Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Central catheter dressing in a simulator: the effects of tutor's assistance or self-learning tutorial.

AIMS to compare the performance of undergraduate students concerning semi-implanted central venous catheter dressing in a simulator, with the assistance of a tutor or of a self-learning tutorial. METHOD Randomized controlled trial. The sample consisted of 35 undergraduate nursing students, who were divided into two groups after attending an open dialogue presentation class and watching a video. One group undertook the procedure practice with a tutor and the other with the assistance of a self-learning tutorial. RESULTS in relation to cognitive knowledge, the two groups had lower performance in the pre-test than in the post-test. The group that received assistance from a tutor performed better in the practical assessment. CONCLUSION the simulation undertaken with the assistance of a tutor showed to be the most effective learning strategy when compared to the simulation using a self-learning tutorial. Advances in nursing simulation technology are of upmost importance and the role of the tutor in the learning process should be highlighted, taking into consideration the role this professional plays in knowledge acquisition and in the development of critical-reflexive thoughts and attitudes. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT 01614314).
A bacteria-based bead for possible self-healing marine concrete applications

This work presents a bacteria-based bead for potential self-healing concrete applications in low-temperature marine environments. The bead consisting of calcium alginate encapsulated bacterial spores and mineral precursor compounds was assessed for: oxygen consumption, swelling, and its ability to form a biocomposite in a simulative marine concrete crack solution (SMCCS) at 8 °C. After six days immersion in the SMCCS the bacteria-based beads formed a calcite crust on their surface and calcite inclusions in their network, resulting in a calcite–alginate biocomposite. Beads swelled by 300% to a maximum diameter of 3 mm, while theoretical calculations estimate that 0.112 g of the beads were able to produce ∼1 mm3 of calcite after 14 days immersion; providing the bead with considerable crack healing potential. The bacteria-based bead shows great potential for the development of self-healing concrete in low-temperature marine environments, while the formation of a biocomposite healing material represents an exciting avenue for self-healing concrete research.
Effect of kernel density on the apparent and true metabolizable energy value of corn for chickens.

Five samples of corn selected to vary widely in kernel density (test weight per unit volume) were assayed for AMEn with male broiler chickens at 4 wk of age by regression analysis of a multilevel assay and for TMEn with adult White Leghorn roosters. The kernel densities (kilograms per hectoliter), AMEn, and TMEn (kilocalories per gram of DM) values of the corn were, respectively, 72, 3.68, and 3.96; 71, 3.72, and 3.95; 68, 3.66, and 3.90; 62, 3.64, and 3.88; 60, 3.54, and 3.68. Positive relationships were established between AMEn and TMEn (r = .974, P less than .01) or kernel density (r = .875, P less than .05). The assay for TMEn provided a simple, rapid and sensitive method for estimating the AMEn content of corn for chickens. The small (4%) variation in AMEn relative to a large (20%) variation in kernel density precludes the use of kernel density for estimating the AMEn content of corn.
Class Rectification Hard Mining for Imbalanced Deep Learning

Recognising detailed facial or clothing attributes in images of people is a challenging task for computer vision, especially when the training data are both in very large scale and extremely imbalanced among different attribute classes. To address this problem, we formulate a novel scheme for batch incremental hard sample mining of minority attribute classes from imbalanced large scale training data. We develop an end-to-end deep learning framework capable of avoiding the dominant effect of majority classes by discovering sparsely sampled boundaries of minority classes. This is made possible by introducing a Class Rectification Loss (CRL) regularising algorithm. We demonstrate the advantages and scalability of CRL over existing state-of-the-art attribute recognition and imbalanced data learning models on two large scale imbalanced benchmark datasets, the CelebA facial attribute dataset and the X-Domain clothing attribute dataset.
Interferon regulatory factor 1–Rab27a regulated extracellular vesicles promote liver ischemia/reperfusion injury

The role and regulators of extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury have not been defined. Rab27a is a guanosine triphosphatase known to control EV release. Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF‐1) is a transcription factor that plays an important role in liver IR and regulates certain guanosine triphosphatases. However, the relationships among IRF‐1, Rab27a, and EV secretion are largely unknown. Here, we show induction of IRF‐1 and Rab27a both in vitro in hypoxic hepatocytes and in vivo in warm IR and orthotopic liver transplantation livers. Interferon γ stimulation, IRF‐1 transduction, or IR promoted Rab27a expression and EV secretion. Meanwhile, silencing of IRF‐1 decreased Rab27a expression and EV secretion. Rab27a silencing decreased EV secretion and liver IR injury. Ten putative IRF‐1 binding motifs in the 1,692‐bp Rab27a promoter region were identified. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay verified five functional IRF‐1 binding motifs, which were confirmed by a Rab27a promoter luciferase assay. IR‐induced EVs contained higher oxidized phospholipids (OxPL). OxPLs on the EV surface activated neutrophils through the toll‐like receptor 4 pathway. OxPL‐neutralizing E06 antibody blocked the effect of EVs and decreased liver IR injury. Conclusion: These findings provide a novel mechanism by which IRF‐1 regulates Rab27a transcription and EV secretion, leading to OxPL activation of neutrophils and subsequent hepatic IR injury. (Hepatology 2018;67:1056–1070)
Fully Parallel GPU Implementation of a Fixed-Complexity Soft-Output MIMO Detector

