Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nature and prognostic importance of abnormal glucose tolerance and diabetes in acute heart failure

Objective: To investigate the nature and importance of blood glucose abnormalities in an unselected heart failure (HF) population. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Urban University hospital. Patients: All index emergency HF admissions to one University hospital during the year 2000 were studied. Results: 454 consecutive index admissions had blood chemistry, diabetic status and follow-up information recorded. 390 (86%) patients had an echocardiogram, of whom 117 (30%) had preserved left ventricular systolic function and 110 (24%) had diabetes. Sixty (13%) patients had abnormal glucose tolerance (8.0–10.99 mmol/l), and 284 (63%) patients had a normal admission blood glucose (<8 mmol/l). 51 (11.2%) patients died in hospital. After adjustment for other prognostic attributes, abnormal glucose tolerance (Cox hazard ratio HR, 95% CI: 5.920, 1.03 to 34.00; p = 0.046) but not diabetes (HR 3.46, 0.75 to 16.02; p = 0.112) predicted in-hospital mortality. During follow-up (median 812 (range 632–978) days), 104 (36.6%), 30 (50.0%) and 55 (50%) patients with a normal admission blood glucose concentration, abnormal glucose tolerance and diabetes, respectively, died (log rank test p = 0.0037, adjusted p = 0.075). Compared with patients with normal admission blood glucose, abnormal glucose tolerance (adjusted HR: 1.41 (0.92 to 2.16); p = 0.12) and diabetes (adjusted HR: 2.02 (1.41 to 2.88); p = 0.0001) predicted mortality. Considering glucose on admission as a continuous covariate, a 2 mmol/l increase was associated with a HR of 1.08 (1.03 to 1.13), p = 0.0010, which after adjustment for the above covariates became 1.08 (1.03 to 1.13), p = 0.0023. Conclusions: Admission blood glucose concentration and diabetes are prognostically important in HF and could help target some patients for more intensive therapy.
Speech Adaptation to Electropalatography in Children's Productions of /s/ and /Êƒ/

Speech Adaptation to Electropalatography in Children’s Productions of /s/ and /ʃ/ Marissa Celaya Department of Communication Disorders Master of Science Previous research has investigated adults’ ability to adapt their speech when a electropalatographic (EPG) pseudopalate is placed in the oral cavity; however, less is known about how younger speakers who are continuing to develop their motor speech abilities might adapt their speech to the presence of the device. This study examined the effect of an EPG pseudopalate on elementary school-aged children’s ability to produce the fricatives /s/ and /ʃ/. Audio recordings of six children were collected at eight time intervals including before placement of the pseudopalate, at 30-minute increments for two hours with the pseudopalate in place, immediately following removal of the pseudopalate and 30 minutes after removal. An acoustic analysis was completed looking at consonant duration, spectral mean, spectral variance, and relative intensity. Disturbance of speech patterns from the presence of the pseudopalate was noted for most of the acoustic measures, most noticeably for the relative intensity of both /s/ and /ʃ/, as well as for the spectral mean and spectral variance of /ʃ/. Although there was a relatively high amount of variability among and within speakers, signs of adaptation were apparent after only 30 minutes for some participants. For some acoustic measures, however, full adaptation often did not occur until the pseudopalate was removed. Although future research is needed, it is hoped that this study will provide a greater understanding of children’s ability to adapt to the EPG pseudopalate.
MULTIPLICAÇÃO IN VITRO DO PORTA-ENXERTO DE MACIEIRA G.202

