Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of admission hyperglycemia on mortality and costs in acute ischemic stroke

BackgroundHyperglycemia at the time of acute ischemic stroke has been linked to worse outcome in both human and animal studies. ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence and severity of hyperglycemia on hospital admission among acute ischemic stroke patients, to examine the independent relationship of admission hyperglycemia to all-cause mortality, and to document the inpatient management of hyperglycemia. MethodsPatients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke at one hospital from July 1993 to June 1998 (n = 656) were identified. Demographic data, diagnoses, and blood glucose (BG) values were retrieved from the electronic medical record system. Admission stroke severity, fingerstick BG results, and new diabetes diagnoses were obtained by chart review. Hyperglycemia was defined as admitting random serum BG ≥ 130 mg/dL. Hazard ratios (HR) for 30-day, 1-year, and 6-year mortality were calculated using multivariable Cox regression models. ResultsHyperglycemia at admission to hospital was present in 40% of patients with acute stroke. Patients with hyperglycemia were more often women and more likely to have prior diagnoses of diabetes and heart failure. Almost all of these patients remained hyperglycemic during their hospital stay (mean BG = 206 mg/dL), and 43% received no inpatient hypoglycemic drugs. Hyperglycemic patients had longer hospital stay (7 vs 6 days, p = 0.015) and higher inpatient hospital charges ($6,611 vs $5,262, p < 0.001). Hyperglycemia independently increased the risk for death at 30 days (HR 1.87, p ≤ 0.01), 1 year (HR 1.75, p ≤ 0.01), and 6 years after stroke (HR 1.41, p ≤ 0.01). ConclusionsAdmitting hyperglycemia was common among patients with acute ischemic stroke and was associated with increased short- and long-term mortality and with increased inpatient charges. Inpatient blood glucose management was suboptimal in this hospital. A trial of intensive treatment of hyperglycemia should be considered.
Exposure and effects assessment of resident mink (Mustela vison) exposed to polychlorinated dibenzofurans and other dioxin‐like compounds in the Tittabawassee River basin, Midland, Michigan, USA

Historically, sediments and floodplain soils of the Tittabawassee River (TR; MI, USA) have been contaminated with polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs). Median concentrations of 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin equivalents (TEQs) based on 2006 World Health Organization tetrachloro‐dibenzo‐p‐dioxin toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) in the diet of mink (Mustela vison) ranged from 6.8 × 10−1 ng TEQ/kg wet weight upstream of the primary source of PCDF to 3.1 × 101 ng TEQ/kg wet weight downstream. Estimates of toxicity reference values (TRVs) derived from laboratory studies with individual PCDDs/PCDFs and PCB congeners or mixtures of those congeners, as well as application of TEFs, were compared to site‐specific measures of mink exposure. Hazard quotients based on exposures expressed as concentrations of TEQs in the 95th percentile of the mink diet or liver and the no‐observable‐adverse‐effect TRVs were determined to be 1.7 and 8.6, respectively. The resident mink survey, however, including number of mink present, morphological measures, sex ratios, population age structure, and gross and histological tissue examination, indicated no observable adverse effects. This resulted for multiple reasons: First, the exposure estimate was conservative, and second, the predominantly PCDF congener mixture present in the TR appeared to be less potent than predicted from TEQs based on dose–response comparisons. Given this, there appears to be great uncertainty in comparing the measured concentrations of TEQs at this site to TRVs derived from different congeners or congener mixtures. Based on the lack of negative outcomes for any measurement endpoints examined, including jaw lesions, a sentinel indicator of possible adverse effects, and direct measures of effects on individual mink and their population, it was concluded that current concentrations of PCDDs/PCDFs were not causing adverse effects on resident mink of the TR.
Determinate root growth and meristem maintenance in angiosperms.

