Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of baseline impedance as a marker of mucosal integrity in children with gastro esophageal reflux disease

Abstract Objectives. Diagnosis of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children is challenging. 24-h-pH-multichannel-intraluminal-impedance measurement (pH-MII) is the best diagnostic tool to display gastro esophageal reflux whereas esophageal endoscopy indicates mucosal lesions. The aim of this study was to compare esophageal endoscopy results with reflux parameters such as acid exposure time (reflux index RI), bolus exposure time (bolus index BI), baseline impedance level (BIL) detected by pH-MII in children with suspected GERD. Methods. Analysis of data from 285 children (38 infants) referred to our hospital with suspected GERD. Division into three ‘reflux esophagitis' (RE)-stages depending on the severity of endoscopic and histological findings and comparison with reflux parameters in these stages. Further categorization into four groups based on the pH-MII-results. Results. Children with high-grade esophagitis had a significantly lower BIL; otherwise there was no significant association between elevated reflux parameters and esophagitis. Pathological pH-MII results (RI and BI) were associated with lower BIL in the distal impedance channel. The BIL was significantly lower in infants compared to children >1 year regardless of the RI or BI. The main difference between these groups regarding reflux parameters was a longer BI and a higher number of retrograde bolus movements. Conclusion. Pathologic pH-MII results are not predictive for an erosive esophagitis and vice versa. Therefore, these two procedures cannot replace each other. A lower BIL is associated with esophagitis ≥ LA-grade B and may be caused by longer acid but also by longer bolus exposure and thus may be another useful parameter in GERD monitoring.
Improve software quality through practicing DevOps

DevOps is extended from certain agile practices with a mix of patterns intended to improve collaboration between development and operation teams. The main purpose of this paper is to conduct a study on how DevOps practice has impacted to software quality. The secondary objective is to find how to improve quality efficiently. A literature survey has carried out to explore about current DevOps practices in industry. According to the literature survey, the conceptual research model was developed and five hypotheses were derived. Research objectives were accomplished by testing hypotheses using Pearson correlation. A linear model is derived based on the linear regression analysis. An online questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data whereas interviews with experts on DevOps and Quality assurance have been used to identify how to improve the quality of software by practicing DevOps. Recommendations are given based on interview feedback, hypotheses testing with regression analysis. According to the quantitative study, researchers have identified that quality of the software gets improved when practice DevOps by following CAMS (Culture, Automation, Measurement, Sharing) framework. Automation is the most critical factor to improve the software quality. As per the results of multiple regression analysis, it has proved culture, automation, measurement and sharing are important factors to consider to improve quality of the software. In conclusion it can be recommended to use DevOps to achieve high quality software.
Torii HLMAC: distributed, fault-tolerant, zero configuration data center architecture with multiple tree-based addressing and forwarding

This paper describes Torii-HLMAC, a scalable, fault-tolerant, zero-configuration data center network fabric architecture (currently under final evaluation) as a full distributed alternative to Portland for similar multiple tree (fat tree) network topologies. It uses multiple, fixed, tree-based positional MAC addresses, used for multiple path table-free forwarding. Addresses are assigned by simple extension of the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol. Torii-HLMAC enhances the Portland protocol advantages of scalability, zero configuration and high performance and adds instant path recovery, distributed address assignment. ARP broadcast may use ARP Proxy.
The efficacy of plantar stimulation on human balance control

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the body sway using firm, foam, and firm textured surfaces on 17 young adults. Method: Displacement of center of pressure (CoP), anteroposterior velocity (VA/P), and mediolateral velocity (VM/L) were measured. Data: The data showed a significant decrease of CoP, VA/P, and VM/L between support surfaces and vision. Results: The results showed that, differently from the firm and foam, the textured surface is able to increase the plantar feedback to maintaining postural control.
Using Ethnographic Techniques to Describe Requirements Engineering Processes in Geographic Information Systems Workgroups