Em virtude da crescente disponibilidade de materiais genéticos de porta-enxertos de macieira com características agronômicas superiores, faz-se necessária a multiplicação massal destes para estudos e possível substituição dos porta-enxertos atuais. Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar a multiplicação in vitro do porta-enxerto de macieira G.202, através da utilização de diferentes meios de cultura, bem como, em um experimento independente, avaliar diferentes concentrações de BAP. O experimento foi realizado em laboratório na Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina – Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias (CAV/UDESC) na cidade de Lages/SC em 2017. No primeiro experimento foram estudados três meios de cultura (Adams, QL modificado e MS), além de quatro concentrações de BAP (0; 0,25; 0,5 e 1,0 mg.L-1) no segundo estudo. As maiores médias para comprimento médio de brotações (2,37 cm), número de folhas (117,8), número de brotações (29,2) e comprimento da maior brotação (3,8 cm) foram obtidas com a utilização do meio Adams, sendo que para as duas últimas variáveis mencionadas, o cultivo dos explantes em meio Adams não diferiu estatisticamente do meio MS. A dose de BAP que proporcionou o maior número de brotações foi 0,25 mg.L-1 (11,25). Para a multiplicação in vitro do porta-enxerto de macieira G.202 recomenda-se o cultivo em meio Adams acrescido de 0,25 mg.L-1 de BAP.
Characterization of the Escherichia coliςE Regulon*

Escherichia coli responds to the accumulation of misfolded proteins by inducing the transcription of heat shock genes. EςE RNA polymerase controls one of the two heat shock regulons of E. coli. This regulon is activated upon accumulation of misfolded polypeptides in the double membrane envelope of E. coli. ςE (RpoE) is a member of the extracytoplasmic function subfamily of sigma factors. Here we asked how many genes are activated by EςE RNA polymerase and what is the identity of these genes. Using two independent genetic approaches, 20 E. coli promoters were identified which activate reporter gene transcription in a ςE-dependent manner. In all cases examined, a canonical ςE binding site could be revealed upon mapping transcriptional start sites. 10 identified promoters activated the transcription of previously identified genes with four genes acting directly on the folding of E. coli envelope proteins (dsbC, fkpA, skp, andsurA). The remaining promoters transcribed genes that are presumed to encode hitherto unknown extracytoplasmic functions and were named ecf (ecfA–ecfM). Two of these ecf genes were found to be essential for E. coli growth.
From Uncertainty to Nonlinearity: Solving Virtual Private Network via Single-Sink Buy-at-Bulk

The virtual private network problem (VPN) models scenarios in which traffic is uncertain or rapidly changing. The goal is supporting at minimum cost a given family of traffic matrices, which are implicitly given by upper bounds on the ingoing and outgoing traffic at each node. Costs are classically defined by a linear function (linear VPN), but we consider here also the more general case of concave increasing costs (concave VPN). In this paper we give the first constant factor approximation for concave VPN, and we improve the best-known approximation factor for linear VPN. Our approximation results build on a novel reduction, based on Konig's theorem, which allows us to turn uncertainty of traffic into nonlinearity of the objective function. This way, we are able to reduce linear VPN and concave VPN to the single-sink rent-or-buy problem (SROB) and the single-sink buy-at-bulk problem (SSBB), respectively. Using the machinery developed for the latter two problems plus additional ideas, we are able to improve the approximation ratio for VPN. Along the way we also obtain, among other results, an improved approximation algorithm for SSBB and a tighter bound on the gap between the costs of arbitrary solutions and tree solutions for VPN. Furthermore, solving an open problem, we show that VPN remains NP-hard even in the balanced case, where the sum of ingoing and outgoing traffic bounds is equal.
TIME SYNCHRONIZATION FOR TIME OF ARRIVAL BASED LOCALIZATION

Location and position awareness is most important for wireless sensor networks. Many WSN applications such as environment monitoring, target tracking and rescue require location awareness and accurate location. Accurate localization and synchronization are two important factors in wireless sensor network. Location accuracy is affected due to Synchronization, noise, offset, delay clock drift, and mobility. In Range based Time of Arrival (ToA) based localization gives location information for any range while RSSI and AoA only for short range. Weak synchronization is major problem in ToA hence time based localization requires clock/time synchronization due to the drifting of the local clocks. This paper reduces the clock drift problem using proposed synchronization algorithm. The Main objective is to develop the algorithm which can minimize the Synchronization error in WSN with considering offset and the skew of clock. In proposed algorithm timing information are exchanged explicitly using periodic packets know as beacons which are used to carry timestamps. Proposed algorithm consumes less energy, gives proper synchronization, scalable and eliminates the problem (Time Synchronization) of Time of Arrival based localization.
The Virtues of Scientific Practice: MacIntyre, Virtue Ethics, and the Historiography of Science

