Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrical and temperature characterization of flexible planar inductor

In this study, the high permeability material of the ferrite-polymer composite is used to fabricate flexible planar inductor. The effect of weight fraction of ferrite on the inductance and quality factor properties of polymer composites containing ferrite were investigated. The inductance and quality factor value of the composites were measured using an impedance analyzer in the frequency range from 10 kHz to 30MHz. The inductance of the composites was increased with increasing ferrite content. Moreover, temperature properties of the flexible planar inductor were measured in the temperature range from 25 to 150 °C. The inductance and quality factor of the planar inductor decreased as the temperature increased. On the contrary, the equivalent series resistance increased when the temperature went up. Furthermore, the experiment results indicate that the reduction in quality factor was attributed to an obvious increase in equivalent series resistance and a slight decrease in reactance value of the flexible planar inductor.
NO-Rich Diet for Lifestyle-Related Diseases

Decreased nitric oxide (NO) availability due to obesity and endothelial dysfunction might be causally related to the development of lifestyle-related diseases such as insulin resistance, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension. In such situations, instead of impaired NO synthase (NOS)-dependent NO generation, the entero-salivary nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway might serve as a backup system for NO generation by transmitting NO activities in the various molecular forms including NO and protein S-nitrosothiols. Recently accumulated evidence has demonstrated that dietary intake of fruits and vegetables rich in nitrate/nitrite is an inexpensive and easily-practicable way to prevent insulin resistance and vascular endothelial dysfunction by increasing the NO availability; a NO-rich diet may also prevent other lifestyle-related diseases, including osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge of NO generation through the entero-salivary pathway and discusses its safety and preventive effects on lifestyle-related diseases.
LONG-TERM SURGICAL OUTCOME OF POSTERIOR CHOROIDAL MELANOMA TREATED BY ENDORESECTION

Purpose: To report the visual acuity, enucleation rates, and initial mortality after transvitreal endoresection of posterior uveal melanoma. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with medium-sized posterior choroidal melanomas were treated. Vitrectomy was performed, followed by posterior hyaloid dissection, retinotomy, melanoma removal with a vitrectomy probe, retinal reattachment with perfluorocarbon liquid, and silicone oil or gas exchange. Results: Twenty patients (13 men [65%] and 7 women [35%]) were included in the study. The mean patient age ± SD was 47.1 ± 16 years (range, 22–70 years). Tumor thickness and tumor diameter ranged from 5.5 mm to 11 mm and 8.0 mm to 15.7 mm, respectively. Preoperative visual acuity ranged from hand motion to 20/40, and postoperative visual acuity ranged from no light perception to 20/30. Two eyes (10%) were enucleated during tumor resection due to severe bleeding. Enucleation was performed on 3 eyes (15%) during follow-up due to tumor recurrence at the edge of surgical coloboma in 1 patient, new focus of tumor in another sector distant from surgical coloboma in 1 patient, and painful blind eye in 1 patient. Fifteen eyes (75%) were saved. One patient (5%) died of metastasis to the liver. The mean follow-up period ± SD was 89.55 ± 38.4 months (range, 24–132 months. Conclusion: These data suggest that transvitreal endoresection of posterior uveal melanoma is an acceptable management option to conserve the globe and functional vision in selected patients. Distant metastasis is an infrequent event in this modality of treatment.
Effects of a Culturally Tailored Physical Activity Promotion Program on Selected Self-Regulation Skills and Attitudes in Adolescents of an Underserved, Multiethnic Milieu

