Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contextualizing selection bias in Mendelian randomization: how bad is it likely to be?

Abstract Background Selection bias affects Mendelian randomization investigations when selection into the study sample depends on a collider between the genetic variant and confounders of the risk factor–outcome association. However, the relative importance of selection bias for Mendelian randomization compared with other potential biases is unclear. Methods We performed an extensive simulation study to assess the impact of selection bias on a typical Mendelian randomization investigation. We considered inverse probability weighting as a potential method for reducing selection bias. Finally, we investigated whether selection bias may explain a recently reported finding that lipoprotein(a) is not a causal risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in individuals with previous coronary heart disease. Results Selection bias had a severe impact on bias and Type 1 error rates in our simulation study, but only when selection effects were large. For moderate effects of the risk factor on selection, bias was generally small and Type 1 error rate inflation was not considerable. Inverse probability weighting ameliorated bias when the selection model was correctly specified, but increased bias when selection bias was moderate and the model was misspecified. In the example of lipoprotein(a), strong genetic associations and strong confounder effects on selection mean the reported null effect on cardiovascular mortality could plausibly be explained by selection bias. Conclusions Selection bias can adversely affect Mendelian randomization investigations, but its impact is likely to be less than other biases. Selection bias is substantial when the effects of the risk factor and confounders on selection are particularly large.
Microbially-induced corrosion of carbon steel in a geologic repository environment

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Energy Storing Feet : A Clinical Comparison by

The human foot is an exceedingly complex structure. The pair contain 52 separate bones, dozens of intrinsic muscles, and scores of ex­ trinsic ones. The feet are composed of multiple layers of ligaments, fascia, and muscle, and contain numerous interrelated articulations. In combination with the ankle complex, the foot provides the dual functions of support and propulsion. Paradoxically, this is accomplished by combining the diametrically opposite char­ acteristics of flexibility and rigidity as the foot adapts to the gait cycle . 1 5 Despite hundreds of historical attempts to imitate this remarkable structure, very few de­ signs have ever achieved widespread accep­ tance. Within the last three years, however, four new foot components have become com­ mercially available—all in the previously un­ heard of class called "energy storing" designs. These intriguing new developments will be dis­ cussed in chronological order, summarizing our experience at Duke.
Evaluación, aplicación, difusión y abastecimiento de un sistema de generación eólica

Esta investigacion se inicio debido a la baja difusion de la utilizacion de la energia eolica en nuestro pais y pretende ser un ejemplo para aumentar el uso y la difusion de este tipo de energia renovable. Es basicamente una evaluacion de la utilizacion y aplicacion de un sistema de generacion de energia eolica, que contara con una fuente de alimentacion que permita su utilizacion durante un corte de energia a destiempo. El analisis de los datos reales obtenidos de las lecturas de velocidad del aire, nos permitio establecer como utilizar la energia del generador de energia eolica, determinando que ejerce mucha influencia en el lugar de la ubicacion del generador, la temperatura y el tiempo de obtencion de la energia renovable.
TRAJECTORY OPTIMIZATION OF A MOBILE ROBOT WITH FLEXIBLE LINKS USING PONTRYAGIN ’ S METHOD

In this study, the open-loop optimal control method is used to optimize the trajectory of a mobile robot with flexible links. Equations of motion for the mobile robot are initially obtained via the Lagrangian method. The assumed modes method is then used to obtain a model with limited degrees of freedom. The relevant kinematic model is established based on the standard frame transformation matrices including rigid rotations and elastic displacements assuming that the values for these parameters are small. The Book modified method is also used to obtain the kinematic elastic links. Elastic manipulator links are modeled as Euler-Bernoulli beams with Clamped-Mass (CM) boundary conditions. Nonholonomic constraints and additional kinematic constraints are considered in order to specify the base motion. A performance criterion is defined that involves the square of the angular velocity and joint torque. The torque and velocity are determined such that the performance criterion is minimized. The optimal control problem is converted into a two-point boundary value problem using the calculus of variations, the Hamiltonian function, and the Pontryagin’s minimum principle. By considering the different weight coefficients for angular velocity joints and the torques on the joints of the robot in the performance criterion, the effects of weight coefficients are investigated on the solution. In another stage of the study, a flexible arm with a mobile base is simulated to illustrate the capability of the proposed method and the relevant equations are solved by MATLAB. Finally, the results are compared with those reported in previous studies to evaluate the dynamic model.
A simple test for ideal memristors