Multicore and graphic processing units (GPUs) can be combined to efficiently implement signal-processing algorithms for communication systems, due to their parallel processing capabilities. This paper proposes a fully parallel fixed-complexity soft-output detector, which is suitable for GPU implementation and allows a considerable decrease in the computational time required for the data detection stage in multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems. A novel channel matrix preprocessing stage, based on column-norm ordering, is developed to efficiently match the multicore architecture. The throughput of the implementation is shown to outperform other recent implementations and to support some of the configurations in the long-term evolution (LTE) standard.
E2F1 Suppresses Oxidative Metabolism and Endothelial Differentiation of Bone Marrow Progenitor Cells

Rationale: The majority of current cardiovascular cell therapy trials use bone marrow progenitor cells (BM PCs) and achieve only modest efficacy; the limited potential of these cells to differentiate into endothelial-lineage cells is one of the major barriers to the success of this promising therapy. We have previously reported that the E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) is a repressor of revascularization after ischemic injury. Objective: We sought to define the role of E2F1 in the regulation of BM PC function. Methods and Results: Ablation of E2F1 (E2F1 deficient) in mouse BM PCs increases oxidative metabolism and reduces lactate production, resulting in enhanced endothelial differentiation. The metabolic switch in E2F1-deficient BM PCs is mediated by a reduction in the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2; overexpression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 reverses the enhancement of oxidative metabolism and endothelial differentiation. Deletion of E2F1 in the BM increases the amount of PC-derived endothelial cells in the ischemic myocardium, enhances vascular growth, reduces infarct size, and improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Conclusion: Our results suggest a novel mechanism by which E2F1 mediates the metabolic control of BM PC differentiation, and strategies that inhibit E2F1 or enhance oxidative metabolism in BM PCs may improve the effectiveness of cell therapy.
A Prospective Masked Clinical Assessment of Inflammation After Intravitreal Injection of Ranibizumab or Aflibercept.

PURPOSE To compare anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or aflibercept. METHODS This was a prospective, open label, nonrandomized phase 4 clinical study. One hundred patients with choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration received intravitreal aflibercept (N = 53) or ranibizumab (N = 47). Medication use was balanced by gender, injected eye, and lens status (phakic vs. pseudophakic). An examiner masked to medication graded anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation 1-2 and 5-7 days after injection according to the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature grading scheme. RESULTS Mean patient age was 78.6 years. Maximum anterior chamber reaction of 0.5+ was seen at the first postinjection examination in 2% of eyes receiving ranibizumab and in 19% of eyes receiving aflibercept (Fisher's exact test 2 sided, P = 0.0091); vitreous reaction was minimal and infrequent in both groups and the difference was not statistically significant. At 5-7 days after injection, 1 patient treated with aflibercept had residual anterior chamber inflammation of 0.5+ and no patient treated with ranibizumab had residual inflammation. CONCLUSION Aflibercept may be associated with more anterior chamber inflammation than ranibizumab, although mild and transient. This should not be mistaken for endophthalmitis.
Effects of microwave and various combinations of ambient temperature and humidity exposures on off-host survival of northern fowl mites.

When northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago), were removed from their host and exposed to ambient temperatures ranging from -15 to 49 C with uncontrolled relative humidity (RH) or to temperatures ranging from . 3 to 38 C with an RH of ca. 75%, mites lived longest at 4 C. However, temperatures between . 3 and 26 C were also conducive to survival. Temperatures above 43 C killed the mites in less than 5 hr; mites exposed to -15 C lived up to 5 days. A constant humidity of ca. 75% was most beneficial to the mites when temperatures ranged from 33 to 38 C. Manipulation of ambient temperature and RH would be effective in exterminating the northern fowl mites on inanimate objects. Mites exposed for different periods to microwave energy at a net power ranging between 165 to 430 kw/m2 were not selectively heated to temperatures above the temperatures of the containers, nor did the irradiation have any other lethal effects on the mites.
Citrate metabolism in red blood cells stored in additive solution‐3