“Practice” has become a ubiquitous term in the history of science, and yet historians have not always reflected on its philosophical import and in particular on its potential connections with ethics. This essay draws on the work of the virtue ethicist Alasdair MacIntyre to develop a theory of “communal practices” and explore how such an approach can inform the history of science, including allegations about the corruption of science by wealth or power, consideration of scientific ethics or “moral economies,” the role of values in science, the ethical distinctiveness (or not) of scientific vocations, and the relationship between history of science and the practice of science itself.
Conformance to Evidence-Based Treatment Recommendations in Schizophrenia Treatment Services

Objective: To assess quality of health care provided in a representative Canadian mental health service using conformance to evidence-based treatment recommendations, and to examine differences from published US results. Method: We used a cross-sectional cohort design involving a randomly selected sample of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia attending 1 of 3 mental health clinics in 1 Canadian regional health system. The sample size was calculated to detect differences with the US sample. Conformance criteria were based on a published protocol. Data were collected using patient interviews and a structured review of health records. Conformance to 9 key Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team recommendations was assessed. Results: Conformance ranged between 58% and 90% for pharmacological recommendations, and 0% to 81% for psychosocial recommendations. No patients who met criteria for assertive case management had been referred to an assertive case management team. Significant differences in conformance rates to some treatment recommendations were found between Canadian and published US results. Conclusions: It proved possible to assess health care quality using process measures of conformance to treatment recommendations. Conformance to clinical recommendations for pharmacotherapy is higher than for psychosocial therapies. The absence of barriers to access for pharmacological therapies likely enhances the higher conformance to these recommendations. Limited or variable access to psychosocial services, specifically assertive community treatment, likely negatively affects conformance to psychosocial treatment recommendations. Methodological limitations preclude drawing conclusions on comparisons between Canadian and US services.
Retigabine Stimulates Human KCNQ2/Q3 Channels in the Presence of Bupivacaine

Background:Inhibition of KCNQ2/Q3 channels may cause convulsion in humans. The interaction of bupivacaine with these channels is unknown. The anticonvulsant retigabine activates KCNQ2/Q3 channels and may reverse inhibitory actions of bupivacaine. Potassium channel stimulation may thus constitute a novel approach to treat local anesthetic-induced seizures. The aim of this study was to characterize bupivacaine effects on KCNQ2/Q3 channels and to investigate whether retigabine reverses the effects of the local anesthetic. Methods:KCNQ2/Q3 channels were transiently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The effects of bupivacaine and retigabine were studied with the patch-clamp technique. Results:Bupivacaine inhibited KCNQ2/Q3 channels in a concentration-dependent and reversible manner. The concentration-response curve was described by a Hill equation (IC50 = 173 ± 7 &mgr;m, Hill coefficient = 1.4 ± 0.1, mean ± SEM, n = 37). The inhibitory effect did not differ between bupivacaine and levobupivacaine (42 ± 4%, n = 7, versus 42 ± 5%, n = 10; P > 0.05). Ropivacaine was four times less potent than bupivacaine. The inhibition of KCNQ2/Q3 channels by bupivacaine resulted in a significant and reversible depolarization of the membrane potential. Retigabine (300 nm–10 &mgr;m) reversed the inhibitory action of bupivacaine on KCNQ2/Q3 channels as well as the depolarization of the membrane potential. Conclusions:The anticonvulsant retigabine at nanomolar concentrations reverses the inhibitory effect of micromolar concentrations of bupivacaine. Our results allow the hypothesis that activation of KCNQ2/Q3 channels by retigabine may offer a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of bupivacaine-induced seizures.
On moment matching with preservation of passivity and stability

