Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
"Assisted" reshaping of the fetal heart?

Dramatic developments in medical imaging technologies over the past 40 years mean that we can now collect unprecedented amounts of information on cardiac and vascular structure and function. Fetal cardiac imaging, because of its requirement to image hearts on a very small scale while coping with both unpredictable movement and a rapid pulse rate, has provided the extreme test of these emerging technologies. During this period, there has been a similarly unprecedented technical evolution in medical care of the earliest stages of life. Three major developments included the following: (1) the emergence of assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) in the late 1970s1; (2) dramatic reductions in maternal and offspring mortality after pregnancy complications; and (3) the routine survival of infants, born prematurely, from very early in pregnancy.2 This has resulted in a cohort of individuals, now entering adult life, whose embryonic, fetal, and neonatal cardiovascular development occurred within a unique perinatal environment. The implications for the long-term health of these offspring have only recently started to be considered. Fortuitously, the parallel technical advances in imaging over this time provide us with the tools to deliver insights into the issue. Article see p 1442 Interest in how perinatal environment may influence cardiac and vascular structure and function developed in the mid-1990s with evidence not only of links …
Evaluation and propagation of Chinese wingnut, Pterocarya stenoptera, as a new bioenergy feedstock

Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) as a source of biomass for energy production could play a vital role in solving the problems associated with climate change, global warming, and the rising price and diminishing supplies of carbon-based fossil fuels. In order to meet these challenges, new species will need to be assessed for use as SRWCs. Chinese wingnut, Pterocarya stenoptera, has been reported to exhibit several characteristics such as fast growth rate and suitability to a wide range of soil and moisture conditions that could make it attractive as a potential source of woody biomass. Due to lack of past work with the species, little is known regarding clonal and seed propagation, coppicing ability, biomass composition and growth rate. In order to determine the best methods of propagation for this species, hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings were treated with a range of Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations suspended in a mixture of 25% ethanol or suspended in talcum powder. The cuttings were subjected to wounding or non-wounding treatments and treated with liquid quick dip IBA concentrations of 1000, 2500 and 5000 ppm or mixed with talcum powder to produce concentrations of 1000, 3000, and 8000 ppm IBA. The cuttings were grown under mist conditions for 6 to 9 weeks with 14 hour photoperiods. Results were analyzed using analysis of deviance in SAS. The number of roots per cutting and rooting percentages varied with IBA concentrations but results also revealed a high degree of variability in the mist bench conditions. , The results of this study indicate that the preferred method of propagation of Pterocarya stenoptera by cuttings would be to utilize wounded, semi-hardwood, subterminal cuttings treated with either liquid dip or talc powder quick dip with IBA levels ranging from 2500 to 8000 ppm under mist conditions. In order to better understand propagation of Chinese wingnut from seed, a replicated study was conducted with batches of seeds being removed from stratification at 4.5 °C in moist heat sterilized sand every 5 days for a period of 60 days. Seeds were then planted in greenhouse trays and germinated under greenhouse conditions. A logistic regression model was fit to assess the impact of stratification period on seed germination. The probability of seed germination increased with increasing days of stratification up to 30 days, with only minor changes after 30 days, indicating an optimal stratification period of 30 days. In order to better understand the coppicing ability of Chinese wingnut, a study was designed to test the effect of different cutting heights on regrowth of shoots from the main stem. The study was conducted using nine-month-old containerized wingnuts grown from seed under greenhouse conditions. Treatments consisted of removing all leaves from the plant and cutting the main stem so that 0, 5, 10, or 15 buds remained with treatments having average heights of 4.6 (± 2.5), 8.0 (± 1.7), 11.9
Long-term changes in the stratopause height and temperature derived from rocket measurements at various latitudes

Statistical analysis is performed of the weekly measurements of the temperature at altitudes of 25-75 km by meteorological rockets M-100B during 1969-1995 at the Heiss Island (81 N), Volgograd (49 N), Thumba (8 N), and Molodezhnaya (68 S) sites. A linear approximation of the temporal series of the data for every month of a year with "filtered out" long-term component made it possible to draw vertical temperature profiles and to evaluate the changes of the stratopause temperature and height for the entire observational period. A statistically significant at the P = 0.95 level depletion of the stratopause height by 0.4, 0.5, and 2.4 km above Heiss Island, Thumba, and Volgograd, respectively, is detected. The stratopause height above Molodezhnaya did not change. The stratopause descent at Volgograd and Thumba occurred during all seasons except for the spring months. The maximum decrease of the stratopause height by 5-7 km was observed above Volgograd in winter months. The stratopause descent above Heiss Island occurred only in January (by 2.4 km), February (by 4.5 km), and March (by 1.0 km). The stratopause temperature decreased statistically significantly above Heiss Island (by 4.9 K), Volgograd (by 2.8 K), and Thumba (by 4.0 K) and increased by 1.0 K (statistically insignificant at P = 0.95) above Molodezhnaya. The stratopause temperature changes obtained agree with the mean trend values in the 45-50 km layer published earlier. Estimates of the monthly mean changes of the stratopause temperature are presented. An assumption that the ozone decrease during the recent decades is the main reason of the stratopause depletion observed is discussed.
Schizophrenia in adults with intellectual disability and autism : behavioural indicators and examination of staff communication skills

