Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of a leucine-enriched essential amino acids mixture on muscle recovery

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine whether the consumption of a leucine-enriched essential amino acid mixture (LEAA), which is known to increase protein synthesis in muscles, alleviates muscle damage and accelerates recovery by ameliorating muscle damage. [Participants and Methods] A double-blind, randomized crossover trial was conducted over a 5-week period. Ten untrained males (age, 23.0 ± 1.6 years) were asked to repeatedly flex and extend their elbows for 10 counts/set × 5 sets at full power while using a dynamometer. The participants took 3.6-g supplements (LEAA mixture or placebo) 3 times daily on day 0 and for the next 7 days. Changes in serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activity and myoglobin concentration as markers of muscle tissue damage were evaluated prior to and after exercise and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. [Results] The relative ratio of the changes in peak serum CPK activity measured on day 5 was significantly lower after taking LEAA than after taking the placebo. [Conclusion] LEAA consumption suppressed exercise-induced elevation of muscle damage markers in blood, which suggests that LEAA could attenuate muscle damage and aid muscle recovery.
Integrated Approach to Nature as Source of New Drug Lead

Classically, the development and launching of a new drug is a highly time consuming, tedious and expensive process involving following fundamental steps: (1) Identification of cause of Disease and Search for target site. (2) Search and Optimisation of active compound, that is, the Drug Lead. (3) Testing of Drug in Animals (pre-clinical phase). (4) Clinical Trials. (5) Approval of New Drug by Competent authority and availability of the drug. Drug discovery and development process involves around 10–15 years of investigation period and incredibly high cost and investment. This process also involves participation of experts from various disciplines and fields. Therefore, the new approaches are obligatory to be developed not only to expedite the process but also to ensure the launch of safer and effective drug. Over this background, the importance of experimental wisdom and holistic approach is intensifying to offer good base as an attractive discovery engine. Natural product drug discovery, ethno-pharmacology, traditional and attractive medicines are re-emerging as new strategic options. In the past decade, the number of new chemical entity (NCG) in drug development channel is declining markedly might have led to the rekindling of interest in emergence of natural product as new drug leads. The novel natural products can be optimised on the basis of their biological activities using highly sophisticated combinatorial biosynthetic techniques, microbial genomes and screening process.
Addressing Advance Directive in Rural Primary Care North Dakota: Implementing a Tool for Healthcare Providers

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv LIST OF FIGURES . viii CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION . 1 Background and Significance . 1 Problem Statement . 2 CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW . 4 Advance Directives . 4 Barriers . 7 Facilitators. 9 Serious Illness Conversation Guide . 11 Theoretical Framework . 12 Mishel’s Uncertainty of Illness Theory . 12 CHAPTER THREE. PROJECT DESIGN AND OBJECTIVES . 15 Objectives . 15 Design . 15 Evidence-Based Model for Change . 15 Pre-Project Interventions and Project Site . 18 Institutional Need . 21 Education Content Development . 22 Education-Inservice . 23 Serious Illness Conversation Guide . 24 Resources . 25 Protection of Human Subjects . 25 vi Institutional Review Board Approval . 26 CHAPTER FOUR. EVALUATION . 27 Evaluation of Objective One. 27 Evaluation of Objective Two . 27 Evaluation of Objective Three . 28 Evaluation of Objective Four. 29 CHAPTER FIVE. RESULTS . 31 Demographic of Participants . 32 Survey Results . 33 Referrals . 39 Advance Directives . 40 CHAPTER SIX. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 44 Discussion . 44 Objective One . 44 Objective Two . 45 Objective Three . 46 Objective Four . 47 Non-Family Medicine Healthcare Professionals . 48 Project Findings in Comparison to the Literature Findings . 49 Limitations . 50 Recommendations for Project Site . 51 Dissemination . 54 Implications for Practice/Future Research. 55 Application for Doctor of Nursing Practice Roles. 56 REFERENCES . 57 vii APPENDIX A. SERIOUS ILLNESS CONVERSATION GUIDE . 62 APPENDIX B. ADRESSING ADVANCE DIRECTIVES IN RURAL PRIMARY CARE IN NORTH DAKOTA: IMPLEMENTING A TOOL FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS . 63 APPENDIX C. SURVEY PERMISSION LETTER . 66 APPENDIX D. THEORY PERMISSION LETTER . 67 APPENDIX E. SERIOUS ILLNESS CONVERSATION GUIDE PERMISSION LETTER . 69 APPENDIX F. IRB APPROVAL LETTER . 70 APPENDIX G. FACILITATOR CERTIFICATION . 71 APPENDIX H. IN-SERVICE PRESENTATION . 72
A method for improving real-time communication of switched Ethernet

