Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ontogeny of Toll-Like Receptors Tlr2 and Tlr4 in Mice

Toll-like receptors (Tlr) have recently been linked to the immunostimulatory function of microbial toxins in human and mice. Tlr signals activation of nuclear factor κB that leads to the production of a number of proinflammatory mediators. Tlr4 mediates the endotoxin-induced inflammatory response, whereas Tlr2 may be involved in the response to yeast and Gram-positive bacterial products. To better understand age-related changes in acute inflammatory response, we studied the ontogeny of Tlr2 and Tlr4 mRNA in murine fetal lung, liver, and placenta by quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR. Different expression patterns were seen between the tissues and between the Tlr. This is in accordance with the evidence that there are differences in the receptors for different microbial toxins and that the response is organ specific. We additionally show that the expression of Tlr was dependent on the stage of differentiation. In the liver, the levels of Tlr2 and Tlr4 were high regardless of the age. In the lung, Tlr2 and Tlr4 expression levels were barely detectable in immature fetus (d 14–15). Tlr2 and Tlr4 were increased several-fold during prenatal development and further increased after birth. The present results support the finding of a deficient inflammatory response of the immature lung to microbial toxins.
Versatility of PEEK as a fixed partial denture framework

Materials used for fixed partial denture (FPD) frameworks have had properties of excellent strength, durability, and biocompatibility. Some of the materials which have been used till date include alloys, ceramics, and high-performance polymers such as zirconia, Ni–Cr, lithium disilicate, and so on. All these, though excellent, have their advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the search has always been on for a better material. One such material, which has made its foray into dentistry in the recent times, is polyetheretherketone (PEEK). It is a semicrystalline thermoplastic material. PEEK has an excellent chemical resistance and mechanical properties that are retained at high temperatures. The versatility of PEEK as a dental material for FPD framework was evaluated in this case report.
The effect of Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment program on maternal stress, anxiety, and participation in NICU wards in Iran

Background: The purpose of this study was to perform the Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) program for Iranian mothers and evaluate its effectiveness on stress, anxiety, and participation of mothers who have premature infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 90 mothers of premature infants hospitalized in the educational neonatal NICUs of state hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. For measuring the variables, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care, and The Index of Parental Participation/Hospitalized Infant were used. Intervention group received two phases of COPE program. This program consisted of information and behavioral activities about the characteristics of premature infants. Sessions’ interval was from 2 to 4 days. Stress and anxiety were measured three times (before each phase and 2-4 days after the second phase). Mothers’ participation was evaluated 2-4 days after the second phase. The t-test, χ2, Mann-Whitney U test, and repeated measurement test were used for data analysis. Results: Mothers in the intervention group reported significantly less anxiety and less stress in the NICU after performing each phase of the COPE program (P < 0.001), whereas at this time, the level of stress in the comparison group increased. Also, COPE mothers participated in their infants’ care rather than the mothers in the comparison group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: COPE program was effective for Iranian mothers. This study shows that irrespective of any culture, giving early and comprehensible educational-behavioral information may have positive effect on maternal psychological condition and maternal–infant interaction.
Estrogenic stimulation of neurite growth in midbrain dopaminergic neurons depends on cAMP/protein kinase A signalling

Previous work from this laboratory indicates that the differentiation of mouse midbrain dopaminergic neurons is influenced by estrogen. These effects may be transmitted either through classical nuclear receptors or via “nongenomic” mechanisms, including the interaction with hypothetical membrane receptors coupled to distinct intracellular signalling pathways. The latter mechanism seems to be of particular interest for the observed interactions of estrogen with developing dopaminergic neurons, insofar as estrogen has been shown to increase intracellular calcium levels within seconds. This study focuses on signal transduction cascades that might be activated by estrogen during differentiation of dopaminergic cells. Treatment with 17β‐estradiol or a membrane‐impermeable estrogen‐BSA construct (E‐BSA) increased neurite growth and arborization of dopaminergic neurons. This effect was inhibited by antagonists of cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) and calcium signalling pathways but not by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI. In addition, estrogen exposure stimulated the phosphorylation of CREB in midbrain dopaminergic cells as studied by quantitative double‐labelling immunocytochemistry and gel shift assay. Again, this effect was antagonized only by the simultaneous treatment with inhibitors of the cAMP/PKA or calcium pathways and not by ICI pretreatment. These data together with our previous findings demonstrate that estrogen can interact with membrane binding sites on dopaminergic neurons, thereby stimulating the cAMP/PKA/phosphorylated cAMP‐responsive element binding protein (CREB) signalling cascade, most likely through the activation of calcium‐dependent kinases. In conclusion, rapid “nongenomic” estrogen signalling represents another mechanism, in addition to the activation of classical nuclear estrogen receptors, that is capable of influencing neuronal differentiation in the mammalian brain. J. Neurosci. Res. 59:107–116, 2000 © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Firm Investment and the Composition of Debt