Red blood cells (RBCs) are thought to have a relatively simple metabolic network compared to other human cell types. Recent proteomics reports challenge the notion that RBCs are mere hemoglobin carriers with limited metabolic activity. Expanding our understanding of RBC metabolism has key implications in many biomedical areas, including transfusion medicine.
Quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic comparison of human colon cancer DLD-1 cells differing in ploidy and chromosome stability

This study analyzes the proteomes and phospho-proteomes of isogenic DLD-1 cancer cells differing in karyotypes and chromosome stability. Chromosome doubling is shown to trigger more extensive changes in (phospho-)proteomes than chromosome instability, and activation of mitotic pathways may explain differential responses to mitotic inhibitors.
Constitutively Enhanced Lymphatic Pumping in the Upper Limbs of Women Who Later Develop Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Background: It has previously been shown that the lymph drainage rate in both upper limbs is greater in women destined to develop breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) than in those who do not develop BCRL, indicating a constitutive predisposition. We explored constitutive differences further by measuring the maximum lymphatic pump pressure (Ppump) and the rate of Tc-Nanocoll transport generated by the contractile upper limb lymphatics before and after breast cancer surgery in a group of women who were followed for 2 years to determine their eventual BCRL or non-BCRL status. Methods and Results: Ppump and tracer transport rate were measured by lymphatic congestion lymphoscintigraphy in the ipsilateral upper limb in 26 women preand post-breast cancer surgery. BCRL occurred in 10/26 (38.5%) cases. Ppump in the women who later developed BCRL (40.0 – 8.2 mmHg) was 1.7-fold higher than in those who did not develop BCRL (23.1 – 10.8 mmHg, p = 0.001). Moreover, the rate of lymph tracer transport into the forearm was 2.2-fold greater in the women who later developed BCRL ( p = 0.052). Surgery did not significantly reduce Ppump measured 21 weeks postsurgery, but impaired forearm tracer transport in pre-BCRL women by 58% ( p = 0.047), although not in those who did not develop BCRL. Conclusions: Women destined to develop BCRL have higher pumping pressures and lymph transport, indicating harder-working lymphatics before cancer treatment. Axillary lymphatic damage from surgery appears to compromise lymph drainage in those women constitutively predisposed to higher lymphatic pressures and lymph transport.
Cognitive functioning in the general population: Factor structure and association with mental disorders—The neuropsychological test battery of the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1‐MH)

The objective of this study is to obtain population level data about cognitive functions and their association with mental disorders. We here report factor analytic and psychometric findings of a neuropsychological test battery and examine the association of current and past mental disorders with cognitive function in a large nationwide population‐based sample of 18‐ to 79‐year‐old adults in Germany (n = 3,667) participating in the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults 2008–2011. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed verbal memory and executive function factors. Older age was strongly associated with lower verbal memory and executive function and with higher vocabulary scores. After adjustment for age, sex, and education, rather modest decrements were found for verbal memory (β = −.118, p = .002) and executive functions (β = −.191, p < .001) in participants with any current mental disorder (n = 442) compared to those without (n = 3,201). Small decrements in memory (β = −.064, p = .031) and executive function (β = −.111, p < .001) were found in participants with any mental disorder in the last 12 months but not in those with past (fully or partially remitted) mental disorders, compared to participants without a history of mental disorder. More fine‐grained analyses of these data will investigate the complex interplay between cognition, health behaviors, and specific mental and somatic diseases.
Predictive neuromechanical simulations indicate why walking performance declines with ageing

Although the natural decline in walking performance with ageing affects the quality of life of a growing elderly population, its physiological origins remain unknown. By using predictive neuromechanical simulations of human walking with age‐related neuro‐musculo‐skeletal changes, we find evidence that the loss of muscle strength and muscle contraction speed dominantly contribute to the reduced walking economy and speed. The findings imply that focusing on recovering these muscular changes may be the only effective way to improve performance in elderly walking. More generally, the work is of interest for investigating the physiological causes of altered gait due to age, injury and disorders.
Bifurcation and Control in a Differential-Algebraic harvested prey-predator Model with Stage Structure for predator

