Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of garlic solution supplementation on performance, carcass weight and abdominal fat of broiler chickens

Garlic has been well known as one of the medicinal plants. In addition, active compounds in the garlic may also induce performance of chicken. This research aimed to investigate the effect of garlic supplementation in drinking water on the performance of broiler chickens, carcass weight, and quantity of abdominal fat weight. Completely randomized design (CRD) was arranged. One-day old broiler chickens Lohmann MB 202 with initial weight of ±40 g (unsexed, 100 birds), were randomly introduced to the following treatments: (P0) water + 0% carcass; (P1) water + 3% carcass; (P2) water + 6% carcass and (P3) water + 9% carcass. Each treatment was carried out at 5 replications, using at least 5 chickens for each replication. Garlic was supplemented in water for chickens, from one-day old to the end of experimental period (35 days). Based on the experimental results, it can be concluded that the giving of garlic solution does not have an effect on the overall performance of the broiler, carcass weight, and abdominal fat, but based on the average value of performance, carcass weight and abdominal fat it can be concluded that treatment P0 gives better than other treatments (P1, P2 and P3).
Effects of preoperative single bolus dose of dexmedetomidine on perioperative hemodynamics in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Minimal surgical access techniques have become a gold standard of patient care in present era, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is preffered treatment of choice for gall stones. Along with advantages, it is also associated with severe sympathoadrenal stress response, a cause for morbidity and mortality. Dexmedetomidine is an highly selective alpha2 adrenoceptor (α2-AR) agonist, seems to control this sympathetic response and provide a stable perioperative haemodynamics. Aim of the Study: To investigate effects of preoperative single bolus dose of Dexmedetomidine on hemodynamic parameters in patients posted for Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Design: Randomised Prospective Double-Blind Study. Materials and Methods: 50 ASA Gr I & II patients belonging to both sex in age group of 20 to 50yrs scheduled for Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy were randomly divided into two groups of 25 each Group-D (Dexmedetomidine) and Group – S (Placebo (0.9% Saline)) A Balanced General Anaesthesia technique included Propofol, Vecuronium IPPV & Isoflurane 0.5%. Perioperatively SBP, DBP, MAP, HR were recorded at predetermined intervals Pre-op, After Induction, After Intubation & 15 mins interval and extubation data was analysed statistically. Results: In Group D HR, MAP, SBP, DBP were significantly less in comparision to Group S. Conclusion: A single bolus dose of Dexmedetomidine preoperatively effectively attenuates sympathoadrenal stress responses to laparoscopy results in stable perioperative hemodynamics.
SiGe pMODFETs on silicon-on-sapphire substrates with 116 GHz f/sub max/

The dc and microwave results of Si/sub 0.2/Ge/sub 0.8//Si/sub 0.7/Ge/sub 0.3/ pMODFETs grown on silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) substrates by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition are reported. Devices with L/sub g/=0.1 /spl mu/m displayed high transconductance (377 mS/mm), low output conductance (25 mS/mm), and high gate-to-drain breakdown voltage (4 V). The dc current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were also nearly identical to those of control devices grown on bulk Si substrates. Microwave characterization of 0.1/spl times/50 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ devices yielded unity current gain (f/sub T/) and unilateral power gain (f/sub max/) cutoff frequencies as high as 50 GHz and 116 GHz, respectively. Noise parameter characterization of 0.1/spl times/90 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ devices revealed minimum noise figure (F/sub min/) of 0.6 dB at 3 GHz and 2.5 dB at 20 GHz.
Determinants of place of Death for recipients of Home-Based Palliative Care

