Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dehydration and symptoms of delayed-onset muscle soreness in normothermic men.

CONTEXT A dehydrated individual who performs eccentric exercise may exacerbate skeletal muscle damage, leading to structural, contractile, and enzymatic protein denaturation, in addition to the myofiber and connective damage resulting from the eccentric muscle tension. OBJECTIVE To identify the effects of dehydration on 5 physiologic characteristics of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in normothermic men after an eccentric exercise perturbation. DESIGN Randomized group test-retest design. SETTING Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Ten healthy male volunteers randomly assigned to either a euhydration (age = 26.2 +/- 4.9 years, height = 174.1 +/- 6.0 cm, mass = 86.5 +/- 15.3 kg) or dehydration (age = 25.8 +/- 2.2 years, height = 177.2 +/- 3.1 cm, mass = 84.4 +/- 3.8 kg) group. INTERVENTION(S) Subjects performed treadmill walking for 45 minutes in either a thermoneutral (euhydration) or a hot, humid (dehydration) environment. After a rest period to allow for return to the normothermic condition, DOMS was induced with a 45-minute downhill run. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We assessed 5 physiologic characteristics of DOMS before and at intervals after the eccentric exercise. The characteristics were perceived pain of the bilateral quadriceps and overall body, bilateral punctate tenderness of the superficial quadriceps muscles, bilateral knee-flexion passive range of motion, bilateral thigh circumference, and bilateral isometric quadriceps muscle strength. Thermoregulatory and cardiovascular measures were obtained to monitor participants' heat load during exercise. RESULTS The experimental protocol produced a 0.9% increase in body mass of the euhydration group and a significant 2.7% decrease in body mass of the dehydration group. The downhill-running exercise perturbation induced DOMS in both the euhydrated and dehydrated participants, based on increased bilateral quadriceps and overall body perceived pain and punctate tenderness of the bilateral vastus medialis muscle. The signs and symptoms of DOMS after an eccentric exercise perturbation were not exacerbated by moderate dehydration of 2.7% body mass after rest and return to the normothermic condition. CONCLUSIONS Significantly dehydrated participants who rested and returned to a normothermic condition did not experience increased characteristics of DOMS.
Security in space information networks

Space information networks were proposed to broaden the observation area and realize continuous information acquisition using satellites and high altitude platform stations. Space information networks are able to enhance detection and transmission capabilities compared to the current single Earth observation satellite. Although lots of technical work has been done concerning the space network architecture and protocols, the security issues have not been investigated well. In this article, we focus on the security problems in space information networks from four perspectives, that is, secure handoff, secure transmission control, key management, and secure routing. Existing works, together with their challenges and open problems, are discussed, and our proposed scheme is introduced. Overall, this article aims to help readers understand the motivation, problem formulation, and solutions regarding security issues on space information networks.
Switchable Substrate Integrated Waveguide

A switchable substrate integrated waveguide is presented that can be switched between two different modes of propagation via the biasing of a pin diode switch. To demonstrate the usefulness of the design a single pole single through (SPST) waveguide switch is presented. The switch is shown to have approximately 50 dB isolation and 3 dB insertion loss over the switchable bandwidth.
Characteristics and Pattern of Tuberculosis among Patients Presented at One of Tertiary Care Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan

