Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diabetes-related mortality. A pediatrician's view.

Individuals with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes or members of their families invariably ask questions about the morbidity and mortality associated with this new disorder they must contend with. Some younger children are frightened that the “di” in diabetes means that they will die soon. Teens often use as an excuse for their noncompliance the view that they are going to die young and that nothing they do will alter that course. What are the facts? And, are they already out-of-date, given recent improvements in diabetes care? Feudtner (1) called type 1 diabetes “ a disease in motion,” citing its “transmutation” from a uniformly lethal condition in the preinsulin era to its present status as a serious chronic disorder based on its long-term morbidity and mortality. Diabetes-related mortality should be separated in two: deaths occurring early in the course, invariably associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hypoglycemia, and those resulting from long-term micro- and macrovascular complications. The article in this issue of Diabetes Care by Nishimura et al. (2) reports long-term mortality in nearly 1,000 type 1 diabetic patients diagnosed before age 18 years in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, between 1965 and 1979. They found a significant improvement in survival in the more recently diagnosed individuals and concluded that this improvement likely stems from better glycemic and blood pressure control resulting from the availability of blood glucose monitoring, HbA1c assays, and newer antihypertensive agents. In life table analyses provided by Nishimura et al. (2) the cumulative survival was 98% at 10 years and 79.6% at 30 years. …
The γ subunit is a specific component of the Na,K‐ATPase and modulates its transport function

The role of small, hydrophobic peptides that are associated with ion pumps or channels is still poorly understood. By using the Xenopus oocyte as an expression system, we have characterized the structural and functional properties of the γ peptide which co‐purifies with Na,K‐ATPase. Immuno‐radiolabeling of epitope‐tagged γ subunits in intact oocytes and protease protection assays show that the γ peptide is a type I membrane protein lacking a signal sequence and exposing the N‐terminus to the extracytoplasmic side. Co‐expression of the rat or Xenopus γ subunit with various proteins in the oocyte reveals that it specifically associates only with isozymes of Na,K‐ATPase. The γ peptide does not influence the formation and cell surface expression of functional Na,K‐ATPase α–β complexes. On the other hand, the γ peptide itself needs association with Na,K‐ATPase in order to be stably expressed in the oocyte and to be transported efficiently to the plasma membrane. γ subunits do not associate with individual α or β subunits but only interact with assembled, transport‐competent α–β complexes. Finally, electrophysiological measurements indicate that the γ peptide modulates the K+ activation of Na,K pumps. These data document for the first time the membrane topology, the specificity of association and a potential functional role for the γ subunit of Na,K‐ATPase.
Effects of drying temperature on quality of dried Indian Gooseberry powder

A study was conducted using a laboratory scale mini spray dryer to produce instant Indian gooseberry drink using maltodextrin as an encapsulating agent. The effects of two inlet temperatures, 120°C, and 160°C on the quality of powder were investigated. The dried Indian gooseberry powders were analysed for moisture content, water activity, dissolution time and vitamin C content. As inlet drying temperature increased, the moisture content and subsequently the water activity decreased significantly at 0.05 level. The results also show that an increase in the inlet drying temperature results in a lower vitamin C content. The changes in water activity of instant drink samples packed in an aluminium foil with an inner layer of LDPE and vacuum sealed were compared with those of non vacuum sealed control samples. The vacuum sealed samples did not change in water activity as opposed to the control samples which increased.
TORQUE RIPPLE MINIMIZATION BY TRACKING NON-LINEAR CONTROL OF PM SYNCHRONOUS MOTORS

Nowadays, Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors have been considered as one of the best ones used in industry due to their high efficiency, low torque ripples and well known dynamical operation. Indeed, it is expected that this type of motors can be used more frequently. In this paper, a special type of these motors, the surface mounted PM motor, is considered. After introducing the mathematical model of the machine, a non-linear control approach according to Lyapunov control theory has been presented. According to this control strategy, all the states of the main system will track the states of the desired system, which are determined by our specifications. Due to the fact that all the states are not accessible in real plant, a nonlinear observer is designed to obtain motors states. Finally, simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Antioxidant mediated defense role of Wedelia calendulacea herbal extract against CCl 4 induced toxic hepatitis