Background: Adults with intellectual disability, autism, and psychotic symptoms display severe disorganisation, which affects their ability to communicate and to perform well-known tasks. They display an aggravated loss of ability to initiate interaction with their staff. Aims: The aim was to examine whether a set of chosen staff communication skills was effective related to psychotic disorganised behaviour and initiatives in the patients. Materials and methods: Three hundred and seventy sequences of dyadic staff and patient interactions were analysed. Thirty-four staff and four patients with intellectual disability, autism, and psychoses were included. Staff and patient interaction was observed by video camera in the natural settings. Two independent observers scored each category. Data were analysed using contingency tables and the significance level was computed using Chi-square analysis. Results: The probability of disorganised behaviour in the patients decreases significantly and the amount of initiatives increases significantly when the staff communicates effectively. The four main categories of staff communication have different effects upon the disorganised behaviour and initiatives from patients. Task sustenance was most effective on disorganised behaviour, whereas emotional support encouraged most patients’ initiatives.
Associations between human milk oligosaccharides and infant body composition in the first 6 mo of life.

BACKGROUND Evidence linking breastfeeding to reduced risk of developing childhood obesity is inconclusive, yet previous studies have not considered variation in specific components of breast milk that may affect early development. OBJECTIVE We examined whether differences in the composition of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) correlate with infant growth and body composition at 1 and 6 mo of age. DESIGN Twenty-five mother-infant dyads were recruited from the University Hospital at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Infants were breastfed for 6 mo. Breast-milk and infant measures were obtained at 1 and 6 mo of infant age. HMO composition was analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and infant growth (length and weight) and body composition (percentage fat, total fat, lean mass) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Relations between HMOs and infant growth and body composition were examined by using multiple linear regression. A priori covariates included maternal prepregnancy body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, and infant age and sex. RESULTS Higher HMO diversity and evenness at 1 mo were associated with lower total and percentage fat mass at 1 mo. At 1 mo, each 1-μg/mL increase in lacto-N-fucopentaose (LNFP) I was associated with a 0.40-kg lower infant weight (P = 0.03). At 6 mo, each 1-μg/mL increase in LNFPI was associated with a 1.11-kg lower weight (P = 0.03) and a 0.85-g lower lean mass (P = 0.01). At 6 mo, each 1-μg/mL increase in LNFPI was associated with a 0.79-g lower fat mass (P = 0.02), whereas disialyl-lacto-N-tetraose and LNFPII were associated with a 1.92-g (P = 0.02) and 0.42-g (P = 0.02) greater fat mass, respectively. At 6 mo, each 1-μg/mL increase in fucosyl-disialyl-lacto-N-hexaose and lacto-N-neotetraose was associated with 0.04% higher (P = 0.03) and 0.03% lower (P < 0.01) body fat, respectively. CONCLUSION These findings support the hypothesis that differences in HMO composition in mother's milk are associated with infant growth and body composition. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02535637.
Independent Component Analysis of Signals using Local Exponential Nonlinearities

In this paper we propose exponential type nonlinearities in order to blindly separate instantaneous mixtures of signals with symmetric probability distributions using the online relative gradient algorithm. These nonlinear functions are applied only in a certain range around zero in order to ensure the stability of the separating algorithm. The proposed truncated nonlinearities neutralize the effect of outliers while the higher order terms inherently present in the exponential function result in fast convergence especially for signals with bounded support. By varying the truncation threshold, signals with both sub-Gaussian and super-Gaussian probability distributions can be separated. For certain class of probability distributions (generalized Gaussian model), the optimal size of the threshold is obtained by examining the local stability conditions of the relative gradient algorithm. In order to separate sources consisting of both sub-Gaussian and super-Gaussian signals, we chose an adequate value of the threshold parameter based on the sign of normalized kurtosis estimated from the observed data. Finally, some computer simulations are presented to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed idea.
Theoretical Framework for Initial Transient and Steady-State Frequency Amplitudes of Musical Instruments as Coupled Subsystems