Pulmonary tuberculosis is an air born infection disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries (1-3). There are 33 million cases of TB worldwide, 3 million annual death and 8 million persons developed active TB every year ¾ of which concentrated of productive age group (4). If TB is detected early and fully treated, people with the disease quickly become non-infectious and eventually cured. However multi-drug resistance TB, HIV associated TB and weak health system are the major challenges. WHO is making an effort to dramatically reduce the broken of TB and to half TB death and prevalence by 2015 through its stop TB strategy and supporting the global plan to stop TB (5). The promotion diagnosis of TB is essential for community public health infection control measure as well as for ensuring the appropriate therapy for infected patient unfortunately Acid Fast bacilli are found in the sputum in a limited numbers of patient with active Pul-TB (6). Therefore the imagine diagnosis would provide an appropriate therapy for infected patient before the definitive diagnosis by the bacteriology. A descriptive study was carried out on patients attending the Pulmonology Department of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan from 13 January to 15 April 2013. The study was approved by Ethical Committee of Jinnah Medical College, reregistered Pakistan Medical & Dental Council. Patient diagnosed as case of pulmonary tuberculosis of both genders and above age of 13 year was included in the study. Patient suffering from extra pulmonary tuberculosis, treatment failure relapse drug resistance Tuberculosis and HIV responsible present were excluded from the study. All the subjects suffering from symptoms and sign suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis were subject for X-ray chest PA view and other view and other related investigation for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The tuberculosis lesion was classified according to the site of lesion (Unilateral or Bilateral). The study was consisted of 100 patients (Male 54 and female 46). The study showed that that unilateral involvement of the lungs was more common among the patient than the left involvement. Out of 54 male patients there were 34 patients with right unilateral involvement and 20 were left involvement. In female out of 46 patients 40 patients were right side involvement than 6 patients with left side. So involvement of lungs is more common in right side. Out of 54 patients 34 were unilateral …
Serum Uric Acid Level in Relation to Severity of the Disease and Mortality of Critically Ill Patients

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of serum uric acid (UA) in prediction of mortality among patients in the emergency department. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study which was conducted during 2014. In this study, 120 critically ill patients who required Intensive Care Unit care services were included. For evaluation of severity of the disease, mortality in emergency department score (MEDS) in the first 24 h of admission, the requirement of using mechanical ventilation, taking vasopressor during the hospitalization time and severity of the disease based on MEDS score were measured. The patients were divided into two groups: Patients with serum UA level lower than 7.3 mg/dl and patients with serum UA level of equal or more than 7.3 mg/dl. For comparison of the mortality rate in groups, Chi-square and fisher exact tests were applied. Results: In patients, who needed mechanical ventilation, average of serum UA was 7.82 ± 2.82; however, in the patients who did not need mechanical ventilation this amount was 6.16 ± 2.7, a difference was statically significant. We found a statically meaningful difference between serum UA level with requiring mechanical ventilation and the predictive level of UA 6.95 ± 0.73 (F = 8.52; P≤ 0.004). In the evaluation of MEDS, most patients with serum UA levels lower than 7.3 mg/dl had lower MEDS points (on average 4.6 ± 3.21) in compared to patients with serum UA level higher than 7.3 mg/dl (on average 12 ± 2.99). This difference was found to be statistically significant which indicates the patients whose serum UA was 7.3 mg/dl or higher, were at higher risk of mortality. Conclusion: The serum UA level in the 1st day of hospitalization of a critically ill patient is not an independent indicative factor in relation to mortality. High level of UA reveals critical status of the patient and requires mechanical ventilation.
Infant Dietary Exposures to Sweetness and Fattiness Increase during the First Year of Life and Are Associated with Feeding Practices.