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a relevant field in Information Systems. However GIS applications are hard to develop given the disciplinary heterogeneity of GIS working groups. This paper presents the initial results of a qualitative study conducted to describe the GIS community requirements processes and needs. Ethnographic techniques are being used to achieve this goal. Ethnography is a discipline taken from social sciences that puts a strong emphasis on the Field Work and for this reason its conceptual framework and tools are presented. Applied through field work in different GIS scenarios as government offices, private consultants, NGOs 1 and academy the obtained results are described allowing the identification of clue features related to requirements engineering for GIS applications. Finally, the conclusion includes reflections on the Ethnographic techniques and considerations (such as to extend UML) to design better methodologies for GIS-RE.
Receptor Methylation Controls the Magnitude of Stimulus-Response Coupling in Bacterial Chemotaxis*

Motile prokaryotes employ a chemoreceptor-kinase array to sense changes in the media and properly adjust their swimming behavior. This array is composed of a family of Type I membrane receptors, a histidine protein kinase (CheA), and an Src homology 3-like protein (CheW). Binding of an attractant to the chemoreceptors inhibits CheA, which results in decreased phosphorylation of the chemotaxis response regulator (CheY). Sensitivity of the system to stimuli is modulated by a protein methyltransferase (CheR) and a protein methylesterase (CheB) that catalyze the methylation and demethylation of specific glutamyl residues in the cytoplasmic domain of the receptors. One of the most fundamental unanswered questions concerning the bacterial chemotaxis mechanism is the quantitative relationship between ligand binding to receptors and CheA inhibition. We show that the receptor glutamyl modifications cause adaptation by changing the gain (magnitude amplification) between attractant binding and kinase inhibition without substantially affecting ligand binding affinity. The mechanism adjusts receptor sensitivity to background stimulus intensity over several orders of magnitude of attractant concentrations. The cooperative effects of ligand binding appear to be minimal with Hill coefficients for kinase inhibition less than 2, independent of the state of glutamyl modification.
Biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans in the human colonic tumor cell line Caco‐2: structural changes occurring with the morphological differentiation of the cells

The human colon cancer cell line Caco‐2 cultured in vitro displayed morphological differentiation which was shown to be a growth‐related event. We have investigated this phenomenon further in relation to the cell surface glycosaminoglycans produced by growing (5‐day, i.e., prior to differentiation) and confluent (9‐day, i.e., after morphological and functional differentiation) cultures. Neosynthesized [35S]glycosaminoglycans were purified on DEAE‐cellulose; at confluency, they were bound more strongly to the column than the corresponding fractions from the growing cells. Analysis of Kav values of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfates from growing and confluent cells indicated an increase in chain length of both glycosaminoglycans in morphologically differentiated cells. Heparan sulfate was the main 35S‐labeled glycosaminoglycan of the cell surface of both 5‐day and 9‐day cultures. Paper chromatography of the unsaturated disaccharides obtained by chondroitinase digestion showed that chondroitin sulfate chains were primarily 6‐sulfated in the 2 studied extracts. Heparan sulfate chains were isolated as chondroitinase‐resistant material and treated with nitrous acid. Analysis of N‐ and O‐sulfate group‐related radioactivity showed an increase in the amount of 35S‐label in the form of N‐sulfate groups and an increase in the O‐35S‐sulfation pattern in heparan sulfate from morphologically differentiated cells. Thus, the structural features of both chondroitin sulfates and heparan sulfate were significantly different when the growing cells became morphologically differentiated.
Effect of epidural corticosteroid injection on magnetic resonance imaging findings

