Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Non-Toxic Silica Particles Stabilized by Molecular Complex Oleic-Acid/Sodium Oleate

The present work is focused on the preparation of biocompatible silica particles from sodium silicate, stabilized by a vesicular system containing oleic acid (OLA) and its alkaline salt (OLANa). Silica nanoparticles were generated by the partial neutralization of oleic acid (OLA), with the sodium cation present in the aqueous solutions of sodium silicate. At the molar ratio OLA/Na+ = 2:1, the molar ratio (OLA/OLANa = 1:1) required to form vesicles, in which the carboxyl and carboxylate groups have equal concentrations, was achieved. In order to obtain hydrophobically modified silica particles, octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODTES) was added in a sodium silicate sol–gel mixture at different molar ratios. The interactions between the octadecyl groups from the modified silica and the oleyl chains from the OLA/OLANa stabilizing system were investigated via simultaneous thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) (TG-DSC) analyses.A significant decrease in vaporization enthalpy and an increase in amount of ODTES were observed. Additionally, that the hydrophobic interaction between OLA and ODTES has a strong impact on the hybrids’ final morphology and on their textural characteristics was revealed. The highest hydrodynamic average diameter and the most negative ζ potential were recorded for the hybrid in which the ODTES/sodium silicate molar ratio was 1:5. The obtained mesoporous silica particles, stabilized by the OLA/OLANa vesicular system, may find application as carriers for hydrophobic bioactive molecules.
Negotiation Protocols for Distributed Nurse Rostering

One intricate computational problem still researched today is the Nurse Rostering Problem. Most literature presents different solutions to the local problem, but in recent years the concept of problem decomposition was identified as one way to improve performance. The downside of this is that the quality of separate rosters is much lower than that of a central solution, where personnel can be scheduled in other wards. Some recent papers introduce negotiation as a way to handle crucial problems such as personnel shortages. This contribution presents a method to use negotiation in solving these problems, but at the same time improve the overall quality. A framework for such a system is presented and five different negotiation protocols are compared.
Ultrasonic signs of imminent ovulation

Two consistent signs of imminent ovulation in the Graafian follicle have been identified using ultrasound. These signs are a line of decreased reflectivity around the follicle and a crenation pattern within the follicle. The signs may be useful in programs such as in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination, in which timing of ovulation is critical.
Sensory spatial after-effects in relation to chronological age, mental retardation and schizophrenia.

Claims that the visual and kinaesthetic spatial after-effect vary as a function of chronological age, mental retardation, and schizophrenia have been tested in four experiments. The principal after-effect studied was that involving judgements of the horizontal following stimulation by a slanted pattern or object. In Exps. III and IV more traditional visual (alignment) and kinaesthetic (width estimation) tasks were also investigated. Data from Exp. I show that no variation in the kinaesthetic after-effect occurs with age but suggest that the visual after-effect may decline with age. The latter may be because adjustment times increase with age. The data from Exps. II and III indicate that there is no difference between normal and mentally retarded subjects in two visual and two kinaesthetic after-effects. Experiment IV showed that schizophrenic subjects do not differ from normal and psychopathological controls in two visual and two kinaesthetic after-effects.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposite HA/α-Al2O3 Sol-Gel Powders for Biomedical Applications

The calcium phosphate nanostructured bioceramics and nanocomposites with calcium phosphate matrix are subjects of research and have raised scientific, political, industrial and commercial interest because these biomaterials present differentiated properties from microporosity, bioactivity and cell adhesion on the surface of grain and micropores compared to conventional biomaterials. This work aimed at the wet synthesis of a nanostructured hydroxyapatite bone matrix for subsequent preparation of nanocomposite hydroxyapatite/α-Al2O3 sol-gel powders, at concentrations 1, 2, 3 and 5% in volume of nanocrystalline α-Al2O3 dispersed in inter-intragranular position in the hydroxyapatite matrix. The method used for the preparation of HA/α-Al2O3 nanocomposite powders was high-energy attrition milling. This method allows obtaining nanocomposite powders formed by fine particles with sizes smaller than 100nm. The technique of scanning electron microscopy served for observation of morphology, microstructure and nanostructure. The X-ray diffractometry, laser particle analysis method and differential thermal analysis technique were used to identify the phases, particle sizes and thermal behavior for nanostructured powders retrieved from the attrition milling.
Non-Invasive Measurement of Frog Skin Reflectivity in High Spatial Resolution Using a Dual Hyperspectral Approach

