Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dual renin-angiotensin system blockade and vascular remodeling: is this a real advantage for vascular protection?

E ssential hypertension is characterized by increased peripheral vascular resistance to blood flow particularly in younger individuals. Resistance arteries undergo vascular remodeling (reduced vascular lumen with increased media thickness) that may be functional, mechanical, and/or structural [1,2]. Small decreases in the lumen diameter significantly increase resistance to blood flow. Increased media-to-lumen ratio (M/L) is the most reproducible parameter of vascular remodeling of resistance arteries [1,3]. Interestingly, an increased M/L ratio of subcutaneous small resistance arteries is a potent predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with increased blood pressure values [4–6] and different cardiovascular risk [4,5]. In hypertensive patients, it is thought that increased M/L ratio could be the earliest alteration that occurs in the vasculature [7] and may precede endothelial dysfunction [7,8]. The extent of structural alterations in subcutaneous small resistance arteries is particularly pronounced in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [9] or obesity [10–12]. Thus, the association of several cardiovascular risk factors may have a synergistic, deleterious effect on the microcirculation. Furthermore, the remodeled resistance arteries are the sites of origin of most of the wave reflections that travel backward toward the heart, contributing to the stiffness of large arteries and the increased central SBP. Despite the evidence that M/L ratio of small arteries evaluated by micromyography has a strong prognostic significance, its evaluation on a large scale, however, is limited by the local invasiveness of the assessment [13]. Therefore, the development of new, noninvasive
The effect of the frequency offset on the probability of miss in a packet modem using CFAR detection method [satellite communication]

The effect of frequency offset on the probability of miss for a packet radio modem, using the constant false alarm rate (CFAR) preamble detection scheme, is analyzed. The expression for the probability of miss for the general case, i.e., where there is a frequency offset, is derived. This general expression is then used to derive the expressions for the false alarm rate and the probability of miss for the special case where the frequency offset is negligible. Several graphs depicting the probability of miss for different values of signal-to-noise ratio and frequency offset are also included. >
Effect of Pregnancy on Maternal Asthma Symptoms and Medication Use

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether factors related to the patient or her treatment influence asthma severity during pregnancy. METHODS: Symptom and medication data were collected by in-person and telephone interviews. Women were recruited before 24 weeks of gestation through private obstetricians and hospital clinics. Eight hundred seventy-two women had physician-diagnosed asthma, 686 were active asthmatics, and 641 with complete data were analyzed. The Global Initiative for Asthma measured severity. Cumulative logistic regression models for repeated measures assessed changes in asthma severity during each month of pregnancy. RESULTS: Two factors had significant and profound effects on the course of asthma: prepregnancy severity and use of medication according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines. Although several factors were analyzed (race, age, atopic status, body mass index, parity, fetal sex, and smoking), none were significant risk factors for changes in asthma severity, measured in a clinically important way as a one-step change in Global Initiative for Asthma category. Women with milder asthma received most benefit from appropriate treatment, 62% decreased risk for worsening asthma among those with intermittent asthma (0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.23–0.64) and 52% decreased risk among those with mild persistent asthma (odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.28–0.84). Month or trimester of gestation was not consistently associated with changes in asthma severity. CONCLUSION: Asthma severity during pregnancy is similar to severity in the year before pregnancy, provided patients continue to use their prescribed medication. If women discontinue medication, even mild asthma is likely to become significantly more severe. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Context of a Moral Economy: Dilemma for Developing Countries (Case of Georgia)