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine is the preferred diagnostic tool for pathologic conditions affecting the spine. However, in patients receiving epidural corticosteroid injection (ESI) for treatment of spinal diseases, there is a possibility of misreading of MR images because of air or fluid in the epidural space after the injection. Therefore, we defined the characteristics of abnormal changes in MRI findings following an ESI in patients with low back pain. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 133 patients who underwent MRI of the lumbar spine within 7 days after ESI between 2006 and 2015.All patients were administered an ESI using a 22-gauge Tuohy needle at the lumbar spine through the interlaminar approach. The epidural space was identified by the loss of resistance technique with air. Results The incidences of abnormal changes in MRI findings because of ESI were 54%, 31%, and 25% in patients who underwent MRI at approximately 24 h, and 2 and 3 days after ESI, respectively. Abnormal MRI findings included epidural air or fluid, needle tracks, and soft tissue changes. Epidural air, the most frequent abnormal finding (82%), was observed in 41% of patients who underwent MRI within 3 days after injection. Abnormal findings due to an ESI were not observed in MR images acquired 4 days after ESI or later. Conclusions Pain physicians should consider the possibility of abnormal findings in MR images acquired after epidural injection using the interlaminar approach and the loss of resistance technique with air at the lumbar spine.
How important is body language in mood induction procedures with a humanoid robot?

The aim of this article is to investigate the effectiveness of the body language of a humanoid robot to induce emotions. It is based on the principles of positive psychology (PP), social learning, therapeutic robotics and mood induction procedures (MIPs). According to the Velten Method to induce a positive mood, the body language of a humanoid robot is used here as a modulated variable to test its efficacy inducing emotions. We have three hypotheses: (H1) Positive body language reinforces the positive attitude of the Velten positive statements; (H2) Body language which expresses the opposite attitude that the one expressed by Velten statements, that is a negative attitude, can vary negatively the mood induction results; (H3) The more positive the body language is, the higher the positive induction effect is; We have run experiments with 48 volunteers to test these hypotheses. Results show that the hypotheses (H1) and (H2) are correct, but it is not the case for (H3), which is not confirmed with an exaggerated expression of elated mood. Furthermore, our new combined MIP has a significant effect size to induce positive emotions.
Analysis of eustachian tube function by video endoscopy.

OBJECTIVE Human eustachian tubes (ET) were inspected in vivo endoscopically, and video recordings were made for careful slow-motion analysis of normal physiologic function. SETTING Ambulatory office in a tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS Thirty-four adults, 17 with no history of ET dysfunction (2 of whom had tympanic membrane perforations), 17 with known ET dysfunction. INTERVENTIONS Transnasal endoscopic examination of the nasopharyngeal opening of the eustachian tube during rest, swallowing, and yawning. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Video analysis of ET opening movements. RESULTS Normal ETs had four consistent sequential movements: (1) palatal elevation causing passive, then active, rotation of the medial cartilaginous lamina; (2) lateral excursion of the lateral pharyngeal wall; (3) dilation of the lumen, caused primarily by tensor veli palatini muscle movement beginning distally and inferiorly, then opening proximally and superiorly; and (4) opening of the tubal valve at the isthmus caused by dilator tubae muscle contraction. Dysfunctional ETs had intraluminal edema, polyps, or minimal muscle movement. CONCLUSIONS Slow-motion endoscopic video analysis may be a useful new technique for the study of eustachian tube physiology. Consistent muscle movement patterns were demonstrated in normal subjects but were absent in abnormal subjects. More studies of normal and abnormal patterns are needed to establish useful clinical correlates.
Does International Tourism Affect Transnational Terrorism?

Studies focusing on the relationship between transnational terrorism and tourism examine the effect of terror on tourism, while this study looks at a different question: does international tourism affect transnational terrorism? We hypothesized that the higher the number of international tourist arrivals to a country, the higher the number of terror attacks, and examined this effect from four distinct aspects: perpetration by foreign attackers against local victims, perpetration by local attackers against foreign victims, perpetration by foreign attackers against foreign victims, and perpetration of terror attacks against foreign private parties. We conclude that there is an inverse U relationship between number of arrivals and number of attacks perpetrated by foreigners, and also a robust significant relationship between number of arrivals to a country and terror attacks in which both the attacker and the victim are foreigners. However, it is not unequivocal whether this is a positive linear or an inverse U relationship.
Abnormal mitochondrial autophagy in nephropathic cystinosis

