Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry in the genetic basis of systemic lupus erythematosus and the complicating kidney injury.

BACKGROUND It is necessary to develop some innovative methods to reveal and discover the novel (SLE)-related protein molecules. In the present study, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was employed to detect the differential expression of serum polypeptides in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting with a family history or complicating with kidney injury so as to identify the proteins associated with the genetic factors and kidney injury in SLE. METHODS The subjects recruited were divided into four groups, that is, a group of SLE patients with both family history and kidney injury, a group of SLE patients with only kidney injury but no family history, a group of SLE patients with neither family history nor kidney injury, and a control group consisting of healthy volunteers. By adopting MALDI-TOF MS analysis, the serum samples obtained from the three groups of SLE patients were examined and compared with those from the control group; the categorized peptide fingerprint profile was established via the biological data collected from the samples. RESULTS The expression of protein with a m/z of 4207 Da increased significantly in SLE patients; the protein with a m/z of 2658 Da was expressed in all SLE patients; three proteins (with m/z of 1465, 5332, and 5900 Da respectively) were expressed in the SLE patients complicated with kidney injury and the protein with a m/z of 1943 Da was expressed in SLE patients with family history. CONCLUSION A number of differential proteins were successfully detected and identified through MALDI-TOF MS detection and these proteins may be associated with the genetic basis of SLE and the complicating kidney injury.
Jimena Menéndez Pidal: La aventura de rescatar la ILE en tiempos de oscuridad

Formada en la republicana Institucion Libre de Ensenanza, que intento resucitar en pleno franquismo, esta mujer y maestra entendia la educacion en un sentido integral, mas alla de una mera instruccion. Sus senas de identidad fueron la coeducacion y la defensa de un metodo intuitivo fundamentado en la observacion directa.
Foundation for problem-based gaming

Educational games may offer a viable strategy for developing students' problem-solving skills. However, the state of art of educational game research does not provide an account for that. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop an empirically allocated model about problem-based gaming that can be utilised to design pedagogically meaningful games. The proposed model was evaluated through a business simulation game. The interviews indicated that authenticity, collaboration and learning by doing were found to be the most important characteristics of effective educational games. Results also showed that the proposed model describes well the problem-based gaming process in which the reflection phase seems to be a vital factor. The outcome of the reflection phase may be personal synthesis of knowledge, validation of hypothesis laid or a new playing strategy to be tested. However, because of the small sample size of this study, more research on the topic is recommended. Especially, ways to support reflection in games needs to be studied.
Characterization of Nicotinic Receptor‐Mediated [3H]Dopamine Release from Synaptosomes Prepared from Mouse Striatum

Abstract: This study establishes that presynaptic nicotinic receptors modulate dopamine release in the mouse striatum. Nicotinic agonists elicit a dose‐dependent increase in the release of [3H]dopamine from synaptosomes prepared from mouse striatum. At low concentrations, this release is Ca2+ dependent, whereas at higher concentrations Ca2+‐independent, mecamylamine‐insensitive release was also observed. The Ca2+‐dependent nicotine‐evoked release was not blocked by α‐bungarotoxin but was effectively blocked by neuronal bungarotoxin as well as several other nicotinic receptor antagonists. The relationship between potency for stimulation of release for agonists and potency for inhibition of release for antagonists was compared to the affinity of these compounds for the [3H]nicotine binding site. The overall correlation between release and binding potency was not high, but the drugs may be classified into separate groups, each of which has a high correlation with binding. This finding suggests either that more than one nicotinic receptor regulates dopamine release or that not all agonists interact with the same receptor in an identical fashion.
Process Automation in Software Application Development

Over the years, the field of application development (AD) has evolved from that of an art form to being more of a science, hence the emergence of concepts such as information engineering. In engineering and scientific fields, the value of process definition and management has long been known. This paper discusses the requirements for managing the AD process and establishes the need for automated assistance for these management activities. Considerations for an automated system to manage the process are presented, and the benefits to be realized by such an implementation are then discussed.
Constructing a brain-computer interface

This contribution presents our advances in development of a real-time EEG processing system. Existing system was extended by common configuration, logging system and new modules including support for both new EEG device and new experiments. Correct function of the system was extensively tested and verified in numerous experiments with several subjects and demonstrated at the faculty open day. Scores of 75 % were achieved with classification of left and right hand movement imagery. We use the simplest possible methods as we focus on feedback influence. Difficulties of transition to a real BCI operation along with faced problems are discussed.
The effects of multi-modal exercise on cognitive and physical functioning and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in older women : a randomised controlled trial

