Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Significance of diagnostic parameters in [13C]octanoic acid gastric emptying breath tests.

Two novel characteristic parameters, the latency time (t(lat)) and the ascension time (t(asc)), are proposed for evaluation of non-invasive [13C]octanoic acid breath tests for assessment of the gastric emptying of solids. In breath tests performed in control subjects (n = 30) and diabetic patients (n = 100), the usefulness of these parameters was compared to conventional parameters, i.e., gastric half emptying-time (t1/2,b) and lag phase (t(lag),b). The proposed parameters were only loosely correlated (controls, r = 0.199; diabetics, 0.616). A strong correlation was found between the conventional parameters (controls, r = 0.891; diabetics, r = 0.962). Based on the conventional method, 36 patients were suspicious of delayed gastric emptying including 24 patients which exhibited a simultaneous delay in both parameters. Using the new parameters, a total of 46 patients were suspicious of delayed gastric emptying with 15 and 20 having isolated delay in t(lat) and t(asc), respectively. We conclude that the novel parameters may be more appropriate for examination of the different phases of gastric emptying and for evaluation of gastric emptying disturbances in diabetic patients than the parameters conventionally used for this purpose.
Intrauterine Inflammation, Neonatal Sepsis, and Chronic Lung Disease: A 13-Year Hospital Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE. To determine the impact of intrauterine inflammation of maternal (chorioamnionitis) and fetal (umbilical vasculitis) origin and neonatal sepsis on the development of neonatal chronic lung disease in preterm infants. METHODS. This study was conducted at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia. All infants born at <30 weeks' gestation, admitted to the NICU, and surviving to 36 weeks' corrected gestation during 1992–2004 were eligible. Infants with major congenital abnormalities and those without placental examination were excluded. Antenatal and perinatal data extracted from hospital databases were correlated with the independent, central neonatal database and diagnostic laboratory reports. Neonatal sepsis was categorized according to blood culture isolates into 3 groups: coagulase-negative staphylococci, other bacteria, and Candida species. RESULTS. There were 798 eligible infants born during the study period, and 761 (95.4%) had placental examination. The mean gestational age was 27.4 ± 1.5 weeks. Antenatal maternal steroids were given to 94.4%. Regression analysis showed that chorioamnionitis with umbilical vasculitis and increasing gestation were associated with reduced odds of chronic lung disease. Chorioamnionitis without umbilical vasculitis showed a trend to reduced odds of chronic lung disease. Birth weight at <3rd percentile and neonatal sepsis were associated with increased odds of chronic lung disease. CONCLUSIONS. A fetal inflammatory response is protective for chronic lung disease. Neonatal sepsis is strongly associated with chronic lung disease, and the infecting organism is important. Coagulase-negative staphylococcal infection confers a risk for chronic lung disease similar to that of other bacteremias. Candidemia confers the greatest risk of chronic lung disease.
Improved pattern scaling approaches for the use in climate impact studies

Pattern scaling is a simple way to produce climate projections beyond the scenarios run with expensive global climate models (GCMs). The simplest technique has known limitations and assumes that a spatial climate anomaly pattern obtained from a GCM can be scaled by the global mean temperature (GMT) anomaly. We propose alternatives and assess their skills and limitations. One approach which avoids scaling is to consider a period in a different scenario with the same GMT change. It is attractive as it provides patterns of any temporal resolution that are consistent across variables, and it does not distort variability. Second, we extend the traditional approach with a land‐sea contrast term, which provides the largest improvements over the traditional technique. When interpolating between known bounding scenarios, the proposed methods significantly improve the accuracy of the pattern scaled scenario with little computational cost. The remaining errors are much smaller than the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 model spread.
Specific genetic variants of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans correlate with disease and health in a regional population of families with localized juvenile periodontitis

A geographically homogeneous population of 83 subjects, from 21 families with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP), and 35 healthy control subjects was monitored, over a 5-year period, for the presence of the periodontal pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was used to monitor the distribution of genetic variants of this bacterium in LJP-susceptible subjects that converted from a healthy to a diseased periodontal status. A. actinomycetemcomitans was cultured from 57% of the LJP family members accessioned into the study. Nine of 36 LJP-susceptible subjects, in seven families, developed signs of periodontal destruction. All but one of these conversion subjects harbored A. actinomycetemcomitans. Bacterial variants representative of a single RFLP group (II) showed the strongest correlation with conversion (P < 0.002). Six of nine conversion subjects were infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans from this group. RFLP group II variants also prevailed in 8 of 22 probands but were absent in the 35 healthy control subjects. In contrast to the selective distribution of group II variants is diseased individuals, variants belonging to RFLP groups XIII and XIV were found exclusively in the control subjects. Thus, the use of RFLP to type clinical isolates of A. actinomycetemcomitans has resulted in the identification of genetic variants that predominate in LJP and health. These results indicate that studies concerned with the pathogenicity of this bacterium in LJP should be focused on the group II variants.
Neuroendocrine regulation of food intake