Abstract This research discusses the role of social entrepreneurship as an important feature of the moral economy, i.e., a socially responsible business practice. Developing countries, e.g., Georgia, a post-Soviet country, differ from those in the West in this aspect. The author aims to identify peculiarities of social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility of Georgian businesses. Desk research provides conceptual analysis of the existing quantitative and qualitative studies, based on prominent scientists’ works in economics and entrepreneurship. A “moral economy” understands business activities as “social services. ” Social responsibility is a business’s moral framework, suggesting a company’s obligation to generate social benefit. Social entrepreneurship combines the best practices from the nonprofit and for-profit activities to tackle social needs poorly addressed by businesses and governments. Social entrepreneurship is a relatively new phenomenon in post-Soviet countries, where nongovernmental organizations help in solving many social problems, but their efforts are typically insufficient. Entrepreneurs must find a balance between a company’s success, employees’ needs, and environmental and social stability. These three priorities form the foundations of corporate social responsibility. Economic history provides many examples of moral standards driving the stability of a socio-economic system and profitability of companies with macroeconomic and microeconomic positive impacts. Companies operating in Georgia spend their funds on social projects and charity; moreover, such socially oriented activities are sometimes chaotic. Companies need to implement social responsibility projects as part of their business plans. Strengthening corporate social responsibility could thus support development of social entrepreneurship.
Design for Testability Using Architectural Descriptions

This paper presents techniques to utilize high-level structural, functional and register-transjer information to perform design-for-testability (DFT}. An automatic tool which utilizes VHDL descriptions of the datapath and control unit of sequential circuits to make an intelligent selection of scan pip-pops is described. This DFT tool ADEPT can make design enhancements early in the design phase. Results on four hard-to-test circuits show that very high fault coverages can be achieved by both a gate-level and a high-level test generator on these circuits after scan selection. Fewer scan jlip-flops were chosen as compared to a gate-level partial scan selection.
On adapting a small PM wind Generator for a multiblade, high solidity wind turbine

This paper explores the design space that exists between multiblade, high-solidity water-pumping turbines and modern high-speed two and three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). In particular, it compares the features and performance of a small 12-bladed, high-solidity HAWT to that of a modern three-bladed HAWT. It also outlines a procedure for adapting a small PM wind generator, intended for high-speed operation with a three-bladed HAWT for low-speed operation with a 12-bladed, high-solidity HAWT. This is achieved through a detailed analysis of the effects of several minor changes to the nominal design of the machine. The redesigned machine is shown to be capable of delivering rated power at the reduced speed required by the 12-bladed HAWT, while operating at good efficiency. The overall system performance of the 12-bladed HAWT, coupled to the redesigned wind generator, is shown to be satisfactory. Experimental validation is provided.
Imaging-Genomics Study Of Head-Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Associations Between Radiomic Phenotypes And Genomic Mechanisms Via Integration Of TCGA And TCIA

Purpose Recent data suggest that imaging radiomics features for a tumor could predict important genomic biomarkers. Understanding the relationship between radiomic and genomic features is important for basic cancer research and future patient care. For Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), we perform a comprehensive study to discover the imaging-genomics associations and explore the potential of predicting tumor genomic alternations using radiomic features. Methods Our retrospective study integrates whole-genome multi-omics data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with matched computed tomography imaging data from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) for the same set of 126 HNSCC patients. Linear regression analysis and gene set enrichment analysis are used to identify statistically significant associations between radiomic imaging features and genomic features. Random forest classifier is used to predict two key HNSCC molecular biomarkers, the status of human papilloma virus (HPV) and disruptive TP53 mutation, based on radiomic features. Results Wide-spread and statistically significant associations are discovered between genomic features (including miRNA expressions, protein expressions, somatic mutations, and transcriptional activities, copy number variations, and promoter region DNA methylation changes of pathways) and radiomic features characterizing the size, shape, and texture of tumor. Prediction of HPV and TP53 mutation status using radiomic features achieves an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.71 and 0.641, respectively. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that radiomic features are associated with genomic characteristics in HNSCC and provides justification for continued development of radiomics as biomarkers for relevant genomic alterations in HNSCC.
Transforming growth factor beta in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hypothesized to be an inflammatory condition. We hypothesized that anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), counteract the inflammatory process. In the present study, we found that TGF-beta levels were elevated in both cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples obtained from AD patients < 6 h after death. Serum TGF-beta levels were also markedly elevated before death. These results suggest that elevated TGF-beta levels in AD may represent a protective host response to immunologically mediated neuronal injury.
Drowning deaths of U.S. Service personnel associated with motor vehicle accidents occurring in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, 2003-2005.

