Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PTA balloon catheter integrated electroactive polymer transducer for sensing vascular blockage and disturbing vessel plaques

This paper presents a novel ellipsoid-shaped soft and biocompatible device which can be integrated with a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon catheter for biomedical application. The device contains a 3-dimentional electroactive polymer core element and is packaged by PDMS with villi structure around the center region of the device (Fig. 1). The core element is made of ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) with a unique hollow design to allow the catheter passing through and can be anchored at an arbitrary position of the catheter. The core element possesses radial directional displacement and force sensing functions without using external electricity and can actuate the villi made on the PDMS housing of the device to generate forced perturbation. The ellipsoidal PDMS housing reduces flow resistance during operation and extends the device lifetime. The developed device detecting the fat accumulation around a blood vessel phantom is successfully demonstrated.
Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and progression of atherosclerosis.

AIMS To present data from the Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study (CLAS) and the Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study (MARS) demonstrating the relationship between triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and progression of atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS CLAS and MARS were randomized, placebo-controlled, arterial imaging trials designed to determine the effects of lipid lowering on the progress of atherosclerosis using coronary angiographic and carotid arterial wall intima-media thickness measurement end points. Included in each of these trials were specific measurements of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in addition to the traditional lipid measurements. CONCLUSIONS CLAS and MARS indicate that specific triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as VLDL, IDL, apolipoprotein B-containing lipoprotein particles (i.e. lipoprotein Bc), and markers of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism (i.e. apolipoprotein C-III) are significantly related to progression of atherosclerosis. These specific triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are associated with the progression of atherosclerosis independently of HDL cholesterol levels. Importantly, there appears to be a differential effect of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and cholesteryl-ester rich lipoproteins (i.e. LDL cholesterol) on the progression of mild/moderate and severe coronary artery lesions, respectively. This association not only suggests that certain risk factors may act early and others late in the athersclerotic process, but that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are associated with progression of the lesions (mild/moderate lesions) which are predominantly responsible for clinical coronary events.
Influence of pre- and postdiagnosis physical activity on mortality in breast cancer survivors: the health, eating, activity, and lifestyle study.

PURPOSE To investigate the association between pre- and postdiagnosis physical activity (as well as change in prediagnosis to postdiagnosis physical activity) and mortality among women with breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a prospective observational study of 933 women enrolled onto the Health, Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle Study who were diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer between 1995 and 1998 and observed until death or September 2004, whichever came first. The primary outcomes measured were total deaths and breast cancer deaths. The primary exposures were physical activity in the year before and 2 years after diagnosis and the pre- to postdiagnosis change in physical activity. RESULTS Compared with inactive women, the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) for total deaths for women expending at least 9 metabolic equivalent hours per week (approximately 2 to 3 h/wk of brisk walking) were 0.69 (95% CI, 0.45 to 1.06; P = .045) for those active in the year before diagnosis and 0.33 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.73; P = .046) for those active 2 years after diagnosis. Compared with women who were inactive both before and after diagnosis, women who increased physical activity after diagnosis had a 45% lower risk of death (HR = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.22 to 1.38), and women who decreased physical activity after diagnosis had a four-fold greater risk of death (HR = 3.95; 95% CI, 1.45 to 10.50). CONCLUSION Moderate-intensity physical activity after a diagnosis of breast cancer may improve prognosis.
Combination of radiofrequency ablation and sequential cellular immunotherapy improves progression‐free survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurs frequently after minimally invasive therapy. The aim of our study was to observe the efficiency and safety of the combined treatment of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with cellular immunotherapy (CIT) for HCC patients. In our study, 62 patients with HCC who were treated with radical RFA were divided into two groups: RFA alone (32 patients) and RFA/CIT (30 patients). Autologous mononuclear cells were collected from the peripheral blood and separated by apheresis, and then induced into natural killer (NK) cells, γδT cells and cytokine‐induced killer (CIK) cells. These cells were identified by flow cytometry with their specific antibodies and then were infused intravenously to RFA/CIT patients for three or six courses. The tumor recurrent status of these patients was evaluated with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging every 3 months after RFA. Progression‐free survival (PFS), liver function, viral load and adverse effects were examined. The results implied that PFS was higher in RFA/CIT group than that in RFA group. In RFA/CIT group, six courses had better survival prognosis than three courses. Viral load of hepatitis C was decreased in two of three patients without antiviral therapy in RFA/CIT group, but was increased in RFA group. No significant adverse reaction was found in the patients with CIT. In summary, these preliminary results suggest that combination of sequential CIT with RFA for HCC patients was efficient and safe, and may be helpful in the prevention of the recurrence for the patients with HCC after RFA.
M‐currents in frog sympathetic ganglion cells: manipulation of membrane phosphorylation