BACKGROUND The difference between indeterminate and determinate growth in plants consists of the presence or absence of an active meristem in the fully developed organ. Determinate root growth implies that the root apical meristem (RAM) becomes exhausted. As a consequence, all cells in the root tip differentiate. This type of growth is widely found in roots of many angiosperm taxa and might have evolved as a developmental adaptation to water deficit (in desert Cactaceae), or low mineral content in the soil (proteoid roots in various taxa). SCOPE AND CONCLUSIONS This review considers the mechanisms of determinate root growth to better understand how the RAM is maintained, how it functions, and the cellular and genetic bases of these processes. The role of the quiescent centre in RAM maintenance and exhaustion will be analysed. During root ageing, the RAM becomes smaller and its organization changes; however, it remains unknown whether every root is truly determinate in the sense that its RAM becomes exhausted before senescence. We define two types of determinate growth: constitutive where determinacy is a natural part of root development; and non-constitutive where determinacy is induced usually by an environmental factor. Determinate root growth is proposed to include two phases: the indeterminate growth phase, when the RAM continuously produces new cells; and the termination growth phase, when cell production gradually decreases and eventually ceases. Finally, new concepts regarding stem cells and a stem cell niche are discussed to help comprehend how the meristem is maintained in a broad taxonomic context.
Shrimps classification based on multi-layer feature fusion

This paper aims to highlight vision related tasks centered on “shrimps”. With the further study of computer vision of marine life, we show that “shrimps” has been largely neglected in comparison to other objects. In image classification, the degree of visual separation between different shrimp categories is highly uneven, the appearance of some categories in same genus is very similar, and it is more difficult to distinguish than others. Based on the classification model of traditional convolutional neural network, this paper presents a method of merging shallow and deep features extracting feature maps from different levels according to the characteristics of shrimp. In order to facilitate future shrimps-related research, we present our on-going effort in collecting a dataset in this paper, “ShrimpX”, that covers not only shrimps and lobsters living in the sea, but also some freshwater shrimps. The “ShrimpX” dataset contains a variety of shrimp images crawled from image search engines. Experimental results on the “ShrimpX” dataset demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy.
On Asymmetric Multi-Way Relaying X Networks: Remapping of Signal Space Alignment for Network Coding

In this paper, a novel remapping design for multiway relay system with multi-user (MU) is presented. Every user exchanges information with its partners via the relay. The two communication terminals have different modulation schemes according to their individual channel quality.We term this system an adaptive modulation asymmetric multi-way relaying networks, in which signal space alignment for network coding (SSA-NC) and interference nulling beamforming are exploited. For the case of the asymmetric scenario, we design a remapping function in symbol-level at the relay and the corresponding decoding rules at the user side. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that the proposed scheme can achieve significant gain.
A simplicial decomposition framework for large scale convex quadratic programming

In this paper, we analyze in depth a simplicial decomposition like algorithmic framework for large scale convex quadratic programming. In particular, we first propose two tailored strategies for handling the master problem. Then, we describe a few techniques for speeding up the solution of the pricing problem. We report extensive numerical experiments on both real portfolio optimization and general quadratic programming problems, showing the efficiency and robustness of the method when compared to Cplex.
Remedy and Reaction: The Peculiar American Struggle over Health Care Reform

At its core, the driving force behind all of science is an innate curiosity about observations that cannot be explained. And yet, academic science texts often focus on consensus views and fail to point out places where the established models fail. In The Paradoxical Brain, editor Narinder Kapur tackles counterintuitive phenomena in neuroscience head on, from savantism in autism spectrum conditions to how malignant brain tumors can suppress allergies. While the format of the text follows the traditional academic style, with contributing authors from various fields taking turns describing recent advances in neuroscience, the articles are much more engaging than in most academic texts. By making unexplained paradoxes his unifying theme, Kapur has encouraged the authors to be equally informative and provocative, and the end result is an excellent book that would be equally appropriate as a leisure read or a reference text. The authors are genuinely interested in (and to some extent confused by) the topics that they discuss, and it shows. The tone of each section is refreshingly informal, with the authors spending most of their time discussing interesting yet perplexing phenomena and then speculating on possible underlying causes. Twenty-four different phenomena are discussed, including functional sensory facilitation after the loss of eyesight, the (largely ignored) positive effects of aging on cognition, and the subjective nature of memory. In the end, The Paradoxical Brain manages to successfully be both a rigorous academic text and an entertaining read. While some of the articles are accessible to anyone with an interest in neuroscience or the cognitive sciences, the book as a whole is more appropriate for those with an advanced background in the field; many of the articles assume that the reader has an understanding of fundamental principles of neuroscience and a basic knowledge of neuroanatomy.
The Role of Nitric Oxide in Host Defence Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