Purpose. To implement a culturally tailored physical activity (PA) promotion program (FunAction) and to assess its impact on five self-regulation skills and attitudes in adolescents. Design. The design and implementation of the FunAction program were informed by social marketing principles. The study used a quasi-experimental approach to assess the impact of the program on specific outcome variables. Setting. A multiethnic, underserved middle school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Subjects. The intervention group was made up of grade 8 students (n = 165) and the control group was made up of grade 7 students (n = 137). Intervention. During the 16-week intervention, adolescents were able to choose from a variety of 45-minute cardiovascular PAs offered daily during their school lunch period. Adolescents participated in the activities on a voluntary basis. Measures. A self-report questionnaire was administered preintervention and postintervention to measure adolescents' scores on the following self-regulation skills and attitudes: self control, self-esteem, attention/concentration, social competence, and interethnic relationships. Analysis. Three-way repeated measures analyses of variance and correlational analyses were used. Results. A significant improvement was observed only in attention/concentration. Girls' attention/concentration scores improved significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group (F1,127 = 16.26, p < .001). The improvement in attention/concentration scores for boys in the intervention group was correlated with their frequency of participation in the program PAs (r = .24, p = .008). Conclusion. Using social marketing principles can help encourage adolescents from underserved, multiethnic milieus to participate in PA during their school lunch hour. Furthermore, voluntary participation in a culturally tailored PA program can improve youths' attention/concentration.
Moose-motor vehicle collisions. An increasing hazard in northern New England.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemiology and epizootiology of moose-motor vehicle collisions (MMVC) and outcomes in severely injured patients to identify variables that might be modified to reduce the impact of this mutually deleterious interspecies interaction. DESIGN Wildlife and Traffic Safety databases permitted retrospective, population-based assessment of MMVC epidemiology. A case series compiled from hospital trauma registries characterized morbidity and mortality from MMVC. SETTING New Hampshire and Maine area. PATIENTS All victims of MMVC (1980 through 1991) were included in population-based analyses. Twenty-three patients hospitalized at three rural trauma centers (January 1990 through June 1994) were included in the case series. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Location, time of day and seasonal occurrence of MMVC were determined. Injury patterns and Injury Severity Scores were analyzed in 23 representative patients. Maine's 1991 traffic and medical data were linked, and factors predictive of injury from MMVC were identified using multivariate logistics. RESULTS Most MMVC occur from April through October after dark. Of 23 subjects, 70% sustained head and/or face injuries and 26%, cervical spine injuries. Mortality was 9%. Mean Injury Severity Score was 15.7 (SD=9.0). Safety belt use, rear seat location, and light truck occupancy were associated with reduced injury (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS Moose-motor vehicle collisions are increasing in rural regions. Prevention programs should emphasize defensive driving and seat belt use, especially during high-risk periods. Injury patterns in MMVC suggest a need for automobile design modifications that better protect the passenger compartment form direct impact.
Associated Factors of Acute Chest Syndrome in Children with Sickle Cell Disease in French Guiana

A matched case-control study was performed in order to identify some associated factors for ACS or to confirm the published data. Controls were children hospitalized during the same period for pain crisis who did not develop an ACS during hospitalization. Between January 2006 and October 2010, there were 24 episodes of ACS distributed among 19 patients (8 girls and 11 boys). The median age was 7.5 years (range: 3 to 17 years) for the cases and 7 years (range: 3–18 years) for the controls. Four cases and 11 controls were treated with hydroxyurea (HU). In 75% of the cases, the ACS had arisen 24–72 hours following admission. The independent factors associated with ACS were average Hb rate <8 g/dL (OR = 4.96, 95% CI = 1.29–27.34, and P = 0.04), annual number of hospitalizations >3 (OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 3.59–8.21, and P = 0.003), average length of hospitalization >7 days (OR = 3.69, 95% CI = 3.59–8.21, and P = 0.003), and a pathological transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (OR = 13.77, 95% CI = 2.07–91.46, and P = 0.003). Although the retrospective design and small sample size are weaknesses of the present study, these results are consistent with those of previous studies and allowed identifying associated factors such as a pathological TTE.
Faculty development: a need in time for educators in healthcare.

