Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contributions of Intrinsic Visco-Elastic Torques During Planar Index Finger and Wrist Movements

Human hand movements have been studied for many decades, yet the role of hand biomechanics in achieving dexterity has not been fully understood. In this paper, we investigate the contributions of the intrinsic passive viscoelastic component in the hand during the coordinated wrist and hand movements. We compare the contributions of stiffness, damping, and dynamics torques under two types of joint phase movements at two speeds. The analysis of the data collected from subject studies demonstrated that the passive visco-elastic component is dominant over dynamic coupling terms. Although the exact contributions of the three torques vary under different speeds and phasic movements, the stiffness torque was the highest (at least 47%) followed by the damping torque, while the dynamics torque was the lowest (less than 11%) in all movement scenarios. Comparisons with studies involving coordinated arm movements illustrate that dominant torques in arm and hand movements are different suggesting that neural control strategies might be distinct as well.
An Analysis of the Components of Mental Toughness in Sport

Many coaches are becoming aware of the importance of developing mentally tough performers and are designing programs to develop it in their athletes. One of the most significant problems in designing these programs is the inconsistency in the definition and description of mental toughness. If programs are to be designed with the goal of developing mental toughness in athletes, the components of the construct must be identified. Based on the advantages that mental toughness can offer to the performer, this study was designed to develop an understanding of the components of mental toughness in sport. The purpose of this study was to identify the components of mental toughness as perceived by National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches and was guided by two fundamental questions: what are the essential components of mental toughness? and to what degree are these components teachable (trainable). Twenty-two NCAA coaches were selected to participate from a mix of Division I, II, and III male sports teams. The procedures for this study were divided into a two-phase approach. Phase One consisted of each participant completing a questionnaire for the purpose of evaluating the importance and teachability (trainability) of 20 separate components of mental toughness. Phase Two consisted of follow-up, semi-structured interviews that provided further insight into the perspectives of the participants. The results of this study indicated the essential components of mental toughness based on their importance to the construct. The results also indicated the degree of teachability (trainability) of each component. A unique relationship between teachability and trainability was also revealed in this study. These findings provide a better understanding of the components of mental toughness and support the need for its development in sport.
Palmitoyl‐dl‐Carnitine is a Multitarget Inhibitor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Development

Bacteria growing in biofilms are often in metabolic and physiological states that do not respond well to antibiotics, and thus, are major contributors to chronic diseases. Biofilm inhibitors, therefore, have the potential to be used alone or as adjuvants to conventional antibiotic therapies. Here, we screened a chemically diverse collection of protein kinase inhibitors for molecules that perturb biofilm development. Among the inhibitory molecules identified, palmitoyl‐dl‐carnitine (pdlc) impaired Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli biofilm formation in a dose‐dependent manner. The pdlc affected multiple pathways implicated in P. aeruginosa biofilm development; it stimulated motility, inhibited activity of the Las quorum sensing system, and overrode the biofilm‐promoting effects of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of aminoglycosides and high levels of the second messenger, cyclic‐di‐GMP. Palmitic acid, but not carnitine, inhibited biofilm formation but did not stimulate motility, suggesting that pdlc works through unique mechanisms. The ability to target multiple pathways involved in biofilm formation is desirable in an inhibitor, which makes pdlc an interesting lead for antibiofilm therapies.
Relation between nocturnal decline in blood pressure and mortality. The Ohasama Study.

To investigate the relation between nocturnal decline in blood pressure and mortality, we obtained ambulatory blood pressures in 1542 residents aged 40 years or over of a rural Japanese community. Subjects were followed-up for a mean of 5.1 years and were then subdivided into four groups according to the percent decline in nocturnal blood pressure: 1) extreme dippers: percent decline in nocturnal blood pressure > or = 20% of the daytime blood pressure; 2) dippers: decline of > or = 10% but < 20%; 3) nondippers: decline of > or = 0% but < 10%; and 4) inverted dippers: no decline. The relationship between the decline in nocturnal blood pressure and mortality was examined by the Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, previous history of cardiovascular disease, and the use of antihypertensive medication. The mortality risk was highest in inverted dippers, followed by nondippers. There was no difference in mortality between extreme dippers and dippers. This relationship was observed for both treated and untreated subjects, was more pronounced for cardiovascular than for noncardiovascular mortality, and did not change after the data were adjusted for 24-h, daytime, and nighttime blood pressure levels.
A branch-and-price approach with MILP formulation to modularity density maximization on graphs