This paper studies a simple static model in which a firm simultaneously chooses investment and debt composition, when debt can be issued to a financial intermediary (banks) or on public debt markets. The key distinction between the two is that, when liquidation looms, intermediated debt is easier to restructure. Absent deadweight losses in liquidation, debt structure is irrelevant to the investment choices of the entrepreneur. With liquidation losses, I show that investment is financed by a combination of bank and market finance so long as 1) banks have higher intermediation costs than markets and 2) entrepreneurs internal resources are sufficiently small. In that case, the share of bank finance in total investment depends non-monotonically on internal resources: firms with very limited internal resources are increasingly reliant on bank finance to expand investment, while medium-sized firms reduce the contribution of bank finance as their internal resources increase. I show that the models predictions finds support in data on the debt structure of US manufacturing firms.
Active Queue Management for Fair Resource Allocation in Wireless Networks

This paper investigates the interaction between end-to-end flow control and medium access control (MAC)-layer scheduling on wireless links. We consider a wireless network with multiple users receiving information from a common access point; each user suffers fading and a scheduler allocates the channel based on channel quality but is subject to fairness and latency considerations. We show that the fairness property of the scheduler is compromised by the transport-layer flow control of transmission control protocol (TCP) New Reno. We provide a receiver-side control algorithm, CLAMP, that remedies this situation. CLAMP works at a receiver to control a TCP sender by setting the TCP receiver's advertised window limit, and this allows the scheduler to allocate bandwidth fairly between the users.
Ultrasound estimation of fetal weight in small for gestational age pregnancies

Objective. Approximately half of small for gestational age (SGA) cases are due to maternal or fetal pathology, and may result in significant neonatal morbidity and mortality. The estimated fetal weight (EFW) measurement is the cornerstone of ultrasonographic findings when diagnosing and managing SGA pregnancies. Our objective was to determine the ultrasound accuracy of EFW in SGA pregnancies. Methods. A retrospective chart review was performed of all pregnancies complicated by SGA from a single institution (Stanford University) over a 2-year-period (2004–2006). SGA was defined as EFW ≤ 10%. 98 neonates whose last ultrasound for EFW occurred within 7 days of delivery were included in the study. The absolute differences between the EFW and birthweight (BW) were analyzed, and the absolute percent errors were calculated as (EFW − BW)/BW × 100. The mean absolute differences and mean absolute percent errors were analyzed across all gestational ages (GA) and EFWs using one-way analysis of variance. Results. The mean absolute percent error for the entire cohort was 8.7% (±6.3%). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean absolute percent error across all GAs (<32 weeks, 32–36 weeks, >36 weeks), and EFWs (<1500 g, 1500–2000 g, >2000 g). Conclusion. Ultrasound measurement of EFW in SGA pregnancies is consistent across all GAs and EFW measurements.
Work-in-Progress

Correspondence concerning this article should be sent to Cindy Finn, Student Services, Lester B. Pearson School Board, 1925 Brookdale Avenue, Dorval, Quebec, H9P 2Y7. Email: cfinn@lbpsb.qc. ca Children demonstrating emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD) are at risk for a variety of negative outcomes in adolescence including poor academic performance, school dropout, unemployment, and social maladjustment (e.g., Neel, Meadows, Levine, & Edgar, 1988; Parker & Asher, 1987; Steinberg & Knitzer, 1990). In Quebec, children with behavioral difficulties comprise the second largest category of students with special needs (19.3%) and constitute
Management of the impalpable testis: the role of laparoscopy

PURPOSE To evaluate the use of laparoscopy in the management of the impalpable testis. DESIGN A retrospective analysis of the clinical findings, interventions, and outcome in 87 consecutive boys undergoing laparoscopy for 97 impalpable testes. RESULTS Fifty seven testes were either absent (n = 35) or present as a small remnant (n = 22), which was removed at contemporaneous groin exploration. There were 27 intra-abdominal testes, including four hypoplastic testes, which were removed laparoscopically. The 13 remaining viable testes were located in the groin. Conventional orchidopexy followed laparoscopy for 21 testes, and was successful in 17 cases. Two stage laparoscopically assisted Fowler Stevens orchidopexies were performed for 13 intra-abdominal testes, with eight satisfactory results. Ultrasound evaluation significantly reduced the number of conventional orchidopexies following laparoscopy. IMPLICATIONS Laparoscopy is a rational and safe approach for precise localisation of the impalpable testis. Laparoscopically assisted two stage orchidopexy is a successful treatment procedure for intra-abdominal testes.
Multiple Access Gaussian Channels with Arbitrary Inputs: Optimal Precoding and Power Allocation