1 SAMMANFATTNING PÅ SVENSKA . 3 LIST OF ORIGINAL PAPERS . 5 Paper I . 5 Paper II . 5 Paper III . 5 Paper IV . 5 INTRODUCTION . 7 ABBREVIATIONS . 8 BACKGROUND . 11 TUBERCULOSIS . 11 A historical view . 11 Epidemiology . 11 Transmission . 13 Risk factors for tuberculosis . 15 Nutrition and tuberculosis . 16 Diagnosis . 17 Clinical presentation . 19 Treatment . 20 Vaccine . 23 The genus Mycobacterium . 24 Mycobacterium tuberculosis . 24 HOST IMMUNITY IN TUBERCULOSIS . 26 Innate immune responses . 26 Within the macrophage . 28 T cell mediated response . 29 The granuloma . 31 NITRIC OXIDE . 33 Biochemistry . 33 Nitric oxide in health and disease . 34
Copernicus: A Regional Probe of the Lunar Interior

Earth-based telescopic spectral imaging techniques were used to document the spatial distribution of crater materials within the large lunar crater Copernicus at the subkilometer scale on the basis of spectral ultraviolet—visible—near-infrared characteristics. The proposed spectral mixing analysis leads to a first-order mapping of the impact melt material within the crater. Olivine was detected not only within the three central peaks but also along a significant portion of the crater rim. Consideration of an olivine-bearing end-member in the mixing model emphasizes the overall morphological pattern of the rim and wall terraces in the associated fraction image. The identification of widely exposed olivine units supports the idea that the lower crust and possibly the lunar mantle itself are regionally at shallow depth.
Selective nerve stimulation in an acute rabbit model

Artificial muscle activation by electrical stimulation of motor nerves is characterized by poor force gradation and a relative fast onset of muscle fatigue. Force gradation would improve and the onset of fatigue would be delayed by primarily activating the small-diameter motoneurons. In this study the effects of selective small fiber activation stimulation was investigated in an acute rabbit model. Acute animal experiments were conducted using an isometric setup of medial gastrocnemius. The muscle was activated through a tripolar cuff electrode placed on the tibial nerve. Selective small fiber activation was obtained using selective anodal blocking. The study shows that orderly recruitment can be obtained in the rabbit. However the nerve responses to stimulation are different from what has been described in cat and dog. Break excitation occurs at relative low currents and can only be prevented by extending the pulse with a relative long gradual decay.
Winter Hardiness, Root Physiology, and Gene Expression in Successive Fall Dormancy Selections from ‘Mesilla’ and ‘CUF 101’ Alfalfa

