Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetics of pre-pubertal growth: A longitudinal study of Japanese twins

Background: Genetic factors explain a major part of the variation of adult stature, but little is still known on the genetics of growth, especially in non-Caucasian populations. Aim: To analyse the quantitative genetics of pre-pubertal growth in Japanese children. Subjects and methods: Data from birth until 11 years of age were collected on 349 complete twin pairs based on previously recorded height measures. The data were analysed using two different multivariate models by the Mx statistical package. Results: No major sex differences were found and thus boys and girls were analysed together. Since 1 year of age, genetic factors explained from 42–71% and environmental factors shared by co-twins from 14–33% of the variation of height. Genetic continuity of height was high and 75% of the genetic variance was shared since 1 year of age. Environmental factors affecting height showed weaker correlations between early and late childhood than genetic factors. Conclusion: Growth from early to late childhood is largely regulated by the same set of genes. However, also environmental factors shared by co-twins are important for growth. Identifying specific environmental factors affecting growth has potentially important public health implications, even in an affluent society such as Japan.
Torque control of sinusoidal PMAC motors for direct-drive robots

A control approach for direct-drive robots with sinusoidal permanent magnet AC (PMAC) motors is developed. The conventional vector control for PMAC motors has been simplified by specifying the motor stator phase so that the rotating d-axis current is zero. This makes the motor work in maximum torque-per-amp operation. The proposed torque control, in the form of torque feedforward plus PI-type torque feedback, utilizes the feedback of nominal torque signal only, a signal that can be readily calculated, on-line. No torque sensor is required. Through proper design of the desired nominal torque with adaptive control technology, the proposed torque control can overcome the disturbances due to torque estimation error and model uncertainties. Experiments conducted on a commercial motion control system demonstrates the validity of the proposed approach in high-speed motions.
Understanding Mobile Ecosystem Dynamics: a Data-Driven Approach

The mobile ecosystem consists of a heterogeneous and continuously evolving set of firms that are interconnected through a complex, global network of relationships. However, there is very little theoretical understanding how these networks emerge and evolve and no well-established methodology to study these phenomena. Traditional approaches have primarily utilized alliance data of relatively established firms; however, these approaches ignore the vast number of relevant ecosystem activities that occur at the personal, entrepreneurial, and university level. We argue and empirically illustrate that a data-driven approach, using both alliance and socially-curated datasets, can provide important complementary explanatory insights into the dynamics of the mobile ecosystem. We present our approach through two recently formed mobile ecosystem relationships – the strategic partnership between Nokia and Microsoft and Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Our analysis is complemented using network visualization techniques. The paper concludes with implications and future research opportunities.
On the correlated weibull fading model and its applications

Ascertaining on the suitability of the Weibull model to describe fading channels, a theoretical framework for the multivariate Weibull distribution, generated from correlated Gaussian elements, is presented. Concerning the bivariate Weibull model with arbitrary average fading powers, novel closed-form expressions for the joint probability density function (pdf), moments-generating function, cumulative distribution function (cdf), product moments, and the correlation coefficient are presented. Moreover, useful analytical formulae for the pdf and cdf of the multivariate Weibull distribution, with identical average fading powers and exponential correlation, are obtained. The derived theoretical results are applied to analytically evaluate the outage probability of selection diversity receivers, operating over correlated Weibull fading channels.
Patterns of Routine Antenatal Laboratory Test Results at Booking in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the patterns of routine antenatal care laboratory test results at booking in Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu, and to review the literature on the subject. Methods: The registers for the results of routine laboratory tests at booking in ESUTH, Enugu were reviewed from April 1, 2014 to August 31, 2016. Data on age, blood group, rhesus status, hemoglobin genotype, packed cell volume; human immunodeficiency virus screening (HIV), venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) tests at booking were collected and analyzed with Excel 2007 software. The results were presented in tables, percentages and graphs. Results: A total of 5293 mothers were tested; 2706 (51.12%) and 2500 (47.23%) of them were of ages <30 and 30-40 years respectively (Table 1). Table 2 showed the commonest blood group was ‘O’ 3062(57.85%). Most of the mothers 4811(90.89%) were Rhesus D positive while 482(9.11%) of them were negative. Hemoglobin genotype results were: AA 4066(76.82%), AS 1217(22.99%), and SS 8(0.15%). About 3819(72.15%) had packed cell volume of 31% and above. Table 3 revealed 232(4.83%) women tested positive to HIV, but 17(0.32%) only were new cases. Twenty eight (0.53%) women were reactive to VDRL while 166(3.14%) tested positive to HBsAg test. Many women 5061(95.62%) and 5127(96.86%) tested negative to HIV and HBsAg tests respectively. Conclusion: Most women are young (<40 years), have blood group O rhesus D positive, hemoglobin AA genotype, and are not anemic at booking. Many women are non-reactive to VDRL, HIV and HBsAg tests; and are vulnerable to infections. The marked reductions on SS genotype, VDRL and HIV new cases in this study have justified the critical preventive role of routine ANC laboratory tests in our current obstetric practice and the need for the continuation of the practice.
Current estimation and remote temperature monitoring system for low power digitally controlled DC-DC SMPS

