Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Beneficial Effects of Early Short‐Term Exercise in the Offspring of Obese Mothers are Accompanied by Alterations in the Hypothalamic Gene Expression of Appetite Regulators and FTO (Fat Mass and Obesity Associated) Gene

Maternal overnutrition is implicated in the development of adult metabolic disease, and has been shown to alter the expression of genes involved in energy homeostasis. In the present study, we aimed to test whether a short period of voluntary exercise, followed by a sedentary period, would regulate hypothalamic markers involved in appetite. Adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either normal chow or high‐fat diet (HFD) ad lib. for 5 weeks, mated and continued on their assigned diet during gestation/lactation. At weaning males, were separated into chow or HFD groups; half were exercised (running wheels), whereas the remainder were sedentary. At week 10, wheels were removed and rats remained sedentary for 5 weeks, prior to tissue collection. Maternal obesity increased offspring adiposity at 15 weeks and this was exacerbated by postnatal HFD (P < 0.05). Body weight and fat mass were reduced in offspring of obese mothers if they exercised, and this was maintained even after 5 weeks without exercise. At 15 weeks, fasting plasma insulin, leptin and triglyceride concentrations were significantly reduced by exercise in offspring of lean and obese mothers consuming chow, with little benefit in those consuming HFD. Hypothalamic mRNA expression of pro‐opiomelanocortin was increased by exercise but only in offspring of lean mothers. Exercise reduced hypothalamic FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) mRNA in offspring of lean dams regardless of diet. A short period of exercise early in life had lasting beneficial effects on body weight, adiposity and hormone profile of male offspring from obese and lean dams, despite being followed by a period of inactivity. The effects of exercise on hypothalamic appetite regulators were more marked in offspring of lean dams.
Role of Word-External Contexts in Native Speakers’ Identification of Vowel Length in Japanese

Abstract Five groups of native Japanese listeners were assigned to five conditions differing in word-external contexts. In the Intact condition, three types of target disyllables, /mVmV/, /mV:mV/, and /mVmV:/ were spoken in a carrier sentence at two speaking rates. In the other four conditions, the target disyllables of the Intact condition were excised from the original carrier sentence (Excised); embedded in the carrier sentence of the other rate (Mismatch); presented only with the preceding three syllables (Preceding), and presented only with the following three syllables (Following). The accuracy for identifying the word types was higher for the Intact than Excised and Mismatch conditions, indicating that the presence of the carrier sentence with an appropriate rate was important for accurate identification.It was also found that either the preceding or the following short phrase contained sufficient information for identifying the word types. Further, there were effects of the preceding and following phrases on both the first and second vowels of the targets, suggesting that the distant speech materials more than two phonemes away from a target in both sides can affect identification accuracy. Implications are discussed in terms of the adjacency principle for rate normalization.
Clinical Implication of Mycophenolic Acid Trough Concentration Monitoring in Kidney Transplant Patients on a Tacrolimus Triple Maintenance Regimen: A Single-Center Experience