A method has been proposed for improving real-time communication of Switched Ethernet. Based on virtual link ideas, this method offline plans the whole network traffic under traditional Switched Ethernet hardware conditions, improves network terminal TCP/IP protocol by adding real-time communication interface, traffic shaping and priority queuing etc., and uses IEEE802.1p protocol on the switches of communication path. And it employs the network calculus theory to deduce the equation of calculating maximum end-toend delay of real-time traffic. Meanwhile, it receives a simulation test of OPNET software. Both theoretical calculation and simulation results show that this method can effectively improve real-time communication of Switched Ethernet.
Effects of exercise intervention on arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older females: evaluation by measuring brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and cardio-ankle vascular index

[Purpose] Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) are simple, accurate, and reproducible indices of arterial stiffness. However, only a few studies have evaluated the influence of exercise-training baPWV and CAVI on arterial stiffness. Thus, this study aimed to examine the influence of aerobic-training baPWV and CAVI on arterial stiffness. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 20 middle-aged females (age, 60.1 ± 1.6 years) who were sedentary non-smokers. The participants underwent an exercise intervention, including a 50-min session of moderate-intensity exercises two or three times a week for 12 weeks. Blood pressure (BP), baPWV, and CAVI were measured before and after exercise. Blood nitrite/nitrate (NOx) was also measured as an index of vascular endothelial function. [Results] BaPWV significantly decreased after exercise, whereas CAVI and blood NOx did not change significantly after exercise. A significant correlation was observed between the decrease in baPWV and systolic BP after exercise. In addition, the participants with higher systolic BP before exercise showed a greater decrease in baPWV after exercise. [Conclusion] These results suggest that BP has a significant role in decreasing arterial stiffness after exercise. Further studies are required to elucidate the similarities and differences between baPWV and CAVI to use them more effectively as assessment parameters for arterial stiffness.
Combining visual and textual features for indexing images: a hybrid approach

In this paper, we propose a new hybrid approach for indexing images and retrieving images from a corpus of images . The proposed approach is based on the fusion of the low level visual and textual descriptors. First, we describe each image of corpus in a model based on graphs. Then, in a second model, we translate the legends associated to images. These two models permit us to calculate the set of visual and textual descriptors for global index . We uses heuristics for the calculation of these features. The proposed approach is tested on a set of images and the results are compared with the human expert indexing.
Open system architecture for embedded control applications

The design of real-time embedded systems is a challenging field of research. Those systems use generally very small processing nodes that are interconnected and linked to sensors using an heterogeneous communication system. One primary aspect of our work, focuses on providing a suitable communication platform for real-time applications in an heterogeneous environment. We have developed a new real-time scalable middleware OSA+. The original concepts used in designing OSA+ is especially suited for embedded systems constrained by a small memory footprint requirement. This paper presents these concepts and current results of OSA+.
Editorial: Computational Thinking in Education

Effort is still needed to make computational thinking (CT) a 21st century skill taught widely across multiple subjects. Since using or solving problems with computers is not specific to any single discipline, we can expect that in the near future, there will be further interdisciplinary research to understand the impact of computation across a range of academic fields. Our hope is that as more Special Issues like ours, or books and articles are published, the field will mature and provide data-driven support to curriculum design and assessment efforts.
On the Use of Directed Moves for Placement in VLSI CAD

Search-based placement methods have long been used for placing integrated circuits targeting the field programmable gate array (FPGA) and standard cell design styles. Such methods offer the potential for high-quality solutions but often come at the cost of long run-times compared to alternative methods. This dissertation examines strategies for enhancing local search heuristics—and in particular, simulated annealing—through the application of directed moves. These moves help to guide a search-based optimizer by focusing efforts on states which are most likely to yield productive improvement, effectively pruning the size of the search space. The engineering theory and implementation details of directed moves are discussed in the context of both field programmable gate array and standard cell designs. This work explores the ways in which such moves can be used to improve the quality of FPGA placements, improve the robustness of floorplan repair and legalization methods for mixed-size standard cell designs, and enhance the quality of detailed placement for standard cell circuits. The analysis presented herein confirms the validity and efficacy of directed moves, and supports the use of such heuristics within various optimization frameworks.
nxious phenotypes plus environmental stressors are related to brain NA damage and changes in NMDA receptor subunits and glutamate ptake islaine