BACKGROUND Taste is a strong determinant of food intake. Previous research has suggested that early taste exposures could influence preferences and later eating behavior, but little is known about the factors related to this. OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to describe infants' exposure to sweetness and fattiness and to examine whether maternal and infant characteristics and feeding practices are related to these exposures in participants from the OPALINE [Observatoire des Préférences Alimentaires du Nourrisson et de l'Enfant (Observatory of Infant and Child Food Preferences)] cohort study. METHODS Food consumption frequency was assessed with a 7-d food record completed monthly over the first year. Dietary taste exposure was defined by the consumption frequency of each food multiplied by the intensity of its taste, summed over all foods. The daily sweetness exposure (SweetExp) and fattiness exposure (FatExp) were calculated at 3-6, 7-9, and 10-12 mo of age for 268 infants from complementary feeding initiation (CFI) to 12 mo. Associations between taste exposure and potential factors were tested by multiple linear regressions. RESULTS Both FatExp and SweetExp increased from 3-6 mo to 10-12 mo (mean ± SD: 7.5 ± 2.3 to 12.2 ± 2.5 and 6.8 ± 2.8 to 14.7 ± 4.1, respectively). Breastfeeding duration ≥6 mo was associated with higher SweetExp at all ages, with a decreasing β [β (95% CI): 2.6 (1.8; 3.4) at 3-6 mo and 1.3 (0.1; 2.4) at 10-12 mo]. CFI at <6 mo was associated with higher SweetExp at all ages but with higher FatExp only at 3-6 mo. Higher SweetExp and FatExp were associated with a higher use of all complementary food types. Boys were more likely to be exposed to SweetExp at 10-12 mo and to FatExp at 3-6 mo and 10-12 mo than were girls. Maternal higher education attainment and return to work after 6 mo were linked with higher FatExp and higher FatExp and SweetExp, respectively. CONCLUSION SweetExp and FatExp increased from CFI until 12 mo and were associated with feeding practices in OPALINE infants. Studying early taste exposure longitudinally should provide new insights regarding the development of food preferences.
HDL Metabolism and Atherosclerosis

Epidemiologic studies of recent years have demonstrated an association between low plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and the development of atherosclerosis. The PROCAM (Prospective Cardiovascular Munster) study has identified HDL cholesterol as the single parameter predictor with the highest potency. Also, in multiple logistic function analysis of these data, which included the eight best independent predictors, HDL cholesterol contributed the largest portion to the overall predictive power of the algorithm. Further evidence for the important role of HDL in the atherosclerotic process was provided by the Helsinki Heart Study, in which the lipid-lowering and HDL-increasing drug gemfibrozil was effective in reducing CAD incidences. In cohort studies, we have shown that HDL cholesterol concentrations largely differ between CAD patients and sex- and age-matched unaffected controls and that this difference increases with age. The reverse cholesterol transport hypothesis is the most widely used to explain the biochemistry of HDL-mediated atherosclerosis. In fact, it has been shown that HDL mediates the disposal of excess cellular cholesterol. There is evidence for the existence of two different mechanisms by which HDL can take up cellular cholesterol: both involve specific cellular recognition sites and probably also different HDL subpopulations. At least two different mechanisms have been identified by which the HDL cholesterol is finally targeted to the liver: attachment of apolipoprotein E for direct recognition by liver receptors or lipid transfer to lipoproteins of lower density that are subsequently also recognized by internalizing liver receptors. This knowledge gives rise to many different candidate genes for the formation of HDL deficiencies. Moreover, the complexity of the processes involved in HDL metabolism makes it likely that besides HDL cholesterol reductions that predispose to atherosclerosis, there will also be those that are not associated with a particular risk; for this familiar partial LCAT deficiency, Tangier disease, apolipoprotein A I-Milano, and probucol treatment serve as examples. One example for a defect at the APOLP1 locus that is not associated with premature CAD formation is a frame shift mutation in the apolipoprotein A-I gene that our laboratory has recently identified as the basic defect in a case of complete HDL deficiency with corneal opacities. The detailed further analysis of genetic and secondary HDL deficiency syndromes as well as the identification of the precise biochemical mechanisms underlying reversed cholesterol transport remain a challenge in the understanding of the role of HDL in atherosclerosis.
Effect of adjunct metformin treatment on levels of plasma lipids in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: In addition to its glucose‐lowering effect, metformin treatment has been suggested to improve lipidaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. In contrast, in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), information about the effect of metformin treatment on lipidaemia is limited. In this study, we report the effect of a 1‐year treatment with metformin vs. placebo on plasma lipids in T1DM patients and persistent poor glycaemic control.
Iodine sources and iodine levels in pregnant women from an area without known iodine deficiency