A theoretical framework for initial transients of musical instruments is presented for string-body, reed-air column and bow-string interactions. The time dependent amplitudes of the frequencies present in the two coupled systems are written as sums of phase relations of complex amplitudes of both, the system itself and the coupled system. For the steady-state parts some terms cancel because of their limits summing to zero explaining the take-over of one system by the other, like the forced oscillation of a violin body by its string frequencies. For the initial transients the equation systems consist of additional terms explaining the complex time-dependent behaviour of the initial transients. These terms formulate the temporal development of the amplitudes of additional frequencies during the transients. This enables a simple and real-time simulation of the transient time series. Additionally, two main reasons are found for the slaving of one system by the other in the discussion of zero limit sums of the steady-state phase, which are the difference in damping of the two systems and the difference in dimensionality. So e.g. the one-dimensional string with only two reflection points and low damping is much more capable to force the body to the strings frequencies as the three-dimensional body with strong damping and a complex geometry with multiple wave reflection points.
Efficiency-Aware: Maximizing Energy Utilization for Sensor Nodes Using Photovoltaic-Supercapacitor Energy Systems

Recently, photovoltaic-supercapacitor-based energy systems have become more and more popular in the design of energy harvesting wireless sensor networks (EH-WSNs) as an alternative to battery power. Existing research on this area mainly focuses on hardware design and the improvement of the charging efficiency. However, energy is wasted not only by the inefficient charging process, but also the inefficient discharging process and energy leakage. Therefore, to maximize node lifetime and energy utilization, all the previous energy loss should be considered. In this paper, we develop realistic hardware models of the complete photovoltaic-supercapacitor energy systems and propose the efficiency-aware, a systematic duty cycling framework to maximize energy utilization. We formalize the maximization problem as a nonlinear optimization problem and develop two efficient algorithms for its optimal solutions. The performance of our approaches is evaluated via extensive numeric simulations, and the results show that our efficiency-aware framework can, respectively, achieve 60% and 56% more active time (i.e. energy utilization) than the fixed duty cycle scheme and leakage-aware, a state-of-the-art scheme for photovoltaic-supercapacitor energy systems.
Medically Unexplained Pain Is Not Caused by Psychopathology

This paper highlights Professor Ronald Melzack's theoretical contributions to the understanding of psychological factors in pain. His work continues to have profound influences on pain theory, research, management and public policy. His ideas have been pivotal to the acceptance of the role of the brain and psychological factors in the experience of pain. This article briefly outlines the prevailing theories of the psychology of pain before the gate-control theory. Melzack's contributions argue against the simplistic linear thinking inherent in specificity theory, which leads to the attribution of pain to either 'organic' or 'psychogenic' causes. Nevertheless, Cartesian dualism continues to thrive. The authors illustrate the nature and extent to which dualistic thinking pervades the field, show that a dualistic conceptualization of pain introduces an element of distrust to the relationship between patient and health professional, and conclude that the available data fail to reach today's standards for an evidence-based approach to pain. The authors believe that medically unexplained pain is not a symptom of a psychological disorder and that it is time to abandon the thinking that separates mind and body. The challenge remains for proponents to provide the empirical evidence to prove that psychopathology causes pain and, in so doing, to specify the mechanisms by which it is generated.
Balancing Acquisition and Retention Resources to Maximize Customer Profitability

In this research, the authors present a modeling framework for balancing resources between customer acquisition efforts and customer retention efforts. The key question that the framework addresses is, “What is the customer profitability maximizing balance? ” In addition, they answer questions about how much marketing spending to allocate to customer acquisition and retention and how to distribute those allocations across communication channels.
Quantum chemistry by random walk: Exact treatment of many-electron systems

We report an improved Monte Carlo method for quantum chemistry which permits the exact treatment of many‐electron systems. The method combines many of the best features of earlier fixed‐node, released‐node, and positive/negative cancellation methods with new ideas for relocation after node crossing, self‐cancellations, multiple cancellations, maximum use of symmetry in promoting cancellations, and rigorous evaluation of energies using importance sampling with trial wave functions. The method is illustrated with applications to the problems of the first excited state of a particle in a two‐dimensional box, the two‐electron system of excited H2 3Σ+u, and the three‐electron system of linear symmetric HHH, the intermediate for the reaction H+H2→H2+H.
Pedomicrobium americanum sp. nov. and Pedomicrobium australicum sp. nov. from Aquatic Habitats, Pedomicrobium gen. emend., and Pedomicrobium ferrugineum sp. emend.†