This study aimed at investigating the effects of chronic mild stress on DNA damage, NMDA receptor subunits and glutamate transport levels in the brains of rats with an anxious phenotype, which were selected to represent both the high-freezing (CHF) and low-freezing (CLF) lines. The anxious phenotype induced DNA damage in the hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens (NAc). CHF rats subjected to chronic stress presented a more pronounced DNA damage in the hippocampus and NAc. NMDAR1 were increased in the prefrontal cortex (PC), hippocampus and amygdala of CHF, and decreased in the hippocampus, amygdala and NAc of CHF stressed. NMDAR2A were decreased in the amygdala of the CHF and stressed; and increased in CHF stressed. NMDRA2A in the NAc was increased after stress, and decreased in the CLF. NMDAR2B were increased in the hippocampus of CLF and CHF. In the amygdala, there was a decrease in the NMDAR2B for stress in the CLF and CHF. NMDAR2B in the NAc were decreased for stress and increased in the CHF; in the PC NMDAR2B increased in the CHF. EAAT1 increased in the PC of CLF + stress. In the hippocampus, EAAT1 decreased in all groups. In the amygdala, EAAT1 decreased in the CLF + stress and CHF. EAAT2 were decreased in the PC for stress, and increased in CHF + control. In the hippocampus, the EAAT2 were increased for the CLF and decreased in the CLF + stress. In the amygdala, there was a decrease in the EATT2 in the CLF + stress and CHF. These findings suggest that an anxious phenotype plus stress may induce a more pronounced DNA damage, and promote more alterations in the glutamatergic system. These findings may help to explain, at least in part, the common point of the mechanisms involved with the pathophysiology of depression and anxiety. Abbreviations: CHF, Carioca high-freezing; CLF, Carioca low-freezing; Ac, nucleus ccumbens; NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartate; PC, prefrontal cortex. ∗ Corresponding author at: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, enter for Experimental Models in Psychiatry, Medical School, The University of exas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Tel. : +1 713 486 2653; ax: +1 713 486 2553. E-mail address: gislainezilli@hotmail.com (G.Z. Réus). ttp://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.mrfmmm. 2014.12. 005 027-5107/© 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V. © 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Socio-Economic and Demographic Determinants of HIV Status among HIV Infected Older Adults (50-64 Years) In Botswana: Evidence From 2013Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS IV)

A stratified two-stage probability sample design was used in selecting a total of 459 Enumeration areas and 8,275 households drawn systematically for the study with the aim to describe the characteristics of the HIV infected older adults in Botswana and determine how the HIV status of the older adults is influenced by their socio-economic and demographic characteristics. Household and the individual questionnaires developed using the opinions of professionals, users of statistics, as well as experiences from the pre-test formed the instrument for the study. The results revealed that 23.2% of the older adults 50-64 years (25.5%, males and 21.5%, females) were HIV positive. An overwhelming majority of the males (88.7%) and females (83.3%) had either no education or primary education. About half of the males (50.9%) and 19% of the females were married while the majority of the females (43.9%) were never married. All the socio-economic and demographic variables significantly (p<0.01) predicted the probability of an older adult being HIV positive. The older adults with secondary education and higher education were respectively, 65.5 times and 1.8 times more likely to be HIV positive. Type of locality had significant impact in the determination of HIV status of the older adults. There are significant association between the socio-economic, demographic variables and the risk behaviours (use of condom and adherence to ARV treatment). Education, focusing on prevention and education initiatives for HIV and AIDS, including peer education, media awareness campaigns, group workshops, publications for mass consumption, individual and couple counselling is very much desired and should be provided to the older adults.
Evaluation of three recombinant proteins for the development of ELISA and immunochromatographic tests for visceral leishmaniasis serodiagnosis

BACKGROUND Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is an infectious disease that is a significant cause of death among infants aged under 1 year and the elderly in Brazil. Serodiagnosis is a mainstay of VL elimination programs; however, it has significant limitations due to low accuracy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate three recombinant Leishmania infantum proteins (rFc, rC9, and rA2) selected from previous proteomics and genomics analyses to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunochromatographic tests (ICT) for the serodiagnosis of human VL (HVL) and canine VL (CVL). METHODS A total of 186 human (70 L. infantum-infected symptomatic, 20 other disease-infected, and 96 healthy) and 185 canine (82 L. infantum-infected symptomatic, 27 L. infantum-infected asymptomatic, and 76 healthy) sera samples were used for antibody detection. FINDINGS Of the three proteins, rA2 (91.5% sensitivity and 87% specificity) and rC9 (95.7% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity) displayed the best performance in ELISA-HVL and ELISA-CVL, respectively. ICT-rA2 also displayed the best performance for HVL diagnosis (92.3% sensitivity and 88.0% specificity) and had high concordance with immunofluorescence antibody tests (IFAT), ELISA-rK39, IT-LEISH®, and ELISAEXT. ICT-rFc, ICT-rC9, and ICT-rA2 had sensitivities of 88.6%, 86.5%, and 87.0%, respectively, with specificity values of 84.0%, 92.0%, and 100%, respectively for CVL diagnosis. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The three antigens selected by us are promising candidates for VL diagnosis regardless of the test format, although the antigen combinations and test parameters may warrant further optimisation.
Investigating Canadian Processing Treatments for Specified Risk Material and the Potential Beneficial Uses of their Products

