Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Repeated Incremental Workbouts Separated by 1 Hour Increase the Electromyographic Fatigue Threshold.

Bremer, N, Peoples, G, Hasler, B, Litzenburg, R, Johnson, A, and Malek, MH. Repeated incremental workbouts separated by 1 hour increase the electromyographic fatigue threshold. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-Studies examining the influence of priming, for continuous exercise, have mainly focused on improved exercise capacity related to oxygen uptake kinetics rather than on neuromuscular fatigue of the muscle. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine whether or not the electromyographic fatigue threshold (EMGFT) could be modulated by having subjects perform 2 incremental tests separated by 1 hour. We hypothesized that the EMGFT determined from the second incremental test would be higher than the EMGFT determined from the first incremental test. Nine healthy college-aged men (mean ± SEM: age: 23.8 ± 0.6 years; body mass: 79.5 ± 3.3 kg; height: 1.78 ± 0.02 m) were recruited from the university population. Each subject visited the laboratory on 1 occasion and performed 2 incremental single-leg knee-extensor ergometry to voluntary fatigue separated by 1 hour. The EMGFT was determined for each trial and statistically compared using paired-samples t-test. The results indicated significant mean differences between the EMGFT for the 2 trials (trial 1: 27 ± 1 W vs. trial 2: 34 ± 2 W; p = 0.001), whereas there were no significant mean differences for maximal power output (trial 1: 53 ± 2 W vs. trial 2: 57 ± 2; p = 0.09). These findings suggest that postactivation potentiation may, in part, explain the differences in EMGFT because the exercise mode used in the current study minimizes the cardiorespiratory responses to exercise.
Ticagrelor suppresses oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced endothelial cell apoptosis and alleviates atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice via downregulation of PCSK9

Although ticagrelor has been demonstrated to possess an anti-atherosclerosis (AS) effect, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, it was investigated whether ticagrelor reduces oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced endothelial cell apoptosis, an initial step for the development of AS, and alleviates AS in apolipoprotein-E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice by inhibiting the expression of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). The human endothelial cell line EAhy926 was treated with ox-LDL, ox-LDL + ticagrelor (40 µmol/l) and ox-LDL + ticagrelor (60 µmol/l) for 24 h. Cell apoptosis was detected using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining. The expression levels of PCSK9, apoptosis-associated proteins and signaling pathways were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. ApoE−/− mice fed a high-fat diet were used to induce an AS model. After 20 weeks, ApoE−/− mice were randomly assigned to receive saline or ticagrelor intragastrically for 10 days. The formation of atherosclerotic plaques was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of PCSK9 in the arterial tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that treatment with ticagrelor was able to decrease ox-LDL-induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner (40 µmol/l vs. ox-LDL, 17.58±2.66 vs. 27.25±5.54%; 60 µmol/l vs. ox-LDL, 12.26±1.54 vs. 27.25±5.54%). The mRNA and protein expression level of PCSK9 significantly decreased following treatment with ticagrelor, accompanied with upregulation of B-cell lymphoma (Bcl) 2 and downregulation of Bcl-2 associated X, apoptosis regulator, caspase-3, p38, phosphorylated-(p) p38, p-c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), p-extracellular signal-regulated kinases and the ratio of p-JNK to JNK. Histological analysis of arterial tissues revealed ticagrelor markedly decreased the atherosclerotic plaque area and inhibited the expression of PCSK9. The present results suggested that ticagrelor may alleviate AS via downregulation of PCSK9-mediated endothelial cell apoptosis, which may be JNK-dependent.
Génération de colonnes et réseaux de capteurs sans fil