For clustering of an undirected graph, this paper presents an exact algorithm for the maximization of modularity density, a more complicated criterion to overcome drawbacks of the well-known modularity. The problem can be interpreted as the set-partitioning problem, which reminds us of its integer linear programming (ILP) formulation. We provide a branch-and-price framework for solving this ILP, or column generation combined with branch-and-bound. Above all, we formulate the column generation subproblem to be solved repeatedly as a simpler mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem. Acceleration techniques called the set-packing relaxation and the multiple-cutting-planes-at-a-time combined with the MILP formulation enable us to optimize the modularity density for famous test instances including ones with over 100 vertices in around four minutes by a PC. Our solution method is deterministic and the computation time is not affected by any stochastic behavior. For one of them, column generation at the root node of the branch-and-bound tree provides a fractional upper bound solution and our algorithm finds an integral optimal solution after branching.
Fully Automatic Subpixel Image Registration of Multiangle CHRIS/Proba Data

Subpixel image registration is the key to successful image fusion and superresolution enhancement of multiangle satellite data. Multiangle image registration poses two main challenges: 1) Images captured at large view angles are susceptible to resolution change and blurring, and 2) local geometric distortion caused by topographic effects and/or platform instability may be important. In this paper, we propose a two-step nonrigid automatic registration scheme for multiangle satellite images. In the first step, control points (CPs) are selected in a preregistration process based on the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT). However, the number of CPs obtained in this first step may be too few and/or CPs may be unevenly distributed. To remediate these problems, in a second step, the preliminary registered image is subdivided into chips of 64 × 64 pixels, and each chip is matched with a corresponding chip in the reference image using normalized cross correlation (NCC). By doing so, more CPs with better spatial distribution are obtained. Two criteria are applied during the generation of CPs to identify outliers. Selected SIFT and NCC CPs are used for defining a nonrigid thin-plate-spline model. The proposed registration scheme has been tested using data from the Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) onboard the Project for On-Board Autonomy (Proba) satellite. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method works well in areas with little variation in topography. Application in areas with more pronounced relief would require the use of orthorectified image data in order to achieve subpixel registration accuracy.
Soziale und ökonomische Merkmale von Geld- und Blutspendern in Deutschland

Rund 5,3 Milliarden Euro, so ergaben Umfragen des Sozio- oekonomisches Panels (SOEP), spendeten die Deutschen im Jahr 2009 - mitten in der Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise. Art und Hohe der Spenden sind in Deutschland gut dokumentiert. Nur wenige Informationen gab es hingegen bislang daruber, wer die Deutschen sind, die ihr Einkommen mit Hilfsbedurftigen teilen. Anhand einer neuen Befragung in der Langzeitstudie SOEP wurde es nun erstmals moglich, umfassend Fragen nachzugehen wie: Aus welchen sozialen Schichten stammen die Spender? Steigert hohes Einkommen die Spendenbereitschaft? Spielen Bildung und Alter eine Rolle? Spenden zufriedene Menschen mehr? Gelten die gleichen Motive fur Geld- wie fur andere, etwa fur Blutspenden? Um Antworten auf diese Fragen zu finden, wurden bestehende Datenquellen zur Spendenbereitschaft der Deutschen analysiert, gepruft und erstmals mit SOEP-Daten abgeglichen. Die Ergebnisse sind eindeutig: Frauen spenden mehr als Manner, Alte mehr als Junge. Das gilt allerdings nur fur Geldspenden. Beim Blut sind die sozialen und finanziellen Unterschiede viel weniger von Belang. Hier spenden nahezu alle Schichten und Klassen gleich - allerdings auch viel seltener. Wahrend fast 40 Prozent aller Deutschen im Jahr 2009 Geld spendeten, gaben nur sieben Prozent von ihrem eigenen Blut.
Independent Regulation of MucD, an HtrA-Like Protease in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the Role of Its Proteolytic Motif in Alginate Gene Regulation

ABSTRACT Expression of mucD, encoding a homologue of the HtrA(DegP) family of endoserine proteases, was investigated in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Expressed from the algT-mucABCD operon, MucD was detected in mucoid (FRD1) and nonmucoid (PAO1) parental strains and also when polar insertions were placed upstream in algT or mucB. A transcriptional start site for a mucD promoter (PmucD) was mapped within mucC. Expression of single-copy mucD217, encoding MucD altered in the protease motif (S217A), was defective in temperature resistance and alginate gene regulation.
Image Restoration and Detail Preservation by Bayesian Estimation

In this paper, we present a novel noise suppression and detail preservation algorithm. The test image is firstly pre-processed through a multiresolution analysis employing the discrete wavelet transform. Then, we apply a fast and robust total variation technique, incorporating a statistical representation in the style of maximum likelihood estimation. Finally, we compare this proposed approach to current state-of-the-art denoising methods using synthetic and real images. The results demonstrate encouraging performance of our algorithm.
Comparison Between Mainly Mucosa-Supported and Combined Mucosa–Implant-Supported Mandibular Overdentures