In this paper, we derive new closed-form expressions for the gradient of the mutual information with respect to arbitrary parameters of the two-user multiple access channel (MAC). The derived relations generalize the fundamental relation between the derivative of the mutual information and the minimum mean squared error (MMSE) to multiuser setups. We prove that the derivative of the mutual information with respect to the signal to noise ratio (SNR) is equal to the MMSE plus a covariance induced due to the interference, quantified by a term with respect to the cross correlation of the multiuser input estimates, the channels and the precoding matrices. We also derive new relations for the gradient of the conditional and non-conditional mutual information with respect to the MMSE. Capitalizing on the new fundamental relations, we investigate the linear precoding and power allocation policies that maximize the mutual information for the two-user MAC Gaussian channels with arbitrary input distributions. We show that the optimal design of linear precoders may satisfy a fixed-point equation as a function of the channel and the input constellation under specific setups. We show also that the non-mutual interference in a multiuser setup introduces a term to the gradient of the mutual information which plays a fundamental role in the design of optimal transmission strategies, particularly the optimal precoding and power allocation, and explains the losses in the data rates. Therefore, we provide a novel interpretation of the interference with respect to the channel, power, and input estimates of the main user and the interferer.
A Study of Postpartum Depression in a Fast Developing Country: Prevalence and Related Factors

Background: Depression is a common and disabling complication of post-partum women. There is a paucity of research on postpartum depressive disorders and their predictors in women from Arab countries. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify risk factors of postpartum depression among Arab women in Qatar using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Score (EPDS). Design: This is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted during the period from January 2010 to May 2011. Setting: Primary healthcare centers of the Supreme Council of Health, State of Qatar. Subjects: A representative sample of 1669 mothers within 6 months after delivery were approached and 1379 (82.6%) mothers participated in this study. Methods: The study was based on a face-to-face interview with a designed diagnostic screening questionnaire. Occurrence of postpartum depressive symptoms was assessed by the EPDS. Also, socio-demographic characteristics, medical and family history, and obstetric variables of patients were collected through a designed questionnaire. The diagnostic screening questionnaire was reviewed and calculated the final score which identified the risk cases. Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression among the study sample was 17.6%. Mothers of age above 35 years (49.9% vs. 39.2%; p < 0.001), low education below intermediate level (51% vs. 35.8%; p < 0.001), housewives (38.7% vs. 29%; p = 0.03), with low monthly income (QR 5000–9999) (43.2% vs. 32.2%; p < 0.001) were significantly at high risk for postpartum depression. Maternal complications (38.7% vs. 26.1%; p < 0.001) and caesarean section (36.2% vs. 28.8%; p = 0.022) were significantly higher among depressed mothers compared to non-depressed women. Financial difficulties (OR=2.04; p < 0.001), prematurity (OR=1.64; p = 0.025), poor family support (OR=1.52; p = 0.016), dissatisfaction in marital life (OR=1.26; p = 0.005), poor marital relationship (OR=1.13; p = 0.05) were the main predictors of postpartum depression. Conclusion: This prevalence of postpartum depression in women living in Qatar was comparable to previous epidemiological research done in developing countries. Financial difficulties, prematurity, lack of family support, and poor marital relationships have been identified as main risk factors for developing postpartum depression.
Out in the Classroom: Transgender Student Experiences at a Large Public University

Faculty and peer interactions are 2 of the most important relationships for college students to foster (Astin, 1993). Transgender college students have an increasing visible presence on college campuses (Pusch, 2005), yet limited research exists on their experiences and struggles in the classroom environment (Garvey & Rankin, 2015; Renn, 2010). This study sought to understand the experiences of transgender students in the context of the college classroom and their perceptions of faculty and peer support. The experiences of 5 transgender students from a large Midwest public institution are illustrated by 4 themes that emerged: coming out, instructor interaction, peer (non)support in the classroom, and campus and course context impact college environment. Overall, participants’ experiences varied, but all reported incidents of marginalization from instructors and peers. This study provides a necessary voice to the lived experiences of transgender college students within the context of the university classroom.
Reliable and lightweight primary flight control actuation using magneto-rheological clutches in slippage

