Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determination of Metal Impurities in Carbon Nanotubes Sampled Using Surface Wipes

Residual metal impurities in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) provide a means to distinguish CNT from non-CNT sources of elemental carbon in environmental samples. A practical and cost-effective analytical approach is needed to support routine surface monitoring of CNT metal tracers using wipe sampling. Wipe sampling for CNT metal tracers is considered a qualitative indicator of the presence of CNTs, not a quantitative exposure metric. In this study, two digestion approaches (microwave-assisted nitric acid/H2O2 digestion and ultrasonic nitric/HF acid digestion) in conjunction with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) determination were evaluated for their ability to extract metal impurities from CNT particles captured on wipe substrates. Aliquots of different carbon nanotubes (including NIST 2483 single-wall CNT) with and without GhostWipes™ (ASTM E-1792 compliant) were used to compare the performance of the digestion methods. The microwave digestion method accommodated the bulky wipe sample and also eliminated potential ICP-MS signal interferences related to incomplete digestion. Although quantitative recoveries requiring lengthy multistep digestion protocols may be necessary in other applications, the near-total recoveries achieved in the present study for CNT catalyst elements were adequate for identifying surface contamination of CNTs in the workplace using wipe sampling.
Artifactual immunofluorescent labelling in yeast, demonstrated by affinity purification of antibody

In the course of making antibodies against various yeast (S. cerevisiae) proteins, we have noted that it is common to observe reactivity of rabbit sera with a number of extraneous bands on Western transfers of yeast proteins. The pattern of reactive bands can change within a period of weeks, even when the rabbit has not been injected with antigen. A simple method of affinity purification, using antigen bound to nitrocellulose, is employed to remove the reactivity with these extraneous bands from immune sera. The importance of affinity purification is demonstrated by our attempts to immunolocalize a 55 kd yeast protein (p55). Immune serum stains yeast cells to give a striking pattern of spots and blotches not seen with preimmune serum. However, affinity purification of anti‐p55 antibody shows that this pattern is not due to staining by anti‐p55 antibody; rather the pattern is due to staining left in the serum depleted of anti‐p55 antibody.
Game AI Planning Analytics: The Case of Three First-Person Shooters

We present a general framework for Game Artificial Intelligence Planning (AIP) Analytics. The objective is to provide analytic tools to study and improve AIP components and their use in video-games. Extraction and formatting of AI data is first described and discussed. Then AIP metrics are listed with examples and illustrations from three popular First-Person Shooters: F.E. A.R. (2005), KillZone 3 (2011) and Transformers 3: Fall of Cybertron (2012). The patterns we discovered in our study clearly show the AIP component is called more often by the game over the years.
INCIDENTAL PROSTATE CANCER IN TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE (TURP) SPECIMENS HAVING INTERMEDIATE SERUM PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA) LEVEL.

Preeti Singh, Vijay Kumar, Abhishek Jain, Ganesh Singh, Amod Kumar Saroj and Veer Karuna. Manuscript Info Abstract . Manuscript History Received: 11 January 2019 Final Accepted: 13 February 2019 Published: March 2019
Performance of the immunochemical fecal occult blood test in predicting lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract

Background: Previous studies have suggested that the immunochemical fecal occult blood test has superior specificity for detecting bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal tract even if bleeding occurs in the upper tract. We conducted a large population-based study involving asymptomatic adults in Taiwan, a population with prevalent upper gastrointestinal lesions, to confirm this claim. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study involving asymptomatic people aged 18 years or more in Taiwan recruited to undergo an immunochemical fecal occult blood test, colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy between August 2007 and July 2009. We compared the prevalence of lesions in the lower and upper gastrointestinal tracts between patients with positive and negative fecal test results. We also identified risk factors associated with a false-positive fecal test result. Results: Of the 2796 participants, 397 (14.2%) had a positive fecal test result. The sensitivity of the test for predicting lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract was 24.3%, the specificity 89.0%, the positive predictive value 41.3%, the negative predictive value 78.7%, the positive likelihood ratio 2.22, the negative likelihood ratio 0.85 and the accuracy 73.4%. The prevalence of lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract was higher among those with a positive fecal test result than among those with a negative result (41.3% v. 21.3%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract did not differ significantly between the two groups (20.7% v. 17.5%, p = 0.12). Almost all of the participants found to have colon cancer (27/28, 96.4%) had a positive fecal test result; in contrast, none of the three found to have esophageal or gastric cancer had a positive fecal test result (p < 0.001). Among those with a negative finding on colonoscopy, the risk factors associated with a false-positive fecal test result were use of antiplatelet drugs (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–4.98) and a low hemoglobin concentration (adjusted OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.62–4.33). Interpretation: The immunochemical fecal occult blood test was specific for predicting lesions in the lower gastrointestinal tract. However, the test did not adequately predict lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Models of Disability in Children’s Pretend Play: Measurement of Cognitive Representations and Affective Expression Using the Affect in Play Scale