1 . The inward current and the M‐current (IM) suppression produced when muscarine is applied to frog sympathetic ganglion cells was recorded by means of the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. The holding potential was −30 mV and [K+]o was 6 mm. 2 . The steady‐state IM was maintained for at least 20 min when the patch pipette contained neither adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) nor adenosine 3′:5′‐cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Inclusion of these substances or the ATP antagonst, β,γ‐methyleneadenosine 5′‐triphosphate (β,γ‐MethATP; 1 or 2 nm) (failed to alter the rate of IM ‘run down’. By contrast, inclusion of adenosine‐5′‐O‐(3‐thiotriphosphate) (ATP‐γ‐S, 1 or 2 mm) resulted in a 60% reduction of the current within 18 min. 3 . Despite the inability of ATP‐γ‐S to maintain steady‐state IM, it had no effect on the ability of muscarine (2–100 μm) to suppress a constant fraction of the available current. ATP‐γ‐S and β,γ‐MethATP increased the rise time and duration of the response to muscarine. 4 . Inclusion of a phosphatase inhibitor, diphosphoglyceric acid (DPG, 1–2.5 mm) or alkaline phosphatase (100 μg ml−1) failed to affect the amplitude of muscarinic responses. 5 . These results question the role of the phosphorylation and/or dephosphorylation reactions in the transduction mechanism for muscarine‐induced IM suppression but are consistent with the possibility that M‐channels are ‘directly coupled’ via G‐protein to the muscarinic receptor.
Integrating User Customization and Authentication: The Identity Crisis

The integration of user customization with authentication follows four patterns. The local-user pattern tightly couples user authentication and customization. The external-user pattern loosely couples customization and authentication so that the customization module relies on the external authentication provider to authenticate users and return their unique identifiers. The local- + external-user pattern tightly couples customization to a local user account, but that account can be connected to multiple external authentication providers. Finally, the masked-external-user pattern requires extra effort to protect sensitive information about users' identity.
Alternative reliable techniques in femoral torsion measurement

The clinical and conventional bi-planar determinations of femoral torsion were compared with the tomographic technique, the reliability of which was confirmed. Femoral torsions were measured with the trochanteric prominence angle test, the sinus-wave bi-planar conventional radiographic technique, the modified Hermann bi-planar conventional radiographic technique and the limited three-dimensional volumetric tomography technique in 34 femora of 17 patients. There was a strong correlation between the modified Hermann and the limited tomography techniques for 14 intact and 20 fractured femora. If limited three-dimensional volumetric tomography cannot be obtained, the modified Hermann bi-planar conventional radiographic technique must be used in patients who have scarring about the proximal femur and obesity. Otherwise use of the trochanteric prominence angle test is much more cost-effective and is as accurate as the limited three-dimensional volumetric tomography technique.
SDN-based distributed mobility management for 5G

Distributed mobility management (DMM) is an attractive approach to address the mobile traffic explosion problem, and thus it is perceived as a promising technology for mobility management in 5G. In this paper, we propose a software-defined networking (SDN) approach for DMM (denoted by SDN-DMM). Unlike the existing approaches for DMM (i.e., network-based or terminal-based), SDN-DMM implements the location and handover management functions at the centralized SDN controller while the packet forwarding function is fully distributed at access routers. Therefore, SDN-DMM can achieve the packet forwarding path optimization and provide significant benefits in terms of network and traffic management.
Weighing in motion and wheel defect detection of rolling stock

The primary goal of this project is the development of a low cost track side system able to detect wheel defect impacts and to weigh the train in motion. Such a monitoring system may facilitate the infrastructure manager task of evaluating if the load applied to the tracks caused by passing trains, complies with the regulations. In this paper, the main technical aspects of this system are presented.
Assessment of WorldView-2 satellite-image fusion using Daubechies Wavelet transform

This paper aims to show an outline of transform Wavelet Daubechies, the main characteristics of them and subsequently exposed methodological form that was used in the development of experimental procedures were performed to apply RGB-HIS method together with ARSIS technique to fused WorldView-2 images, finally presents the results obtained with the application of this method using five filters associated to Wavelet Daubechies (db2, bd3, db4, db5 y db8) on five levels of decomposition.
Biochemical Characterization of the Equine Arteritis Virus Helicase Suggests a Close Functional Relationship between Arterivirus and Coronavirus Helicases