Liver,the most complex metabolic organ in human body is continuously exposed to various pathogenic oraganisms, xenobiotic agents,drugs and subjected to metabolic stresses. Being the organ of metabolism of xenobiotics and sources of free radicals, it becomes more vulnerable to toxic metabolites and free radical mediated disorders.The present study focuses on the antioxidant mediated protective effect of a popular medicinal herb Wedelia calendulacea against carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress in the liver of rats.Rats divided into four groups were administered with CCl4 and CCl4 along with methanol extract of leaves of Wedelia herb (200 and 400 mg/kg b.wt) for three weeks.At the end of treatment, rats were anaesthetized and blood samples were collected for serum separation.Biochemical analysis such as alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and total bilirubin(TB) were done in serum.Liver tissue was used for glutathione(GSH),lipid peroxidation(LPO),gluatathione peroxidase (GPx),glutathione Stransferase(GST) ,superoxide dismutase (SOD)and catalase(CAT) analysis.CCl 4 administration caused significant elevation of the serum enzymes and total bilirubin content.Antioxidant enzymes were drastically inhibited with significant reduction of glutathione and increased lipid peroxidation in CCl4 treated rats.W.calendulacea extracts administrated rats ,however did not show much changes in marker enzyme level.Antioxidant enzyme status was also not affected and found nearer to the control levels.Increased gluatathione level and reduced lipid peroxidation was also evident in W.calendulacea treated rats . The findings show that W.calendulacea extract offers better protection against the free radical toxicity of CCl4 .
A new extension to the Taste Strips test.

OBJECTIVE Assessment of gustatory function in human subjects using the 'taste strips' test is an easy and validated procedure. The aim of this study was to extend this test in order to detect subjects with superior gustatory sensitivity. METHODS The investigation included 134 subjects (29.5±12.6 years, range 18-84 years) with normal gustatory function. Four concentrations of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter were augmented with additional low concentrations (sweet: 25/12.5 mg/ml sucrose; sour: 27/15 mg/ml citric acid; salty: 6.4/2.6 mg/ml sodium chloride, bitter: 0.15/0.06 mg/ml quinine hydrochloride), resulting in a maximum extended taste score (ETS) of 24. RESULTS The mean ETS was 14.5 ± 3.2. Specifically, it was 4.5 ± 1.2 for sweet, 2.8 ± 1.0 for sour, 4.0 ± 1.3 for salty, and 3.2 ± 1.2 for bitter. In contrast to the original version of the taste strips test, no ceiling effect was observed. Cluster analysis separated three groups of subjects by ETS, whereas test scores derived from the original four concentrations were insufficient to discriminate the subgroup with higher gustatory sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS The extended taste strips test seems to be a useful tool for the detection of patients with low gustatory thresholds for sweet, sour, salty, or bitter taste.
Antibacterial Δ1‐3‐Ketosteroids from the South China Sea Gorgonian Coral Subergorgia rubra

Three new Δ1‐3‐ketosteroids characterized with a 9‐OH, subergosterones A–C (1–3), together with five known analogs 4–8, were obtained from the gorgonian coral Subergorgia rubra collected from the South China Sea. The structures of 1–3, including their absolute configurations, were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic methods and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) experiments. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibited inhibitory antibacterial activities against Bacillus cereus with MIC values of 1.56 μM.
Parallel Solution of Unstructured, Sparse Systems of Linear Equations

The computational kernel of many large-scale applications is the solution of sparse linear systems. In this paper we endorse a particular perspective: (1) in many applications, one is interested in solving as large a problem as can fit into the available memory of the machine, and (2) the underlying geometric structure of these applications in often three-dimensional or greater. These observations, and a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation, lead one to conclude that a parallel direct factorization method is in general not feasible for such problems, in terms of the space and time required. We have developed an approach to the iterative solution of sparse linear systems that ensures scalable performance. Central to our approach is a reordering of the matrix based on a coloring of the symmetric graph corresponding to the nonzero structure of the matrix, or a related graph. To determine this ordering, we use a recently developed parallel heuristic modified here by two graph reductions that improve the performance on advanced RISC processors.
Bias and variance analysis of MUSIC location estimates

Presents a statistical performance analysis of the MUSIC location estimator. Explicit and concise asymptotical expressions for both the bias and variance of MUSIC location estimates are derived for multiple source cases. These expressions are valid over a wide range of SNR extending down into the resolution threshold region of MUSIC, where analysis is of particular interest. These expressions, though asymptotical, can also be accurately applied to limited number of observation cases. In comparison with previous analysis, this new statistical analysis results in significantly less complicated statistics and derivations and is more general in that it accurately examines both the bias and variance of MUSIC location estimates. Further, this analysis approach can be applied to other eigenspace spatial-spectrum based location estimators. <<ETX>>
Untangling the hybrid nature of modern pig genomes: a mosaic derived from biogeographically distinct and highly divergent Sus scrofa populations