Play is a natural mode of children’s expression and constitutes a fundamental aspect of their life. Cognitive, affective, and social aspects can be assessed through play, considered as a “window” to observe a child’s functioning. According to Russ’s model, cognitive and affective components and their reciprocal connections can be assessed through the Affect in Play Scale (APS). The aim of the present study was to investigate children’s representations of the three main models of disability (medical, social, and biopsychosocial) and how these models affected cognitive and affective components of children’s play. Sixty-three children, aged 6–10 years, were assessed by means of the APS. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two APS task orders: the standard APS task followed by the modified APS task (including a wheelchair toy), or vice versa. The standard and modified APS sessions were coded according to the APS system. The modified APS sessions were also coded for the model of disability expressed by children. A one-way ANOVA conducted on the APS affective and cognitive indexes revealed an effect of condition on the affective components of play and no effect on cognitive components and variety of affect as assessed by the APS. In addition, when children are involved in pretend play from which concepts of disability emerge, these concepts are almost exclusively related to the medical model of disability. Results suggested implications for intervention with children in educational contexts that aim to teach children about disability.
Anesthetic Preconditioning Improves Adenosine Triphosphate Synthesis and Reduces Reactive Oxygen Species Formation in Mitochondria after Ischemia by a Redox Dependent Mechanism

Background Mitochondrial changes that characterize the heart after anesthetic preconditioning (APC) or the mechanisms by which mitochondrial triggering factors lead to protection are unknown. This study hypothesized that generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during APC is required to initiate the mitochondrial protective effects, and that APC leads to improved mitochondrial electron transport chain function and cardiac function during reperfusion. Methods Isolated guinea pig hearts were subject to 30 min ischemia and 120 min reperfusion. Prior to ischemia hearts were either untreated (I/R), or treated with sevoflurane (APC), in the presence or absence of the ROS scavenger tiron (TIR), or the superoxide dismutase mimetic MnTBAP (TBAP). Intracellular ROS were measured by spectrofluorometry using the fluorescent probe dihydroethidium (DHE). In another series of experiments, using the same protocol, hearts were reperfused for only 5 min and removed for measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis by luciferin–luciferase luminometry and ROS generation by dichlorohydro-fluorescein (DCF) fluorescence in isolated mitochondria. Results The APC improved cardiac function and reduced infarction. Tiron or MnTBAP abrogated the protection afforded by APC. Mitochondrial ATP synthesis was decreased by 70 ± 3% after IR alone, by only 7 ± 3% after APC, by 69 ± 2% after APC+TIR, and by 71 ± 3% after APC + TBAP. Mitochondrial ROS formation (DCF) increased by 48 ± 3% after IR alone, by 0 ± 2% after APC, by 43 ± 4% after APC + TIR, and by 46 ± 3% after APC + TBAP. ROS generation (DHE) was increased in I/R group at 5 and 120 min reperfusion. This was attenuated by APC but this protective effect was abrogated in APC + TIR and APC + TBAP groups. Conclusions The results indicate that ROS are central both in triggering and mediating APC, and that the mitochondrion is the target for these changes.
Sketch2Photo: internet image montage

We present a system that composes a realistic picture from a simple freehand sketch annotated with text labels. The composed picture is generated by seamlessly stitching several photographs in agreement with the sketch and text labels; these are found by searching the Internet. Although online image search generates many inappropriate results, our system is able to automatically select suitable photographs to generate a high quality composition, using a filtering scheme to exclude undesirable images. We also provide a novel image blending algorithm to allow seamless image composition. Each blending result is given a numeric score, allowing us to find an optimal combination of discovered images. Experimental results show the method is very successful; we also evaluate our system using the results from two user studies.
Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation : integrative literature review