A differential-algebraic model system which considers a prey-predator system with stage structure for a predator and a harvest effort on the mature predator is proposed. By using the differential-algebraic system and bifurcation theories, the local stability and instability mechanism of the proposed model system are investigated. With the purpose of stabilizing the proposed model system at the positive equilibrium, a state feedback controller is designed. Finally, a numerical simulation is carried out to show the consistency with theoretical analysis and illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Canine parvoviral enteritis: an update on the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Canine parvovirus type 2 is the cause of a highly contagious acute enteritis associated with high morbidity and mortality, with very low survival rates in untreated dogs. Although severe clinical disease typically occurs in dogs younger than 6 months of age, adults with insufficient immunity may potentially be affected. In this article, the current state of knowledge is reviewed regarding the diagnostic aspects of parvoviral enteritis, with special emphasis placed on the clinical relevance of the detection of viral antigens in the feces, detection of viral antibodies in the serum, or the polymerase chain reaction-based amplification of the viral DNA in the feces. In addition, the components of the supportive and symptomatic treatment aiming to optimize the outcome of the disease in the clinical setting are thoroughly reviewed. Immunization guidelines for the prevention of the disease are also updated.
First Principles Studies on the Electronic Structure and Band Structure of Paraelectric SrTiO3 by Different Approximations

The electronic structure, energy band structure, total density of states (DOS) and electronic density of perovskite SrTiO3 in the cubic phase are calculated by the using full potential-linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method in the framework density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) by WIEN2k package. The calculated band structure shows a direct band gap of 2.5 eV at the Γ point in the Brillouin zone.The total DOS is compared with experimental x-ray photoemission spectra. From the DOS analysis, as well as charge-density studies, I have conclude that the bonding between Sr and TiO2 is mainly ionic and that the TiO2 entities bond covalently.The calculated band structure and density of state of SrTiO3 are in good agreement with theoretical and experimental results.
Satellite cell mitotic activity in posthatch turkey skeletal muscle growth.

The relationship between satellite cell mitotic activity and skeletal myofiber growth was examined in Pectoralis thoracicus and Biceps femoris muscles of Large White tom turkeys (Nicholas strain) at 3, 6, 9, 18, and 26 wk of age. Mitotically active satellite cells were labeled with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Labeled satellite cells were identified on enzymatically isolated myofiber segments using mouse anti-BrdU followed by fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibodies. Myofiber nuclei (satellite cell nuclei + myonuclei) were counterstained with propidium iodide (PI). Myofiber segment diameter, myofiber segment length, and number of FITC- and PI-labeled nuclei were determined for each segment. At each age interval there was an increase in myofiber diameter, suggesting that the myofibers were growing during the entire experimental period. There was an age-related (P < .001) decrease in satellite cell mitotic activity and an age-related increase (P < .001) in the cytoplasmic volume to nucleus ratio (CNR) from 3 to 26 wk of age. An early phase of myofiber growth, between 3 and 6 wk of age, was characterized by a high level of satellite cell mitotic activity and increased CNR. Between 6 and 9 wk of age, satellite cell mitotic activity decreased, but the CNR showed no change (P > .05). During a late phase of myofiber growth, beyond 9 wk of age, satellite cell mitotic activity continued to decrease and myofiber growth occurred by an increased CNR. This study demonstrated that both Pectoralis thoracicus and Biceps femoris undergo a significant late phase of growth without appreciable production of myonuclei by satellite cell proliferation.
Performance of broilers fed limited quantities of feed or nutrients during seven to fourteen days of age.

Three experiments were conducted with male broilers to study the effects of early life undernutrition. In all studies, treatments were represented by three or four replicate floor pens, each containing 30 to 40 birds. In Experiment 1, broilers were fed at 0.75 kcal ME/gBW0.67 for 4 d, 1.5 kcal ME/gBW0.67 for 5 d or 2.25 kcal ME/gBW0.67 for 6 d, all imposed beginning at 6 d of age. Birds were smaller following feed restriction (P < 0.01) although growth compensation occurred, and at 49 d all restricted birds were heavier (P < 0.01) than full-fed control birds. Improved growth was associated with improved feed conversion (P < 0.01), although carcass composition was unchanged. In a second study, birds were fed at 0.75 kcal ME/gBW0.67 for 3, 4, or 5 d, starting at either 4, 7, or 10 d of age. When feed restriction was applied early, or for shorter periods of time, growth compensation occurred (P > 0.05). With other more severe feed restriction, birds were smaller (P < 0.05) at 49 d compared to controls. Feed conversion was improved following prior feed restriction (P < 0.01, 0 to 49 d). In a third trial, broilers were fed a starter diet diluted with 50% oat hulls. Birds failed to consume enough of this diluted feed, and so were initially smaller. However 49-d weight was not affected (P > 0.05). When periods of 24-h feed withdrawal were imposed in conjunction with the diluted diets, birds were underweight at 49 d. It is concluded that physical feed restriction at 0.75 to 1.5 kcal ME/gBW0.67 imposed for 3 to 4 d in the second week of life currently presents the best option as a means of controlling broiler growth so as to improve feed efficiency.