Background This study was designed to analyze the clinical implications of mycophenolic acid trough concentration monitoring. Material/Methods We collected data of patients with mycophenolic acid trough concentration monitoring after their first kidney transplant between November 2006 and March 2015 who were prescribed tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and methylprednisolone. Analyses were performed on 3 periods: 1 month, 1 month to 1 year, and after 1 year post-transplantation. To analyze factors related to acute cellular rejection, logistic regression was used for 1 month, while Cox analysis was used during 1 month to 1 year and after 1 year post-transplantation. Results In the 145 patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil, mean tacrolimus trough ≥7.0 ng/mL (OR=0.177, CI=0.060–0.524, p=0.002) and mean mycophenolic acid trough ≥1.7 mg/L (OR=0.190, CI=0.040–0.896, p=0.036) were protective for rejection during 1 month. Mean mycophenolic acid trough ≥1.7 mg/L (HR=0.179, CI=0.040–0.806, p=0.025) and ≥0.7 mg/L (HR=0.142, CI=0.028–0.729, p=0.019) were related to better rejection-free survival during 1 month to 1 year and after 1 year, respectively. In 399 patients receiving enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium, mean tacrolimus trough ≥7.0 ng/mL (OR=0.258, CI=0.131–0.507, p<0.001) and mean mycophenolic acid trough ≥2.1 mg/L (OR=0.507, CI=0.264–0.973, p=0.041) were protective for rejection during 1 month. Mean mycophenolic acid trough ≥1.7 mg/L (HR=0.519, CI=0.289–0.932, p=0.028) and ≥0.7 mg/L (HR=0.208, CI=0.072–0.602, p=0.004) were related to better rejection-free survival during 1 month to 1 year and after 1 year, respectively. Conclusions Mycophenolic acid trough concentration monitoring can be useful in preventing acute cellular rejection in patients receiving tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and methylprednisolone.
Design considerations for a low altitude long endurance solar powered unmanned aerial vehicle

This paper presents design considerations for a low altitude long endurance solar powered unmanned aerial vehicle (LALE UAV). The considerations addressed include the determination of the available solar power, the design of the UAV wing for long endurance flights and the determination of the electrical power and energy balance of the UAV. Using these considerations, a solar powered UAV was designed and long endurance flight simulated Based on the simulation results it is in principle possible to design and build a solar powered LALE UAV.
Do patients over 40 years of age benefit from closure of an atrial septal defect?

There are few topics in adult congenital heart disease as persistently debated as the management of atrial septal defects (ASDs). The paper by Jemielity and colleagues in this issue of Heart reactivates these fires.1Their retrospective study includes 88 largely symptomatic patients who received surgical closure of secundum and sinus venosus ASDs. Their age range at surgery was 40–62 years, with a mean of 46 years. They were followed for 1–17 years, mean 6.9 years. There was only one operative death. Functional class improved strikingly from 62% in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III and IV preoperatively to 82% in NYHA class I and II postoperatively. Pulmonary vascularity improved on x ray, and right ventricular size diminished as assessed by echocardiography. Atrial flutter and fibrillation continued to be troublesome. This study adds additional evidence to the proposition that closure of secundum and sinus venosus ASDs benefits many or most symptomatic patients over age 40 years. The “Canadian recommendations” state that the mere presence of a “significant ASD” (one associated with right ventricular volume overload, attributable exercise limitation, atrial arrhythmias, and/or late right heart failure) “warrants intervention”. 2 As Ward described in 1993, the clinical trials on this issue and on which we base our management decisions are generally of poor quality by modern standards.3 More recent publications have not changed our dilemma. The available data do not have enough scientific merit to enable me or anyone else to …
Volatile compound analysis of the leaves and seeds of Piper guineense using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

The volatile compounds in the leaves and seeds of Piper guineense plant from South East Nigeria, were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analysis was carried out to identify the compounds responsible for the characteristic flavor of the flavouring spices. A total of thirty-three volatile constituents were identified in the leaves and seeds of Piper guineense using GC-MS. The major compounds identified include acids, esters, alcohols, hydrocarbons and others. Acids were found to be the predominant constituent group followed by esters. The leaves and seeds of Piper guineense had acids in the values of 65.56 and 53.72%, respectively. The esters were also found to be more in the leaves (25.63%) than in the seeds (5.22%) of P. guineense. The hydrocarbons identified appeared more in the seeds (11.47%) of P. guineense. The monoterpene (beta-myrcene) and sesquiterpenes (aromadendrene, trans-alpha-bergamotene, copaene) hydrocarbons identified were also present in the seeds than in the leaves of the P. guineense. Gamma-elemene, a sesquiterpene were identified in both the leaves and seeds of P. guineense at the same retention time of 10.242 min but at different concentrations of 0.41 and 0.72%, respectively. Key words: Piper guineense, volatile compounds, leaves, seeds.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at the Interface with Other Techniques