When atrial fibrillation (AF) is present in pre-operative open heart surgeries, including coronary artery bypass grafting and valve operations, it represents an independent risk factor for cardiac events and reduced survival. Due to the complexity of the subject, especially when evaluating success rates (reversion and maintenance of normal sinus rhythm), a consensus statement was recently proposed by the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS), in order to determine whether the intraoperative ablation of AF promotes favorable clinical outcomes in patients undergoing other cardiac operations in comparison with individual operations without ablation. The aim of this paper is to present published data which has contributed to consensus statement and can be useful as update source. The integrative review was the methodology that provides synthesis of knowledge and applicability of results of significant studies about presented topic. Descriptors: Atrial Fibrillation. Ablation Techniques. Tr eatment Outcome. Resumo A fibrilação atrial (FA) no pré-operatório de operações cardíacas abertas, incluindo revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio (RCM) e operações valvares, representa fator de risco independente para eventos cardíacos maiores e redução de sobrevida. Devido à complexidade do assunto, principalmente na avaliação das taxas de sucesso, foi proposta recentemente uma declaração de consenso pela International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS), com o intuito de determinar se a ablação operatória da FA promove resultados clínicos favoráveis em pacientes submetidos a outras operações cardíacas na comparação com operações isoladas sem ablação. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar dados da literatura que possam contribuir para o consenso sobre o tratamento operatório da FA e ser utilizado como fonte de atualização. A metodologia envolveu revisão integrativa da literatura, com análise e síntese dos dados obtidos de forma descritiva, apresentando o conhecimento atual sobre o tema apresentado. Descritores: Fibrilação Atrial. Técnicas de Ablação. Resultado de Tratamento. Correspondence address: João Roberto Breda. Rua Silva Jardim, 470 – Centro – São Bernardo do Campo, SP , Brazil – Zip Code: 09715-090. E-mail: jrbreda@hotmail.com. br Article received on November 26 , 2010 Article accepted on August 1, 201
Use of army weapons and private firearms for suicide and homicide in the region of Basel, Switzerland.

OBJECTIVES Switzerland has one of the highest rates of firearm suicides in the world. International studies show a positive correlation between the rate of households with guns and femicides with guns. Because its defense system requires a militia to keep personal firearms at home, Switzerland has a high rate of households with a gun. METHODS Records of suicides in the region of Basel between 1992 and 1996 were reviewed. Suicides with either army weapons or private firearms and suicides by other means were compared. Methods and types of homicides that occurred in the region at the same time were also analyzed. FINDINGS Firearm suicides were clearly the most frequent means of suicide. They were also used in 30.0% of domestic homicides, although other means were used at similar rates. Firearms for suicide were mainly used by men, especially army weapons. These men were younger, professionally better qualified, and fewer had ever been treated in one of the local state psychiatric services. DISCUSSION The use of firearms for suicide, rather than homicide, and particularly of army weapons by young, well-educated men, requires more attention in debates and informed policy regarding access to firearms and suicide prevention in Switzerland.
The use of phylogenomic tools to investigate diploid and polyploid evolution in Dactylorhiza and other orchids

Die Untersuchung phylogenetischer Beziehungen von sich kurzlich entwickelten Gruppen stellt eine grose Herausforderung dar, insbesondere bei fortlaufender Hybridisierung. Allo-polyploide Organismen stammen aus der Verschmelzung von zwei oder mehreren Genomen und werden in den meisten Fallen sofort von ihren Eltern isoliert. Die Komplexitat der ge-nomischen Abstammung wird durch die Hybridisierung mit anderen Allopolyploiden sowie durch Ruckkreuzung mit ihren moglicherweise vorkommenden Elternarten erhoht. Die Gat-tung Dactylorhiza (Orchidaceae: Orchidinae) ist stark von allopolyploider Artbildung und retikularen phylogenetischen Beziehungen betroffen. In dieser Arbeit verwenden wir geneti-sche Variation, um die Evolutionsgeschichte in Dactylorhiza zu rekonstruieren, indem wir zunachst die diploiden Taxa abgrenzen, ihre Verwandtschaftsbeziehung festlegen und dann 16 allopolyploide Taxa nach maximaler Zugehorigkeit zu ihren mutmaslichen Eltern grup-pieren. Die beiden Geschwister Allopolyploide, D. majalis und D. traunsteineri, wurden un-tersucht, um die genetische Struktur und Demografie zu untersuchen. Die diploiden Eltern wurden in ihrer gesamten europaischen Verbreitung dazu verwendet, zwei kunstliche geno-mische Referenzen zu erstellen um die polyploiden Werte abzugleichen und Genotypen zu ermitteln bzw. Genotyp-Wahrscheinlichkeit zu nennen. Fur D. traunsteineri und D. majalis wurden zwei unabhangige Ursprunge ermittelt, obwohl ein Genfluss zwischen beiden Arten herrscht. Zwei weitere boreale Schwestergattungen Nigritella und Gymnadenia sind morpho-logisch unterschiedlich, obwohl Einzelmarkerstudien zuvor widerspruchliche Ergebnisse zum Einschluss / Ausschluss von Nigritella in Gymnadenia erbracht haben. Tausende gene-tischer Marker wurden verwendet, um ihren phylogenetischen Status aufzuklaren. Schlies-lich wurden evolutionare und okologische Fragen in der Gattung Epipactis zur Artbildung durch einen Ubergang von Allogamie zur Autogamie angesprochen. RAD-Daten (Restrikti-onsstellen Assoziierte DNA) werden in weitem Umfang zur Beantwortung von evolutionaren Fragestellungen diploider Organismen angewendet. Die vier Kapitel dieser Doktorarbeit zeigen den Nutzen von RAD-Daten fur die Arbeit mit polyploiden Organismen. Aus geno-typbasierten und genotypfreien Analyseverfahren resultierende Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen sind kongruent. Auserdem wurden bioinformatische Ansatze entwickelt, die fur die Arbeit mit anderen naturlich vorkommende polyploiden nicht-model Organismen verwendet wer-den konnen.
Individual Differences in Learning with Simulation Tool: A Pilot Study