This paper describes a simple adaptive digital system that can accurately estimate steady-state inductor current and, at the same time, provide remote temperature monitoring of power switches in low-power digitally controlled dc-dc converters. The system is well-suited for on-chip implementation. It provides a solution for combining a digital controller, current estimator and remote temperature monitor on a single integrated circuit. To estimate the current and temperature, the estimator utilizes inherently available information about the duty ratio and performs auto-calibration through the utilization of a current sink. During regular converter operation, a known load current step is introduced and the inductor current and a dc resistance Req emulating converter losses are calculated from the resulting increase in the duty ratio control variable. Then, based on the obtained resistance value, the temperature of the switching components is found. The effectiveness of the estimator is demonstrated on a digitally-controlled 1.5 V, 15 W buck converter operating at 500 kHz switching frequency.
A Historical and Qualitative Analysis of Different Medical Imaging Techniques

The growth of medical science realized the need of a device which can be use to view human body from inside and which can also act as an intermediate between doctor and patient. The medical imaging system is used to take internal image of human body and various other body organs and can also perform analysis of those images. In this paper various medical imaging techniques like X-Rays, Ultrasound and Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) will be discussed on the basis of various parameters like their history, usage, type of radiation and their physical and mental side effects.
A comparative study of the venom and other components of three species of Loxosceles.

Summary The venom apparatus, the quantity of venom, and the reactions to the bite of Loxosceles rufescens, L. reclusa, and L. laeta males and females were similar. Both the venom and extracts of whole specimens and of cephalothoraces produced necrotic lesions, erythema, induration, edema, and death when injected subcutaneously into rabbits. Abdominal extracts caused erythema and induration when injected into animals and also hemolysis of human red cells in vitro. The venom exhibited no hemolytic activity. The venom of the three species gave at least three distinct precipitation lines in immunodiffusion plates. All three components of L. rufescens and L. reclusa appeared to be identical. Immunoelectrophoretic studies of the venom revealed the presence of four antigenic components in all three species. However, the venom from each of these produced a distinctly different pattern.
Investigating the Role of Model-Based Reasoning While Troubleshooting an Electric Circuit.

We explore the overlap of two nationally-recognized learning outcomes for physics lab courses, namely, the ability to model experimental systems and the ability to troubleshoot a malfunctioning apparatus. Modeling and troubleshooting are both nonlinear, recursive processes that involve using models to inform revisions to an apparatus. To probe the overlap of modeling and troubleshooting, we collected audiovisual data from think-aloud activities in which eight pairs of students from two institutions attempted to diagnose and repair a malfunctioning electrical circuit. We characterize the cognitive tasks and model-based reasoning that students employed during this activity. In doing so, we demonstrate that troubleshooting engages students in the core scientific practice of modeling.
Activity disruption and depressive symptoms in women living with metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE Women with breast cancer are at increased risk of depression, and the extent to which valued activities are disrupted by one's illness has been correlated with depressive symptoms in women with early stage breast cancer. This association has not been examined in women with Stage IV (metastatic) cancer, and the temporal directionality of this relationship remains unclear. The goal of the current study was to examine longitudinal, reciprocal relationships between illness-related disruption of social and recreational activities and self-reported symptoms of depression in a sample of women living with Stage IV breast cancer. METHOD Participants were 103 women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Women completed measures of depressive symptoms and activity disruption at study entry (T1) and at 3-month follow-up (T2). RESULTS Activity disruption at study entry did not significantly predict changes in total depressive symptoms or in negative affective or somatic symptoms but did predict reductions in positive affect. Total depressive symptoms at study entry predicted increases in activity disruption, as did negative affective symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Depressive symptoms, specifically negative affective symptoms such as sadness, may exacerbate social and recreational activity disruption in women with metastatic breast cancer. Cancer-related activity disruption may, in turn, result in reductions in positive affect. These results highlight the importance of examining specific constellations of depressive symptoms and suggest that maintaining valued activities may help to preserve enjoyment of life for patients with Stage IV cancer.
GluR5,6,7 subunit immunoreactivity on apical pyramidal cell dendrites in hippocampus of schizophrenics and manic depressives