Background Most spectral data for the amphibian integument are limited to the visible spectrum of light and have been collected using point measurements with low spatial resolution. In the present study a dual camera setup consisting of two push broom hyperspectral imaging systems was employed, which produces reflectance images between 400 and 2500 nm with high spectral and spatial resolution and a high dynamic range. Methodology/Principal Findings We briefly introduce the system and document the high efficiency of this technique analyzing exemplarily the spectral reflectivity of the integument of three arboreal anuran species (Litoria caerulea, Agalychnis callidryas and Hyla arborea), all of which appear green to the human eye. The imaging setup generates a high number of spectral bands within seconds and allows non-invasive characterization of spectral characteristics with relatively high working distance. Despite the comparatively uniform coloration, spectral reflectivity between 700 and 1100 nm differed markedly among the species. In contrast to H. arborea, L. caerulea and A. callidryas showed reflection in this range. For all three species, reflectivity above 1100 nm is primarily defined by water absorption. Furthermore, the high resolution allowed examining even small structures such as fingers and toes, which in A. callidryas showed an increased reflectivity in the near infrared part of the spectrum. Conclusion/Significance Hyperspectral imaging was found to be a very useful alternative technique combining the spectral resolution of spectrometric measurements with a higher spatial resolution. In addition, we used Digital Infrared/Red-Edge Photography as new simple method to roughly determine the near infrared reflectivity of frog specimens in field, where hyperspectral imaging is typically difficult.
Risk factors for non-curative resection of early gastric neoplasms with endoscopic submucosal dissection: Analysis of 1,123 lesions

Although the frequency of residual disease and recurrence following endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has markedly decreased, a few cases of residual disease and recurrence following ESD are still observed. The aims of the present study were to clarify the causes of non-curative resection and to investigate the risk factors. A total of 1,123 early gastric neoplasm lesions treated by ESD were investigated. Non-curative resection was defined as histological positivity of the resected margins, vascular invasion or failure of en bloc resection. Cases of non-curative resection were classified as being caused by one of three reasons: Inadequate technique, pre-procedural misdiagnosis or problems in the histological diagnosis. Following classification, the cases of non-curative and curative resection were compared based on a range of patient characteristics: Procedure time, and size, type and location of the lesions. The frequency of non-curative resection was 16% (182 lesions). Non-curative resection occurred due to inadequate technique in 59 cases, pre-procedural misdiagnosis in 88 cases and problems in the histological diagnosis in 35 cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that a large lesion size, long procedure time and inexperienced endoscopist were associated with a significantly higher risk of non-curative resection due to an inadequate technique. Furthermore, it was found that lesions located in the upper area of the stomach and cancer with submucosal invasion were associated with a significantly higher risk of non-curative resection due to pre-procedural misdiagnosis. In conclusion, the present study has shown that the major reasons for non-curative resection are an inadequate technique and pre-procedural misdiagnosis. The risk factors for these problems have been clarified.
Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging of Visual-Evoked Activity Using Interleaved EEG and fMRI Recordings

Combined analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has the potential to provide higher spatiotemporal resolution than either method alone. In some situations, in which the activity of interest cannot be reliably reproduced (e.g., epilepsy, learning, sleep states), accurate combined analysis requires simultaneous acquisition of EEG and fMRI. Simultaneous measurements ensure that the EEG and fMRI recordings reflect the exact same brain activity state. We took advantage of the spatial filtering properties of the bipolar montage to allow recording of very short (125--250 ms) visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) during fMRI. These EEG and fMRI measurements are of sufficient quality to allow source localization of the cortical generators. In addition, our source localization approach provides a combined EEG/fMRI analysis that does not require any manual selection of fMRI activations or placement of source dipoles. The source of the VEP was found to be located in the occipital cortex. Separate analysis of EEG and fMRI data demonstrated good spatial overlap of the observed activated sites. As expected, the combined EEG/fMRI analysis provided better spatiotemporal resolution than either approach alone. The resulting spatiotemporal movie allows for the millisecond-to-millisecond display of changes in cortical activity caused by visual stimulation. These data reveal two peaks in activity corresponding to the N75 and the P100 components. This type of simultaneous acquisition and analysis allows for the accurate characterization of the location and timing of neurophysiological activity in the human brain.
Determinants and Benefits of Physical Activity Maintenance in Hospital Employees

This study investigated whether the positive behavioral and anthropometric outcomes of a pedometer-based physical activity 8-week challenge were maintained 6 months after the end of the program. It further investigated the motivational profile of those who maintained their physical activity levels in the months following the end of the program and of those who did not. Hospital employees from a university-affiliated multisite health care center in Canada participated using a questionnaire. Of the 235 participants who completed the 8-week challenge, 157 questionnaires were returned 6 months later. Paired-samples t tests were conducted between the baseline and follow-up scores as well as between the postprogram and follow-up scores to detect significant differences between the measurement points. This study shows that the pedometer-based physical activity helped hospital employees maintain a high level of physical activity as well as maintain a healthy body mass index after 6 months. The results demonstrated that during maintenance the high physical activity group obtained higher scores for identified regulation and intrinsic regulation compared with the other groups. The results of the study revealed that identified and intrinsic regulations are important contributors to maintaining physical activity among hospital employees.
Intermittent pneumatic compression in the prevention of venous thromboembolism in high-risk trauma and surgical ICU patients.

