-air exposure (P = 0.01). Changes in SDNN-I (P = 0.04) and normalized low and high frequency (P = 0.02) were also seen across particles and ozone exposure; although these changes may best be characterized as trends given the small sample size. No significant changes in HRV were seen across the filtered-air or particles-only exposures. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that combined particle and ozone exposure may decrease HRV in asthmatics. Further investigation is needed to confirm this finding.
Enhancing security in cryptographic algorithm based on LECCRS

The efficiency of any cryptographic algorithms depends on both security and operational speed. When a message is encrypted using any cryptosystems it produces only one level of security because it converts the plaintext into ciphertext where the ciphertext is not easily tractable. To increase the security in any cryptographic algorithm, normally the size of the plaintext and key should be taken very largely. Further, additional levels of security have been introduced in this paper to enhance the security. For that, the message to be encrypted is encoded first so that original form of the message is altered called the first level of security. The encoded message is sometimes too large so that it is compressed which results in changing the encoded form of message called second level security. Finally, the compressed message is encrypted using any one of the public-key cryptosystems by determining the block size dynamically which produces the third level of security. Thus, an integrated approach is proposed called encoded compressed cryptosystem in this paper.
Phytoestrogens attenuate oxidative DNA damage in vascular smooth muscle cells from stroke‐prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Objectives A recent study demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in the maintenance of hypertension in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). However, the role of oxidative stress in hypertension and its related diseases in SHRSP remains unknown. To determine whether phytoestrogens attenuate oxidative DNA damage in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from SHRSP and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, we investigated the effect of daidzein, genistein and resveratrol on oxidative DNA damage in VSMC, induced by advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Methods VSMC were treated with AGEs in the presence or absence of phytoestrogens for the indicated time. Cellular degeneration induced by AGEs was characterized in terms of intracellular oxidant levels, intracellular total glutathione (GSH) levels, mRNA expression for γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), and a new marker of oxidative stress, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) contents. Results AGEs stimulated 8-OHdG formation in VSMC in a time- and dose-dependent manner. We also confirmed that VSMC from SHRSP were more vulnerable to oxidative stress induced by AGEs, than VSMC from WKY rats. Daidzein, genistein or resveratrol reduced AGEs-induced 8-OHdG formation in a dose-dependent manner. The preventive effects of phytoestrogens on 8-OHdG formation remarkably paralleled changes in the intracellular oxidant levels in VSMC following AGEs treatment. We further demonstrated that phytoestrogens increase intracellular total GSH level in VSMC. Increased GSH synthesis was due to enhanced expression of the rate-limiting enzyme for GSH synthesis, GCS. Phytoestrogens-stimulated total GSH level in VSMC could lead to decreased intracellular oxidant levels, and thus prevent oxidative DNA damage, induced by AGEs. The phytoestrogens are powerful antioxidants able to interfere with AGEs-mediated oxidative DNA damage of VSMC, and are potentially useful against vascular diseases where ROS are involved in hypertension.
End-to-End Delay Bounds Analysis of Different On-chip Cache Coherence Policies: A Network Calculus-Based Approch

To analyze and compare end-to-end delay bounds of different cache coherence policies will provide beneficial guidelines for NoC design. However, it is not an easy task, because 1) packet flows generated by cache coherence events do not conform to the Poisson process, traditional queue theorem can't be applied to the performance analyzing for the NoCs that support cache coherence, 2) broadcast or multicast operations, which will duplicate the cache coherence packets, makes the analysis much more complicated. To address these challenges, in this paper, we use the stochastic network calculus to analyze the end-to-end delay bounds of different cache coherence policies. Specifically, we utilize Markov-modulated On-Off (MMOO) flow to model the arrival process of cache coherence events, and then deduce the general end-to-end delay bounds for different cache coherence policies. Furthermore, to deal with packet duplication issues in broadcast or multicast operations, we develop an analytical model based on scaling functions to study their impacts on end-to-end delay bounds.
Learning to play visual doom using model-free episodic control