OBJECTIVE To appraise learning behaviour among participants of faculty development programme in a diverse group setting. METHODS The qualitative study was conducted at the Capacity Building Centre of the National Institute of Health and Social Sciences, Islamabad, in March-April 2010. From all the participants who planned to be healthcare educators, 27 were selected for the study. Methodology used was focus group. Coding for focus group interview was done as E1, E2, E3 and E4 for educators from basic sciences, clinical/pre-clinical discipline, nursing and midwifery, and social sciences and information technology profession respectively. For gap analysis, need assessment of focus groups was done with a pre-tested questionnaire. Change in attitude and behaviour as educators was observed in the experience phase during the three modules of the programme. A post-test questionnaire was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. RESULTS The response rate of the participants was 100%. Gap analysis of focus groups came up with the same challenges that are faced by faculty: insufficient knowledge in the five domains of professional development. In institutional settings, no planned faculty development programmes were reported. By the end of the third module, the participants admitted their step-wise skill development and considered it to be a value addition in their professional career. CONCLUSION Talent is not sparse in today's educators of health profession. But professional development to improve their skills is the need of the hour. Capacity-building at workplace is the best solution as it can be managed within the available timeframe and resources.
Residue formation of fumonisin B1 in porcine tissues

The residues derived from the uptake of fumonisin B1, a toxic metabolite of Fusarium verticillioides frequently occurring in corn and corn products, were determined in growing pigs. After oral administration of 100 mg FB1/animal/day for 5–11 days, serum, bile, lung, liver, kidney, brain, spleen, pancreas, heart, muscle, eye, and fat samples were collected immediately and analysed by LC-MS. The highest values were measured in kidney (833±1329 µgkg−1, mean±SD), liver (231±163 µgkg−1), lung (170±311 µgkg−1) and spleen (854±2212 µgkg−1). Muscle contained 26±41 µgkg−1, while in fat only 2±3 µgkg−1 were traceable. Despite the potential accumulation over extended feeding periods as well as the large variations in the residue formation of FB1, a carry-over in edible tissues from swine was considered not to be of toxicological relevance.
A Trial of the Efficacy, Safety and Impact on Drug Resistance of Four Drug Regimens for Seasonal Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria in Senegalese Children

Summary In the Sahel, most malaria deaths occur among children 1–4 years old during a short transmission season. A trial of seasonal intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and a single dose of artesunate (AS) showed an 86% reduction in the incidence of malaria in Senegal but this may not be the optimum regimen. We compared this regimen with three alternatives. Methods 2102 children aged 6–59 months received either one dose of SP plus one dose of AS (SP+1AS) (the previous regimen), one dose of SP plus 3 daily doses of AS (SP+3AS), one dose of SP plus three daily doses of amodiaquine (AQ) (SP+3AQ) or 3 daily doses of AQ and AS (3AQ+3AS). Treatments were given once a month on three occasions during the malaria transmission season. The primary end point was incidence of clinical malaria. Secondary end-points were incidence of adverse events, mean haemoglobin concentration and prevalence of parasites carrying markers of resistance to SP. Findings The incidence of malaria, and the prevalence of parasitaemia at the end of the transmission season, were lowest in the group that received SP+3AQ: 10% of children in the group that received SP+1AS had malaria, compared to 9% in the SP+3AS group (hazard ratio HR 0.90, 95%CI 0.60, 1.36); 11% in the 3AQ+3AS group, HR 1.1 (0.76–1.7); and 5% in the SP+3AQ group, HR 0.50 (0.30–0.81). Mutations associated with resistance to SP were present in almost all parasites detected at the end of the transmission season, but the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum was very low in the SP+3AQ group. Conclusions Monthly treatment with SP+3AQ is a highly effective regimen for seasonal IPT. Choice of this regimen would minimise the spread of drug resistance and allow artemisinins to be reserved for the treatment of acute clinical malaria. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00132548
Extension of Bessel sequences to oblique dual frame sequences and the minimal projection

An extension of two Bessel sequences to oblique dual frame sequences and its applications to shift-invariant spaces are considered. The best-known situation where this kind of extension is necessary is the construction of a pair of biorthogonal multiresolution analyses, where two generating sets whose shifts are only assumed to be Bessel sequences are given. This extension naturally leads to consideration of the âminimal projectionâ extending two closed subspaces. The existence or non-existence of the minimal projection is discussed.
Vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin 8, platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor promote angiogenesis and metastasis in human melanoma xenografts.