The purpose of this study is to compare mainly mucosa-supported and combined mucosa–implant-supported complete mandibular overdentures. Ten completely edentulous patients received 20 press-fit dental implants at the canine regions of the mandible. Each patient received 2 implants, which were left submerged and unloaded for 4 months. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group I patients received mandibular overdentures retained by a magnet attachment (mainly mucosa-supported overdenture). Group II patients received mandibular overdentures retained by a bar attachment (combined mucosa–implant-supported overdenture). The patients were evaluated clinically and radiographically immediately after overdenture delivery and after 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. The results showed that the mainly mucosa-supported overdentures had less bone resorption distal to the implant in comparison to the combined mucosa–implant-supported overdentures. Plaque index score was significantly high in the group treated with magnet-retained overdentures. After 18 months follow up, the group treated with combined mucosa–implant-supported overdentures showed a significant increase in gingival inflammation when compared with the other group. The type of attachment or support may affect gingival inflammation or plaque accumulation. Increased functional load may affect bone density and resorption.
Depression of excitatory effects of propofol induction by fentanyl.

Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic drug commonly used in outpatient anesthesia for its rapid and smooth onset of action, short recovery period and its minimal perioperative side effects. However, propofol like other intravenous anesthetic drugs can produce excitatory signs during induction without signs of epilepsy on EEG. We studied 64 patients scheduled for various outpatient procedures. The patients were allocated to 2 groups: Group A (n = 32) received on induction xylocaine 1 mg.Kg-1 followed by propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 over 20 seconds, Group B (n = 32) received xylocaine 1 mg.Kg-1 and fentanyl 1.5 ug.Kg-1 followed by propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 over 20 seconds. The incidence of excitatory movements (cough, hiccup, hypertonus, twitching or tremors) was in group A (13) significantly higher than that in group B (1), there was no significant difference between the two groups in the time of stay in the post anesthesia care unit. Fentanyl 1.5 ug.Kg-1 used in outpatient anesthesia with propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 provides cardio-vascular stability, deepens the anesthesia level, decrease the awareness and decrease the excitatory effects or propofol.
The extent of the temperature-induced membrane remodeling in two closely related Bordetella species reflects their adaptation to diverse environmental niches

Changes in environmental temperature represent one of the major stresses faced by microorganisms as they affect the function of the cytoplasmic membrane. In this study, we have analyzed the thermal adaptation in two closely related respiratory pathogens Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Although B. pertussis represents a pathogen strictly adapted to the human body temperature, B. bronchiseptica causes infection in a broad range of animals and survives also outside of the host. We applied GC-MS to determine the fatty acids of both Bordetella species grown at different temperatures and analyzed the membrane fluidity by fluorescence anisotropy measurement. In parallel, we also monitored the effect of growth temperature changes on the expression and production of several virulence factors. In response to low temperatures, B. pertussis adapted its fatty acid composition and membrane fluidity to a considerably lesser extent when compared with B. bronchiseptica. Remarkably, B. pertussis maintained the production of virulence factors at 24 °C, whereas B. bronchiseptica cells resumed the production only upon temperature upshift to 37 °C. This growth temperature-associated differential modulation of virulence factor production was linked to the phosphorylation state of transcriptional regulator BvgA. The observed differences in low-temperature adaptation between B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica may result from selective adaptation of B. pertussis to the human host. We propose that the reduced plasticity of the B. pertussis membranes ensures sustained production of virulence factors at suboptimal temperatures and may play an important role in the transmission of the disease.
Iteration-complexity of a Jacobi-type non-Euclidean ADMM for multi-block linearly constrained nonconvex programs

This paper establishes the iteration-complexity of a Jacobi-type non-Euclidean proximal alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) for solving multi-block linearly constrained nonconvex programs. The subproblems of this ADMM variant can be solved in parallel and hence the method has great potential to solve large scale multi-block linearly constrained nonconvex programs. Moreover, our analysis allows the Lagrange multiplier to be updated with a relaxation parameter in the interval (0, 2).
Applications of Pooled DNA Samples to the Assessment of Population Affinities: Short Tandem Repeats

Abstract Pooled DNA samples have been used in association studies of Mendelian disease genes. This method involves combining equal quantities of DNA from patients and control subjects into separate pools and comparing the pools for distributions of genetic markers. In this study identical quantities of DNA from 300 individuals representing 6 populations were pooled and amplified for 296 loci using the touchdown polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of pooled DNA markers in the reconstruction of the genetic structure of human populations. The populations sampled included Chuvash, Buryats, Kizhi, Native Americans, South Africans, and New York City whites. To test the accuracy of the allele-frequency distributions, we genotyped the Buryats and New York samples individually for six microsatellite markers and compared their frequencies to the allele frequencies derived from the electropherogram peak heights for the pooled DNA, producing a correlation of 0.9811 with a variance of less than 0.04. Two-dimensional scaling of genetic distances among the six populations produced clusters that reflected known historical relationships. A distance matrix was created using all 296 loci, and matrices based on individual chromosomes were correlated against the total matrix. As expected, the largest chromosomes had the highest correlations with the total matrix, whereas one of the smallest chromosomes, chromosome 22, had the lowest correlation and differed most from the combined STR distance matrix.
Small signal analysis of V2 control using current mode equivalent circuit model