Recently, the deep reinforcement learning has shown successful outcomes in classic video games (e.g., ATARI) and visual doom competition. Although it's very powerful, it suffers from very long learning time to generalize its performance. For example, it takes about 7~15 days to produce a good controller for ATARI games with state-of-the art GPUs. In this work, we propose to speed up the visual-based learning by introducing episodic control into the Visual Doom platform. The episodic control memorizes agent's experience with random projection and selects the next action based on similarity search on the memory. Because it's a model-free learning, it does not require much time to generalize a model and speeds up learning by exploiting previous experience. This is the first time to apply the episodic control into the visual Doom platform. Experimental results show that it converges to the desirable performance faster than the deep Q network in basic environment.
In vivo and in vitro studies of the purine-cytosine permease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Functional analysis of a mutant with an altered apparent transport constant of uptake.

The FCY2 gene of the purine-cytosine permease (PCP) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the allele fcy2-21 have been cloned on the yeast multicopy plasmid pJDB207. The corresponding plasmids were introduced into a S. cerevisiae strain carrying a chromosomal deletion at the FCY2 locus. The resulting strains were designated pAB4 and pAB25 respectively. The pAB25 strain, which carries the fcy2-21 allele, contains four amino acid changes in the open reading frame of the PCP (Weber et al., 1989). The influence of these mutations was studied on cells by determination of the uptake constants of purine bases and cytosine [apparent Michaelis constant of transport (Ktapp) and Vmax] and on plasma-membrane preparations, by measurements of binding parameters at equilibrium [(Kd and maximum amount of binding sites/Bmax)]. For strain pAB4, the Ktapp and Vmax of uptake were almost similar for all solutes considered [1.8-2.6 microM and 8.5-10.2 nmol.min-1. (10(7) cells)-1]. The main effect of the mutations in strain pAB25 was based on a large increase in Ktapp for all ligands except adenine. Plasma membranes of each strain displayed one class of specific binding sites. Variations in Kd of 0.4-1 microM were observed for pAB4. These slight variations had no effect on the Ktapp of uptake measured for the corresponding solutes. In contrast, using pAB25 membranes, Kd increased dramatically; 2.6 microM, 40 microM and 96 microM for adenine, cytosine and hypoxanthine, respectively. These increments were correlated to variations in Ktapp of the uptake for cytosine and hypoxanthine. Therefore, we conclude that modification in the Ktapp of uptake in the strain carrying fcy2-21 allele is merely due to a modification of the binding ability of the permease for its ligands.
Effects of front and dual suspension mountain bike systems on uphill cycling performance.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of front suspension (FS) and dual suspension (DS) mountain bike designs on time-trial performance and physiological responses during uphill cycling on a paved- and off-road course. METHODS Six trained male cyclists (35.6 +/- 9 yr, 76.9 +/- 8.8 kg, VO2 peak 58.4 +/- 5.6 mL x kg(-1) x min-1)) were timed using both suspension systems on an uphill paved course (1.62 km, 183-m elevation gain) and an uphill off-road course (1.38 km, 123-m elevation gain). During the field trials, VO2 was monitored continuously with a KB1-C portable gas analyzer, and power output with an SRM training system. RESULTS On the paved course, total ride time on FS (10.4 +/- 0.7 min) and DS (10.4 +/- 0.8 min) was not different (P > 0.05). Similarly, total ride time on the off-road course was not significantly different on the FS bike (8.3 +/- 0.7 min) versus the DS bike (8.4 +/- 1.1 min). For each of the course conditions, there was no significant difference between FS and DS in average minute-by-minute VO2, whether expressed in absolute (ABS; L x min(-1)) or relative (REL; mL x [kg body wt +/- kg bike wt(-1)] x min(-1) values. Average power output (W) was significantly lower for ABS FS versus DS (266.1 +/- 61.6 W vs 341.9 +/- 61.1 W, P < 0.001) and REL FS versus DS (2.90 +/- 0.55 W x kg(-1) vs 3.65 +/- 0.53 W x kg(-1), P < 0.001) during the off-road trials. Power output on the paved course was also significantly different for ABS FS versus DS (266.6 +/- 52 W vs 345.4 +/- 53.4 W, P < 0.001) and REL FS versus DS (2.99 +/- 0.55 W x kg(-1) vs 3.84 +/- 0.54 W x kg(-1), P < 0.001). CONCLUSION We conclude that despite significant differences in power output between FS and DS mountain bike systems during uphill cycling, these differences do not translate into significant differences in oxygen cost or time to complete either a paved- or off-road course.
Computer-aided-symbolic dynamic modeling for Stewart-platform manipulator