Recent postmortem studies have suggested that changes in the regulation of kainate‐sensitive glutamate receptors (kainate receptors) in the hippocampus may play a role in schizophrenia. To explore this possibility further, the distribution of immunoreactivity (IR) for the GluR5,6,7 subunits of the KR was assessed in a cohort consisting of 15 normal controls, 15 schizophrenics, and 9 manic depressives matched for age and postmortem interval (PMI). Cross sections of hippocampus showed abundant GluR5,6,7‐IR on apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons in the stratum radiatum and stratum moleculare. In normal controls, both the numerical and length density of IR dendrites were much higher in sector CA2 than in sectors CA3 or CA1. When data for the individual groups were separately examined, the schizophrenics showed a 30–35% reduction in the density of GluR5,6,7‐IR dendrites found in both stratum radiatum and stratum moleculare of sectors CA3 and CA2, as well as proximal and middle portions of CA1. In CA2, the magnitude of this decrease in schizophrenia was 2.5 times larger than that seen in any of the other sectors. For the manic depressive group, no significant differences were observed in any sectors or laminae examined. The potential confounding effects of either age, PMI, or neuroleptic exposure do not explain the reduced density of IR dendrites detected in the schizophrenic group. Taken together, the preferential reduction of GluR5,6,7‐IR observed on apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons is consistent with a functional downregulation of the kainate receptor in the hippocampus of schizophrenic brain. Hippocampus 2001;11:482–491. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relationships Between Lower Olfaction and Brain White Matter Lesions in Elderly Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND Olfactory impairment is reported in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is associated with hippocampal atrophy. In elderly people, dementia with AD neuropathology and white matter lesions (WML) is common. In this context, olfactory impairment could also depend on the presence of WML. OBJECTIVE To assess the cross-sectional relationship between olfaction and WML in elderly subjects with MCI. METHODS Consecutive subjects, >65 years old, diagnosed as MCI after a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in an expert memory center, with a brain MRI performed within a year and without major depressive state, were included. Olfaction was assessed by the Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT). Two trained neuroradiologists, blind to cognitive and olfaction status, visually assessed hippocampal atrophy according to Scheltens' scale and WML according to Fazekas criteria. RESULTS Seventy-five MCI subjects (mean age (SD) = 77.1 (6.2) years, 74.7% of women) were included. After adjustment for age and sex, factors associated with low BSIT scores were older age (p = 0.007), lower BMI (p = 0.08), lower MMSE score (p = 0.05), lower FCRST (p = 0.008), hippocampal atrophy (p = 0.04), periventricular WML (p = 0.007), and deep WML burden (p = 0.005). In multivariate analysis, severe deep WML (OR (95% CI) = 6.29 (1.4-35.13), p = 0.02) remained associated with low BSIT score independently from hippocampal atrophy. CONCLUSION In elderly MCI subjects, low olfactory performances are associated with WML, whose progression may be slowed by vascular treatments. A longitudinal study to evaluate whether the progression of WML, hippocampal atrophy and low olfactory function, can predict accurately conversion from MCI to dementia is ongoing.
Acute Exposure to Diesel Exhaust Impairs Nitric Oxide–Mediated Endothelial Vasomotor Function by Increasing Endothelial Oxidative Stress

Exposure to diesel exhaust was recently identified as an important cardiovascular risk factor, but whether it impairs nitric oxide (NO)–mediated endothelial function and increases production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells is not known. We tested these hypotheses in a randomized, controlled, crossover study in healthy male volunteers exposed to ambient and polluted air (n=12). The effects of skin microvascular hyperemic provocative tests, including local heating and iontophoresis of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, were assessed using a laser Doppler imager. Before local heating, skin was pretreated by iontophoresis of either a specific NO–synthase inhibitor (L-N-arginine-methyl-ester) or a saline solution (Control). ROS production was measured by chemiluminescence using the lucigenin technique in human umbilical vein endothelial cells preincubated with serum from 5 of the subjects. Exposure to diesel exhaust reduced acetylcholine-induced vasodilation (P<0.01) but did not affect vasodilation with sodium nitroprusside. Moreover, the acetylcholine/sodium nitroprusside vasodilation ratio decreased from 1.51±0.1 to 1.06±0.07 (P<0.01) and was correlated to inhaled particulate matter 2.5 (r=−0.55; P<0.01). NO–mediated skin thermal vasodilatation decreased from 466±264% to 29±123% (P<0.05). ROS production was increased after polluted air exposure (P<0.01) and was correlated with the total amount of inhaled particulate matter <2.5 &mgr;m (PM2.5). In healthy subjects, acute experimental exposure to diesel exhaust impaired NO–mediated endothelial vasomotor function and promoted ROS generation in endothelial cells. Increased PM2.5 inhalation enhances microvascular dysfunction and ROS production.
The indirect action of gamma-rays on the coat protein of bacteriophage particles.