In this paper, the problem of moment matching with (preservation of) certain properties is tackled. Based on a new approach to linear and nonlinear matching we discuss the choices of interpolation (matching) points such that the resulting families of models have certain properties, namely passivity and stability, useful for modeling and analysis.
Grain size dependence of coercivity and permeability in nanocrystalline ferromagnets

Amorphous ribbons of composition Fe/sub 74.5-x/Cu/sub x/Nb/sub 3/Si/sub 13.5/B/sub 9/ (x=0, 1 at.%) have been annealed between about 500 degrees C and 900 degrees C. This produced a series of crystallized samples with grain sizes between about 10 nm and 300 nm and with coercivities H/sub c/ and initial permeabilities mu /sub i/ varying over several orders of magnitude. The best soft magnetic properties (H/sub c/ approximately=0.01 A/cm and mu /sub i/ approximately=80*10/sup 3/) were observed for the smallest grain sized of about 10 nm. With increasing grain size D, coercivity steeply increases following a D/sup 6/-power law (up to D approximately=50 nm). H/sub c/ then runs through a maximum of H/sub c/ approximately=30 A/cm and decreases again for grain sizes above 150 nm according to the well-known 1/D law for polycrystalline magnets. The initial permeability was found to vary in a similar manner, essentially being inversely proportional to coercivity. The variation of the soft magnetic properties with the average grain size is discussed and compared with the predictions of the random anisotropy model and other theories for the magnetization reversal. >
The Cognitive Psychology of the Potentiality Argument

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Inadequate sympathovagal balance in response to orthostatism in patients with unexplained syncope and a positive head up tilt test

AIM To analyse the immediate response of heart rate variability (HRV) in response to orthostatic stress in unexplained syncope. SUBJECTS 69 subjects, mean (SD) age 42 (18) years, undergoing 60° head up tilt to evaluate unexplained syncope. METHODS Based on 256 second ECG samples obtained during supine and upright phases, spectral analyses of low (LF) and high frequency (HF) bands were calculated, as well as the LF/HF power ratio, reflecting the sympathovagal balance. All variables were measured just before tilt during the last five minutes of the supine position, during the first five minutes of head up tilt, and just before the end of passive tilt. RESULTS Symptoms occurred in 42 subjects (vasovagal syncope in 37; psychogenic syncope in five). Resting haemodynamics and HRV indices were similar in subjects with and without syncope. Immediately after assuming the upright posture, adaptation to orthostatism differed between the two groups in that the LF/HF power ratio decreased by 11% from supine (from 2.7 (1.5) to 2.4 (1.2)) in the positive test group, while it increased by 11.5% (from 2.8 (1.5) to 3.1 (1.7)) in the negative test group (p = 0.02). This was because subjects with a positive test did not have the same increment in LF power with tilting as those with a negative test (11% v 28%, p = 0.04), while HF power did not alter. A decreased LF/HF power ratio persisted throughout head up tilt and was the only variable found to discriminate between subjects with positive and negative test results (p = 0.005, multivariate analysis). During the first five minutes of tilt, a decreased LF/HF power ratio occurred in 33 of 37 subjects in the positive group and three of 27 in the negative group. Thus a decreased LF/HF ratio had 89% sensitivity, 89% specificity, a 92% positive predictive value, and an 86% negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS Through the LF/HF power ratio, spectral analysis of HRV was highly correlated with head up tilt results. Subjects developing syncope late during continued head up tilt have a decrease in LF/HF ratio immediately after assuming the upright posture, implying that although symptoms have not developed the vasovagal reaction may already have begun. This emphasises the major role of the autonomic nervous system in the genesis of vasovagal (neurally mediated) syncope.
Eye Tracking Data Acquisition and Preprocessing for Modeling of Manager Knowledge in Financial Report Analysis