BACKGROUND Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intermittent pneumatic compression methods (IPC) in the prevention of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in high-risk patients followed in our intensive care unit (ICU) for whom anticoagulation is contraindicated due to high risk of bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was conducted between October 2001 and June 2002 at the Trauma and Surgical Emergency Service of Istanbul Medical Faculty. Thirty eight surgical ICU patients who used IPC devices for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolisim were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS There were 27 male (71%) and 11 female patients (29%) with a mean age of 49.69 +/- 18.61 years. Their diagnoses were as follows; 21 multi-trauma, 11 major abdominal surgery, 11 severe gastrointestinal bleeding. None of the patients had manifested DVT by venous duplex scans. A leg swelling was present in one patient without evidence of DVT by duplex scans. Symptomatic and fatal pulmonary embolism were not detected. Asymptomatic pulmonary embolism was detected by spiral thorax CT examination in one patient (2.6%). CONCLUSIONS IPC seems to be an effective and a safe modality in preventing both DVT and PE in high-risk ICU patients with severe trauma and for those undergoing major surgery.
Sensititre MYCOTB MIC Plate for Testing Mycobacterium tuberculosis Susceptibility to First- and Second-Line Drugs

ABSTRACT For Mycobacterium tuberculosis, phenotypic methods for drug susceptibility testing of second-line drugs are poorly standardized and technically challenging. The Sensititre MYCOTB MIC plate (MYCOTB) is a microtiter plate containing lyophilized antibiotics and configured for determination of MICs to first- and second-line antituberculosis drugs. To evaluate the performance of MYCOTB for M. tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing using the Middlebrook 7H10 agar proportion method (APM) as the comparator, we conducted a two-site study using archived M. tuberculosis isolates from Uganda and the Republic of Korea. Thawed isolates were subcultured, and dilutions were inoculated into MYCOTB wells and onto 7H10 agar. MYCOTB results were read at days 7, 10, 14, and 21; APM results were read at 21 days. A total of 222 isolates provided results on both platforms. By APM, 106/222 (47.7%) of isolates were resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin. Agreement between MYCOTB and APM with respect to susceptibility or resistance was ≥92% for 7 of 12 drugs when a strict definition was used and ≥96% for 10 of 12 drugs when agreement was defined by allowing a ± one-well range of dilutions around the APM critical concentration. For ethambutol, agreement was 80% to 81%. For moxifloxacin, agreement was 83% to 85%; incorporating existing DNA sequencing information for discrepant analysis raised agreement to 91% to 96%. For MYCOTB, the median time to plate interpretation was 10 days and interreader agreement was ≥95% for all drugs. MYCOTB provided reliable results for M. tuberculosis susceptibility testing of first- and second-line drugs except ethambutol, and results were available sooner than those determined by APM.
Framer: Planning Models from Natural Language Action Descriptions

In this paper, we describe an approach for learning planning domain models directly from natural language (NL) descriptions of activity sequences. The modelling problem has been identified as a bottleneck for the widespread exploitation of various technologies in Artificial Intelligence, including automated planners. There have been great advances in modelling assisting and model generation tools, including a wide range of domain model acquisition tools. However, for modelling tools, there is the underlying assumption that the user can formulate the problem using some formal language. And even in the case of the domain model acquisition tools, there is still a requirement to specify input plans in an easily machine readable format. Providing this type of input is impractical for many potential users. This motivates us to generate planning domain models directly from NL descriptions, as this would provide an important step in extending the widespread adoption of planning techniques. We start from NL descriptions of actions and use NL analysis to construct structured representations, from which we construct formal representations of the action sequences. The generated action sequences provide the necessary structured input for inducing a PDDL domain, using domain model acquisition technology. In order to capture a concise planning model, we use an estimate of functional similarity, so sentences that describe similar behaviours are represented by the same planning operator. We validate our approach with a user study, where participants are tasked with describing the activities occurring in several videos. Then our system is used to learn planning domain models using the participants' NL input. We demonstrate that our approach is effective at learning models on these tasks.
Liposomal Formulations of Thrombomodulin Increase Engraftment after Intraportal Islet Transplantation