ABSTRACT The arterivirus equine arteritis virus nonstructural protein 10 (nsp10) has previously been predicted to contain a Zn finger structure linked to a superfamily 1 (SF1) helicase domain. A recombinant form of nsp10, MBP-nsp10, was produced in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with the maltose-binding protein. The protein was partially purified by affinity chromatography and shown to have ATPase activity that was strongly stimulated by poly(dT), poly(U), and poly(dA) but not by poly(G). The protein also had both RNA and DNA duplex-unwinding activities that required the presence of 5′ single-stranded regions on the partial-duplex substrates, indicating a 5′-to-3′ polarity in the unwinding reaction. Results of this study suggest a close functional relationship between the arterivirus nsp10 and the coronavirus helicase, for which NTPase and duplex-unwinding activities were recently demonstrated. In a number of biochemical properties, both arterivirus and coronavirus SF1 helicases differ significantly from the previously characterized RNA virus SF1 and SF2 enzymes. Thus, the combined data strongly support the idea that nidovirus helicases may represent a separate group of RNA virus-encoded helicases with distinct properties.
Évaluation de critères de durabilité des systèmes d'élevage de porc Gascon, en filière Noir de Bigorre

Avec la selection de races performantes, les races locales ont failli disparaitre au cours des dernieres decennies. La race gasconne s’est maintenue en filiere Noir de Bigorre (NDB), grâce a l’elaboration de produits a forte valeur ajoutee. Cette etude avait comme objectif de realiser une evaluation de criteres de durabilite de la filiere NDB suivant plusieurs methodologies : la methode IDEA 3 pour calculer des indicateurs economiques, l’Analyse de Cycle de Vie (ACV) pour evaluer l’impact environnemental, le programme Welfare Quality© pour estimer le bien-etre animal. Les impacts changement climatique, demande en energie et occupation des terres du kg de porc en filiere NDB sont superieurs a ceux de la filiere conventionnelle. Les impacts eutrophisation et acidification par ha utilise sont plus faibles qu’en elevage conventionnel et comparables a ceux des filieres traditionnelles francaises. Le score economique moyen de la filiere apparait globalement satisfaisant, mais masquent une variabilite entre elevages. Les performances techniques et la taille des elevages semblent importantes dans le resultat de durabilite. Les relativement grands elevages naisseurs-engraisseurs a bonne performances de reproduction presentent la meilleure durabilite economique et environnementale tandis que les naisseurs stricts et certains petits engraisseurs ont un score economique faible. Les scores de satisfaction au travail et de bien-etre animal sont globalement bons. Ces resultats pourront etre le point de depart d’une reflexion au sein de la filiere pour ameliorer sa durabilite globale.
Completeness metrics and the quality of the sauropodomorph fossil record through geological and historical time

Abstract Despite increasing concerns about the effect of sampling biases on our reading of the fossil record, few studies have considered the completeness of the fossil remains themselves, and those that have tend to apply non-quantitative measures of preservation quality. Here we outline two new types of metric for quantifying the completeness of the fossil remains of taxa through time, using sauropodomorph dinosaurs as a case study. The “Skeletal Completeness Metric” divides the skeleton up into percentages based on the amount of bone for each region, whereas the “Character Completeness Metric” is based on the number of characters that can be scored for each skeletal element in phylogenetic analyses. For both metrics we calculated the completeness of the most complete individual and of the type specimen. We also calculated how well the taxon as a whole is known from its remains. We then plotted these results against both geological and historical time, and compared curves of the former with fluctuations in sauropodomorph diversity, sea level, and sedimentary rock outcrop area. Completeness through the Mesozoic shows a number of peaks and troughs; the Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian) is the interval with highest completeness, whereas the mid-to-Late Cretaceous has completeness levels that are consistently lower than the rest of the Mesozoic. Completeness shows no relationship to rock outcrop area, but it is negatively correlated with sea level during the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous and correlated with diversity in the Cretaceous. Completeness of sauropodomorph type specimens has improved from 1830 to the present, supporting the conclusions of other recent studies. However, when this time interval is partitioned, we find no trend for an increase in completeness from the 1990s onward. Moreover, the 2000s represent one of the poorest decades in terms of average type specimen completeness. These results highlight the need for quantitative methods when assessing fossil record quality through geological time or when drawing conclusions about historical trends in the completeness of taxa. The new metrics may also prove useful as sampling proxies in diversity studies.
Unintentional victims: Development of a protocol for the care of children exposed to chemicals at methamphetamine laboratories

In 1999, the staff at Primary Children’s Medical Center Emergency Department (PCMC ED) noticed an increase in the number of children being brought in either by the police or by the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS). These children had been found at homes where a methamphetamine laboratory had been raided. When this began, there was confusion and frustration among those involved as to how to provide care for these children. Also, the staff was not familiar with the toxic chemicals involved or with the complicated social issues associated with methamphetamine abuse.
Dynamic Approach for Secure Data Publishing in Mining