OBJECTIVE We examined common factors in vehicular drowning deaths that might lead to changes in equipment or training. METHODS Drowning deaths among service members deployed to Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, 2003 to 2005, were ascertained using the Armed Forces Medical Examiner Tracking System database. Cases were linked to Army and Navy safety and investigative files. RESULTS Fifty-two cases of vehicular drowning deaths were identified. These occurred mostly at night, were almost always the result of a rollover, and were most frequently associated with a high-mobility medium-weight vehicle. Seat belts were rarely worn, but the majority of injuries should not have been severe enough to affect egress from the vehicle. These drowning deaths seldom occurred while engaged with the enemy and were rarely associated with bad road conditions or bad weather. CONCLUSIONS Effective preventive strategies might focus on training and equipment to reduce rollover events and on the expeditious extrication of victims.
Strengthening the Link Between Seniority and Accountability: The Senior Managers and Certification Regime

The Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) promotes the safety and soundness of regulated financial services firms and financial stability by strengthening the link between seniority and accountability. It seeks to address the concern that some senior bankers avoided accountability during the financial crisis by claiming ignorance or hiding behind collective decision-making processes. At the core of the SM&CR is a requirement for firms covered by the regime to identify and set out the responsibilities of their most senior decision-makers, who are accountable for actions falling in their area of responsibility. To enhance governance at regulated firms, the SM&CR will be extended in full from December 2018 to cover insurers as well as banking institutions.
Traitement sémantique par analyse distributionnelle des noms transdisciplinaires des écrits scientifiques

Dans cette étude sur le lexique transdisciplinaire des écrits scientifiques, nous souhaitons évaluer dans quelle mesure les méthodes distributionnelles de TAL peuvent faciliter la tâche du linguiste dans le traitement sémantique de ce lexique. Après avoir défini le champ lexical et les corpus exploités, nous testons plusieurs méthodes basées sur des dépendances syntaxiques et observons les proximités sémantiques et les classes établies. L’hypothèse que certaines relations syntaxiques - en particulier les relations de sous-catégorisation – sont plus appropriées pour établir des classements sémantiques n’apparaît qu’en partie vérifiée. Si les relations de sous-catégorisation génèrent des proximités sémantiques entre les mots de meilleure qualité, cela ne semble pas le cas pour la classification par voisinage.
Decreased aggression and increased repetitive behavior in Pten haploinsufficient mice

Aggression is an aspect of social behavior that can be elevated in some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a concern for peers and caregivers. Mutations in Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), one of several ASD risk factors encoding negative regulators of the PI3K–Akt–mTOR pathway, have been reported in individuals with ASD and comorbid macrocephaly. We previously showed that a mouse model of Pten germline haploinsufficiency (Pten+/−) has selective deficits, primarily in social behavior, along with broad overgrowth of the brain. Here, we further examine the social behavior of Pten+/− male mice in the resident–intruder test of aggression, using a comprehensive behavioral analysis to obtain an overall picture of the agonistic, non‐agonistic and non‐social behavior patterns of Pten+/− mice during a free interaction with a novel conspecific. Pten+/− male mice were involved in less aggression than their wild‐type littermates. Pten+/− mice also performed less social investigation, including anogenital investigation and approaching and/or attending to the intruder, which is consistent with our previous finding of decreased sociability in the social approach test. In contrast to these decreases in social behaviors, Pten+/− mice showed increased digging. In summary, we report decreased aggression and increased repetitive behavior in Pten+/− mice, thus extending our characterization of this model of an ASD risk factor that features brain overgrowth and social deficits.
Exact Chirped Soliton Solutions for the One-Dimensional Gross– Pitaevskii Equation with Time-Dependent Parameters

The Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) describing the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate at absolute zero temperature, is a generalized form of the nonlinear Schr¨odinger equation. In this work, the exact bright one-soliton solution of the one-dimensional GPE with time-dependent parameters is directly obtained by using the well-known Hirota method under the same conditions as in S. Rajendran et al., Physica D 239, 366 (2010). In addition, the two-soliton solution is also constructed effectively
Ipilimumab versus placebo after complete resection of stage III melanoma: Initial efficacy and safety results from the EORTC 18071 phase III trial.

LBA9008 Background: Ipilimumab (Ipi), a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 to augment antitumor immune responses, is an approved treatment for advanced melanoma. Here, we report the results of a phase III trial designed to evaluate Ipi as an adjuvant therapy for resected stage III melanoma at high risk of recurrence. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind trial, eligible patients (pts) included those ≥18 yrs of age who underwent complete resection of stage III cutaneous melanoma (excluding lymph node metastasis ≤1 mm or in-transit metastasis). 951 pts were randomized (stratified by stage and region) 1:1 to receive Ipi 10 mg/kg (n=475) or placebo (Pbo, n=476) every 3 wks for 4 doses, then every 3 mos for up to 3 yrs until completion, disease recurrence, or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS), analyzed on the intent-to-treat population. 512 RFS events (recurrence or death) were needed to provide 90% power to detect an Ipi vs Pbo hazard ratio (HR) of 0.75 (2-sided α=5%). RESULTS Overall, 20%/44%/36% of pts had stage IIIA/IIIB/IIIC, 42% ulcerated primary, and 58% macroscopic lymph node involvement. At a median follow-up of 2.7 yrs, Ipi significantly improved RFS vs Pbo. RFS benefit was consistent across subgroups (e.g., stage IIIB or IIIC, ulcerated primary). Most common grade 3/4 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in the Ipi and Pbo arms were gastrointestinal (15.9% vs 0.8%), hepatic (10.6% vs 0.2%), and endocrine (8.5% vs 0%). Most irAEs were managed and resolved using established algorithms. Of 471 pts who started Ipi, 245 (52%) discontinued treatment due to AEs [182 (38.6%) within 12 weeks]; 5 (1.1%) died due to drug-related AEs. CONCLUSIONS In this phase III trial, Ipi as adjuvant therapy provided a clinically and statistically significant improvement in RFS vs Pbo for pts with stage III melanoma at high risk of recurrence. AE profile was generally consistent with that observed in advanced melanoma, although with a higher incidence of endocrinopathies. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION NCT00636168. EudraCT Number: 2007-001974-10. [Table: see text].
Draft Genome Sequence of Psychrotrophic Acinetobacter sp. Strain MN12 (MTCC 10786), Which Produces a Low-Temperature-Active and Alkaline-Stable Peptidase

ABSTRACT We report here the draft genome sequence of Acinetobacter sp. strain MN12 (MTCC 10786), which is a psychrotrophic bacterium that produces an extracellular low-temperature-active and alkaline-stable peptidase. The draft genome assembly of Acinetobacter sp. MN12 has a size of 4.31 Mbp, with a G+C content of 40.75%.
Réflexion et conversion d'une onde de Lamb à l'extrémité biseautée d'une plaque

