Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Echo Simulator Systems for Exomars 2016 Radar Doppler Altimeters tests

In the framework of Exomars Mission 2016, test equipment were developed in order to verify the performance of the Radar Doppler Altimeter onboard of the Entry, descent and landing Demonstrator Module before the Radar Field Test campaign. Three Echo Simulator Systems are currently involved into test activities of radar units. Their main task is the simulation of the echoes coming from Mars surface and their injection into the radars to test them in various operating conditions of descent trajectories and terrain behaviors. The Echo Simulator Systems are also used to collect the transmitted radar pulses and auxiliary signals to verify the correct radar transmission sequence in terms of pulse width, power and repetition interval. Echo Simulators Systems are able to simulate echoes in presence of wide terrain backscattering, altitude and attitude variations. The architecture is based on hi-speed Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog Converters commanded by a Field-Programmable Gate Array. A front end from Base-Band to Ka-Band has been designed to interface the equipment with radar and built to assure the required high dynamics and fidelity of signals. Two Echo Simulators are used in open-loops mode, injecting echoes generated by means of pre-processed trajectories to test the radars in standalone mode. The third one is by contrary used in closed-loop mode. It generates echoes using trajectories that are evaluated runtime according to radar units' measurements feedback and simulated maneuvers of the descent module such as aero braking and thrusters' activation. This mode permits to test the radars when integrated with the platform's Guidance, Navigation and Control system.
Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis

Background: Hypertrophic pachymeningitis is an uncommon disorder that causes a localized or diffuse thickening of the dura mater and has been associated with rheumatoid arthritis, syphilis, Wegener’s granulomatosis, tuberculosis, and cancer. Few series of the idiopathic variety have been described, particularly with respect to MRI correlation to clinical outcome and treatment. Objective: To investigate the clinical and laboratory evaluation, course, and treatment of patients with idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP), to correlate the MRI findings with the clinical course, and to review the literature on IHP. Methods: Retrospective case series of 12 patients (9 men, 3 women), with a mean age of 55 years (range 39 to 88 years), who had IHP by imaging studies, meningeal or orbital biopsy, or both. The clinical features, laboratory evaluation, contrast-enhanced MRI, treatment, and clinical outcome were documented for each case. The mean duration of follow-up was 3.5 years (range 3 months to 16 years). Results: The main clinical features at presentation were headache (11 cases), loss of vision (7 cases), diplopia (4 cases), papilledema (2 cases), other cranial nerve involvement (3 cases), ataxia (2 cases), and seizures (1 case). On the initial MRI, the location of abnormal enhancement of the dura mater correlated with the clinical findings and the sphenoid wing area was affected in all patients. The sedimentation rate was elevated in five cases. The CSF had increased protein in six cases and lymphocytosis in four cases. Biopsy of the dura mater in five cases and the orbital soft tissue in one case showed infiltrates of small mature lymphocytes, plasma cells, and epithelioid histiocytes, but no neoplasia, vasculitis, or infectious agents. Cultures of the CSF and biopsy material remained sterile. Corticosteroid therapy improved the vision in 7 of 8 cases and controlled headache in 10 of 11 cases. Five cases had partial improvement of other neurologic symptoms and signs. Recurrence developed with steroid tapering in six cases. One case had progressive deterioration and died. In four cases methotrexate or azathioprine was added with reduction of the steroid dose. Follow-up MRI performed in 11 patients correlated 80% with the clinical state (p = 0.01). Conclusion: IHP can be suspected on MRI and defined pathologically on biopsy. Untreated, the clinical course is usually marked by severe headache and progressive neurologic deterioration and vision loss. Although initially steroid-responsive, clinical manifestations frequently recur with corticosteroid taper, requiring the addition of immunosuppressive agents in some cases.
Direct induction of CCK and GLP-1 release from murine endocrine cells by intact dietary proteins.