Five new strains of budding bacteria of the genus Pedomicrobium were isolated from freshwater habitats. These strains formed two groups, both of which fitted the description of the genus Pedomicrobium, but their characteristics did not match the description of any existing species. Pedomicrobium americanum is proposed for strains IFAM G-1381 (= ATCC 43612), IFAM BA-868 (= ATCC 43613), and IFAM BA-869 (= ATCC 43615), with strain IFAM G-1381 as the type strain. Strains IFAM ST-1306 (= ATCC 43611) and IFAM WD-1355 (= 43614) are named Pedomicrobium australicum, with strain IFAM ST-1306 as the type strain. The descriptions of the genus Pedomicrobium and of the type species Pedomicrobium ferrugineum are emended.
Information function for reducing uncertainty in feedback: Economics choices

This study has proved the system control theory and economic analysis and concludes on the consistency between them. In order to achieve a stable system implementation and output for a socio-economic system, the feedback control is necessary. This result must be achieved through a negative feedback mechanism. However, feedback control must reduce uncertainty, without which information is impossible. Similarly, economic decisions also depend on information. As a result, this study did not ignore the discussion on the concept of information, uncertainty, risk and entropy. At the same time, supposing the study is done under a market-based economic system, according to the proof of microeconomics, the equilibrium production for achieving maximum profit has a requirement of insufficient production elasticity. For simplicity, by means of a short-run equilibrium analysisi¼Œthis study established a general multiple input factors of model, for example, it introduced an imperfect competition market structure and carried out elastic analysis. Therefore, the study must consider the market demand changes and the impact of price variations. The related elastic analysis produced the important information, which gives some conditions for market price convergence. In socio-economic systemi¼Œusing information and its mechanisms can make the entropy in the system reduce, that is useful for economic analysis, decision and the system design. Key words: Socio-economic system, feedback, uncertainty, elasticity.
Cancer esearch oenvironment and Immunology Sympathetic Nervous System Induces a Metastatic R tch in Primary Breast Cancer

r Res; 70( astasis to distant tissues is the chief driver of breast cancer–related mortality, but little is known about stemic physiologic dynamics that regulate this process. To investigate the role of neuroendocrine actiin cancer progression, we used in vivo bioluminescence imaging to track the development of metastasis orthotopic mouse model of breast cancer. Stress-induced neuroendocrine activation had a negligible on growth of the primary tumor but induced a 30-fold increase in metastasis to distant tissues including ph nodes and lung. These effects were mediated by β-adrenergic signaling, which increased the infilof CD11bF4/80 macrophages into primary tumor parenchyma and thereby induced a prometastatic xpression signature accompanied by indications of M2 macrophage differentiation. Pharmacologic tion of β-adrenergic signaling induced similar effects, and treatment of stressed animals with the gonist propranolol reversed the stress-induced macrophage infiltration and inhibited tumor spread ant tissues. The effects of stress on distant metastasis were also inhibited by in vivo macrophage supon using the CSF-1 receptor kinase inhibitor GW2580. These findings identify activation of the sympanervous system as a novel neural regulator of breast cancer metastasis and suggest new strategies for thetic antimetastatic therapies that target the β-adrenergic induction of prometastatic gene expression in primary breast cancers. Cancer Res; 70(18); 7042–52. ©2010 AACR.
Anomalous recurrence properties of many-dimensional zero-drift random walks

Abstract Famously, a d-dimensional, spatially homogeneous random walk whose increments are nondegenerate, have finite second moments, and have zero mean is recurrent if d∈{1,2}, but transient if d≥3. Once spatial homogeneity is relaxed, this is no longer true. We study a family of zero-drift spatially nonhomogeneous random walks (Markov processes) whose increment covariance matrix is asymptotically constant along rays from the origin, and which, in any ambient dimension d≥2, can be adjusted so that the walk is either transient or recurrent. Natural examples are provided by random walks whose increments are supported on ellipsoids that are symmetric about the ray from the origin through the walk's current position; these elliptic random walks generalize the classical homogeneous Pearson‒Rayleigh walk (the spherical case). Our proof of the recurrence classification is based on fundamental work of Lamperti.
The Behavior of the Components of M3 in the Euro Area: 1999-2014

In this paper, the evolution of the various components of the broad monetary aggregate M3 at which the ECB attaches leading indicator properties of inflation expectations in the euro area is studied. During the fifteen years that the ECB defines and executes the stability-oriented monetary policy, M3 has not followed the developments that initially would be compatible with the inflation target announced. For its part, the components of the aggregate, in terms of their participation in it, have followed different paths. In this paper, an analysis of stationarity and cointegration of the series is done. The causes of such behavior in the light of the evolution of prices, interest rates and economic growth are searched, using dummy variables for periods of greater instability in the financial markets. We employ the Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) estimator, augmenting the estimated relation with lead and lag differences of the explanatory variables to control for endogeneity and serial correlation of the regressors.