Despite a global obesity epidemic suggesting that human physiology is unable to prevent unhealthy gains in body weight, ample evidence indicates that weight can be tightly regulated. Food intake regulation is complex and in this article we will present a basic endocrine feedback loop model of energy homeostasis. Next, integration of long‐term regulation with short‐term, meal specific regulation and satiety will be discussed. Finally, the role of adiposity signals in modulation of food reward will be highlighted. A basic understanding of the structure–function of these systems will inform the challenges of clinical care for those with disorders of energy balance. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 58: 149–153. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Secure Network Discovery Using Expedite Message Authentication in VANET

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) adopt the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) for their security. In any PKI system, the authentication of a received message is performed by checking if the certificate of the sender is included in the current CRL, and verifying the authenticity of the certificate and signature of the sender. In this paper, we propose an Expedite Message Authentication Protocol (EMAP) for VANETs, which replaces the time-consuming CRL checking process by an efficient revocation checking process. The revocation check process in EMAP uses a keyed Hash Message Authentication Code(HMAC), where the key used in calculating the HMAC is shared only between non revoked On- Board Units (OBUs). In addition, EMAP uses a novel probabilistic key distribution, which enables non revoked OBUs to securely share and update a secret key. EMAP can significantly decrease the message loss ratio due to the message verification delay compared with the conventional authentication methods employing CRL. By conducting security analysis and performance evaluation, EMAP is demonstrated to be secure and efficient.
A Differential Probability Selection MAC Protocol Considering Energy Consumption in Wireless Sensor Networks

In the sensor network using distributed coordination function (DCF) of carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA), sensor nodes have to necessarily compete with others for medium access and service, as the scale of network is increased. Under this situation, many nodes are to collide with each other, and hence this situation finally leads to overall increase of transmission delay which gives rise to the power consumption. This paper presents a differential probability selection MAC (DPSMAC) protocol which is efficient for medium access in the real-time sensor networks. The presented DPSMAC protocol is similar to the conventional CSMA/CA protocols, except that it does not use a time-varying contention window in which a node randomly selects a transmission slot. The DPSMAC adopts the fixed-size contention window with a nonuniform probability distribution in which each slot is selected by the differential probability distribution. The simulation using ns-2, a widely used network simulation package, gives that the proposed method can reduce the latency considerably as compared to the conventional IEEE 802.11 MAC protocols for a sensor network with up to 256 nodes. It also shows that the proposed scheme can realize the latency similar to that realized by the decentralized CSMA-based MAC protocol for real-time sensor networks that are sensitive to latency.
AN ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: WATER FLOW REGULATION AND HYDROELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION

Forest ecosystems in the watersheds of the Yangtze river regulate water flow in the rivers. The value of water flow regulation by ecosystems is usually not realized in situ but may transfer spatially through rivers to another spot out of watersheds where conditions are suitable to realize it. To take into account the transfer of value of biological resources spatially, we developed a process-based simulation model to estimate the capacity of water flow regulation by terrestrial ecosystems, taking into account such major processes as canopy interception, litter absorption, and soil/ground water conservation. In this study we combined models and a GIS-embodied spatial database to assess the capacity and benefits of water flow regulation by ecosystems in Xingshan County, Hubei Province, China. The capacity of water flow regulation differs substantially among the 90 types of vegetation–soil–slope complexes in the watersheds. The simulation model estimates that in a wet season the watershed can retain ∼868.07 .
Adaptive Filtering and Prioritising of Diabetes Consumer Information for Promoting Consumer-Provider Partnership and Communication

To engender patient partnership in care we have designed an algorithm to filter and prioritize diabetes consumer information. This enables customised adaptive presentation for patients to highlight the most relevant issues. The profile for adaptation considers significant data (clinical and nonclinical), patient knowledge level and interests. An XML based implementation is the subject of ongoing experimental assessment.
Association of the risk of development of hypothyroidism after iodine 131 treatment with the pretreatment pattern of sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m uptake in the thyroid gland in cats with hyperthyroidism: 165 cases (1990-2002).