More than a few anonymization techniques, such as simplification and bucketization, have been deliberate for privacy protecting micro data publishing. Current work has shown that generalization loses substantial quantity of in sequence, particularly for high-dimensional data. Bucketization, on the other offer, does not put off membership revelation and does not apply for data that do not have a clear partition between quasi- recognizing attributes and perceptive attributes. In this nearby a novel technique called slicing, which partitions the information both horizontally and vertically? We demonstrate that slicing conserves better data effectiveness than simplification and can be used for association revelation protection. Another significant benefit of slicing is that it can handle high-dimensional data. Slicing can be used for attribute revelation protection and develop an efficient algorithm for computing the sliced data that go behind the l-diversity requirement. The workload experiments confirm that slicing preserves better utility than generalization and is more effective than bucketization in workloads connecting the sensitive attribute. Our research also demonstrates that slicing can be used to prevent membership disclosure.
Estudio antropológico de un individuo hallado en el edificio religioso medieval de la plaza Eduardo de Castro (Astorga, España). ¿Muerte accidental o intencionada?

Astorga (León, Spain) is one of the most ancient Christian bishopric in the Iberian Peninsula. There are not many remains form the Early Christian period in this geographical area. Nevertheless, the discovery of a church during the archaeological works around the Gothic Cathedral constitutes the oldest testimony of Christian building in the city. During these archaeological works, a human male body was found on the floor of the church. It was named Individual number 6, and his death is the principal aim of this paper. Distinguishing between perimorten and postmorten fractures is not an easy task due to the key macroscopic characteristics which can be appreciated in perimortem fractures to differentiate from the postmortem ones. However, a link is made between the time of dead and the lesion which is extremely difficult. The dampness of the bone has lasted after the time of death, thus showing similar properties such as fresh skeletal tissue. For this reason, it is necessary take care of intrinsic and extrinsic evidence in order to analyse the cause of death. In this work-study, an approximation of the cause of death of number 6, stresses the importance of the interaction between physical anthropology and archaeology with the aim of interpreting the events of these characteristics. (1) Área de Antropología Física. Facultad de CC. Biológicas y Ambientales. Universidad de León. Susana Gómez González. Área de Antropología Física. Facultad de CC. Biológicas y Ambientales. Universidad de León. Campus de Vegazana s/n. 24007-León, España. sgomg@unileon.es (2) Arqueólogo. https://doi.org/10.21630/maa.2018. 69.15 Estudio antropológico de un individuo hallado en el edificio religioso medieval de la plaza Eduardo de Castro (Astorga, España). ¿Muerte accidental o intencionada? Recibido: 2018-05-29 Aceptado: 2018-03-12 Anthropological study on an individual found out in the mediaeval religious building of the Eduardo de Castro Square (Astorga, Spain). Accidental or intentional death? PALABRAS CLAVES: Estratigrafía, fractura, perimortem, postmortem, carbonización. GAKO-HITZAK: Estratigrafia, haustura, perimortem, postmortem, karbonizazioa.
Towards an efficient implementation of sequential Montgomery Multiplication

A method to generate efficient implementations of sequential Montgomery Multiplication (MM) is proposed. It is applied to radix-2 MM, but could be used for other radices. An efficient solution is obtained when inactive adders in a cycle are re-assigned to perform useful computation. The resulting hardware algorithm and architecture accelerate the modular multiplication by looking ahead the input data of two iterations and in some cases compressing two iterations in one, without increasing the iteration time too much. Experiments show 33.6% average reduction in clock cycles when proposed multiplier is applied to implement modular exponentiation in the 2048-bit RSA cryptosystem.
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By changing the three-dimensional structure, a protein can attain new functions, distinct from those of the native protein. Amyloid-forming proteins are one example, in which conformational change may lead to fibril formation and, in many cases, neurodegenerative disease. We have proposed that partial unfolding provides a mechanism to generate new and useful functional variants from a given polypeptide chain. Here we present HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells) as an example where partial unfolding and the incorporation of cofactor create a complex with new, beneficial properties. Native a-lactalbumin functions as a substrate specifier in lactose synthesis, but when partially unfolded the protein binds oleic acid and forms the tumoricidal HAMLET complex. When the properties of HAMLET were first described they were surprising, as protein folding intermediates and especially amyloid-forming protein intermediates had been regarded as toxic conformations, but since then structural studies have supported functional diversity arising from a change in fold. The properties of HAMLET suggest a mechanism of structure-function variation, which might help the limited number of human protein genes to generate sufficient structural diversity to meet the diverse functional demands of complex organisms.