Objective: To test the effect of a 16-week multi-modal exercise program on neurocognitive and physical functioning and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Design: A single-blinded, parallel-group randomised controlled trial. Settings: University campus and community based halls. Subjects: Forty-nine women aged 65 and 75 years, with no cognitive impairment and not undertaking more than one hour of formal exercise training per week. Methods: The intervention group attended a 60-minute multi-modal class twice each week which included cardiovascular, strength, and motor fitness training. The primary outcome was neurocognitive functioning and secondary outcomes were physical functioning and plasma levels of BDNF. Results: Twenty-five participants were randomised to the intervention group and 24 to the control group. One control participant withdrew before follow-up data collection. The intervention group performed significantly better than the control group at follow-up (when controlled for baseline) in the Trail Making Test A and B, the California Older Adult Stroop Test (Word, Interference and Total scores), Controlled Oral Word Association Test and the Timed Up-and-Go Test , Six-Minute Walk Test, One–Legged Stance Test and plasma BDNF. Conclusion: This multi-modal exercise program resulted in neurocognitive and physical performance improvements and increased levels of plasma BDNF, in older women, when compared to controls. This RCT provides evidence that a multimodal exercise intervention can achieve larger effect sizes than those generally resulting from single modality interventions. Increases in BDNF levels imply neurogenesis may be a component of the mechanism underpinning the cognitive improvements associated with multimodal exercise. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registration Number: ANZCTR12612000451808
The incidence of venous thromboembolism among Factor V Leiden carriers: a community‐based cohort study

Summary. While Factor V (FV) Leiden is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), the incidence of VTE among FV Leiden carriers is uncertain. The objective of the study was to estimate the overall age‐specific and pregnancy‐related VTE incidence and the relative risk among FV Leiden carriers. In a community‐based sample of 3424 south‐eastern Minnesota residents, 230 (6.7%) were genotyped as FV Leiden carriers; 220 carriers (mean age = 68 years) could be matched to a non‐carrier on age, gender, ethnicity and length of medical history. We performed a retrospective cohort study of carriers and non‐carriers by reviewing the complete medical records in the community for demographic and baseline characteristics, pregnancies and live births, and first lifetime VTE. Over 14 722 person‐years, 24 (10.9%) carriers developed VTE [overall incidence = 163 (95% CI 104, 242) per 100 000 person‐years]. VTE incidence rates for ages 15–29, 30–44, 45–59 and ≥ 60 years were 0, 61, 244 and 764 per 100 000 person‐years, respectively (cumulative VTE incidence at age 65 years = 6.3%). VTE incidence for carriers did not differ significantly from that for non‐carriers except for those ≥ 60 years old (relative risk = 3.6; 95% CI 2.0, 6.0). There were 311 live births among 130 women carriers; no VTE events occurred during pregnancy or postpartum [incidence = 0 (95% CI 0, 1186) per 100 000 women‐years]. Most FV Leiden carriers do not develop VTE. Among all carriers, those ≥ 60 years old are at the highest risk for VTE. The incidence of VTE among asymptomatic women carriers during pregnancy is low and insufficient to warrant prophylaxis.
Where do people look on faces in the real world?

Almost all prior research on where people look on faces has been conducted in the lab, using fixed-head eye trackers while people view static images or movies of faces. Yet this situation is radically different from real-world face perception, where eye movements are likely to be influenced by the fact that the face you are looking at may be looking back at you. Here, we asked if the pattern of stable individual differences in face-looking behavior observed in the lab (Peterson & Eckstein, 2013; Mehoudar et al., 2014) generalizes to real-world vision. To measure in-lab behavior, subjects' eye movements were recorded with a fixed-head eye tracker while they performed a speeded (500ms) famous-face identification task using static images. Preferred face-fixation behavior was defined as the mean initial into-face fixation location. Real-world face-looking behavior was measured with a mobile eye tracker while subjects socially interacted with others, and walked around the MIT campus, passing people in hallways and open areas. Consistent with previous work, we found large individual differences in the preferred location of laboratory-measured face-fixations, ranging from just above the brows to the mouth. Preliminary data suggests that this pattern of behavior is conserved in real-world viewing conditions. These results suggest that, at least for the critical initial into-face fixations that support identification, gaze measured in the lab accurately reflects real-world looking behavior. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.
Genetic and catalytic efficiency structure of an HCV protease quasispecies