The article presents process of data acquisition and detection of pattern in the way of perceiving economic data. For this purpose, results of eye tracking study were used to obtain information on how data are analyzed by SME managers in accordance with their level of economic and financial knowledge. As a result, information was derived on viewing patterns allowing for generation of sequence patterns. Research results will help design a mechanism for intelligent interpretation of economic information in Business Intelligence systems.
In Vivo Pharmacodynamics of Cefquinome in a Neutropenic Mouse Thigh Model of Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 at Varied Initial Inoculum Sizes

ABSTRACT Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an emerging zoonotic pathogen and causes severe disease in both pigs and human beings. Cefquinome (CEQ), a fourth-generation cephalosporin, exhibits broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive bacteria such as S. suis. This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of CEQ against four strains of S. suis serotype 2 in a murine neutropenic thigh infection model. We investigated the effect of varied inoculum sizes (106 to 108 CFU/thigh) on the pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) indices and magnitudes of a particular PK/PD index or dose required for efficacy. Dose fractionation studies included total CEQ doses ranging from 0.625 to 640 mg/kg/24 h. Data were analyzed via a maximum effect (Emax) model using nonlinear regression. The PK/PD studies demonstrated that the percentage of time that serum drug levels were above the MIC of free drug (%ƒT>MIC) in a 24-h dosing interval was the primary index driving the efficacy of both inoculum sizes (R2 = 91% and R2 = 63%). CEQ doses of 2.5 and 40 mg/kg body weight produced prolonged postantibiotic effects (PAEs) of 2.45 to 8.55 h. Inoculum sizes had a significant influence on CEQ efficacy. Compared to the CEQ exposure and dosages in tests using standard inocula, a 4-fold dose (P = 0.006) and a 2-fold exposure time (P = 0.01) were required for a 1-log kill using large inocula of 108 CFU/thigh.
Use of a human‐type communication robot to evaluate the categorized communicative ability of older adults with dementia

Takeo Yasu, Masayoshi Koinuma, Daisuke Hayashi, Takeshi Horii, Yoshiki Yashiro, Junichi Furuya, Masatoshi Saitoh, Reisuke Seki, Mikio Shirota, and Kazufumi Abe, Department of Pharmacy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo Heisei University, Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Shimokitazawa Hospital, Department of Hospital Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Showa University, Department of Pharmacy, Sakakibara Heart Institute, Department of Pharmacy, Kitasato University Kitasato Institute Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Kyorin University Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Treatment Corporation Ookubo Hospital and Department of Pharmacy, Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
Anti-adhesion methods as novel therapeutics for bacterial infections

Anti-adhesion therapies for bacterial infections offer an alternative to antibiotics, with those therapies bacteria are not killed but are prevented from causing harm to a host by inhibiting adherence to host cells and tissues, a prerequisite for the majority of infectious diseases. The mechanisms of these potential therapeutic agents include inhibition of adhesins and their host receptors, vaccination with adhesins or analogs, use of probiotics and dietary supplements that interfere with receptor–adhesin interactions, subminimal inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and manipulation of hydrophobic interactions. Once developed, these drugs will contribute to the arsenal for fighting infectious disease in the future, potentially subverting antibiotic resistance.
PABST: Proportionally Allocated Bandwidth at the Source and Target

Higher integration lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) in the data center by reducing equipment cost and lowering energy consumption. However, higher integration also makes it difficult to achieve guaranteed quality of service (QoS) for shared resources. Unlike many other resources, memory bandwidth cannot be finely controlled by software in existing systems. As a result, many systems running critical, bandwidth-sensitive applications remain underutilized to protect against bandwidth interference. In this paper, we propose a novel hardware architecture allowing practical, software-controlled partitioning of memory bandwidth. Proportionally Allocated Bandwidth at the Source and Target (PABST) precisely controls the bandwidth of applications by throttling request rates at the source and prioritizes requests at the target. We show that PABST is work conserving, such that excess bandwidth beyond the requested allocation will not go unused. For applications sensitive to memory latency, we pair PABST with a simple priority scheme at the memory controller. We show that when combined, the system is able to lower TCO by providing performance isolation across a wide range of workloads, even when co-located with memory-intensive background jobs.