In order to explore why some learners have better learning effects with the simulation tool, and the others do not, the researchers used the quasi-experimental design and think-aloud method to investigate the relations between individual differences and learning effects from studentspsila learning processes with the simulation tool, dynamic simulation assisted statistical learning (DSASL). The results show that the DSASL can correct the studentspsila misconceptions and enhance their concept understandings. However, there are individual differences in studentspsila learning effects when learning with DSASL. Finally, the researchers analyze the transcripts of think-aloud and find that the learning process may influence the students' learning effects.
Neural State Changes in Primate Motor Cortex During Arm Movements with Distinct Control Requirements

The primary motor cortex (M1) is an important structure of the motor system that contributes to many aspects of movement. Firing patterns of M1 neurons can be surprisingly complex, and there is substantial interest in understanding these patterns and their relation to behavior. Here, we characterize the temporal structure of M1 activity during reaching in several ways. First, we show that single neurons encode movement information in a series of discrete segments. Information is stably encoded during each brief segment, and the firing patterns of most neurons transition between segments at similar times during movement. This pattern may therefore reflect transitions between different neural “states. ” Next, we establish that the sequence of states observed during behavior is related to a sequence of distinct drivers, including visuospatial information and visual feedback from a movement. If no feedback is provided, neurons may produce a truncated response sequence. Last, we link the temporal structure of firing patterns to the structure of reaches and demonstrate that the classical two-component model of reaching is reflected in M1 activity. Our findings may help establish a useful framework for interpreting seemingly complex neural activity during behavior.
Needs instigate positive fantasies of idealized futures

One form that mental time travel takes is fantasies about the future. Research to date has not established when people generate fantasies that depict an imagined future as particularly positive. We identify need state as a variable promoting positive fantasies about relevant stimuli (i.e., those that could address the need). In four studies, people with an aroused need (or with a stronger need) generated more positive fantasies depicting idealized future scenarios that were relevant to addressing the need, compared with people without this need (or with a weaker need). These results held for a variety of needs (meaning in life, drinking, relatedness, and power) and whether needs were manipulated (Studies 1–3) or measured (Study 4). The findings shed light on when and why people depict imagined futures as particularly positive. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical outcomes following long GnRHa ovarian stimulation with highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin plus rFSH or rFSH in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer: a multi-center randomized controlled trial.

Background This clinical trial aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (HP-HMG) plus recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) versus rFSH alone on controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Methods A total of 610 women underwent long gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist protocol for IVF treatment. The subjects were randomized into 2 groups: HP-HMG + rFSH group (n=305) and rFSH group (n=305). The main outcome was the progesterone (P) level on the day of HCG injection. Results There was no significant difference in terms of the demographic and baseline characters between the two groups. In rFSH group, the P level on the day of HCG trigger were significantly higher than that of HP-HMG+rFSH group (4.3±2.2 vs. 3.8±1.7 nmol/L, P<0.001). The fertilization rate in rFSH group was significantly lower than that of HP-HMG + rFSH group (69.2% vs. 73.9%, P<0.001). Simultaneously, the percentage of cycles with fresh embryo transfer in rFSH group was also significantly lower than that of HP-HMG + rFSH group (49.6% vs. 57.5%, P=0.007). However, there was no difference in terms of cleavage rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rate between two groups. Conclusions The use of combined HP-HMG with FSH may be superior to rFSH alone in stimulating the ovary in normal responders undergoing IVF treatment. Furthermore, the further prospective studies with large sample are still needed to confirm the study.