The HCV nonstructural protein (NS)3/4A serine protease is not only involved in viral polyprotein processing but also efficiently blocks the retinoic‐acid–inducible gen I and Toll‐like receptor 3 signaling pathways and contributes to virus persistence by enabling HCV to escape the interferon antiviral response. Therefore, the NS3/4A protease has emerged as an ideal target for the control of the disease and the development of new anti‐HCV agents. Here, we analyzed, at a high resolution (approximately 100 individual clones), the HCV NS3 protease gene quasispecies from three infected individuals. Nucleotide heterogeneity of 49%, 84%, and 91% were identified, respectively, which created a dense net that linked different parts of the viral population. Minority variants having mutations involved in the acquisition of resistance to current NS3/4A protease inhibitors (PIs) were also found. A vast diversity of different catalytic efficiencies could be distinguished. Importantly, 67% of the analyzed enzymes displayed a detectable protease activity. Moreover, 35% of the minority individual variants showed similar or better catalytic efficiency than the master (most abundant) enzyme. Nevertheless, and in contrast to minority variants, master enzymes always displayed a high catalytic efficiency when different viral polyprotein cleavage sites were tested. Finally, genetic and catalytic efficiency differences were observed when the 3 quasispecies were compared, suggesting that different selective forces were acting in different infected individuals. Conclusion: The rugged HCV protease quasispecies landscape should be able to react to environmental changes that may threaten its survival. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;45:899–910.)
High physical fitness is associated with reduction in basal‐ and exercise‐induced inflammation

C‐reactive protein (CRP) increases after strenuous exercise. It has been a concern that prolonged strenuous exercise may be harmful and induce a deleterious inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to (a) assess and quantify the magnitude of CRP response following an endurance cycling competition in healthy middle‐aged recreational cyclists. (b) Identify important determinants of this response. (c) Identify the relationship between CRP, myocardial damage (cardiac Troponin I (cTnI)), and myocardial strain (B‐type natriuretic peptide [BNP]). (d) Identify the relationship between CRP and clinical events, defined as utilization of healthcare services or self‐reported unusual discomfort. Race time was used as a measure of physical fitness. A total of 97 individuals (43±10 years of age, 74 [76%] males) were assessed prior to and 0, 3, and 24 hours following the 91‐km mountain bike race “Nordsjørittet” (Sandnes, Norway, June 2013). There was a highly significant increase in CRP from baseline to 24 hours (0.9 (0.5‐1.8) mg/L vs. 11.6 (6.0‐17.5) mg/L (median[IQR]), P<. 001), with no correlation of CRP to cTnI and BNP at any time‐point. CRP was strongly correlated to race time at baseline (r=.38, P<.001) and at 24 hours following the race (r=.43, P<.001), In multivariate models, race time was an independent predictor of CRP both at baseline and at 24 hours (P<.01). There was no relationship between CRP levels and clinical events. In conclusion, high physical fitness was associated with reduction in both basal‐ and exercise‐induced CRP. No adverse relationship was found between high intensity physical exercise, CRP levels, and outcomes.
Mechanisms of ventricular tachycardia.

VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIAS (VTs) encompass a spectrum of arrhythmias that may be sustained or nonsustained and morphologically may be uniform or multiform. Most commonly these arrhythmias occur in the setting of cardiac disease, particularly chronic ischemic heart disease. While sustained VTs can be characterized reasonably well by electrophysiologic techniques, the nonsustained arrhythmias are more difficult to study and the results are more difficult to interpret. As a result most of the information we have today concerning mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias are related to studies of sustained VT in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. The mechanisms potentially responsible for VT have been under intense experimental and clinical investigation over the past 15 years. The techniques of programmed electrical stimulation (PES) and activation mapping in the electrophysiology laboratory and in the operating room have been used to evaluate the mechanisms and therapy of these arrhythmias. The response of these arrhythmias to certain drugs may shed some light on the arrhythmia mechanism when it is considered with other findings, but an isolated response to an antiarrhythmic agent should not itself be taken as definitive of any mechanism. This article will deal with the methods used to evaluate the mechanisms of VT in man and summarize the results of those studies that have been heretofore undertaken. The methods used to test the underlying mechanisms of arrhythmias include: (1) initiation of the arrhythmia by PES, (2) the response of the arrhythmia to PES, and (3) activation mapping during the tachycardia. To date, most of the evidence suggests that reentry is the mechanism for sustained VT in man, particularly in the setting of ischemic heart disease. Definitions. Sustained VT in most laboratories is de-
An Anomalous Component of Galactic Emission

We present results from microwave background observations at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. These observations, at 14.5 and 32 GHz, are designed to detect intrinsic anisotropy on scales of 7'-22'. After point-source removal, we detect significant emission with temperature spectral index β ≃ -2 toward the north celestial pole (NCP). Comparison of our data with the IRAS 100 μm map of the same fields reveals a strong correlation between this emission and the infrared dust emission. From the lack of detectable Hα emission, we conclude that the signals are consistent either with flat-spectrum synchrotron radiation or with free-free emission from Te ≳ 106 K gas, probably associated with a large H I feature known as the NCP Loop. Assuming β = -2.2, our data indicate a conversion Tf/I100μm = 7.5 × 10-2ν K (MJy sr-1)-1. The detection of such a component suggests that we should be cautious in any assumptions made regarding foregrounds when designing experiments to map the microwave background radiation.
Cardiac output derived from arterial pressure waveform analysis without calibration vs. thermodilution in septic shock: evolving accuracy of software versions