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has developed into a very powerful tool in the hands of basic and clinical neuroscientists alike to study function and dysfunction of the human brain noninvasively and painlessly. However, as a stand-alone technique, the potential of TMS to gain knowledge is relatively limited. This potential can be strongly enhanced by combining TMS with simultaneous measurements in other electrophysiological (EEG) or imaging modalities (PET, fMRI, NIRS, MRS) or by combining TMS with exposure to neuroactive drugs (pharmaco-TMS). This review provides an up-to-date synopsis of these combined approaches and highlights important examples that have advanced our understanding of how TMS interacts with neuronal networks in the human brain.
Electrotonic characteristics of alpha motoneurones of varying size

1. The neuronal membrane responses to long constant current pulses (essentially current steps) have been studied in cat triceps surae motoneurones identified as to the type of muscle fibres, fast twitch (type F) or slow twitch (type S), innervated by the cell being studied. For each motoneurone the membrane time constant, τM, and input resistance, RN, were determined from the response to a current step. In addition, shorter time constants (‘equalizing time constants’) resulting from current spread into the dendrites were estimated by graphical analysis.
Decade bandwidth 2 to 20 GHz GaN HEMT power amplifier MMICs in DFP and No FP technology

Design and performance of power amplifiers that have established new benchmarks for 2 to 20 GHz power are reported. The Dual Field Plate (DFP) amplifier achieved a P3dB of 26.3 Watts max, 15.4 Watts average, 7.1 Watts min with 38.3 % max, 19.8 % average, 5.9 % min PAE and 11.2 dB max, 8.6 dB average, 5.0 dB min power gain from 2 to 20 GHz. Using an improved device, the No FP amplifier achieved a P3dB of 21.6 Watts max, 16.0 Watts average, 9.9 Watts min with 35.7 % max, 25.9 % average, 15.3 % min PAE and 11.1 dB max, 9.7 dB average, 8.0 dB min power gain from 2 to 20 GHz. This output power, bandwidth, and efficiency is superior to the best previously reported results for both GaN HEMT and PHEMT power amplifiers.
Development and Regional Distribution of Deoxyuridine 5′‐Triphosphatase in Rabbit Brain

Abstract: The development and regional distribution of deoxyuridine 5′‐triphosphatase (dUTPase) in rabbit brain was studied. After partial purification of the dUTPase activity, newborn brain and liver activities fell from Vmax values of 1.0 and 6.9 nmol/mg protein/min, respectively, to adult levels of 0.1 (brain) and <0.01 (liver). The dUTPase activity was evenly distributed throughout the entire adult rabbit brain, and there was no difference in the Km of dUTPase in newborn and adult brain (0.1 μM). The low level of dUTPase in adult brain and the lack of activity in adult liver were not due to inhibitors or phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride‐sensitive proteases. dUTPase in brain, as in other tissues, probably inhibits the misincorporation of uracil into DNA.
Medial plating of humerus shaft fractures through anterolateral approach.

Background: Communited humeral shaft fractures treated with anterolateral and posterior plating may have gaping with poor fixation and have chances of radial nerve injury. Hence an alternate technique of medial plating through anterolateral approach is done which showed stable fixation with fewer complications. Aims and objectives: Anatomical stabilization of fractures of humerus shaft by medial Plating through anterolateral approach, and to evaluate the functional outcome. Materials and methods: 40 patients who had fractures of humerus shaft, in the age group of 21 to 60 years, were treated with medial plating through anterolateral approach, these patients were followed over a period of 3 years from june 2013 to may 2016. Results: 39 patients out of 40 recovered completely (97.5%) had good union, no nerve injury, except one patient who had loosening of the plate followed by twisting injury during sleep. Conclusions: Medial plating through Anterolateral approach showed favorable results with less gaping, good fixation, with less surgical time and with fewer complications.
Interplay between Local GABAergic Interneurons and Relay Neurons Generates γ Oscillations in the Rat Olfactory Bulb