Objective An adequate iodine intake during pregnancy is essential for normal development of the foetus. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in a population of pregnant women should range between 150 and 249 μg/l. The aim of this study was to evaluate iodine status and to examine the main sources of iodine in pregnant women from an apparently iodine‐sufficient area.
Metamaterial enhanced high gain antenna for WiMAX application

A high gain low-profile antenna design using metamaterial technology operating at WiMAX 2.5-GHz band (2.50-2.69 GHz) is constructed and measured. A metamaterial superstrate, composed of stacked S-shaped split-ring resonators, can modify the radiation pattern and exhibit gain enhancement functionality. In addition, the proposed structure can be made in economic 4-layer via-less FR-4 printed circuit boards. Therefore applying this technology to commercial applications becomes more practical. With this thin metamaterial superstrate (1.4 mm thick and 10.5 mm above the antenna ground), the patch-based antenna can achieve a maximum gain of 12.2 dBi. The impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna is about 390 MHz (2.50-2.89-GHz, defined by 2:1 VSWR standard).
Phosphodiesterase 4

The nosology and treatment options for cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease (PD) remains perhaps the greatest unmet clinical need.1 The reported frequency of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in newly diagnosed PD has ranged from 22% to 43%. 2,3 A proportion of those with PD-MCI progress to PD dementia (PDD), the prevalence of which is variously estimated between 24% and 31%, but is as high as 75% in longitudinal studies.4 Dementia is associated with increased disability, nursing home placement, mortality, and caregiver stress. Global cognition and executive/working memory deficits also occur in individuals at risk for PD.5 Which features of MCI are predictive of development of dementia remain a matter of debate.
Design of a micro-beamformer for a 2D piezoelectric ultrasound transducer

This paper describes the design of a transesophageal probe using a matrix (2D array) ultrasonic transducer for 3D echocardiography. To obtain images with sufficient resolution, several thousand elements are required. To reduce the channel count from the transducer to the imaging system, it is necessary to include electronics close to the transducer and use smart signal processing for data reduction. A micro-beamforming method called pre-steering is proposed. All the groups have the same delay configuration, which will simplify the required electronics. For a correct design, delay steps and the maximum delay are of importance. Furthermore, the delay should be programmable for each direction. Simulations are performed to investigate the effect of pre-steering on the received field. The delay and sum operations are realized by an integrated circuit. Simulations show that, for the micro-beamformer of a matrix transducer, the pre-steering approach is an effective method to reduce the complexity of the electronics and the channel count, while maintaining an adequate receive field.
Tuneable compact antenna design using active EBGs

The use of high impedance electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures has been well publicised over many years for improving the input match of antennas, which are placed near metallic ground planes for many applications such as vehicular and aerospace. One of the limiting factors of using EBGs is the bandwidth that is available. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the advantage of using varactor diode devices in a simple EBG structure to tune the reflection phase over a much larger bandwidth than would be available for a passive structure and its application in compact antenna design.
The Rise of the Skilled City

For more than a century, educated cities have grown more quickly than comparable cities with less human capital. This fact survives a battery of other control variables, metropolitan area fixed effects and tests for reverse causality. We also find that skilled cities are growing because they are becoming more economically productive (relative to less skilled cities), not because these cities are becoming more attractive places to live. Most surprisingly, we find evidence suggesting that the skills-city growth connection occurs mainly in declining areas and occurs in large part because skilled cities are better at adapting to economic shocks. As in Schultz (1964), skills appear to permit adaptation.
A 5-V AC-Powered CMOS Filter-Selectivity Booster for POTS/ADSL Splitter Size Reduction