SUMMARY The Stewart platform manipulator is a fully kinematic linkage system that has major mechanical differences from typical serial link robots. It is a six-axis parallel robot manipulator with a high force-to-weight ratio and good positioning accuracy that exceeds that of a conventional serial link robot arm. This study examines the dynamic equations and control methodology for a Stewart platform. Because manual symbolic expansion of Stewart platform robot dynamic equations is tedious, time-consuming, and prone to errors, an automated derivation process is highly desired. The main goal of this work is to present an efficient procedure for computer generation of dynamic equations for a Stewart platform manipulator. As MATLAB has a powerful signal processing toolbox along with symbolic processing capabilities and is widely used as a common technical computing environment in many universities and research laboratories, the objective of this study was to develop a MATLAB-based approach for symbolic computation for a parallel linked robot. Additionally, a computed-torque control methodology is utilized for such a structure. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control methodology.
Overexpression of the plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 in epithelial ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND The plasminogen activator-plasmin cascade plays a central role in the progression of solid tumors. The type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) is the major physiological regulator of plasminogen activation. PAI-1 is suggested to play a crucial role in tumor cell invasion and metastasis of various solid tumors. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and prognostic roles of PAI-1 in epithelial ovarian cancer (OC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Expression analysis was conducted by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Tissue sections of paraffin-embedded tumor specimens and fresh-frozen tumor samples from patients with benign and malignant ovarian tumors (OT), who had undergone surgical intervention in the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Charité, Germany, from 02/01 to 06/02, were used. Correlation analysis with conventional clinical factors, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using SPSS (SPSS Inc., V.11.0). RESULTS Sixty-five patients (31 primary OC, 20 recurrent OC, 4 low-malignant potential OT, 6 benign OT, 4 normal ovary) were allocated to this trial. The median age was 57 years (range, 34-86) and the median follow-up was 20 months (range, 0-64). The distributions of (FIGO) tumor stage of all primary OC were: I = 16.1%, II = 3.2%, III = 45.2% and IV = 35.5%. PAI-1 was significantly overexpressed in the tumor epithelium of OC in comparison to the ovarian epithelium of benign OT and normal ovary (p < 0.001). The median PAI-1 level was 1.92-fold higher in malignant OT than in benign OT. Statistical analyses showed no significant correlation between the expression of PAI-1 and clinical parameters. The expression of PAI-1 and the PAI-1 level, according to 3 different cut-off values, showed no prognostic impact in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, only tumor stage (FIGO) (p = 0.003) and residual tumor (p = 0.009) remained independent prognostic factors for post-operative survival. CONCLUSION PAI-1 is significantly overexpressed in OC.
Predicting the Unpredictable: A New Prediction Model for Operating Room Times Using Individual Characteristics and the Surgeon's Estimate