Angiogenesis is a significant prognostic factor in melanoma, but the angiogenic factors controlling the neovascularization are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the angiogenesis and metastasis of melanoma are promoted by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 8 (IL-8), platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), and/or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Cells from human melanoma lines (A-07, D-12, R-18, and U-25) transplanted to BALB/c nu/nu mice were used as tumor models. Expression of angiogenic factors was studied by ELISA, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Angiogenesis was assessed by using an intradermal angiogenesis assay. Lung colonization and spontaneous lung metastasis were determined after i.v. and intradermal inoculation of tumor cells, respectively. The specific roles of VEGF, IL-8, PD-ECGF, and bFGF in tumor angiogenesis, lung colonization, and spontaneous metastasis were assessed in mice treated with neutralizing antibody. The melanoma lines expressed multiple angiogenic factors, and each line showed a unique expression pattern. Multiple angiogenic factors promoted angiogenesis in the most angiogenic melanoma lines, whereas angiogenesis in the least angiogenic melanoma lines was possibly promoted solely by VEGF. Tumor growth, lung colonization, and spontaneous metastasis were controlled by the rate of angiogenesis and hence by the angiogenic factors promoting the angiogenesis. Lung colonization and spontaneous metastasis in A-07 were inhibited by treatment with neutralizing antibody against VEGF, IL-8, PD-ECGF, or bFGF. Each of these angiogenic factors may promote metastasis in melanoma, because inhibition of one of them could not be compensated for by the others. Our observations suggest that efficient antiangiogenic treatment of melanoma may require identification and blocking of common functional features of several angiogenic factors.
Augmented Inhibition from Cannabinoid-Sensitive Interneurons Diminishes CA1 Output after Traumatic Brain Injury

The neurological impairments associated with traumatic brain injury include learning and memory deficits and increased risk of seizures. The hippocampus is critically involved in both of these phenomena and highly susceptible to damage by traumatic brain injury. To examine network activity in the hippocampal CA1 region after lateral fluid percussion injury, we used a combination of voltage-sensitive dye, field potential, and patch clamp recording in mouse hippocampal brain slices. When the stratum radiatum (SR) was stimulated in slices from injured mice, we found decreased depolarization in SR and increased hyperpolarization in stratum oriens (SO), together with a decrease in the percentage of pyramidal neurons firing stimulus-evoked action potentials. Increased hyperpolarization in SO persisted when glutamatergic transmission was blocked. However, we found no changes in SO responses when the alveus was stimulated to directly activate SO. These results suggest that the increased SO hyperpolarization evoked by SR stimulation was mediated by interneurons that have cell bodies and/or axons in SR, and form synapses in stratum pyramidale and SO. A low concentration (100 nM) of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55,212-2, restored CA1 output in slices from injured animals. These findings support the hypothesis that increased GABAergic signaling by cannabinoid-sensitive interneurons contributes to the reduced CA1 output following traumatic brain injury.
Roles of Arabidopsis PARC6 in Coordination of the Chloroplast Division Complex and Negative Regulation of FtsZ Assembly1[OPEN]