Les reseaux de capteurs sans fil connaissent un succes croissant pour la surveillance des environnements hostiles ou difficilement accessibles, comme les theâtres d'operations militaires, la prevention des incendies de forets ou la surveillance des fonds marins pour la prevision des tsunamis. Dans de tels environnements, les capteurs sont souvent positionnees de maniere peu precise (ils peuvent etre largues par parachute). Afin de compenser ce deploiement un peu aleatoire, le nombre des capteurs utilises est surdimensionne. Cela permet egalement d'augmenter la tolerance aux fautes car les cibles sont couvertes par plusieurs capteurs. Chaque capteur est alimente par une batterie dont la charge est limitee, et que l'on ne peut generalement pas remplacer. Une utilisation intelligence de l'energie disponible de chaque capteur est donc un levier majeur de l'augmentation de la duree de vie du reseau. La technique la plus communement utilisee pour augmenter la duree de vie du reseau consiste a tirer parti de la redondance de capteurs. Ceux-ci sont regroupes dans des ensembles (non necessairement disjoints) de sorte que les capteurs d'un meme ensemble couvrent toutes les cibles. Ces ensembles sont appeles des covers. Les covers sont actives sequentiellement de facon mutuellement exclusive : a chaque instant, seuls les capteurs appartenant au cover actif sont utilises, les autres capteurs etant en veille. Cette strategie permet d'augmenter considerablement la duree de vie du reseau pour deux raisons : la premiere est qu'un capteur en veille consomme beaucoup moins d'energie qu'un capteur actif, la seconde tient au fait que les batteries ont une duree de vie superieure lorsqu'elles sont utilisees de facon fractionnee plutot qu'en une seule fois. Plusieurs variantes du probleme d'ordonnancement des capteurs dans les reseaux sans fil (WSNSP Wireless Sensor Network Scheduling Problem) peuvent etre abordees avec des methodes a base de generation de colonnes.
Complications From Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheters: A Canadian Observational Cohort Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE Clinical practice guidelines discourage the use of central venous catheters (CVCs) for vascular access in dialysis. However, some patients have inadequate vessels for arteriovenous fistula creation or choose to use a dialysis catheter. The risks associated with CVC use and their relationship to patient age are poorly characterized. STUDY DESIGN Observational retrospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Cohort of 1,041 patients older than 18 years from 5 Canadian dialysis programs who initiated outpatient maintenance hemodialysis therapy with a tunneled CVC between 2004 and 2012 and who had no creation of an arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft. EXPOSURES Age, sex, body size, initiating dialysis therapy in the hospital, and comorbid conditions. OUTCOMES CVC-related procedures, hospitalization, and death. ANALYTICAL APPROACH Complications were reported as a cumulative risk at 1 and 2 years. Cox proportional hazards regression for recurrent events was used to evaluate risk factors for study outcomes. RESULTS At 1 year, risks for CVC-related bacteremia, malfunction, and central stenosis were 9%, 15%, and 2%, respectively. Risks for any CVC-related complication at 1 and 2 years were 30% and 38%, respectively. Death related to CVC complications occurred in 6 of 1,041 (0.5%) patients. Compared with patients younger than 60 years, patients aged 70 to 79 and those 80 years or older experienced lower rates of CVC complications: HRs of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.52-0.85; P = 0.001) and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.52-0.92; P = 0.01), respectively. LIMITATIONS This Canadian dialysis population may not be representative of populations in other countries. CVC use was not compared with other types of hemodialysis vascular access. CONCLUSIONS Approximately one-third of hemodialysis patients who used tunneled CVCs during 1 to 2 years experienced complications. Bacteremia occurred in ∼9% of patients at 1 year and were the most common cause of CVC-related hospitalizations. CVC-related death was infrequent. This information could be used to communicate the risk for CVC complications to patients treated with this type of hemodialysis vascular access.
Implementation of different feeding regimes and flashing light in broiler chicks