Background and objective We studied the evolution of software in the accuracy of the FloTrac/Vigileo system to measure cardiac output less invasively from arterial pressure waveform analysis without calibration, in comparison with pulmonary artery catheter-derived thermodilution measurements, in patients with septic shock and presumed alterations in vascular tone. Methods Nine patients who received a pulmonary artery catheter and were on mechanical ventilation and in sinus rhythm were monitored by the FloTrac/Vigileo. Paired cardiac output measurements by both techniques were analysed for 86 measurements in four patients using the 1.07 software version and 73 measurements in five subsequent patients using the later 1.10 version. Results For the 1.07 version, bias was −1.6 L min−1, precision 1.6 L min−1, limits of agreement −4.8–1.5 L min−1 and error 48%. Measurements correlated at partial r equal to 0.32 (P = 0.003). For the 1.10 version, bias was −1.2 L min−1, precision 1.1 L min−1, limits of agreement −3.5–1.0 L min−1 and error 32%. Measurements correlated at partial r equal to 0.90 (P < 0.001 vs. version 1.07). Differences were inversely related to mean cardiac output (P < 0.001, generalized estimating equations), particularly for software version 1.07 vs. 1.10 (P = 0.017, generalized estimating equation). Changes in thermodilution cardiac output over the course of time were also better tracked by the FloTrac/Vigileo when applying the latest software (P < 0.001, generalized estimating equation). Conclusions Evolving software versions are thus better able to account for the effect of vascular tone on cardiac output measurements by less invasive waveform analyses without calibration (FloTrac/Vigileo), so that the latter may become useful in the haemodynamic monitoring of septic shock.
Wireless Location Detection for an Embedded System

For my final project I implemented client side location estimation in the PXA27x DVK. The basic goal of client side location is for a device to be able to determine its physical location based on some type of direct observation. A GPS receiver is a common example of client side location detection. However, it was my goal to do detection inside of a building where GPS does not work. There are several motivating reasons behind indoor location detection. First, navigation inside of a building. This could either be a person attempting to find an store in a mall or perhaps a robot attempting to deliver an object to a room. One could also imagine having an extension to a web browser that fetched ads based on location. Also, by doing location detection on a client instead of on a central server or with external assistance we can better preserve privacy. Since GPS does not work indoors we must use a different method of location detection. People have used RFID tags, proprietary technology, and 802.11 radios. In an attempt to reduce start up costs we will also use 802.11 radios since they are part of the infrastructure of most large buildings. Given we are using radio waves we must be able to determine the distance between know transmitters, access points (APs), and our client. GPS uses time difference of arrival (TdoA). Unfortunately, this requires very accurate time stamping of all arriving packets which simply is not available in todays common operating systems and wireless chipsets. A second approach would be to use angle difference of arrival (ADoA), but again todays embedded radios are unable to determine angle of arrival. Recently there has been work in directional antennas. But, these devices are physically large, power hungry, can only resolve to fifteen degrees. While ADoA might be a promising research field, it is not ready for embedded use. This leaves us with the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values of a few known Access Points as measured by an 802.11 wireless Ethernet card. Luckily, radio waves in free space have exponential decay with exponents around three. All IEE 802.11 cards track the RSSI for each Access Point. The protocol uses this information to decide which AP to associate with. We however, will use these values for location detection purposes.
Impact of Infection by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus on Survival and Resource Utilization for Patients With Leukemia

Abstract We estimated the impact of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infection on the outcomes of patients with leukemia in a case-control study. Compared with their matched controls (n = 45), cases (n = 23) had 22% greater total charges and shorter survival (P= .04). These findings substantiate the need for aggressive interventions to prevent VRE transmission.
Tools for Tracing the Development of Concepts through Discussions Mediated by a CSCL Environment: A Case Study

This case study explores the use of learning analytics techniques to monitor students’ conceptual development evidenced in time-stamped logs of a CSCL environment that provides chat, shared whiteboard, and wiki features. The study was conducted in a graduate level research methods course, which included online assignments that required students to collaboratively discuss questions related to statistical methods in chat sessions and submit their answers through co-authored wiki documents. This paper demonstrates the use of some of the existing learning analytics techniques to develop practical strategies and interfaces for helping instructors to effectively monitor the collaborative knowledge building processes taking place at micro and macro levels. In particular, we demonstrate the use of topic segmentation, tag clouds and concordance analysis for the identification of excerpts where key concepts are discussed by the students.