Background:Routine predictions made by surgeons or historical mean durations have only limited capacity to predict operating room (OR) time. The authors aimed to devise a prediction model using the surgeon's estimate and characteristics of the surgical team, the operation, and the patient. Methods:Seventeen thousand four hundred twelve consecutive, elective operations from the general surgical department in an academic hospital were analyzed. The outcome was OR time, and the potential predictive factors were surgeon's estimate, number of planned procedures, number and experience of surgeons and anesthesiologists, patient's age and sex, number of previous hospital admissions, body mass index, and eight cardiovascular risk factors. Linear mixed modeling on the logarithm of the total OR time was performed. Results:Characteristics of the operation and the team had the largest predictive performance, whereas patient characteristics had a modest but distinct effect on OR time: operations were shorter for patients older than 60 yr, and higher body mass index was associated with longer OR times. The surgeon's estimate had an independent and substantial contribution to the prediction, and the final model explained 27% of the residual variation in log (OR time). Using the prediction model instead of the surgeon's prediction based on historical averages would reduce shorter-than-predicted and longer-than-predicted OR time by 2.8 and 6.6 min per case (a relative reduction of 12 and 25%, respectively), assessed on independent validation data. Conclusions:Detailed information on the operative session, the team, and the patient substantially improves the prediction of OR times, but the surgeon's estimate remains important. The prediction model may be used in OR scheduling.
El estudio de la clase común: el asentamiento de Xaltocan durante el Posclásico en la cuenca de México

Bill Sanders se dedico al estudio de la gente comun, de las masas poblacionales que sustentaron con su trabajo el estilo de vida opulento de las elites que detentaban el poder. Mediante trabajos de superficie en la escala regional, Sanders y sus discipulos rastrearon la historia de la gente comun con base en los vestigios de los paisajes agricolas y los patrones de asentamiento. Este ensayo tiene como objetivo responder dos interrogantes acerca del estatus de la gente comun en la cuenca de Mexico durante el Posclasico. En primer lugar nos preguntamos si la gente comun se beneficio con la hegemonia azteca. Acaso la unificacion politica de la region simbiotica del centro de Mexico permitio que el intercambio de productos entre diferentes zonas ecologicas impulsara la especializacion y resultara en estandares de vida mas altos entre la gente comun a pesar del pago de tributos que exigian los aztecas? En segundo lugar nos cuestionamos si la gente comun contribuyo, tanto con ideas como con su trabajo, al desarrollo social de Mesoamerica durante el Posclasico. Si, como planteo Sanders, “innovaciones y variaciones surgen constantemente” y permiten que las sociedades se adapten de manera mas efectiva a su medio ambiente, surge la interrogante de si la gente comun fue una fuente de innovacion o si esta fue el producto de los administradores, sacerdotes y artesanos que residian en las urbes. Las investigaciones arqueologicos en unidades habitacionales del Posclasico en Xaltocan, en la porcion norte de la cuenca de Mexico, nos permiten dar respuesta a las preguntas que aqui formulamos
L'or coté à Paris et la diversification des portefeuilles français de 2004 à 2009

L’objectif de cet article est d’etudier le role de l’or cote a Paris (physique et papier) dans la diversification des portefeuilles francais durant la periode 2004 a 2009. Les resultats obtenus montrent que l’or cote a Paris est peu correle avec les actions et les obligations francaises. De meme, l’introduction de l’or dans un portefeuille boursier francais permet de reduire le risque et d’augmenter la rentabilite de celui-ci. Par consequent, l’or permet d’ameliorer significativement la frontiere efficiente ainsi que la performance de ce portefeuille. La proportion de l’or (physique ou papier) a inclure pour minimiser le risque des portefeuilles est de 2% a 5%. Par ailleurs, l’or physique est plus efficace que l’or papier (fonds-or) dans la diversification de portefeuille. De meme, l’or (physique ou papier) est plus efficace dans un portefeuille d’actions que dans un portefeuille d’obligations.
Structural features of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene: mechanisms for the generation of mRNAs with 5' end heterogeneity.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase [acetyl-CoA:carbondioxide ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.4. 1.2] is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biogenesis of long-chain fatty acids. We have previously characterized five acetyl-CoA carboxylase mRNA species that differ in their 5' untranslated regions but not in the coding region. We have now characterized the exon-intron structure of the genomic DNA that encodes the 5' untranslated region of the mRNA. Generation of different forms of the mRNA is the result of the selective use of two promoters and differential splicing of five different exons. These five exons contain a total of 645 nucleotides and they are scattered over a 50-kilobase-pair genomic DNA region that we have characterized.
Fast respiratory rate estimation from PPG signal using sparse signal reconstruction based on orthogonal matching pursuit