Early destruction of donor islet grafts due to an instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR) remains a major obstacle in islet transplantation. Thrombomodulin plays an important role in limiting coagulation and inflammatory events through a variety of effects. In this study, we investigated the ability of thrombomodulin (TM), when reconstituted as a liposomal formulation, to enhance early syngeneic islet engraftment by minimizing or abrogating the IBMIR. Administration of TM significantly improved early engraftment of syngeneic islets after intraportal transplantation in diabetic mice. In the absence of treatment, conversion to euglycemia was observed among 46.6% (7/15) of recipients. In contrast, administration of TM led to euglycemia in 93.3% (14/15) of recipients (p = 0.0142). Recipients that received TM exhibited a lower incidence of primary nonfunction and better glucose control over a 30-day period after transplantation. Fibrin deposition (p < 0.05), neutrophil infiltration (p < 0.05), expression of TNF-α and IL-β mRNA (p < 0.05), as well as NF-κB activity (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in the liver of islet recipients having been treated with liposomal TM. These data demonstrate that TM significantly improves early syngeneic islet engraftment through effects that target both coagulation and inflammatory pathways.
Advanced Algorithms Matroid Secretary Problems

In 1963, Dynkin introduced the secretary problem [6]. In this problem, an algorithm is presented with n positive values, one by one. After each value, the algorithm must either accept or reject the value, where all decisions are final. The algorithm can only pick one value, and the goal is to pick the maximum value in the sequence. The name for this problem arises from a situation where n candidates are interviewed for a secretary position, and the interviewer wants to hire the best candidate. Other names for this problem include the best choice problem, the marriage problem, and the MIT dating problem.
Practical Full Duplex Physical Layer Network Coding

We propose a practical network code for the wireless two-way relay channel where all nodes communicate in full duplex (FD) mode. The physical layer network coding (PNC) operation is applied with the FD operating nodes, reducing the transmission time to a single time slot, hence doubling the spectral efficiency when compared to classical PNC systems. In our system, binary phase shift keying modulated signals are transmitted over Rayleigh fading channels. We derive the theoretical error rates at the relay and end nodes according to the maximum likelihood detection rule, in case of non-ideal self-interference cancellation. Theoretical results are also verified via simulations.
Complementary Cycles of All Lengths in Tournaments

In this paper, the following theorem and some related problems are investigated.THEOREM. Let T be a 2-connected n-tournament with n ≥ 6. Then T contains two vertex-disjoint cycles of lengths k and n − k for any integer k with n − 3 ≥ k ≥ 3, unless T is isomorphic to the 7-tournament which contains no transitive 4-tournament.
Molecular Fingerprints of the Human Fecal Microbiota From 9 to 18 Months Old and the Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation

Objectives: The aim of this study was to monitor changes in the fecal microbiota from 9 to 18 months and to investigate the effect of increasing dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the fecal microbiota. Patients and Methods: In a double-blind controlled trial with random allocation to daily supplementation with 5 mL of fish oil (FO) or sunflower oil (SO) from 9 to 18 months of age, stool samples were collected from 132 healthy Danish infants. Molecular fingerprints of the bacterial DNA were obtained by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). Results: The T-RFLP profiles indicated that a few T-RFs became dominant with age (bp100 and 102, both presumed to be Bacteroidetes) concomitantly with an overall increase in the microbial diversity (P = 0.04). Breast-feeding influenced both the T-RFLP profiles at 9 months and the changes from 9 to 18 months, and breast-feeding cessation during the trial modified the response to the dietary oils. In the FO group, the increase in bp102 was significantly reduced among children weaned before compared with those weaned during the trial (P = 0.027), whereas the increase in bp100 was reduced in the preweaned children of the SO group relative to those weaned during the trial (P = 0.004). This was supported by intervention group differences in the changes in bp102 and bp100 among the earlier weaned children (P = 0.06 and P = 0.09, respectively). Conclusions: Cessation of breast-feeding played a dominant role relative to developmental changes in the fecal microbiota from 9 to 18 months. FO compared with SO supplementation affected changes in large bacterial groups, but only among children who had stopped breast-feeding before 9 months of age.
Subnanometer-resolution electron cryomicroscopy-based domain models for the cytoplasmic region of skeletal muscle RyR channel

The skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel (RyR1), a homotetramer, regulates the release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to initiate muscle contraction. In this work, we have delineated the RyR1 monomer boundaries in a subnanometer-resolution electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) density map. In the cytoplasmic region of each RyR1 monomer, 36 α-helices and 7 β-sheets can be resolved. A β-sheet was also identified close to the membrane-spanning region that resembles the cytoplasmic pore structures of inward rectifier K+ channels. Three structural folds, generated for amino acids 12–565 using comparative modeling and cryo-EM density fitting, localize close to regions implicated in communication with the voltage sensor in the transverse tubules. Eleven of the 15 disease-related residues for these domains are mapped to the surface of these models. Four disease-related residues are found in a basin at the interfaces of these regions, creating a pocket in which the immunophilin FKBP12 can fit. Taken together, these results provide a structural context for both channel gating and the consequences of certain malignant hyperthermia and central core disease-associated mutations in RyR1.