An active POTS filter consisting of a small external L-C low-pass filter and a selectivity booster chip is presented. The filter achieves an ADSL attenuation of more than 70 dB at 30 kHz while maintaining a passband flatness of 0.2 dB. This active filter requires fewer transformers and is smaller than a passive filter with the same performance. The 0.5-mum CMOS booster chip contains a fifth-order continuous-time filter, a low output-impedance driver, and an active rectifier and consumes 50 mW from a 5-V AC supply
Fibroblast growth factor-23 and interleukin-6 are risk factors for left ventricular hypertrophy in peritoneal dialysis patients

Background Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular death in dialysis patients. Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were thought to be related to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in dialysis. Methods To determine the relationship between FGF-23, IL-6 and LVH in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, serum FGF-23 and IL-6 levels as well as standard laboratory parameters were assessed in 62 CAPD patients and 30 healthy controls. LVH was determined by echocardiography in dialysis patients. Results Serum FGF-23 and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in CAPD patients than in healthy controls, whereas both were higher in patients with LVH than in patients without LVH. FGF-23 was found to be positively associated with left ventricle mass index (LVMI) and serum phosphate. IL-6 level was positively associated with LVMI and negatively correlated with serum albumin and hemoglobin. Serum FGF-23 level was positively correlated with IL-6 level. Conclusion FGF-23 and IL-6 are independent risk factors for LVH in CAPD patients and both collaborated in causing LVH in CAPD.
Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To the Editor We read with interest the systematic review and meta-analysis by Bruins Slot et al concerning early diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) using heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP). We agree with their summary that when used in isolation, H-FABP may not offer a diagnostic advantage over the current troponin standard. However, it should be noted that in five of the included studies constituting 1573 patients (42%of the pooled cohort), no information on symptom duration was available. As the release kinetic profile of H-FABP results in a rapid rise in serum concentrations from 2 to 4 h after symptom onset, underlying its promise as a very early marker of MI, inclusion of these studies may significantly skew the results in favour of troponin. The authors also state that H-FABP use would result in 16% of cases being labelled false positive. It must be realised that a so-called false-positive result is not unique to H-FABP. Reichlin et al have shown that, on presentation, the positive predictive values of four highly sensitive troponin assays ranged from only 0.5 to 0.73, indicating a significant proportion of ‘false-positive’ results compared with a gold standard of final diagnosis (determined by fourth-generation troponin and clinical consensus). We also need to understand whether positive H-FABP in the absence of ACC/ESCdiagnosed MI actually represents a falsepositive result. The large investigation by Kilcullen et al showed that troponin-negative patients who are H-FABP positive are at a higher risk of death than patients who are troponin positive in isolation. McCann et al have also demonstrated a similar adverse prognostic association of H-FABP with death, independent of troponin, NT-Pro-BNP and clinical parameters in consecutive chest pain patients. We suggest H-FABP is not solely a very early biomarker of cell necrosis and identifies patients at higher risk of cardiac events, who may benefit from more intensive inpatient management and that further studies are warranted to improve assessment of patients presenting early after the onset of acute chest pain to the emergency department.
Updates on the biology and management of dyskeratosis congenita and related telomere biology disorders

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a cancer-prone inherited bone marrow failure syndrome caused by aberrant telomere biology. The mucocutaneous triad of nail dysplasia, abnormal skin pigmentation and oral leukoplakia is diagnostic, but is not always present; DC can also be diagnosed by the presence of very short leukocyte telomeres. Patients with DC are at high risk of bone marrow failure, pulmonary fibrosis, liver disease, cancer and other medical problems. Germline mutations in one of nine genes associated with telomere maintenance are present in approximately 60% of patients. DC is one among the group of clinically and biologically related telomere biology disorders, including Hoyeraal–Hreidarsson syndrome, Revesz syndrome, Coats plus (also known as cranioretinal microangiopathy with calcifications and cysts) and subsets of aplastic anemia, pulmonary fibrosis, nonalcoholic and noninfectious liver disease and leukemia. The authors review the pathobiology that connects DC and the related telomere biology disorders, methods of diagnosis and management modalities.