An ideal memristor is defined as a resistor with memory that, when subjected to a time-dependent current, , its resistance RM(q) depends only on the charge q that has flowed through it, so that its voltage response is . It has been argued that a clear fingerprint of these ideal memristors is a pinched hysteresis loop in their I– curves. However, a pinched I– hysteresis loop is not a definitive test of whether a resistor with memory is truly an ideal memristor because such a property is shared also by other resistors whose memory depends on additional internal state variables, other than the charge. Here, we introduce a very simple and unambiguous test that can be utilized to check experimentally if a resistor with memory is indeed an ideal memristor. Our test is based on the duality property of a capacitor-memristor circuit whereby, for any initial resistance states of the memristor and any form of the applied voltage, the final state of an ideal memristor must be identical to its initial state, if the capacitor charge finally returns to its initial value. In actual experiments, a sufficiently wide range of voltage amplitudes and initial states are enough to perform the test. The proposed test can help resolve some long-standing controversies still existing in the literature about whether an ideal memristor does actually exist or it is a purely mathematical concept.
Impact of Highways on Property Values: Case Study of Superstition Freeway Corridor

The effects of freeway development on land use and property values were examined. A case study was prepared for the Superstition Freeway (US-60) corridor in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona. Among the findings were the following observations. First, access benefits are transferred from highway users to nonusers through changes in property values. Freeway construction may have an adverse impact on some properties, but in the aggregate, property values tend to increase with freeway development. Second, freeways do not affect all properties' values in the same way. Proximity to the freeway was observed to have a negative effect on the value of detached single-family homes in the US-60 corridor but a positive effect on multifamily residential developments (e.g., condominiums) and most commercial properties. Finally, the most important factor in determining negative impact on property values appears to be the level of traffic on any major roads in the proximate area, which implies that regional traffic growth is more significant than the presence of a freeway per se.
Characterization of surface modified glycerol/silk fibroin film for application to corneal endothelial cell regeneration

Abstract Corneal endothelial cells (CEnCs) play a fundamental role in maintaining the transparency of the cornea. CEnCs lose their full proliferating capacity when tissue damages occur. The loss in proliferation rate is associated with corneal edema and decrease in visual acuity, leading in severe cases, to blindness. In these situations, a corneal transplant is usually needed to restore the original tissue functions. Tissue engineering is an efficient alternative for the production of implantable films, which can regenerate the tissue functions regulating at the same time the immune-response. In this study, we proposed a stable and transparent film, composed of silk fibroin modified with glycerol (G/SF), as a potential substrate for corneal endothelial cells regeneration. Our results confirmed that G/SF films have a uniform structure, rougher surface and lower thickness respect to the SF film. In vitro tests show that G/SF films can induce a slight increase in CEnCs initial adhesion and proliferation rate if compared with the SF film. Morphology and gene expression evaluations demonstrated that the bioactive effects of silk fibroin were not affected by the presence of glycerol. For this reason, the G/SF films are suitable as CEnCs carrier and promising for the corneal damages treatments.
Estimation of Annual Mortality Rates for Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in Chesapeake Bay Based on Box Counts and Application of Those Rates to Project Population Growth of C. virginica and C. ariakensis

Abstract In an effort to restore the ecological role of oysters in Chesapeake Bay and the economic benefits of a commercial fishery, the states of Maryland and Virginia are considering introducing the nonnative Asian oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis) into the Bay. As part of an ecological risk assessment (ERA) to evaluate the proposed action and alternatives, demographic modeling is being used to project the change in populations of both the Asian and the native eastern oyster (C. virginica) in the Bay across space and time. Annual mortality rates are vital input to the demographic model. We present two approaches for parameterizing mortality rates for C. virginica by salinity ranges and disease-intensity categories and discuss how these rates could be applied to project population growth for the Asian oyster. We estimated mortality rates from empirical data collected during annual dredge surveys of oyster beds in Maryland. We compared counts of recent boxes (dead oysters without fouling or sedimentation on the inner valve surfaces, including “gapers” of one or two weeks old with tissue remaining in the shell), old boxes (dead oysters without tissue remnants but with fouling, sedimentation or both on the inner valve surfaces), and live oysters in market-size and small classes. Our mortality estimates based on counts of recent boxes consistently differentiated between years with high disease intensity and those with low disease intensity, between wet and dry years, and between salinity zones. In contrast, traditional estimates of yearly mortality based on total box counts often were out of phase with measured levels of disease intensity and weather (dry or wet). To model populations of C. ariakensis, we propose to adjust the mortality rates for C. virginica based on research results that provide estimates of differences between the two species' resistance to MSX and dermo and to other mortality factors, such as predation.
H2S, a Bacterial Defense Mechanism against the Host Immune Response