Replacing aircraft hydraulic actuators with ElectroMechanical Actuators (EMAs) is seen as a necessary step towards the development of safer and more efficient aircraft with minimal environmental impact. EMAs are commonly used in a wide range of applications as they have improved efficiency over hydraulic actuators. However, in their current form, EMAs do not comply with the stringent weight and reliability requirements of primary flight control applications. This paper describes an Active Torque Distribution (ATD) system that could meet flight control reliability requirements, be lightweight, and increase the dynamic performance of current flight controls. The proposed ATD system uses magneto-rheological clutches to modulate the torque transferred from a centralized velocity source to various control surfaces. The fundamental advantage of this approach is found in the fluidic nature of magneto-rheological clutch interfaces which transmit torque without any solid mechanical contact thus preventing wear and failure causing mechanical seizure. The analytical study used to scale an ATD system and an analogue EMA system based on a representative flight control application shows that the proposed ATD system is 42% lighter than a system composed of EMAs and has a weight similar to that of current hydraulic actuators. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that ATD systems add ~100x less inertia to flight surfaces than EMAs allowing implementation of load alleviation control algorithms requiring high frequency motion (~30 Hz). A proof-of-concept clutch and controller confirm the analytical predictions and validate the possibility of using magneto-rheological clutches for flight control actuation.
Pattern Classification Techniques for Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis using an Electronic Nose

We present a method to diagnose lung cancer by the analysis of breath using an electronic nose. This device can react to a gas substance by providing signals that can be analyzed to classify the input. It is composed of a sensor array (6 MOS sensors, in our case) and a pattern classification process based on machine learning techniques. During the first phase of our research, we have evaluated the possibility and accuracy of lung cancer diagnosis by classifying the olfactory signal associated to exhalations of subjects. The second part of the research, still in progress, is aimed at assessing the possibility of discriminating also the different types and stages of the disease. At the end of the first phase, results have been very satisfactory and promising: we achieved an average accuracy of 92.6%, sensitivity of 95.3% and specificity of 90.5%. In particular we analyzed the breath of 101 individuals, of which 58 control subjects, and 43 suffer from different types of lung cancer (primary and not) at different stages. In order to find the components able to discriminate between the two classes 'healthy' and 'sick' at best, and to reduce the dimensionality of the problem, we have extracted the most significant features and projected them into a lower dimensional space using Non Parametric Linear Discriminant Analysis. Finally, we have used these features as input to several supervised pattern classification algorithms, based on different k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) approaches (classic, modified and Fuzzy k-NN), linear and quadratic discriminant classifiers and on a feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN). The observed results have all been validated using cross-validation. These results pushed us to begin the second phase of the project to investigate the possibility of early lung cancer diagnosis: we are involving a larger number of subjects, partioned in different classes according to the type and stage of the disease. The research demonstrates that the electronic nose is a promising alternative to current lung cancer diagnostic techniques: the obtained predictive errors are lower than those achieved by present diagnostic methods, and the cost of the analysis, both in money, time and resources, is lower. The introduction of this technology will lead to very important social and business effects: its low price and small dimensions allow a large scale distribution, giving the opportunity to perform non invasive, cheap, quick, and massive early diagnosis and screening.
Slow Magnetic Relaxation in Unprecedented Mono-Dimensional Coordination Polymer of Ytterbium Involving Tetrathiafulvalene-Dicarboxylate Linker

A one-dimensional compound has been constructed through a YbIII ion and bridging redox-active deprotonated 4,5-bis(carboxylic)-4′,5′-methyldithiotetrathiafulvene. This polymer displays slow magnetic relaxation due to the planar magnetic anisotropy of the YbIII, which has been experimentally determined.
Effect of the number of preceding muscle actions on subsequent peak power output.

Many sports events require participants to exert a maximal effort in the closing stages-that is, after prior fatiguing exercise. Peak and mean pedalling rate during 30 s of high-intensity cycle ergometer exercise was manipulated by altering the applied resistance or the initial exercise intensity so that the effect of three contrasting strategies on subsequent peak power output could be examined. Seven female students cycled for 30 s in one of three conditions: (1) all-out effort against an applied resistance of 7.5% of body weight (test 1); (2) at a constant pace of 55% of the peak pedal rate of test 1 against a resistance of 10.9 +/- 0.4% of body weight (test 2); (3) all-out effort against the greater resistance (test 3). A 6 s sprint against the lesser resistance was performed 3 s after each test. Total work was greater (P < 0.01) in test 3 than in test 1, while mean pedal rate was higher (P < 0.01) in test 1 (mean +/- S.E.: 10.0 +/- 0.4 rad s-1) than in tests 2 and 3 (7.2 +/- 0.4 and 7.8 +/- 0.3 rad s-1 respectively). The peak power output in the subsequent 6 s sprint was similar following tests 2 and 3 (516 +/- 37 and 534 +/- 41 W respectively), but was lower following test 1 (420 +/- 37 W) (P < 0.01, test 1 vs tests 2 and 3). These results indicate that the number of muscle actions during 30 s of fatiguing exercise may exert a considerable influence on one's ability to subsequently produce peak power output. In sports such as cycling where the same external velocity is attainable at different muscle action speeds, then appropriate gear selection during the race will impact on the rider's ability to sprint in the latter stages.