Olfactory stimuli have been known for a long time to elicit oscillations in olfactory brain areas. In the olfactory bulb (OB), odors trigger synchronous oscillatory activity that is believed to arise from the coherent and rhythmic discharges of large numbers of neurons. These oscillations are known to take part in encoding of sensory information before their transfer to higher subcortical and cortical areas. To characterize the cellular mechanisms underlying γ (30–80 Hz) local field potential (LFP) oscillations, we simultaneously recorded multiunit discharges, intracellular responses, and LFP in rat OB slices. We showed that a single and brief electrical stimulation of olfactory nerve elicited LFP oscillations in the mitral cell body layer lasting >1 sec. Both action potentials and subthreshold oscillations of mitral/tufted cells, the bulbar output neurons, were precisely synchronized with LFP oscillations. This synchronization arises from the interaction between output neurons and granule cells, the main population of local circuit inhibitory interneurons, through dendrodendritic synapses. Interestingly enough, the synchronization exerted by reciprocal synaptic interactions did not require action potentials initiated in granule cell somata. Finally, local application of a GABAA receptor antagonist at the mitral cell and external plexiform layers confirmed the exclusive role of the granule cell reciprocal synapses in generating the evoked oscillations. We concluded that interneurons located in the granule cell layer generate synaptic activity capable of synchronizing activity of output neurons by interacting with both their subthreshold and spiking activity.
An unsupervised recommender system for smart homes

Inhabitants of today's smarter homes struggle with complicated user interfaces and inflexible home configurations. The proposed smart home recommender system addresses these issues by continuously interpreting the user's current situation and recommending services that fit the user's habits, i.e. automate some action that the user would want to perform anyway. With these recommendations it is possible to build much simpler user interfaces that highlight the most interesting choices currently available. Configuration becomes much more flexible, since the recommender system automatically learns user habits. Evaluations on two smart home datasets show that the algorithm produces correct recommendations with 61% and 73% accuracy, respectively.
A Scalable and Adaptive Network on Chip for Many-Core Architectures

In this work, a scalable network on chip (NoC) for future many-core architectures is proposed and investigated. It supports different QoS mechanisms to ensure predictable communication. Self-optimization is introduced to adapt the energy footprint and the performance of the network to the communication requirements. A fault tolerance concept allows to deal with permanent errors. Moreover, a template-based automated evaluation and design methodology and a synthesis flow for NoCs is introduced.
Short-term temporal decomposition and its properties for speech compression

A technique of temporal speech compression, called temporal decomposition, is considered. A mathematical presentation of temporal decomposition is discussed from the point of view of speech production. Temporal decomposition is studied in terms of an iterative solution and its convergence. For vocoder applications, a practical algorithm, short-term temporal decomposition, is proposed. The statistical performance of this algorithm was tested on a multispeaker database. The efficiencies of vector quantization and vector predictability were comparatively studied on data derived from the algorithm and on data from linear predictive coding (LPC) analysis. The results show that data from the algorithm have more efficient information transmission via vector quantization than data from LPC, and that vector prediction coding is feasible for the data from temporal decomposition. >
Location Tracking of Ocean-Current-Related Underwater Drifting Nodes Using Doppler Shift Measurements

Ocean exploration is typically interpreted with reference to the location of a data collecting node, e.g., when reporting an event occurrence, or the location of an object itself. Underwater tracking (UT) is somewhat different from tracking using RADAR or radio-frequency signals, due to irregularities of the ocean current and depth-varying sound speed in water. Sound-speed uncertainty also makes it challenging to incorporate Doppler shift measurements into UT. In this paper, we present a new UT scheme which considers the above challenges and utilizes spatial correlation of ocean current to estimate the drift velocity of the tracked node (TN) as a combination of the drift velocities of anchor nodes. We also offer two types of unbiased confidence indexes aimed to control the use of drift velocity estimation. To evaluate the performance of our UT scheme, we employ a hybrid simulator that combines numerical models for the ocean current and the signal-power attenuation in the ocean. We also report results from two sea trials conducted in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Indian Ocean. By tracking the sound speed, and utilizing Doppler shift measurements and drift velocity information of anchor nodes, accuracy is significantly improved.
Pulmonary hypertension in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema syndrome