OBJECTIVE To assess whether the risk of development of hypothyroidism after treatment with iodine 131 (131I) was associated with the pattern of sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m activity in the thyroid gland detected via scintigraphy before treatment in cats with hyperthyroidism. DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS 165 cats. PROCEDURE Medical records of cats with hyperthyroidism that had been treated with 131I (from 1990 to 2002) and had undergone scintigraphy of the thyroid gland before treatment were reviewed; data regarding signalment, scintigraphic findings (classified as unilateral, bilateral-asymmetric, bilateral-symmetric, or multifocal patterns), serum total thyroxine (T4) concentrations before treatment and prior to hospital discharge, and 131I treatment were collected. A questionnaire was sent to each referring veterinarian to obtain additional data including whether the cats subsequently developed hypothyroidism (defined as serum total T4 concentration less than the lower reference limit > or = 3 months after treatment). RESULTS 50 of 165 (30.3%) 131I-treated cats developed hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism developed in 39 of 109 cats with bilateral, 10 of 50 cats with unilateral, and 1 of 6 cats with multifocal scintigraphic patterns of their thyroid glands. Cats with a bilateral scintigraphic pattern were approximately 2 times as likely to develop hypothyroidism after 131I treatment than were cats with a unilateral scintigraphic pattern (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 4.2). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Cats with hyperthyroidism that have a bilateral scintigraphic pattern in the thyroid gland before 131I treatment appear to have a significantly higher risk of subsequently developing hypothyroidism, compared with cats with a unilateral scintigraphic pattern.
Uma Estratégia Baseada em Difusão de Informação para Determinação de Conteúdos Relevantes e Usuários Influentes em Redes Sociais

Redes sociais tem desempenhado um papel cada vez mais fundamental como um meio para a disseminacao de informacoes, ideias e influencias entre os seus membros. O problema alvo deste trabalho e determinar tanto usuarios influentes quanto conteudo relevante, ou seja, ordenar tanto grupos de usuarios quanto o conteudo por eles disseminado. Propomos uma nova tecnica que se baseia em uma definicao intuitiva e circular de relevância e influencia. Essa tecnica e descrita em detalhes, assim como a sua implementacao eficiente. Ela foi validada utilizando duas bases de dados reais do Twitter para fins de recomendacao. Os resultados obtidos mostram que a tecnica proposta apresenta ganhos de 37% quando comparada a um metodo de filtragem colaborativa, ao mesmo tempo que tanto usuarios influentes quanto conteudo relevante se mostram superiores qualitativamente. Apresentamos ainda um estudo de caso, no qual aplicamos a tecnica proposta em um cenario real da Web. As analises comprovam que o nosso metodo consegue identificar usuarios influentes e pode ser facilmente adotada em diversos cenarios de aplicacao.
Wafer-level compliant bump for three-dimensional LSI with high-density area bump connections

We introduce the wafer-level compliant bump for chip stacking and 3-dimensional integration systems with high-density area bump interconnections. An inter-chip connection of up to 10,000 bump connections is demonstrated, where the bump size/pitch is 10 mum/20 mum. It is also demonstrated that the compliant bump is very effective in minimizing strain generated in a device even when the bump bonding is performed directly on the device
Logic cells and interconnect strategies for nanoscale reconfigurable computing fabrics

The back-gate terminal on double-gate ambipolar transistors can be used as a powerful vector to achieve fine-grain logic reconfigurability. This paper describes ways of exploiting this property to improve on standard cell logic techniques, and to build logic gates with tunable functionalities. Given the vastly reduced transistor count, conventional use of reconfigurable interconnect at the cell level would lead to large overhead, and new interconnect strategies are required. We explore two types of interconnect architectures (island-style and cell-matrix) and develop a mapping method to evaluate trade-offs between matrix occupation, cluster size and switch requirements.
Soft-Tissue Augmentation and the Role of Poly-L-Lactic Acid

Background: Facial rejuvenation has traditionally centered on the correction of ptosis, lines, and wrinkles, typically achieved by surgical tightening of the skin or by injecting soft-tissue fillers. In recent years, volumetric augmentation and recontouring have been recognized as fundamentally important aspects of facial rejuvenation. Methods: An overview of volume restoration and recontouring is presented. A literature search was also conducted to identify the injectable products representing potential treatment options for facial recontouring. The author also presents the results of his extensive experience with poly-L-lactic acid in the treatment of thousands of cosmetic patients in Europe, with special emphasis on the efficacy and tolerability of this product. Results: Several injectable treatment options can be used to recontour and restore volume, to the face and beyond. All of these products, except calcium hydroxylapatite and poly-L-lactic acid, are nonresorbable, offering permanent volume augmentation, but with the increased risk of severe foreign-body reactions. Poly-L-lactic acid provides semipermanent results and has been documented to offer volume augmentation with a favorable safety profile. Achieving good efficacy and safety is dependent on the appropriate reconstitution of the product and adhering to the correct injection technique. Conclusions: Injectable products offer a flexible means of recontouring the face and localized regions beyond the face. The potential of some of these products is supported by a wealth of published results and clinical experience, helping the physician to identify the most appropriate treatment for their patient.
Neue Möglichkeiten für eine Bank-Kunde-Beziehung in Second Life