In V2 control, the direct feedback contains the information of both state variables. In this paper, by separating current feedback and capacitor voltage feedback, an equivalent circuit of V2 control based on the equivalent circuit of current mode control is proposed. The proposed equivalent circuit provides a clear physical insight of V2 control. V2 control can be interpreted as an implementation of current mode control with direct voltage feedback and load current feedback. The load current feedback dramatically reduces the output impedance. The model is extended to enhanced V2 control. The proposed equivalent circuit model is applicable to both variable frequency modulation and constant frequency modulation. The modeling results are verified by using Simplis simulation and experimental results.
Challenges for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis

This paper addresses some challenges that psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies face in this era of reductionist evidence-based practice and administration of health-care. The topics chosen are illustrative, and include the following: the need to clarify the aims and goals of the practices; the need to validate theory further, with greater inter-school and inter-disciplinary dialogue and greater use of the University as a forum for this; the need to participate appropriately and actively in the quest for validation of practice. Psychotherapy with medically ill patients is used as an example of a common and increasingly important domain still relatively unexplored in these ways.
Coculture of Vascular Endothelial Cells and Smooth Muscle Cells from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The effect of endothelium‐released vasoactive factors on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation was studied in a coculture system. Isolated aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells from 4‐week‐old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age‐matched Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats were cocultured. After coculture, the VSMC proliferation rate was examined by 3H‐thymidine incorporation assay and the levels of the vasoactive factors in medium were determined by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The results indicate that the proliferation rate of VSMCs in SHR was significantly higher than in WKY rats when VSMCs were cultured alone. When SHR vascular endothelial cells (VECs) were cocultured with VSMCs, the proliferation rate of SHR VSMCs was enhanced; however, there was no growth promoting effect in WKY VSMCs. When WKY VECs were cocultured with VSMCs, no VSMC proliferation effect was observed. When VSMCs were cultured alone, the endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) secretion in SHR was significantly higher than in WKY rats. When VECs and VSMCs were cocultured, the ET‐1 concentration increased in both SHR VEC and WKY VEC coculture groups in a similar manner; but the SHR VECs tended to release more thromboxaneA2 (TXA2) and less PGI2 than WKY VECs. These results suggest that some kind of interaction between SHR VSMCs and SHR VECs is responsible for the high proliferation of SHR VSMCs but not the effects of SHR VECs per se.
Extended workshifts and excessive fatigue

SUMMARY Studies of overtime have pointed to fatigue as a potential factor producing, for example, a three‐fold increase in accident rate after 16 h of work, increases in back injuries, hospital outbreaks of bacterial infection, or nuclear‐power plant safety compromises. Fatigue has been measured more directly in studies of scheduled long workshifts, where performance decrements in both work‐related tasks and laboratory‐type behavioural tests have been observed, and significant loss of sleep and increases in subjective sleepiness have been reported. Analyses of accidents or injuries during scheduled extended workshifts, however, have produced equivocal results. Factors which could compound the fatiguing effects of extended workshifts, such as workload, noise, chemical exposure, or duties and responsibilities outside of the workplace, rarely have been studied systematically. It is concluded that extended workshift schedules should be instituted cautiously and evaluated carefully, with appropriate attention given to staffing levels, workload, job rotation, environmental exposures, emergency contingencies, rest breaks, commuting time, and social or domestic responsibilities.
Periodic Bias-Temperature Instability monitoring in SRAM cells

A method and a circuitry for the periodic monitoring of the Bias-Temperature Instability (BTI) influence on SRAMs are presented in this paper. Periodic BTI monitoring provides the ability to predict failures in the memory operation, due to aging, and early react to avoid them. The proposed scheme is based on a simple, low silicon area overhead, differential ring oscillator that can be easily embedded in a typical SRAM without affecting the normal mode of operation.
Values based practice: a framework for thinking with

Abstract Values are those principles that govern behaviours, and values-based practice has been described as a theory and skills base for effective healthcare decision-making where different (and hence potentially conflicting) values are in play. The emphasis is on good process rather than pre-set right outcomes, aiming to achieve balanced decision-making. In this article we will consider the utility of this model by looking at leadership development, a current area of much interest and investment in healthcare. Copeland points out that ‘values based leadership behaviors are styles with a moral, authentic and ethical dimension’, important qualities in healthcare decision-making.