area expansion and mass per shoot (Volenec, 1985), factors known to be correlated with high forage yield Fall dormancy is positively associated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa (Volenec et al., 1987). L. ) winter survival, but the physiological bases for this association are not understood. Our objective was to determine how incremental The major constraint preventing widespread use of changes in fall dormancy due to genetic selection influenced autumn nondormant alfalfas in temperate regions is their poor height and winter survival, root physiology, and expression of a cold winter hardiness. Sheaffer et al. (1992) examined in acclimation responsive gene family. Seed from each of three cycles spring-planted alfalfa the interactions between seedingof selection for contrasting (greater or less) fall dormancy using ‘Mes- year harvest management, fall dormancy, and winter illa’ and ‘CUF 101’ as parents were planted in rows in the field (Starks- survival in Minnesota. They reported that fall dormancy Fincastle, fine-silty, mixed, mesic, Aeric Ochraqualf) in West Lafa- influenced alfalfa winter hardiness more than any other yette, IN, in May 1997 and 1998. Plant height was measured in October feature they measured. Nondormant alfalfa cultivars and roots were sampled in December. Plant survival was determined died during winter irrespective of harvest management in March of the year following seeding. Fall dormancy (reduction in or location, whereas fall-dormant cultivars had good shoot height in October) increased in a linear manner over the three cycles of selection for both Mesilla and CUF 101. A positive linear winter survival. These findings are supported by other relationship was observed between fall height and winter injury in studies (Smith, 1961; Barnes et al., 1979; Stout, 1985; both years. Root sugar and protein concentrations increased as fall Stout and Hall, 1989), and have resulted in fall dormancy dormancy increased in populations derived from both Mesilla and routinely being used to predict alfalfa winter hardiness. CUF 101. Expression of the cold acclimation-responsive gene, The mechanisms controlling the close positive associRootCAR1, was positively associated with winter survival, and may ation between fall dormancy and winter hardiness are be useful as a molecular marker for identifying winter hardy plants not clearly understood. Genetic differences in alfalfa among semi-dormant or nondormant alfalfa germplasm in December winter survival have been associated with several physiof the seeding year. ological changes in overwintering organs. Accumulation of starch and sugar in taproots has been positively associated with alfalfa winter survival (Graber et al., 1927;
Touched by homelessness: an examination of hospitality for the down and out.

OBJECTIVES This study investigated patterns of "doubled-up" homelessness using an indirect measure based on host households. METHODS In random household telephone surveys conducted in Alabama between 1990 and 2000 and nationally in 1997, respondents indicated whether any individual had stayed with them during the past year because that person was homeless. RESULTS The percentage of Alabama households providing shelter during the past year declined from 16.2% in 1990 to 7.1% in 2000. The national rate for providing shelter in 1997 was 18.0%. CONCLUSIONS Many households provide shelter to people to prevent them from being literally homeless. As the economy has expanded, these rates have declined in Alabama.
New Suspension Mechanism Using Camber Thrust for a Formula Car

— The basic ability of a vehicle is to “run”, “turn” and “stop”. The safeness and comfort during a drive on various road surfaces and speed depends on the performance of these basic abilities of the vehicle. Stability and maneuverability of a vehicle are vital in automotive engineering. The stability of a vehicle is the ability of the vehicle to revert back to a stable state during a drive when faced with crosswinds and irregular road conditions. Maneuverability of a vehicle is the ability of the vehicle to change direction during a drive swiftly based on the steering of the driver. The stability and maneuverability of a vehicle can also be defined as the driving stability of the vehicle. Since the fossil fueled vehicle is the main type of transportation today, the environmental factor in automotive engineering is also vital. By improving the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the overall carbon emission will be reduced, thus reducing the effect of global warming and greenhouse gas on the Earth. Another main focus of the automotive engineering is the safety performance of the vehicle, especially with the worrying increase of vehicle collision every day. With better safety performance of a vehicle, every driver will be more confident driving every day. Next, let us focus on the “turn” ability of a vehicle. By improving this particular ability of the vehicle, the cornering limit of the vehicle can be improved, thus increasing the stability and maneuverability factor. In order to improve the cornering limit of the vehicle, a study to find the balance between the steering systems, the stability of the vehicle, higher lateral acceleration and the cornering limit detection must be conducted. The aim of this research is to study and develop a new suspension system that will boost the lateral acceleration of the vehicle and ultimately improving the cornering limit of the vehicle. This research will also study environmental factor and the stability factor of the new suspension system. The double wishbone suspension system is widely used in a four-wheel vehicle, especially for high cornering performance sports car and racing car. The double wishbone designs allow the engineer to carefully control the motion of the wheel by controlling such parameters as camber angle, caster angle, toe pattern, roll center height, scrub radius, scuff, and more. The development of the new suspension system will focus on the ability of the new suspension system to optimize the camber control and to improve the camber limit during a cornering motion. The research will be carried out using the CAE analysis tool. Using this analysis tool we will develop a JSAE Formula Machine equipped with the double wishbone system and also the new suspension system and conduct simulation and conduct studies on the performance of both suspension systems.
Blood Levels of Serotonin Are Differentially Affected by Romantic Love in Men and Women