SCOPE Consumption of high-protein diets cause elevated levels of CCK and GLP-1. Although unknown, this might be due to protein breakdown by various proteases that originate from the gastrointestinal tract. This study investigated which dietary proteins, hydrolysates, or synthetic-peptides are most potent to affect secretion of CCK and GLP-1 in STC-1 cells known for satiety hormone release. METHODS AND RESULTS Addition of intact proteins to STC-1 cells exerted strong effects on secretion of satiety hormones. Casein, whey, and pea showed strongest effects on CCK release, whereas casein, codfish, egg, and wheat showed most pronounced effects on GLP-1 release. Egg-hydrolysate stimulated release of CCK and GLP-1, whereas all other tested hydrolysates and synthetic-peptides showed no significant effects on hormone release. Addition of a combination of trypsin and casein-hydrolysate, codfish, egg, egg-hydrolysate, sodium-casein, wheat-hydrolysate, or wheat resulted in additional stimulation of CCK release, compared to only the protein. Addition of a combination of DPP-IV and egg-hydrolysate, ovomucoid, or sodium-casein decreased GLP-1 levels. CONCLUSION This study showed that specific intact, or partially digested proteins, in contrast to protein-hydrolysates and synthetic-peptides, stimulated hormone release. We conclude that intact proteins exert strong effects on satiety hormone release, and may therefore provide potent dietary supplements for prevention or treatment of obesity.
A Case-Crossover Analysis of Particulate Air Pollution and Cardiac Arrhythmia in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

We investigated the relationship between air pollution and incidence of cardiac arrhythmia in a study of patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Thirty-four patients (ages 15–85 yr, 80% male) with ICDs residing in the Vancouver, Canada, area were included in the analyses, representing all patients attending the 2 ICD clinics in the study region who had recorded at least 1 ICD discharge during the 14 February to 31 December 2000 study period. Air pollutant (PM2.5, PM10, SO42−, elemental carbon [EC], organic carbon [OC], O3, SO2, NO2, and CO) concentrations on days for which ICD discharges were observed (“case days”) were compared to concentrations on control days in case-crossover analyses. Control days were selected symmetrically, 7 days before and after each case day. ICD discharges occurring within 72 h of 1 another were grouped and considered as 1 discharge event. Temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, rainfall, and wind speed were included simultaneously as covariates. Sensitivity analyses examined the effect of grouping ICD discharges, of including meteorological variables, and of excluding discharges that were considered inappropriate by a cardiologist. As in previous studies, mean concentrations and interquartile ranges of air pollutants in Vancouver were low (e.g., PM2.5 mean = 8.2 ug/m3). Although in general there were no statistically significant results, there were trends that might indicate associations between pollutants and ICD discharges. Odds ratios (OR) were consistently higher in summer than in winter (e.g., lag 0 per interquartile range increase in EC: 1.09 [0.86–1.37] vs. 0.61 [0.31–1.18]) and, in general, the highest ORs were observed for same-day effects. The one major exception was the observation of high ORs for ozone in winter (e.g., lag 1: 2.27 [0.67–7.66]). While an OR of 1.55 (0.51–4.70) was observed in summer at lag 0 for PM10, no indications of positive associations were observed for PM2.5 or SO42−. For indicators of local combustion-source pollution, EC, OC, CO, and SO2, ORs were elevated at all lags (0–3 days) in summer. In summary, this study provides little evidence that specific components of PM affect risk of cardiac arrhythmias, although power limited the ability of the study to detect small effects.
Striving for Normalcy after Lower Extremity Reconstruction with Free Tissue: The Role of Secondary Esthetic Refinements

Abstract Background Many patients with successful lower extremity salvage have postoperative functional and esthetic concerns. Such concerns range from contour irregularity preventing proper shoe-fitting to esthetic concerns involving color, contour, and texture match. The purpose of this study is to determine the overall incidence as well as factors associated with an increased likelihood of undergoing secondary, esthetic refinements of lower extremity free flaps and to review current revision techniques. Methods All patients undergoing lower extremity soft tissue coverage for limb salvage procedures between January 2007 and June 2013 at a single institution were included in the analysis. Patients who underwent secondary refinements for lower extremity free flaps were compared with patients not undergoing secondary procedures. Results During the study period, 152 patients underwent reconstruction and were eligible for inclusion. Of these, 32 (21.1%) patients underwent secondary, esthetic revisions. Few differences in patient or case characteristics were noted, although revision patients trended toward being younger, having lower body mass index, with defects secondary to acute trauma located below the ankle. The most common revision was complex soft tissue rearrangement or surgical flap debulking/direct excision (87.5% of patients), followed by scar revision (12.5%), suction-assisted lipectomy (3.1%), laser scar revision (3.1%), and tissue expansion with local tissue rearrangement (3.1%). Conclusion A significant portion of patients desire secondary revisions following the initial procedure. This is especially true of younger patients with below ankle reconstruction. In many patients, an esthetic consideration should not be of secondary concern, but should be part of the ultimate reconstructive algorithm for lower extremity limb salvage.
Cell‐matrix biology in vascular tissue engineering