SummarySuspensions of bacteriophage T4 in 25 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7·1, were irradiated with 60Co γ-rays. Measurements of the viscosity of irradiated samples before and after treatment with DNA-ase and trypsin showed that DNA is released from damaged phage particles. The phage debris acts as an effective radical scavenger and at higher doses protects the residual phage, thereby decreasing the inactivation rate. In irradiated suspensions of T4 and ΦX174 phage particles biologically-active subviral particles able to infect bacterial spheroplasts were found. Sedimentation in a sucrose gradient showed that the subviral particles of T4 have nearly the same sedimentation coefficient as unirradiated particles. Examination of irradiated samples with the electron microscope revealed that they contained many particles with the sheath contracted. The subviral particles produced by irradiation resemble those obtained with urea but do not show the tail clusters found in samples treated with urea.
Velocity field control with energy compensation toward therapeutic exercise

Human-machine systems, such as those used for rehabilitation, must be safe for human use when performing a given operational task. Passivity-based controllers such as the passive velocity field control method helps in realizing safe operation of human-machine systems. However, active behavior toward the external environment, including human bodies, is required to realize a given task. Such active behavior is difficult for passivity-based controllers. This study focuses on ensuring that a manipulator behaves passively toward an external force when the kinetic energy is greater than or equal to a given threshold and actively otherwise. We present a newly developed velocity field control method with an energy compensation mechanism. Theoretical analysis shows the properties of the proposed method: when the passivity toward external forces increases the kinetic energy of the augmented system beyond the required limit, the energy converges to a given range for safety rehabilitation without external forces, and the closed-loop system tracks a given desired velocity field without external forces. As a further theoretical discussion, we show the energy flow between the manipulator and human. Numerical simulations demonstrate that (1) the closed-loop system tracks a given desired velocity field, which describes a rehabilitation task, without external forces, (2) the proposed method inhibits the decrease in the kinetic energy of a closed-loop system, and (3) the closed-loop system behaves passively toward external forces such as an unexpected reaction of a human.
The therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial thromboembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma as for residual viable tumors related to lipiodol density areas and detected by 18 F-FDG

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and causes about one million deaths annually [1, 2], however, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the most common and effective palliative treatments and meta-analysis of a randomized controlled trial has shown that survival is improved after treatment [3]. Despite documented survival benefits, TACE can also induce the up-regulation of proangiogenic and growth factors, which might contribute to accelerate the progression of HCC in patients with incomplete response. Therefore, it is clinically important to analyse the therapeutic effect of TACE as soon as possible [4]. Conventional imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cannot satisfy clinicians in that context, because treatment evaluation by these anatomical imaging modalities requires a sufficient period of time in order to confirm tumor shrinkage. Additionally, the ability of contrast CT to determine tumor viability after TACE is limited, because the retained hyperattenuating lipiodol makes it difficult to detect contrast enhancement within a viable tumor. The 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron-emission-tomography (18F-FDG PET) is a functional imaging tool that provides metabolic information of the lesion. It is effective for diagnosis, monitoring treatment and detection of recurrent tumors of various cancers because of its high sensitivity and specificity [5]. In contrast to morphological imaging techniques such as CT, the 18F-FDG PET evaluates tumor viability based on glucose metabolism; it is not influenced by tumor morphology or lipiodol deposition. Therefore, as several investigators have previously reported 18F-FDG PET might be useful for monitoring response and for being a guide in following treatment [6]. Our present report and a previous study of ours have shown that increased 18F-FDG uptake was not correlated with lipiodol dense distribution [7]. Researchers have also found that 18FDG PET was valuable to reveal recurrent tumor or residual tumor in HCC patients after TACE [8]. Jinpeng Li1 MD, Wenbo Shao1MD, PhD, Jinlong Song1 MD, Congcong Shi2, Hua Chen1 MD, Ning Cong1 MD. (Jinpeng Li and Wenbo Shao contributed equally to this study)