Cystinosis, which is characterized by lysosomal accumulation of cystine in many tissues, was the first known storage disorder caused by defective metabolite export from the lysosome. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying nephropathic cystinosis, the most severe form, which exhibits generalized proximal tubular dysfunction and progressive renal failure, remain largely unknown. We used renal proximal tubular epithelial (RPTE) cells and fibroblasts from patients with 3 clinical variants of cystinosis: nephropathic, intermediate, and ocular to explore the specific injury mechanism in nephropathic cystinosis. We demonstrate enhanced autophagy of mitochondria, increase in apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in the nephropathic cystinosis phenotype. Furthermore, specific inhibition of autophagy results in significant attenuation of cell death in nephropathic cystinosis. This study provides ultrastructural and functional evidence of abnormal mitochondrial autophagy in nephropathic cystinosis, which may contribute to the renal Fanconi syndrome and progressive renal injury.
Efficacy of a computer-based cognitive training program in older people with subjective memory complaints: a randomized study

ABSTRACT Objective: the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of computer-assisted cognitive training in healthy older adults with subjective memory complaints. Methods: Forty older adults, mean age (standard deviation) = 66.4 (5.6) with subjective memory complaints, were included in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to an integrated psychostimulation program (IPP) (N = 17), a computerized cognitive training (CCT) (N = 12) or a control group (N = 11). The training was applied for 8 weeks (90 min/d, 4 d/week for IPP, and 60 min/d, 4 d/week for CCT). Effectiveness was evaluated with a neuropsychological assessment battery, used before and after the implementation of the cognitive training. Results: According to the data analysis, with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), we found a statistically significant change in the majority of the cognitive variables measured before and after the experimental conditions compared with the control group. Although, according to a paired t-test, the IPP was more effective in the improvement of cognitive functioning in the participants. Additionally, a decrease in anxiety symptoms was observed after the cognitive intervention in IPP and CCT conditions. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that cognitive training of moderate intensity, supported by a web platform, could lead to significant improvements in cognitive and psychological well-being in older people with subjective memory complaints.
Refutation of Say's Law and Dynamics of a Monetary Economy of Production

In a monetary economy of production, Say’s law is invalid for several reasons. Based on some refutations, it is possible to state that revenues generated by the production process are structurally lower than the supply price of production, which means that firms create insufficient purchasing power to buy what they produce. Herein, we study the dynamics of such an economy and obtain two main results. First, the long-term debt level of that economy must increase during a growth phase to enable demand to grow at the same pace as supply. Second, because of the repayment of this debt, the gap between supply and net revenues generated by the production process widens along a growth phase. JEL Classification: E12, E2, E30, E42, G21
Empirical Investigation on the Asymmetry and Persistence of Chinese Business Cycle

This paper investigates the asymmetry and persistence of Chinese business cycle by utilizing MSMV(3)-AR(2)and Bayesian Gibbs-sampling nonparametric approach and by employing GDP data from 1979Q1 to 2004Q4 in China.The three regimes' mean,variance and matrix of transition probability are estimated and are significant.The results support the hypothesis of three regimes in Chinese economy:low-growth,normal-growth and rapid growth.Moreover,the results show the asymmetry of Chinese business cycles in three regimes through different mean,variance and transition probability.The results also show the different persistence of Chinese business cycle in three regimes through transition probability.Finally,normal-growth regime is the most robust among three regimes and rapid-growth regime has the longest duration among three regimes.
The broad effects of the functional IL‐10 promoter‐592 polymorphism: modulation of IL‐10, TIMP‐3, and OPG expression and their association with periodontal disease outcome