ABSTRACT A 3 × 2 factorial arrangement was implemented to determine the performance of 450 Cobb broilers subjected to different feeding regimes with and without lighting programs. The chicks were divided into 3 groups according to the feeding regime (ad libitum, restricted, or intermittent), and each group was reared under one of two lighting programs (100% continuous light or 50% continuous light and 50% flashing light). The results showed that the broilers under the ad libitum and intermittent feeding regimes had superior body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) values and the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) at 3 and 6 wk of age. Broilers exposed to flashing light and an intermittent feeding regime had the highest BW and ADG values and the lowest FCR. Birds exposed to intermittent feeding had the highest dressed carcass weight and the lowest heart weight. Broilers reared with flashing light had higher tenderness and juiciness values than the other groups. Broilers subjected to a restricted feeding regime and flashing light had the lowest abdominal fat values of all the groups. Tenderness and juiciness were significantly higher in broilers subjected to the ad libitum feeding regime × flashing light and the intermittent feeding regime × flashing light. Broilers fed an intermittent regime had the lowest spleen %, heterophil, heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and body temperature values of all the groups, and broilers reared under the intermittent regime × flashing light had the lowest spleen %, H/L ratio and body temperature values. Non‐significant differences in all health aspects (shank length, keel bone length, foot pad burns, breast blisters score, hock discoloration, and mortality) were observed among the experimental groups. In conclusion, intermittent and restricted feeding regimes and a flashing lighting program improved the FCR and did not produce any adverse effects on performance or physiological parameters. The results of this work show that intermittent feeding and flashing lighting programs are more beneficial to broiler management.
Estudio biométrico estacional de Emiliania huxleyi en la bahía de Blanes y su relación con los cambios en la ácidez de las aguas

Trabajo final presentado por Almudena Trapero Lopez para el Master en Ciencias del Mar: Oceanografia y Gestion del Medio Marino de la Universitat de Barcelona (UB), realizado bajo la direccion del Dr. Carles Pelejero Bou y de la Dra. Lluisa Cros Miguel del Institut de Ciencies del Mar (ICM-CSIC). -- 29 pages
The atypical MAPK ERK3 potently suppresses melanoma cell growth and invasiveness

Mitogen‐activated protein kinase 6 (MAPK6) represents an atypical MAPK also known as extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 3 (ERK3), which has been shown to play roles in cell motility and metastasis. ERK3 promotes migration and invasion of lung cancer cells and head and neck cancer cells by regulating the expression and/or activity of proteins involved in cancer progression. For instance, ERK3 upregulates matrix metallopeptidases and thereby promotes cancer cell invasiveness, and it phosphorylates tyrosyl‐DNA phosphodiesterase 2, thereby enhancing chemoresistance in lung cancer. Here we discovered that ERK3 plays a converse role in melanoma. We observed that BRAF, an oncogenic Ser/Thr kinase, upregulates ERK3 expression levels by increasing both ERK3 messenger RNA levels and protein stability. Interestingly, although BRAF's kinase activity was required for upregulating ERK3 gene transcription, BRAF stabilized ERK3 protein in a kinase‐independent fashion. We further demonstrate that ERK3 inhibits the migration, proliferation and colony formation of melanoma cells. In line with this, high level of ERK3 predicted increased survival among patients with melanomas. Taken together, these results indicate that ERK3 acts as a potent suppressor of melanoma cell growth and invasiveness.
New antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia

Purpose of review This review provides the rationale for the development of new antibiotics to treat community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). It also provides an overview of the new antibiotics targeting CAP that have recently received approval by the regulatory agencies, and those antibiotics that are in the development pipeline. Recent findings CAP is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization and carries a significant morbidity and risk of mortality. Increasing antibiotic resistance amongst the common bacterial pathogens associated with CAP, especially staphylococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae, has made the empiric treatment of this infection increasingly problematic. Moreover, failure of initial empiric therapy to cover the causative agents associated with CAP can be associated with worse clinical outcomes. There have been several antibiotics newly approved or in development for the treatment of CAP. These agents include delafloxacin, omadacycline, lefamulin, solithromycin, nemonoxacin, and ceftaroline. Their major advantages include activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and macrolide-resistant Strep. pneumoniae. Summary CAP continues to be an important infection because of its impact on patient outcomes especially in the elderly and immunocompromised hosts. The availability of new antibiotics offers an opportunity for enhanced empiric treatment of the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens associated with CAP.
SOL: Segmentation with Overlapping Labels