This study aims to describe the haemodynamic and survival characteristics of patients with pulmonary hypertension in the recently individualised syndrome of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. A retrospective multicentre study was conducted in 40 patients (38 males; age 68±9 yrs; 39 smokers) with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema, and pulmonary hypertension at right heart catheterisation. Dyspnoea was functional class II in 15%, III in 55% and IV in 30%. 6-min walk distance was 244±126 m. Forced vital capacity was 86±18%, forced expiratory volume in 1 s 78±19%, and carbon monoxide diffusion transfer coefficient 28±16% of predicted. Room air arterial oxygen tension was 7.5±1.6 kPa (56±12 mmHg). Mean pulmonary artery pressure was 40±9 mmHg, cardiac index 2.5±0.7 L·min−1·m−2 and pulmonary vascular resistance 521±205 dyn·s·cm−5. 1-yr survival was 60%. Higher pulmonary vascular resistance, higher heart rate, lower cardiac index and lower carbon monoxide diffusion transfer were associated with shorter survival. Patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema syndrome and pulmonary hypertension confirmed by right heart catheterisation have a dismal prognosis despite moderately altered lung volumes and flows and moderately severe haemodynamic parameters.
The Asia-to-America Influx of Avian Influenza Wild Bird Hosts Is Large

Abstract Recent literature has underestimated the number and taxonomic diversity of wild birds moving between Asia and North America. Our analyses of the major avian influenza (AI) host groups show that fully 33 species of waterfowl (Anatidae), 46 species of shorebirds (Charadriidae and Scolopacidae), and 15 species of gulls and terns (Laridae) are involved in movements from Asia to Alaska across northern oceans (Table 1). Our data suggest that about 1.5–2.9 million individuals in these important host groups move from Asia to Alaska annually. Among all of the host groups we consider most relevant for AI virus movement models in this region (waterfowl, shorebirds, and gulls and terns), it seems likely that thousands of AI-infectious birds may be involved in annual Asia-to-America migrations. Importantly, host availability in Alaska once these vectors arrive is also very high, representing at least 5–10 times more birds and infectious birds than the host populations moving from Asia to North America. Incorporating our data into a recent model of the global spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 suggests that wild birds are a more likely source of this strain being brought into the United States than trade in domestic birds, although the latter remain a numerically more probable source of introduction into the New World. Our results should help in defining the key taxonomic, geographic, and seasonal factors involved in this complex intercontinental association of wild bird AI hosts. The next steps are to determine infection rates of low pathogenicity and highly pathogenic viruses among these hosts and to incorporate these into dynamic models.
Full-Duplex Wireless-Powered Relay in Two Way Cooperative Networks

This paper investigates a full duplex wireless-powered two way communication networks, where two hybrid access points (HAPs) and a number of amplify and forward relays both operate in full duplex scenario. We use time switching (TS) and static power splitting (SPS) schemes with two way full duplex wireless-powered networks as a benchmark. Then, the new time division duplexing static power splitting (TDD SPS) and the full duplex static power splitting (FDSPS) schemes as well as a simple relay selection strategy are proposed to improve the system performance. For TS, SPS, and FDSPS, the best relay harvests energy using the received RF signal from HAPs and uses harvested energy to transmit signal to each HAP at the same frequency and time, therefore only partial self-interference (SI) cancellation needs to be considered in the FDSPS case. For the proposed TDD SPS, the best relay harvests the energy from the HAP and its self-interference. Then, we derive closed-form expressions for the throughput and outage probability for delay limited transmissions over Rayleigh fading channels. Simulation results are presented to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme with different system key parameters, such as time allocation, power splitting ratio, and residual SI.