We are developing biocompatible small‐calibre vascular substitutes based on polymeric scaffolds that incorporate cell‐matrix signals to enhance vascular cell attachment and function. Our graft scaffold comprises an outer electrostatically spun porous polyurethane layer seeded with smooth muscle cells, and a luminal polycaprolactone layer for endothelial cell attachment. Vascular cell adhesion properties of three vascular elastic fibre molecules, tropoelastin, fibrillin‐1 and fibulin‐5, have been defined, and adhesion fragments optimized. These fragments are being used to coat the scaffolds to enhance luminal endothelial cell attachment, and to regulate smooth muscle cell attachment and function. Tropoelastin‐based cell seeding materials are also being developed. In this way, vascular cell‐matrix biology is enhancing graft design.
Single agent bortezomib in the treatment of relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: Cancer and leukemia Group B protocol 50206

Constitutive activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been described in patient-derived Reed – Sternberg cells and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cell lines and contributes to the proliferation and survival of HL. Therapeutic inhibition of the proteasome with bortezomib may inhibit over-expression of nuclear NF-κB by preventing degradation of IκB, which sequesters NF-κB in the cytoplasm. To evaluate this hypothesis, the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) conducted a multi-institutional phase II trial of single agent bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory classical HL. Thirty patients received bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 on days 1, 4, 8, 11 and every 21 days for a median of 2 cycles (range, 1 – 8). Patients were heavily pre-treated with a median of four prior therapies, and 83% were previously transplanted. No responses were observed, 9 patients had stable disease, and 21 progressed. The median progression-free and overall survivals were 1.4 months [95% CI, (1.28, 1.91)] and 14.8 months [95% CI (11.2, 22.3)], respectively. Grade 3 – 4 adverse events, primarily thrombocytopenia, occurred in 15 patients. Therefore, although well tolerated, 1.3 mg/m2 bortezomib administered biweekly has no single agent activity in relapsed/refractory classical HL.
Quantity of Candida Colonies in Saliva:  A Diagnostic Evaluation for Oral Candidiasis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the quantity of Candida colonies in saliva and oral candidiasis (OC), as well as to identify the threshold for distinguishing oral candidiasis from healthy carriage. METHODS A diagnostic test was conducted in 197 patients with different oral problems. The diagnosis of OC was established based on clinical features. Whole saliva samples from the subjects were cultured for Candida species. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used in this study. RESULTS OC patients had significantly more Candida colony-forming units per millilitre saliva (795 cfu/ml) than asymptomatic carriers (40 cfu/ml; P < 0.05). Among different types of candidiasis, the quantity of Candida colonies differed. The number of Candida colonies in pseudomembranous type was significantly higher than that in the erythematous type (P < 0.05). Candida albicans was the predominant species of Candida. The cut-off point with the best fit for OC diagnosis was calculated to be 266 cfu/ml. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.720 and 0.825, respectively. Analysis of the ROC curve indicated that Candida colonies had a high diagnostic value for OC, as demonstrated by the area under the curve (AUC = 0.873). CONCLUSION Based on this study, the value of 270 cfu/ml was considered a threshold for distinguishing OC from carriage.
Thy1 (CD90) controls adipogenesis by regulating activity of the Src family kinase, Fyn