People who are in love think about their beloved the whole day, which is supposed to be associated with serotonin. The research questions were how peripheral serotonin levels differ between individuals that are in love compared to individuals that are not in love, and how these levels are associated with obsessive thinking about the beloved. Because gender differences exist in romantic love and in the serotonergic system, gender differences were tested. Twenty participants who were in love (10 men) and 20 who were not in love (10 men) completed several questionnaires, and plasma and serum serotonin levels were assessed. The men who were in love had lower serotonin levels than the men who were not in love, while women showed the opposite pattern. The participants that were in love reported obsessive thinking about their beloved for 65% of their waking hours. In women, obsessive thinking about the beloved was associated with an increased serotonin level in serum. The serotonergic system seems to play a role in romantic love, but the effects appear opposite for men and women.
Timing Analysis and Design Optimization of VLSI Data Flow Arrays

VLSI Design ELECTIVES VL800 Logic Synthesis Techniques (3-0-0) 3 VL802 Low Power VLSI Design (3-0-0) 3 VL803 Modeling and Simulation (3-0-0) 3 VL804 Submicron Technology (3-0-0) 3 VL805 Advanced VLSI Design (3-0-0) 3 VL806 VLSI Physical Design Automation (3-0-0) 3 VL807 Hardware Software Co-design (3-0-0) 3 VL808 Sensor Technology and MEMS (3-0-0) 3 VL809 Embedded Systems (3-0-0) 3 VL810 VLSI Technology (3-0-0) 3 VL812 Digital Design using FPGAs (2-0-2) 3 VL813 Active Filter Design (3-0-0) 3 VL814 RF Integrated Circuits (3-0-0) 3 VL815 Digital Signal Processing (3-0-0) 3 Architectures VL816 Reconfigurable Computing (2-0-2) 3 CE716 Advanced DSP (3-0-0) 3 .
Effects of tonal alignment on lexical identification in Italian

The aim of this paper is to examine the role of tonal alignment in Italian variety spoken in Naples. We focused on the effects of intonation in the perception of minimal pairs contrasting in consonant duration. Spectrographic analyses show that the timing of pitch accent varies with the syllable structure (see also [1]). In open syllable (CV), the pitch peak is realized within the stressed vowel, while in the closed syllable (CVC) the peak is reached at the end of the accented syllable, associated with the last consonant. In order to analyze these effects, series of words contrasting in consonant duration and inserted in the same segmental environment were produced by a native speaker. Two kinds of manipulation were performed. First, we modified the length of the stressed vowel and the following consonant in five steps; then, the timing of the pitch peak was modified in four steps, too. Finally, a set of resynthesized stimuli was created by the combination of all the different steps of duration and pitch: this set constituted our basis for the perception experiments. We asked thirteen Neapolitan people to listen to the stimuli, and to identify them with either one word or the other of each pair. Our results show that manipulation of intonation was significant for the stimuli coming from the CVC words. That is, a garden path effect (or: a shift in responses) related to the timing of the pitch peak was found. These results lend support to the hypothesis that the listeners use temporal alignment for the perception of segmental identity and that the contribution of intonation both in production and in perception is a fundamental source of linguistic information.
Exploiting Zero-Crossing for the Analysis of FM Modulated Analog/RF Signals Using Digital ATE

This paper presents a reconstruction technique based on zero-crossing detection that permits analyzing FM-modulated signals using digital ATE channels. The technique relies on sampling of the analog/RF signal through a 1-bit comparator and the post-processing of the resulting bit stream. The proposed solution is validated through both simulation and hardware experiments.