The biological mediator hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced by bacteria and has been shown to be cytoprotective against oxidative stress and to increase the sensitivity of various bacteria to a range of antibiotic drugs. Here we evaluated whether bacterial H2S provides resistance against the immune response, using two bacterial species that are common sources of nosocomial infections, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. ABSTRACT The biological mediator hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced by bacteria and has been shown to be cytoprotective against oxidative stress and to increase the sensitivity of various bacteria to a range of antibiotic drugs. Here we evaluated whether bacterial H2S provides resistance against the immune response, using two bacterial species that are common sources of nosocomial infections, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Elevations in H2S levels increased the resistance of both species to immune-mediated killing. Clearances of infections with wild-type and genetically H2S-deficient E. coli and S. aureus were compared in vitro and in mouse models of abdominal sepsis and burn wound infection. Also, inhibitors of H2S-producing enzymes were used to assess bacterial killing by leukocytes. We found that inhibition of bacterial H2S production can increase the susceptibility of both bacterial species to rapid killing by immune cells and can improve bacterial clearance after severe burn, an injury that increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections. These findings support the role of H2S as a bacterial defense mechanism against the host response and implicate bacterial H2S inhibition as a potential therapeutic intervention in the prevention or treatment of infections.
Oxidative stability of chicken meat during storage influenced by the feeding of alfalfa meal.

The aim of our experiment was to determine the effect of the alfalfa meal component in feed mixtures of Ross broiler chickens on oxidative stability of meat. Proportion of alfalfa meal in feed mixtures was 4 and 6%. The results were compared to the control group without alfalfa meal in feed mixtures. At the end of the experiment (day 38), 6 pcs of broiler chickens from each group with an average live body weight over 1 800 g were randomly selected. The samples for chemical analysis consisted of identical proportion of breast and thigh muscle, and about 1 cm 2 of skin with subcutaneous fat. Fat from the meat was obtained after the samples drying. A fat was determined by extraction by means of laboratory instrument Det N Gras Selecta P. The oxidative stability of meat on the basis of acid number of fat was determided by chemical analysis. Chicken meat was stored at -18 °C for 12 months and 18 months. The acid number of fat of stored meat for 12 months was 7.38 mg KOH per g in the control group, 7.42 mg KOH per g in the group with a proportion of 4% alfalfa meal, and 11.18 mg KOH per g in the group with proportion 6% alfalfa meal. An acid number of fat of stored meat for 18 months was 5.90 mg KOH per g in the control group, 4.65 mg KOH per g in the group with a proportion of 4% alfalfa meal, and 7.07 mg KOH per g in the group with a proportion of 6% alfalfa meal. Chicken meat is notably sensitive to lipid oxidation because of its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Legislation in Title 5 of Part 3 of the Codex Alimentarius of the Slovak Republic and the Government Regulation No. 286/2003 Coll. in the Annex 4 in Part B provide the requirements for animal fats and meat products. Regulation of the European Parliament and Council (EC) No. 853/2004 lays down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin. In particular, determination of free fatty acids content of rendered animal fat (tallow, lard, other animal fat). Legislative regulation does not contain requirements for the quality of chicken meat, the acid number of fat of fresh or frozen chicken meat, respectively. A chicken meat is preferred over other kinds of meat. It is characterized by certain dietary and nutritional properties that consumer prefers. A price of this kind of meat remains attractive. In terms of human health, oxidative stability of chicken meat is important, especially of stored meat. In general terms, the various food additives are currently used to maintain the food stability. Great attention is currently paid to additives of natural origin. Similar focus is presented in our study. We can state, on the basis of the oxidative stability results of chicken meat, that natural feed component has its justification. This issue requires further research. Normal 0 21 false false false SK X-NONE X-NONE
DESIGN OF DELAY INTERPOLATION BASED DIFFERENTIAL SELF BIASED CLOCK PLLS