A plant-specific chloroplast division protein has multiple functions in coordinating and influencing the assembly of internal and external contractile rings across the two envelope membranes. Chloroplast division is driven by the simultaneous constriction of the inner FtsZ ring (Z ring) and the outer DRP5B ring. The assembly and constriction of these rings in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) are coordinated partly through the inner envelope membrane protein ACCUMULATION AND REPLICATION OF CHLOROPLASTS6 (ARC6). Previously, we showed that PARC6 (PARALOG OF ARC6), also in the inner envelope membrane, negatively regulates FtsZ assembly and acts downstream of ARC6 to position the outer envelope membrane protein PLASTID DIVISION1 (PDV1), which functions together with its paralog PDV2 to recruit DYNAMIN-RELATED PROTEIN 5B (DRP5B) from a cytosolic pool to the outer envelope membrane. However, whether PARC6, like ARC6, also functions in coordination of the chloroplast division contractile complexes was unknown. Here, we report a detailed topological analysis of Arabidopsis PARC6, which shows that PARC6 has a single transmembrane domain and a topology resembling that of ARC6. The newly identified stromal region of PARC6 interacts not only with ARC3, a direct inhibitor of Z-ring assembly, but also with the Z-ring protein FtsZ2. Overexpression of PARC6 inhibits FtsZ assembly in Arabidopsis but not in a heterologous yeast system (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), suggesting that the negative regulation of FtsZ assembly by PARC6 is a consequence of its interaction with ARC3. A conserved carboxyl-terminal peptide in FtsZ2 mediates FtsZ2 interaction with both PARC6 and ARC6. Consistent with its role in the positioning of PDV1, the intermembrane space regions of PARC6 and PDV1 interact. These findings provide new insights into the functions of PARC6 and suggest that PARC6 coordinates the inner Z ring and outer DRP5B ring through interaction with FtsZ2 and PDV1 during chloroplast division.
Observations on White Grubs Affecting Sugar Cane at the Juba Sugar Project, South-Western Somalia, in the 1980s, and Implications for Their Management

The authors made two visits to the Juba Sugar Project in south-west Somalia, at the beginning of the minor rains in October 1986, and at the beginning of the main rains in March 1987. Observations were made on morphospecies of scarabaeid white grub larvae, the adults, and the two associated for the key economic species, Cochliotis melolonthoides and Brachylepis werneri. Sampling larvae and adults by digging soil quadrats and adults by light trapping gave useful information on their biology and phenology. Sampling methods were evaluated and economic thresholds were extrapolated based on earlier work. Natural enemies were surveyed, and entomopathogenic nematodes and a cordyceps fungus (Ophiocordyceps barnesii) were considered to have potential to be used as biological control interventions.
Microangiography of the Pulmonary Arterial System in “Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome”

Microangiographic examination of the pulmonary arterial system in 12 newborn infants with concomitant stenosis or atresia of the aortic and mitral orifices showed that the intrapulmonary arterial pattern is influenced by the state of the foramen ovale. In infants with aortic atresia with a prematurely closed foramen ovale, that is cases in which the left side of the heart is a cul-de-sac, there is moderate or prominent tortuosity of the intralobular pulmonary arteries indicating congenital pulmonary hypertension. This feature is less prominent or absent in infants with valvular insufficiency of the foramen ovale, regardless of the postnatal age of the patient.
Teachers' Belief and Use of Interactive Whiteboards for Teaching and Learning

Interactive whiteboards (IWB) are regarded as one of the most revolutionary instructional technologies for various educational levels. While the impacts of IWBs in classroom settings have been examined recently in a number of studies, this study not only looks at the perception but also examines the actual usage and behaviors associated with promising IWB features in practical settings. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate both teachers’ perceptions and their use of IWBs. A questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature review as well as related instructional theories and models. The questionnaire consisted of questions about demographics, usage, and teachers’ perceptions related to IWBs. For this study, 174 teacher-participants, who have actively used IWBs for instruction, were selected from various educational levels (from grade 6 to 12). The results show that teachers believe that IWBs can be used for different subject domains. Also, teachers believe that IWBs can be used to facilitate learning and instruction under the following conditions, 1) collaboration with colleagues, 2) training about effective instructional strategies using IWB, and 3) more frequent teacher use of IWBs to improve IWB competency.
Dating US business cycles with macro factors

Abstract Latent factors estimated from panels of macroeconomic indicators are used to generate recession probabilities for the US economy. The focus is on current (rather than future) business conditions. Two macro factors are considered: (1) a dynamic factor estimated by maximum likelihood from a set of 4 monthly series; (2) the first of eight static factors estimated by principal components using a panel of 102 monthly series. Recession probabilities generated using standard probit, autoregressive probit, and Markov-switching models exhibit very different properties. Overall, a simple Markov-switching model based on the big data macro factor generates the sequence of out-of-sample class predictions that better approximates NBER recession months. Nevertheless, it is shown that the selection of the best performing model depends on the forecaster’s relative tolerance for false positives and false negatives.