Ce travail est consacre a l'etude de l'interaction d'ondes de Lamb avec un biseau. L'objectif est d'identifier les differents modes propagatifs issus de la conversion de l'onde incidente sur l'extremite biseautee d'une plaque et d'evaluer l'energie transportee par chaque mode. Dans un premier temps, cette etude est realisee experimentalement sur une plaque d'acier inoxydable. Les bilans d'energie sont deduits des mesures des deplacements en surface par interferometrie laser. Ils sont corriges pour tenir compte de la diffraction des ondes ultrasonores. Un modele theorique, base sur une decomposition modale, est ensuite mis en œuvre afin de justifier les resultats precedents. Le calcul des coefficients de reflexion en energie a ete mene dans le cas des modes de Lamb A0, S0 et A1 incidents sur des extremites biseautees de 65 a 90° pour un produit frequence-epaisseur FE variant de 1 a 4 MHz.mm. Les bilans quantitatifs obtenus par cette methode valident les resultats experimentaux. Le calcul theorique met en evidence l'importance des « modes complexes » existant dans la plaque. Une simulation par elements finis a montre leur influence sur les reflexions et a permis d'evaluer a quelle distance du biseau les modes de Lamb se propagent seuls. Enfin, une etude est effectuee pour decrire l'influence d'un biseau sur le comportement du « mode de bout », phenomene particulier pouvant se produire a l'extremite d'une plaque dans une gamme frequentielle etroite lorsque le mode de Lamb S0 est incident.
Revised Dependencydirected Backtracking for Default Reasoning

Default reasoning is a useful inference technique which involves choosing a single context in which further inferences are to be made. If this choice is incorrect, the context may need to be switched. Dependency-directed backtracking provides a method for such context switching. Doyle's algorithm for dependency-directed backtracking is revised to allow context switching to be guided by the calling inference system using domain knowledge. This new backtracking mechanism has been implemented as part of software for developing expert systems.
A systematic approach towards manufacturing health management

The complex and dynamic nature of the modern manufacturing environments place an additional burden on the management of system health and maintenance of machineries. In this paper, we propose an integrated solution to fault diagnostics and prognostics that aims to facilitate system health management in a manufacturing environment. The proposed solution addresses the drawbacks of the commonly adopted practice of reactive fault diagnostics approach, in particular: (1) the reusability of the previously developed diagnostics techniques; (2) the loss of time and efforts to revisit previous issues due to lack of central management system; and (3) the lack of mechanism to perform diagnostics knowledge retention. We achieve these objectives in our system through the use of two-pronged approach: (1) the modularization of commonly used analytics algorithms; and (2) the abstraction of the analysis process. The applicability of our proposed solution is demonstrated on the fault diagnostics of a machine fault simulator. From the experimental results, we firmly believe that we have a viable system oriented solution to the underlying problems in providing diagnostics for modern manufacturing environment.
Effects of CYP2D6 Genotype on the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety of Risperidone in Healthy Volunteers

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between CYP2D6 genotype and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of risperidone. Seventy-one healthy volunteers (36 women and 35 men) received a 1-mg single oral dose of risperidone. Six major CYP2D6 polymorphisms (CYP2D6*3, *4, *5, *6, *7, and *9) and the duplication were detected. Subjects were classified into 4 phenotypic groups: 6 ultrarapid (UMs), 34 extensive (EMs), 25 intermediate (IMs), and 6 poor metabolizers (PMs). There was a clear relationship between the number of active alleles and the pharmacokinetic parameters for risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone, but there were no differences for total active moiety. Area under the curve and half-life of risperidone were significantly higher in PMs and IMs compared with EMs and UMs, which showed higher area under the curve of 9-hydroxyrisperidone. Risperidone produced a small decrease in blood pressure, a mild increase in QTc and a quick increase in prolactin, without significant differences between groups. Surprisingly, the incidence of adverse reactions was lower in PMs (50%) than in other subjects (78%). In conclusion, metabolism of risperidone depends on the number of active CYP2D6 alleles. So, PM subjects show higher concentrations of risperidone and very low concentrations of 9-hydroxyrisperidone. On the contrary, EM and UM subjects show low concentrations of risperidone and high concentrations of 9-hydroxyrisperidone. However, no major pharmacodynamic differences are observed between CYP2D6 genotypes, presumably because of the similar pharmacological activity of parent drug and metabolite.