In the present day tiled and multicore processors, the traditional self biased PLL is often used with very little modification from its original architecture. The margins available for timing uncertainties, an d hence the jitter constraints on the clock PLLs, have beco me progressively more stringent. In most of these microprocessors, the well proven architecture, the traditional self biased PLL is still being widely u sed with hardly any modification. The present scenario demands modifications in its topology to address the jit ter constraints. This paper modifies the traditional se lf biased PLL targeting jitter reduction and propos es a differential self biased PLL incorporating delay in terpolation based VCO that provides a constant swing VCO signal. The proposed PLL with its constant swing VCO architecture and differential PLL architectur e, minimizes the input referred noise as well as the n oise contribution by the VCO itself. While adopting the delay interpolation principle in the VCO of the tra ditional self biased PLL, it is ensured that the sa lient features like constant damping factor, constant loo p bandwidth to reference frequency ratio, static an d dynamic supply rejection characteristic is met for the entire operating frequency range of PLL and thu s the proposed PLL becomes insensitive to process parameters and supply voltage variations. With a combination of delay interpolation principle and se lf biased scheme the modified VCO operates over a wide frequency range and hence the proposed PLL exhibits wide capture range. Detailed design followed by simulations carried out with 0.18 µm CMOS process shows jitter improvement of 46% to 85% over a capture range of 1.7GHz.
Finite element analysis and Fracture in viscoelastic materials by M  v integral-Part I: crack initiation

Finite element analysis is an engineering method for the numerical analysis of complex structures. This book provides a bird's eye view on this very broad matter through 27 original and innovative research studies exhibiting various investigation directions. Through its chapters the reader will have access to works related to Biomedical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Process Analysis and Civil Engineering. The text is addressed not only to researchers, but also to professional engineers, engineering lecturers and students seeking to gain a better understanding of where Finite Element Analysis stands today.
The effects of smoking cessation on control of food intake in postmenopausal African-American and Caucasian women

Smoking cessation leads to greater weight gain in women than men, and older and postmenopausal women are at greater risk for weight gain than younger, premenopausal women. African-American postmenopausal women may be at the greatest risk. Weight gain after smoking cessation is primarily due to increased caloric intake. Currently, the literature regarding measurement of macronutrient intake after smoking cessation is plagued with methodological problems. The Geiselman Macronutrient Self-Selection Paradigm (MSSP) significantly and systematically varies fat across other macronutrients and the Geiselman Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) measures the negative feedback of satiation via preand postprandial hedonic ratings of foods. Fifty-five Caucasian and 32 African-American postmenopausal women were recruited for the present study. We measured changes in total caloric intake, and specific macronutrient intake with the use of the MSSP, and we measured hedonic ratings with the use of the FPQ before and after smoking cessation. We hypothesized that total caloric intake and intake of high-fat foods would increase postcessation. Also, we hypothesized that women would be able to reach satiation more readily while smoking than they would postcessation. We found that Caucasian females increased total caloric intake and intake of high-fat foods after smoking cessation; however, their level of satiation did not change from preto postcessation. Thus, the Caucasian women had to ingest significantly more total kcals, especially from high-fat foods, postcessation to achieve the same level of satiation that they reached with much smaller amount of food while still smoking. Total caloric intake, including intake of high-fat foods, did not differ from preto postcessation in African-American females. African-American women ingested significantly more total kcals and intake of high-fat foods than did Caucasian females, regardless of smoking status. African-American women also showed significantly smaller decreases in
Titanium release in peri-implantitis.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the titanium (Ti) content of biopsies from patients with severe peri-implantitis or controls without Ti exposure. BACKGROUND Peri-implantitis is considered to be an infectious disease, but recent studies have shown that Ti can aggravate inflammation in combination with bacterial products. The Ti content of peri-implantitis and periodontitis (controls) tissue is unknown. METHODS Thirteen patients referred for peri-implantitis and eleven for periodontitis treatment were included in the study. Disease severity was obtained from dental records. Biopsies were taken from both groups and chemically analysed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for Ti content. Additionally, two patients with peri-implantitis and two with periodontitis were recruited and their biopsies were analysed microscopically with light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with element analysis to investigate the presence of particulate Ti. RESULTS All patients lost one or more implants despite undergoing peri-implant or treatment. Peri-implantitis tissue contained significantly higher concentrations of Ti than control samples with a mean ± SD of 98.7 ± 85.6 and 1.2 ± 0.9 μg/g, respectively. Particulate metal was identified in peri-implantitis and control biopsies, but element analyses could confirm only the presence of Ti in peri-implantitis tissue. CONCLUSION We showed that high contents of particulate and submicron Ti were present in peri-implantitis tissue. These high Ti contents in peri-implant mucosa can potentially aggravate inflammation, which might reduce the prognosis of treatment interventions.