2 Second Life 2 2.1 Die Geschichte von Second Life . 2 2.2 Ziele der Herstellerfirma . 3 2.3 Ziele von Second Life Bewohnern . 3 2.4 Funktionsweisen von Second Life . 4 2.4. 1 Prinzipien sogenannter Massively Multiplayer Online Games . 4 2.4. 2 Aspekte der User Interaktion . 4 2.4. 3 Merkantilisierung in Second Life . 4 2.4. 4 Begegnungen zwischen Spielern . 4 2.4. 5 Begegnungen zwischen Unternehmen und Kunden . 5 2.4. 6 Wechselwirkungen zwischen “Realwelt” und “Spielwelt” . 5
The Effects of Exon 2 of Inhibin βB Gene and Exon 3 of FSHB Gene on Litter Size in Akkaraman and Bafra Sheep Breeds

Inhibin and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are hormones which directly affect ovulation rate in mammals. The aim of this study was to evaluate beta B subunit of inhibin (INHBB: inhibin βB) and beta subunit of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSHB) in terms of prolificacy. For this reason, some polymorphisms of INHBB and FSHB genes were determined with DNA sequencing method in two Turkish native sheep breeds, one of which was Bafra ewes with high prolificacy and the other of which was Akkaraman ewes with low prolificacy. According to GeneBank references, four SNPs, three of which were in INHBB gene and one of which was in FSHB gene, were determined. In Akkaraman ewes, three SNPs, two of which were in INHBB gene and one of which was in FSHB gene, were polymorphic while one SNP in INHBB gene was monomorphic. In Bafra ewes, only one SNP in INHBB gene was polymorphic while the others were monomorphic. All SNPs were investigated in terms of the relationship of litter size within breed and between breeds. In the evaluation of relationship of litter size between breeds, Akkaraman ewes were taken as a low prolific breed to compare Bafra and so it was found that there was no SNP unique in Bafra ewes. In the evaluation of relationship of litter size within breed, variance analyses and logistic regression analyses were used, and each polymorphic SNP was handled individually and together with others (SNPs combination). The effect of SNP and SNPs combination on litter size was insignificant in terms of statistics (P>0.05). Consequently the polymorphisms determined in INHBB and FSHB genes were not related with litter size in Bafra and Akkaraman ewes.
Image forgery detection by using No-Reference quality metrics

In this paper a methodology for digital image forgery detection by means of an unconventional use of image quality assessment is addressed. In particular, the presence of differences in quality degradations impairing the images is adopted to reveal the mixture of different source patches. The ratio behind this work is in the hypothesis that any image may be affected by artifacts, visible or not, caused by the processing steps: acquisition (i.e., lens distortion, acquisition sensors imperfections, analog to digital conversion, single sensor to color pattern interpolation), processing (i.e., quantization, storing, jpeg compression, sharpening, deblurring, enhancement), and rendering (i.e., image decoding, color/size adjustment). These defects are generally spatially localized and their strength strictly depends on the content. For these reasons they can be considered as a fingerprint of each digital image. The proposed approach relies on a combination of image quality assessment systems. The adopted no-reference metric does not require any information about the original image, thus allowing an efficient and stand-alone blind system for image forgery detection. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Gating of long‐term depression by Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II through enhanced cGMP signalling in cerebellar Purkinje cells

• Long‐term depression (LTD) at parallel fibre synapses on a cerebellar Purkinje cell has been regarded as a cellular basis for motor learning. • Although Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has been implicated in the LTD induction and motor learning, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. • By combined application of simulation and experiments, we have attempted to explore the potential signalling pathway underlying the CaMKII involvement in LTD. Our data show that CaMKII supports the LTD‐inducing signalling pathway consisting of other protein kinases such as protein kinase C and mitogen‐activated protein kinase. • The gating of the LTD‐inducing pathway by CaMKII is mediated by negative regulation of phosphodiesterase 1, and the resultant facilitation of the cGMP/protein kinase G (PKG) pathway. As a result, protein phosphatase 2A activity was suppressed, supporting the LTD induction. • In addition, nitric oxide‐mediated cGMP/PKG activation compensated for the lack of CaMKII activation in LTD induction. • This study provides a comprehensive understanding of elaborate intracellular signalling mechanisms for LTD regulation.