The merging of populations after an extended period of isolation and divergence is a common phenomenon, in natural settings as well as due to human interference. Individuals with such hybrid origins contain genomes that essentially form a mosaic of different histories and demographies. Pigs are an excellent model species to study hybridization because European and Asian wild boars diverged ~1.2 Mya, and pigs were domesticated independently in Europe and Asia. During the Industrial Revolution in England, pigs were imported from China to improve the local pigs. This study utilizes the latest genomics tools to identify the origin of haplotypes in European domesticated pigs that are descendant from Asian and European populations. Our results reveal fine‐scale haplotype structure representing different ancient demographic events, as well as a mosaic composition of those distinct histories due to recently introgressed haplotypes in the pig genome. As a consequence, nucleotide diversity in the genome of European domesticated pigs is higher when at least one haplotype of Asian origin is present, and haplotype length correlates negatively with recombination frequency and nucleotide diversity. Another consequence is that the inference of past effective population size is influenced by the background of the haplotypes in an individual, but we demonstrate that by careful sorting based on the origin of haplotypes, both distinct demographic histories can be reconstructed. Future detailed mapping of the genomic distribution of variation will enable a targeted approach to increase genetic diversity of captive and wild populations, thus facilitating conservation efforts in the near future.
Membrane lipid alpha-crystallin interaction and membrane Ca2+ -ATPase activities.

PURPOSE To determine the effect of alpha-crystallin binding on lens membrane lipid characteristics and the stability of Ca2+ -ATPase activity when challenged with H2O2 or elevated temperatures. METHODS Alpha-Crystallin binding to muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes was quantified using a centrifugation protocol. Alpha-Crystallin binding to lens epithelial lipids was measured by a fluorescence energy transfer technique. Lipid phase transition temperature and lipid order was measured using fluorescence spectroscopy. Ca2+ -ATPase activity was measured using classical biochemical assays. RESULTS The main phase transition temperatures of multilamellar vesicles composed of sphingomyelin or lipids extracted from bovine lens were 40 degrees C and 20 degrees C, respectively. In the presence of saturating amounts of alpha-crystallin, the phase transition temperature and lipid order of both sphingomyelin and lens lipid membranes remained almost the same as that without alpha-crystallin. The interaction of alpha-crystallin and lipid is likely to be restricted to the membrane surface. The binding of alpha-crystallin did not influence the oxidative or thermal inactivation of the Ca2+ -ATPase pump. CONCLUSION Alpha-Crystallin-lens membrane binding does not protect the Ca2+ -ATPase pump from thermal derangement or oxidation by H2O2.
Does environment matter? A review of nonshared environment and eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE Nonshared environmental influences are experiences that are unique to siblings reared in the same family. We review studies highlighting the importance of nonshared factors for the development of eating disorders and suggest areas for future research. METHODS Findings from behavioral genetic studies of eating disorders as well as methodological issues are reviewed. RESULTS Twin studies suggest that approximately 17%-46% of the variance in both anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) can be accounted for by nonshared environmental factors. Studies directly examining these influences are scarce, although initial data indicate that differential paternal relationships, body weight teasing, peer group experiences, and life events may account for the development of eating pathology in one sibling versus another. DISCUSSION Additional research is needed to identify specific nonshared environmental influences on eating disorders such as differential parental and sibling treatment, disparate peer group characteristics, and differential experience of life events such as physical and sexual abuse.
Neurocognitive deficits in obsessive–compulsive disorder: A selective review

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by an early onset and chronic course. Evidence from several lines of research suggests significant neuropsychological deficits in patients with OCD; executive dysfunction and nonverbal memory deficits have been reported consistently in OCD. These deficits persist despite controlling potential confounders such as comorbidity, severity of illness, and medications. Neuropsychological impairments are independent of illness severity, thus suggesting that the neuropsychological deficits are trait markers of the disease. In addition, these deficits are seen in first-degree relatives of individuals with OCD. These reports suggest that neuropsychological deficits are potential endophenotype markers in OCD. Neuropsychological studies in pediatric OCD are limited; they show impairments of small effect size across multiple domains but with doubtful clinical significance. Preliminary evidence shows that different symptom dimensions of OCD may have unique neuropsychological deficits suggestive of discrete but overlapping neuroanatomical regions for individual symptom dimensions. Overall, neuropsychological deficits further support the role of frontostriatal circuits in the neurobiology of OCD. In addition, emerging literature also suggests the important role of other areas, in particular parietal cortex. Preliminary evidence suggests the possible role of neuropsychological deficits to be markers of treatment response but needs to be examined in future. Longitudinal studies with examination of patients at different time points and examination of their potential utility as predictors of treatment response are needed in future.
The switching frequency optimization of dual phase shift control for dual active bridge DC-DC converter

This paper presents the influence of switching frequency on the dual active bridge (DAB) dc-dc converter on the power transmission characteristics and the soft switching realization. Based on this, a switching frequency optimization of dual phase shift control is proposed to realize ZVS over the whole load range. It is an optimization of the PWM plus phase-shift control, which can reduce switching loss of power devices, and then improve whole efficiency of the DAB converter. A prototype is built and tested in the lab to verify the feasibility of the proposed solution. The experimental results show that the overall efficiency is improved and the range of soft switching is extended.
Elucidation of in situ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation by functional metaproteomics (protein‐SIP)