Worldwide obesity rates are at epidemic levels, and new insight into the regulation of obesity and adipogenesis are required. Thy1 (CD90), a cell surface protein with an enigmatic function, is expressed on subsets of fibroblasts and stem cells. We used a diet‐induced obesity model to show that Thy1‐null mice gain weight at a faster rate and gain 30% more weight than control C57BL/6 mice. During adipogenesis, Thy1 expression is lost in mouse 3T3‐L1 cells. Overexpression of Thy1 blocked adipocyte formation and reduced mRNA and protein expression of an adipocyte marker, fatty acid‐binding protein 4, by 5‐fold. Although preadipocyte fibroblasts expressed Thy1 mRNA and protein, adipocytes from mouse and human fat tissue had almost undetectable Thy1 levels. Thy1 decreases the activity of the adipogenic transcription factor PPARγ by more than 60% as shown by PPARγ‐dependent reporter assays. Using both genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we show Thy1 expression dampens PPARγ by inhibiting the activity of the Src‐family kinase, Fyn. Thus, these studies reveal Thy1 blocks adipogenesis and PPARγ by inhibiting Fyn and support the idea that Thy1 is a novel therapeutic target in obesity. —Woeller, C. F. , O'Loughlin, C. W. , Pollock, S. J., Thatcher, T. H. , Feldon, S. E. , Phipps, R. P., Thy1 (CD90) controls adipogenesis by regulating activity of the Src family kinase, Fyn. FASEB J. 29, 920–931 (2015). www.fasebj. org
Modélisation Sinusoïdale à Long Terme du Signal de Parole

La modelisation sinusoidale du signal de parole est usuellement definie a « court terme », c'est-a-dire sur des trames successives de signal d'une duree de l'ordre de 10 a 30 ms. Cette these apporte une contribution nouvelle a ce domaine en ajoutant a ce niveau traditionnel de modelisation spectrale un niveau supplementaire le long de l'axe temporel : on cherche a modeliser les trajectoires de parametres sinusoidaux (amplitudes et phases) sur des durees significativement plus longues que celles des trames a court terme (typiquement plusieurs centaines de ms ; on considere dans cette these des sections de parole continument voisees). Nous proposons pour cela d'utiliser differents modeles a long terme a base de fonctions en cosinus discrets et de fonctions polynomiales. L'ajustement des trajectoires est realise par une regression au sens des moindres carres ponderes, les poids de la regression etant determines par des criteres perceptifs adaptes au traitement a long terme. Pour cette tâche, une serie d'algorithmes iteratifs est proposee et testee. L'approche a long terme se revele a la fois efficace et parcimonieuse pour decrire la dynamique des signaux de parole voises.
Eosinophilia: A poor predictor of Strongyloides infection in refugees.

BACKGROUND Canada resettles 10,000 to 12,000 refugees annually. Despite this being a highly vulnerable population, there are little Canadian data on subclinical tropical diseases harboured in this population over the past 20 years. OBJECTIVES To determine the seroprevalence and predictors of Strongyloides infection in refugees arriving in Edmonton, Alberta. METHODS A retrospective chart review of all refugees seen at the New Canadians Clinic between March 2009 and April 2010 was performed. Demographic, symptom and physical examination data were collected from the charts. Laboratory results were obtained from the electronic laboratory records. RESULTS A total of 350 subjects were studied. The overall seroprevalence of strongyloidiasis was 4.6%. Equivocal results were found in 6.3%. In the positive group, the majority were male (62.5%); 75% were born in Africa (P=0.004) and 81.2% lived in refugee camps in Africa (P=0.002). Eosinophilia was present in 25% of the positive subjects (P=0.05), in none of the equivocal group and in 8.7% of the negative group. DISCUSSION Persistent asymptomatic Strongyloides infection is maintained for years through autoinfection. Traditionally, eosinophilia was used as one of the key tools to diagnose chronic but stable diseases, but it was shown to have a poor predictive value for strongyloidiasis in returning expatriates as well as in those presenting with a disseminated form of the disease. It is important to raise awareness of the severe limitations of eosinophilia as a marker for strongyloidiasis when managing patients who either are immunocompromised, or about to start immunosuppressive therapy. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicated that eosinophilia is a poor predictor of seropositivity and, thus, Strongyloides infection. Residence in Africa (birth/refugee camps) proved to be a significantly better predictor of Strongyloides seropositivity.
Fine mapping of breakpoints in two unrelated patients with rare overlapping interstitial deletions of 9q with mild dysmorphic features