Image segmentation is a fundamental problem in Computer Vision which involves segmenting an image into two or more segments. These segments usually correspond to objects of interest in the image, i.e. liver, kidney’s etc. The classic approach to this problem segments the image into mutually exclusive segments. However, this approach is not well-suited when segmenting overlapping objects, e.g. cells, or when segmenting a single object into multiple parts that are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Moreover, we show that optimization methods for multi-part object segmentation with different priors/constraints may better avoid local minima in case of a relaxation allowing parts to overlap. We propose a novel segmentation model, i.e. Segmentation with Overlapping Labels (SOL), which allows for the objects’ multiple parts to overlap. This aids in overcoming the aforementioned issue of local minima with standard optimization approaches. We prove that SOL is an NP-hard problem, as well as introduce a novel move-making optimization framework to find an approximate solution to SOL. Our qualitative and quantitative results show that our proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms for multi-part segmentation.
Perceptual Generalization and Context in a Network Memory Inspired Long-Term Memory for Artificial Cognition

In the framework of open-ended learning cognitive architectures for robots, this paper deals with the design of a Long-Term Memory (LTM) structure that can accommodate the progressive acquisition of experience-based decision capabilities, or what different authors call "automation" of what is learnt, as a complementary system to more common prospective functions. The LTM proposed here provides for a relational storage of knowledge nuggets given the form of artificial neural networks (ANNs) that is representative of the contexts in which they are relevant in a configural associative structure. It also addresses the problem of continuous perceptual spaces and the task- and context-related generalization or categorization of perceptions in an autonomous manner within the embodied sensorimotor apparatus of the robot. These issues are analyzed and a solution is proposed through the introduction of two new types of knowledge nuggets: P-nodes representing perceptual classes and C-nodes representing contexts. The approach is studied and its performance evaluated through its implementation and application to a real robotic experiment.
Dijitalleşen Dünyada Tüketici Davranışları Açısından Mobil Teknoloji Bağımlılığı: Üniversite Öğrencileri Üzerine Nitel Bir Araştırma

Gunumuzde teknolojik alandaki hizli gelismeler insanlarin yasam bicimini koklu ve kalici bicimde degistirmistir. Soz konusu degisimin hem tuketici hem de isletme acisindan bircok kolayligi da beraberinde getirmistir. Bilgisayar ve akilli telefonlarin hayatimiza girmesi ile bu degisim daha da hizlanmis, beklenmedik sekilde toplumdaki aile iliskilerini, sosyal hayat aliskanliklarini, alisveris bicimlerini, gazete okuma davranislarini ve hatta bakkaldan ekmek alma seklini bile degistirmistir. Bu degisimin sosyal ve psikolojik bircok yonu ve etkisi bulunmaktadir. Bilgisayar ve akilli telefon kullanimi konusunda toplumun her kesimi ayni duzeyde egilim gostermemektedir. Asiri kullanimin getirdigi bagimlilik olarak adlandirilan farkli psikolojik davranislar gozlenmektedir. Bu calismada kalitatif tekniklerden olan derinlemesine mulakat yontemi secilmistir. Belirlenen yontem universite ogrencilerinden secilen uc odak grup uzerinde arastirilmistir. Ayrica katilimcilara bagimlilik seviyelerini olcen sorular yoneltilmis ve aldiklari haz-sucluluk duygulari sorulmustur. Calismanin ilk asamasinda kalitatif teknikten gelen sonuclar dogrultusunda ikinci asamadaki kantitatif calisma ile tamamlanmasi ve daha genis orneklem kutlesi ile sorunsalin farkli boyutlarina ulasilmasi amaclanmistir.
When therapy becomes art: Actor-Network Theory and musical co-creation Cuando la terapia se vuelve arte: Teoria Actor-Red y cocreación musical