Fast and accurate respiratory rate (RR) estimation from photoplethysmography (PPG) signal is still a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a real-time algorithm for RR estimation from PPG signal using sparse signal reconstruction (SSR) based on orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP). This algorithm greatly reduces the computational complexity of the original sparse signal reconstruction and respiratory rate tracking (S2R3T) algorithm. While the proposed algorithm and a state-of-the-art real-time algorithm based on smart fusion of RR estimates from three respiratory modulations have similar estimation accuracy, the proposed algorithm outperforms the smart fusion algorithm in number of RR estimates.
Isoflurane and Halothane Attenuate Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Rat Coronary Microvessels

Volatile anesthetics attenuate endothelium-dependent vasodilation but the mechanism of attenuation remains controversial. The present study examines the mechanism of isoflurane- and halothane-mediated attenuation of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in Wistar rat coronary microvessels of about 100 micro m internal diameter. The vessels were studied in vitro in a pressurized (40 mm Hg), no-flow state using video microscopy. After preconstriction of the vessels with the thromboxane analog U46619 1 micro M, concentration response curves to acetylcholine (ACh), the calcium ionophore A23187, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), or the stable cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) analog 8-bromo-cGMP (Br-cGMP) were obtained in the presence of 0% (control), 1% or 2% isoflurane, or 1% or 2% halothane. Isoflurane 1% and 2% significantly attenuated vasodilation to ACh and A23187. Isoflurane 2%, but not 1%, attenuated vasodilation to SNP. Vasodilation to Br-cGMP was not affected by isoflurane. Halothane attenuated vasodilation to ACh, but had no effect on vasodilation to A23187, SNP, or Br-cGMP. We conclude that isoflurane attenuates endothelium-dependent vasodilation by impairing at least two distinct steps in the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway, the first being between endothelial increase of calcium and smooth muscle guanylate cyclase and the second being inhibition of soluble guanylate cyclase activity. These two steps appear to have different sensitivities to the effect of isoflurane. Halothane has an effect at the endothelial receptor level, but not any distal steps in the NO-cGMP pathway. (Anesth Analg 1997;84:278-84)
Real-time Path Planning Based on Certainty Grids Map in Complex Environments

This paper proposed the line-generating obstacle detecting method (LGODM) for path planning of mobile robot in complex environments with the support of certainty grids map which can be upbuilt by SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping). The LGODM can be applied to obstacles with any shape of it's outline. By this means, the local optimum problem is well resolved, also the mission of global path planning is decomposed into a series of phasic sub mission in real-time way during the running of mobile robot. In our research, uni-vector field tracking controller is applied to robot. The effectiveness and elegance of the LGODM is demonstrated by simulation studies. A number of test cases are presented, each shows a stable, smooth, reasonable and no oscillating path to the destination of mobile robot.
P-TEFb, a Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Controlling Elongation by RNA Polymerase II

The elongation phase of transcription by RNA polymerase II is one of the many steps during the generation of mature mRNAs that is subject to regulation. Shortly after initiation, RNA polymerase II comes under the control of negative transcription elongation factors, generally termed N-TEFs, and enters abortive elongation (51). During this postinitiation process, only short transcripts are generated that may be prematurely terminated. These short transcripts arise from transcription of many genes, including c-myb, c-myc, c-fos, HSP70, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) long terminal repeat (LTR), and are normally subject to rapid degradation (3, 63). Escape from the action of N-TEF requires the action of at least one positive transcription elongation factor (P-TEF), eventually identified as P-TEFb (52). P-TEFb allows the transition into productive elongation, producing long transcripts from which mRNAs are derived. In this way, the fraction of initiating RNA polymerase II molecules that produce full-length transcripts is controlled by a selection process that occurs early in the elongation phase of the transcription cycle. After the transition is made into productive elongation, the efficiency of elongation may be influenced by additional factors, including S-II, TFIIF, ELL, and elongin (62, 65).