Approximately, 20 cases of interstitial deletions of 9q have been reported in the literature spanning the breakpoints from 9q21 to 9q34. Unlike the 9q subtelomeric deletions, the interstitial deletions do not demonstrate a specific recognizable phenotype, although the majority of patients had microcephaly. Lack of precise molecular delineation of the extent of deletions in the published cases makes it difficult to develop an accurate genotype–phenotype correlation. We report on fine mapping of breakpoints using the Affymetrix Human Mapping 500K Array Set in two unrelated female patients with overlapping de novo deletion in 9q. SNP oligonucleotide microarray analysis (SOMA) indicated these to be relatively large deletions with Patient 1 having a 6.47 Mb deletion (>60 genes) spanning 9q32–q33.2 and Patient 2 having a 9.68 Mb deletion (>20 genes) localized to 9q31.1–q33.1. FISH analysis with BAC clones localized to the breakpoints showed discrepant results in Patient 1. Based on the review of previously reported interstitial 9q deletion patients and our patients, the minimal region of overlap (MRO) appears to encompass the 9q32 region and a phenotype characterized by microcephaly, neurological dysfunction and facial dysmorphism can be deduced. Our study shows the investigative nature of the latest array technology and the limitations of this technology in the accurate delineation of breakpoints. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in an Australian population

An epidemiological study was undertaken to provide the first reported estimate of the point prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in an Australian community. After a pilot study in a separate location, the population of the Richmond Valley, New South Wales, was sampled using a structured case‐finding technique, which included notification from local medical practitioners, the use of a screening questionnaire and standardised interviews conducted by a physician and psychiatrist. In addition, investigations were performed to exclude alternative diagnoses and to assess cell‐mediated immunity. Forty‐two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, with a female:male ratio of 1.3:1.0, were detected in a population of 114 000. The mean age at onset of symptoms was 28.6 years (SD, 12.3 years), and the median duration of symptoms from onset to sampling date was 30 months. The social status of the patients was distributed in accordance with that of the remainder of the population sampled, with no bias towards the middle or upper social classes. The disorder was causing considerable incapacity, with 43% of patients unable to attend school or work. The conservative estimate from this study suggests a prevalence on June 30 1988 of 37.1 cases per 100 000 (95% confidence interval [Cl], 26.8‐50.2). Chronic fatigue syndrome is an important disorder in this Australian community that affects young individuals from all social classes and causes considerable ill health and disability.
Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia: An Overview

Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is an autosomal recessive inherited bleeding disorder due to a defect in platelet function. The hallmark of this disease is severely reduced/absent platelet aggregation in response to multiple physiological agonists. Bleeding signs in GT include epistaxis, bruising, gingival hemorrhage, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hematuria, menorrhagia, and hemarthrosis. Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the genes of GPIIb and GPIIIa lead to GT. A patient with GT, with no possible causative mutations in GPIIb and GPIIIa genes, may harbor defects in a regulatory element affecting the transcription of these 2 genes. GT occurs in high frequency in certain ethnic populations with an increased incidence of consanguinity such as in Indians, Iranians, Iraqi Jews, Palestinian and Jordanian Arabs, and French Gypsies. Carrier detection in GT is important to control the disorder in family members. Carrier detection can be done both by protein analysis and direct gene analysis.
Prioritizing User Feedback from Twitter: A Survey Report

Twitter messages (tweets) contain important information for software and requirements evolution, such as feature requests, bug reports and feature shortcoming descriptions. For this reason, Twitter is an important source for crowd-based requirements engineering and software evolution. However, a manual analysis of this information is unfeasible due to the large number of tweets, its unstructured nature and varying quality. Therefore, automatic analysis techniques are needed for, e.g., summarizing, classifying and prioritizing tweets. In this work we present a survey with 84 software engineering practitioners and researchers that studies the tweet attributes that are most telling of tweet priority when performing software evolution tasks. We believe that our results can be used to implement mechanisms for prioritizing user feedback with social components. Thus, it can be helpful for enhancing crowd-based requirements engineering and software evolution.