Current knowledge of the physiology and phylogeny of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degrading bacteria often relies on laboratory enrichments and isolations. In the present study, in situ microcosms consisting of activated carbon pellets (BACTRAP®s) were loaded with either 13C‐naphthalene or 13C‐fluorene and were subsequently exposed in the contaminant source and plume fringe region of a PAH‐contaminated aquifer. Metaproteomic analysis and protein‐stable isotope probing revealed Burkholderiales, Actinomycetales, and Rhizobiales as the most active microorganisms in the groundwater communities. Proteins identified of the naphthalene degradation pathway showed a relative 13C isotope abundance of approximately 50 atom% demonstrating that the identified naphthalene‐degrading bacteria gained at least 80% of their carbon by PAH degradation. Although the microbial community grown on the fluorene‐BACTRAPs showed a structure similar to the naphthalene‐BACTRAPs, the identification of fluorene degraders and degradation pathways failed in situ. In complementary laboratory microcosms, a clear enrichment in proteins related to Rhodococcus and possible fluorene degradation enzymes was observed. This result demonstrates the impact of laboratory conditions on microbial community structure and activity of certain species and underlines the need on in situ exploration of microbial community functions. In situ microcosms in combination with protein‐stable isotope probing may be a significant tool for in situ identification of metabolic key players as well as degradation pathways.
Enhanced local Foxp3 expression in lung tissue attenuates airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma

Abstract Objective: Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway mediated by a Th2 immune response. A great deal of data has demonstrated that regulatory T cells (Tregs) have the ability to suppress Th2 immune responses and the transcription factor fork-head box protein 3 (Foxp3) is indispensable for the development of CD4 + CD25 + Tregs. In this study, we hypothesized that enhanced local Foxp3 expression in lung tissue could suppress Th2-mediated allergic asthma. Methods: Foxp3/PMX retroviruses containing the mouse Foxp3 gene were constructed and administered into asthmatic mice through intra-tracheal instillation before ovalbumin challenging. Foxp3 expression, airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and tissue inflammatory cell and cytokine profiles were characterized. Results: Foxp3 mRNA and protein were increased in the lung tissue of asthmatic mice. Enhanced expression of Foxp3 locally in the lung tissue reduced the airway AHR, inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus production. It also attenuated Th2 and Th17 immune responses as evidenced by reduced IL-4, IL-13 and IL-17 levels. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that enhanced Foxp3 expression in the airway by intra-tracheally instilled Foxp3/PMX retroviruses alleviates allergic airway inflammation by reducing the Th2 immune response.
Bypassing extensive ADC requirements in the presence of interference using compressed sensing

The current advances in CMOS technology favors digital circuits and makes implementation of analog circuits problematic. Due to interference signals, without extensive analog filtering the requirements for analog-to-digital converters are beyond the possibility of implementation. In this paper we propose a compressed sensing based system which allows for offsetting extensive ADC requirements in the presence of interference. A numerical experiment is conducted to test the proposed method.
Beef Tallow Increases Apoptosis and Decreases Aberrant Crypt Foci Formation Relative to Soybean Oil in Rat Colon

Abstract: Although epidemiological studies have implicated red meat as increasing colon cancer risk, animal studies have generally not been supportive of such an effect. This study examined red meat components, such as beef protein and tallow, on markers of colon cancer risk. Rats administered dimethylhydrazine were fed either casein or beef protein as the protein source and soybean oil or tallow as the fat source in a 2 × 2 factorial design for 9 wk. There were fewer preneoplastic lesions [aberrant crypt foci (ACF)] and a greater apoptotic labeling index (P < 0.05) in the distal colonic mucosa of rats fed tallow compared with soybean oil. Fecal bile acid concentrations were significantly lower in rats fed tallow compared with soybean oil. There were no significant differences in mucosal cell proliferation. No significant effects were found due to protein source or to interactions between fat and protein sources for ACF, cell proliferation labeling indexes, or bile acid concentrations. However, there was a significant protein by fat source interaction for the apoptotic labeling index. The decreased number of ACF, decreased fecal bile acid concentration, and increased mucosal apoptosis with tallow consumption are not consistent with a role for this fat in increasing risk of colon cancer.
Longitudinal Waves in the Walls of Fluid‐Filled Elastic Tubes

Experiments with a rubber tube model of the aorta have demonstrated the presence of longitudinal waves in the wall of the tubing. This mode of vibration was predicted by Lamb from the theoretical considerations, but has not previously been described. The characteristics of “impact waves” in arteries and of the longitudinal mural waves in the model appear to be similar. Longitudinal waves undoubtedly influence the arterial pulse contour. Theoretically, the damping coefficient for them is the same as that for radial waves.