This article takes as its entry point artistic/creative practices emerging from the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform and, in particular, the constitution of music groups composed of mental healthcare service users/patients (and their therapists) involved in music therapy. This process led to their transformation into musicians/artists, recognized for their musical performances, assessed by current standards associated with relevant music genres. The article explores the passage from a specific mode of existence of music, as a therapeutic practice within mental health, towards a different mode, that of artistic co-creation. It is intended as a contribution to the study of processes of esthetic co-creation, setting up a space of dialogue
Perinatal Outcomes in Women with a History of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Abstract Objective This study aimed to evaluate perinatal outcomes in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss. Study Design Retrospective cohort study of singleton and nonanomalous gestations at ≥ 20 weeks who delivered at our academic institution. The exposed group was defined as women with a history of ≥ 2 consecutive spontaneous abortions (SABs) at < 12 weeks. These women were compared with women with a history of ≤ 1 SAB at < 12 weeks. The primary outcome was preterm birth (PTB) at < 37 weeks. Secondary outcomes included gestational age at delivery, gestational diabetes, small for gestational age birth weight, hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, fetal demise, cesarean delivery, and a composite of neonatal complications (5-minute Apgar score < 5, perinatal death, and NICU admission). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for confounders. Results Of 17,670 women included, 235 (1.3%) had a history of ≥ 2 consecutive SABs. Compared with women with a history of ≤ 1 SAB, women with ≥ 2 consecutive SABs were not more likely to have a PTB (19.6 vs. 14.0%, p = 0.01, adjusted odds ratios (AOR): 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62–1.33). However, they were more likely to deliver at an earlier mean gestational age (37.8 ± 3.4 vs. 38.6 ± 2.9 weeks, p < 0.01) and to have gestational diabetes (12.3 vs. 6.6%, p < 0.01, AOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.10–2.59). Other outcomes were similar between the two groups. Conclusion A history of ≥ 2 consecutive SABs was not associated with an increased incidence of PTB but may be associated with gestational diabetes in a subsequent pregnancy. Key Points This was a retrospective cohort study. Women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) were studied. RPL was associated with an increase in preterm birth.
Modeling and Analysis of Mixed Synchronous/Asynchronous Systems

Practical safety-critical distributed systems must integrate safety critical and non-critical data in a common platform. Safety critical systems almost always consist of isochronous components that have synchronous or asynchronous interface with other components. Many of these systems also support a mix of synchronous and asynchronous interfaces. This report presents a study on the modeling and analysis of asynchronous, synchronous, and mixed synchronous/asynchronous systems. We build on the SAE Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) to capture architectures for analysis. We present preliminary work targeted to capture mixed low- and high-criticality data, as well as real-time properties in a common Model of Computation (MoC). An abstract, but representative, test specimen system was created as the system to be modeled.
Anti-inflammatory effects of equine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for bone fracture in thoroughbred racehorses

Bone fractures are most often seen in racetrack horses because of the high level of intensity in racing. These issues are the main cause of decreased performance in racehorses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been explored to improve intra-articular therapy in racehorses. MSCs are essential for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. In this study, the effect of intra-articular injection of MSCs in racehorses was investigated. Before accessing the MSC therapy, synovial fluids were obtained from the fracture site of racehorses, and adipose tissue was collected for MSC isolation. Using the MSC specific marker, adipose tissue-derived MSCs were identified. The racehorses received intra-articular injection of autologous MSCs (or allogeneic) (3 × 10 7 cells/3 mL). After 1 or 2 weeks, synovial fluids were collected from racehorses. To test the effect of MSC injection using ELISA, we analyzed inflammatory factors from the untreated samples compared to MSC-treated samples of racehorses. The level of pro-inflammatory factors (interleukin-1 β and prostaglandin E2) was significantly decreased in synovial fluids of MSC-injected racehorses, compared to before accessing the MSC therapy, whereas, the level of anti-inflammatory factor (interleukin-10) was higher than prior to accessing the MSC therapy. Further studies are needed to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of MSC in racehorses.