The need for proper and sustainable deadstock disposal in Canada is ever growing as safeguards against the potential spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, are upheld. BSE is caused by misfolded proteins referred to as prions. Within cattle, certain tissues, including the brain and distal ileum, can harbor prion infectivity. These tissues are called specified risk material or SRM. To prevent the spread of disease and possible interspecies transmission, the Canadian government banned SRM from ruminant consumption in 1997 and other animal consumption in 2007. Annually, Canada produces 264 000 tonnes of SRM needing proper disposal. Infectious prions resist standard methods of sterilization and proteinase-K degradation, therefore requiring alternative means of destruction. In Canada approved practices for both the destruction and disposal of SRM exist. Incineration or gasification, thermal hydrolysis, and alkaline hydrolysis are the accepted methods for complete SRM destruction. All of these processes operate at high temperatures in order to break down prions. Containment via burial or the use of landfills is an additional option for SRM disposal. An overview of these methods, as well as some potential beneficial applications of their final products, will be presented.
Asphaltic Material in the Context of Generalized Porothermoelasticity

In this work, a mathematical model of generalized porothermoelasticity with one relaxation time for poroelastic half-space saturated with fluid will be constructed in the context of Youssef model (2007). We will obtain the general solution in the Laplace transform domain and apply it in a certain asphalt material which is thermally shocked on its bounding plane. The inversion of the Laplace transform will be obtained numerically and the numerical values of the temperature, stresses, strains and displacements will be illustrated graphically for the solid and the liquid.
Evaluation of IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-23A and IL-27 mRNA expression level genes in peripheral mononuclear cells of inflammatory bowel disease patients in an Iranian population

Aim: Aim of this study was to compare the gene expression of Interleukin 12 members in two phase of IBD. Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a well-known gastrointestinal disorder in the world that fluctuates between remission and flare-up phases. Each of these phases has an individual immune system response profile. Therefore, analyzing the interleukins (IL) expression status improves the diagnosis and the classification of the IBD cases. Methods: In this a case-control study, among 400 patients whom admitted to the IBD clinic, forty nine IBD patients were included. Patients were divided into three categories based on 1) the phase of the disease, 2) the type of IBD, Ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD), and 3) the therapeutic pathways. Using the real-time PCR method, the expression levels of IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-23A, and IL-27 were examined in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and compared to the pre-described subgroups. Results: the data showed upregulation in the expression levels of IL-12A and IL-12B in the remission phase in comparison with the flare-up. However, no significant changes were obtained from the evaluation of IL-23A and IL-27. In addition, the mRNA levels of the target genes in the subgroups of Category 2 as well as Category 3 were similar. Conclusion: Our results showed that expression patterns of the IL-12A and IL-12B genes varied between the remission and flare-up phases for the IBD patients, and may be considered as potential biomarkers for the detection and the classification of IBD cases.
Local academic knowledge spillovers and the concentration of economic activity

Agglomeration effects on the intensity of local knowledge spillovers from universities to high technology innovations are examined within the modified Griliches-Jaffe knowledge production function framework. Estimations are carried out at the level of US metropolitan areas. Concentration of high technology employment turns out to be the most important factor promoting local academic knowledge spillovers. It is found that a ? critical mass? of agglomeration needs to be reached in order to expect substantial local economic effects of academic research spending. (JEL O31, H41, O40)
Fiscal Impulses and Their Fiscal Impact

Fiscal impulse measures are used in the WEO and elsewhere to indicate the changing impact of the budget on the economy. Such measures are intended to provide more accurate indications of whether the budget is becoming more or less expansionary than would just observing moments in the actual budget balance. However, they have been criticized for lacking an analytical rationale. This paper uses a simple framework to show that the fiscal impulse measure can be analytically derived. While this removes one source of criticism, the measure, nevertheless, should be used carefully when making inferences of fiscal impact.
Subontology of communication in the automation of negotiating processes in maritime navigation

The lack of proper communication between navigators is one of the many causes of dangerous situations in maritime transport. Automation of communication processes, in particular negotiation processes, can help either avoid such situations or, when they do occur, deal with them more promptly and effectively. We have characterized inference processes in maritime communication and the communication subontology used to describe these processes. The negotiating processes involving two or more parties are considered. An example is given of an encounter by three ships that requires communication (including negotiations) between the three navigators. We also present how the described communication processes can be automated using the developed subontology of communication.