Periodontal diseases are infectious diseases, in which periodontopathogens trigger chronic inflammatory and immune responses that lead to tissue destruction. It occurs through the generation of metalloproteinases and the activation of bone resorption mechanisms. Anti‐inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐10 seem to attenuate periodontal tissue destruction through the induction of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and the inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis osteoprotegerin (OPG). A high individual variation in levels of IL‐10 mRNA is verified in periodontitis patients, which is possibly determined by genetic polymorphisms. In this study, the IL‐10 promoter ‐592C/A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which is associated with a decrease in IL‐10 production, was analyzed by RFLP in 116 chronic periodontitis (CP) patients and 173 control (C) subjects, and the IL‐10, TIMPs, and OPG mRNA expression levels in diseased gingival tissues were determined by real‐time‐PCR. The IL‐10‐592 SNP CA (P=0.0012/OR=2.4/CI:1.4‐4.1), AA (P=0.0458/OR=2.3/CI:1.1‐4.9), and CA+AA (P=0.0006/OR=2.4/CI:1.4‐3.4) genotypes and the allele A (P=0.0036/OR=1.7/CI:1.2‐2.4) were found to be significantly more prevalent in the CP group when compared with control subjects. Both CA and AA genotypes were associated with lower levels of IL‐10, TIMP‐3, and OPG mRNA expression in diseased periodontal tissues and were also associated with disease severity as mean pocket depth. Taken together, the results presented here demonstrate that IL10‐592 SNP is functional in CP, being associated with lower levels of IL‐10 mRNA expression, which is supposed to consequently decrease the expression of the downstream genes TIMP‐3 and OPG, and influence periodontal disease outcome.
Fine-Tuning Translation Kinetics Selection as the Driving Force of Codon Usage Bias in the Hepatitis A Virus Capsid

Hepatitis A virus (HAV), the prototype of genus Hepatovirus, has several unique biological characteristics that distinguish it from other members of the Picornaviridae family. Among these, the need for an intact eIF4G factor for the initiation of translation results in an inability to shut down host protein synthesis by a mechanism similar to that of other picornaviruses. Consequently, HAV must inefficiently compete for the cellular translational machinery and this may explain its poor growth in cell culture. In this context of virus/cell competition, HAV has strategically adopted a naturally highly deoptimized codon usage with respect to that of its cellular host. With the aim to optimize its codon usage the virus was adapted to propagate in cells with impaired protein synthesis, in order to make tRNA pools more available for the virus. A significant loss of fitness was the immediate response to the adaptation process that was, however, later on recovered and more associated to a re-deoptimization rather than to an optimization of the codon usage specifically in the capsid coding region. These results exclude translation selection and instead suggest fine-tuning translation kinetics selection as the underlying mechanism of the codon usage bias in this specific genome region. Additionally, the results provide clear evidence of the Red Queen dynamics of evolution since the virus has very much evolved to re-adapt its codon usage to the environmental cellular changing conditions in order to recover the original fitness.
Binding of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 to Immature Dendritic Cells Can Occur Independently of DC-SIGN and Mannose Binding C-Type Lectin Receptors via a Cholesterol-Dependent Pathway

ABSTRACT Interactions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) with immature dendritic cells (DC) are believed to be multifactorial and involve binding to the CD4 antigen, DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN), mannose binding C-type lectin receptors (MCLR), and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). In this study we assessed the relative contributions of these previously defined virus attachment factors to HIV binding and accumulation in DC and the subsequent transfer of the bound virus particle to CD4+ T cells. Using competitive inhibitors of HIV-1 attachment to DC, we have identified the existence of DC-SIGN-, MCLR-, and HSPG-independent mechanism(s) of HIV attachment and internalization. Furthermore, virus particles bound by DC independently of CD4, DC-SIGN, MCLR, and HSPG are efficiently transmitted to T cells. Treatment of virus particles with the protease subtilisin or treatment of immature DC with trypsin significantly reduced virus binding, thus demonstrating the role of HIV envelope glycoprotein interactions with unidentified DC-surface factor(s). Finally, this DC-mediated virus binding and internalization are dependent on lipid rafts. We propose that pathways to HIV-1 attachment and uptake in DC exhibit functional redundancy; that is, they are made up of multiple independent activities that can, at least in part, compensate for one another.