Introduction: Health system restructuring combined with the preferences of many terminally ill care recipients and their caregivers has led to an increase in home-based palliative care, yet many care recipients die within institutional settings such as hospitals. This study sought to determine the place of death and its predictors among palliative care patients with cancer. Methods: Study participants were re cruited from the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care, a regional palliative care program based in Toronto, Canada. A total of 137 patients and their family caregivers participated in the study; application of various exclusion criteria restricted analysis to a sub-sample of 110. Bivariate (chi-square) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were conducted. Results: 66 percent of participants died at home. Chisquare analysis indicated that women were more likely to die at home than men; multivariate analysis indicated that women and those living with others were significantly more likely to die at home than men or those who lived alone. Conclusion: Place of death is influenced by the socio-demographic characteristics of patients, the characteristics of their caregivers, and health service factors. Palliative care programs need to tailor services to men and those living alone in order to reduce institutional deaths.
Differences in BDNF Serum Levels in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objectives: A great deal of research has been conducted into the possible involvement of neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We hypothesized that lower BDNF serum levels may be associated with cognitive decline. To test this hypothesis, we examined the differences in the serum BDNF levels in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal controls. Method: We enrolled 56 subjects with AD, 29 subjects with MCI, and 24 healthy control subjects in the study. A total of 109 subjects agreed to blood sampling to evaluate serum BDNF levels. Serum levels of BDNF were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: The MCI group had higher BDNF levels as compared to the AD group (p=0.027). However, there were no significant differences between either the AD group or the MCI group and the control group. A significant correlation was observed between MMSE-K score and serum BDNF level. However, BDNF serum concentrations did not significantly correlate with age or level of education in the AD, MCI, and control groups. Conclusion: Our data suggest that BDNF serum levels are increased in subjects with MCI, supporting the hypothesis of an upregulation of BDNF in preclinical stages. BDNF levels might be involved in the pathophysiology of cognitive decline in elderly people.
Review: In Vitro Models for the Study of Early Human Embryo-Endometrium Interactions

The molecular interactions at the embryo-endometrial interface during the period of blastocyst adhesion and subsequent invasion into the endometrial stroma are not fully understood. Current knowledge is primarily based on evidence from implantation studies in the mouse. The degree to which data derived from animal studies mirror human implantation is limited. The ethical and technical challenges studying implantation in the human can partly be overcome by designing in vitro models of embryo-endometrium interactions. In this review, the principal models in current use are described. Basic models using tissue explants and monolayers are distinguished from complex models using multilayer isolated cells, and embryo-endometrium coculture systems used therapeutically. Although there are limitations to current approaches, a number of research questions that could be addressed using these techniques are identified.
Interference-free code design for MC-CDMA uplink transmissions

In a recent study, solutions have been proposed for completely suppressing the multiple access interference (MAI) arising in the uplink of a quasi-synchronous multicarrier code-division multiple-access network as a consequence of multipath distortions and carrier frequency offsets. This result is achieved by employing exponential orthogonal codes or selecting a particular subset of the Walsh-Hadamard code family without the need for any channel state information at the transmitter side. In the present letter, we revisit this problem and show that MAI suppression can be achieved by following a different line of reasoning which leads to a transmission scheme exhibiting a lower peak-to-average power ratio.
Energy-Aware Scheduling of Periodic Conditional Task Graphs on MPSoCs

We investigate the problem of scheduling a set of periodic conditional task graphs of non-preemtible tasks on a MPSoCs (Multi Processor System-on-Chip) with shared memory such that the total expected processor energy consumption of the tasks in each scenario is minimized under two power models, namely dynamic and static power model, and propose a novel offline scheduling approach. Our approach consists of a novel two-phase task scheduler that aims at minimizing total worst-case utilization of each processor and an optimal task execution speed selection algorithm using convex NLP (Non-Linear Programming). Furthermore, we propose an O(1) time online DVS (Dynamic Voltage Scaling) heuristic that assigns each task a speed online. Our experimental results show that our two-phase scheduler achieves a 95.2% success rate of constructing a feasible schedule, compared to a 42% success rate of the state-of-the-art. For energy saving, our offline scheduling approach achieves an average improvement, a maximum improvement and a minimum improvement of 8.03%, 14.08%, and 4.8%, respectively over our online DVS heuristic.
Diode Laser Myringotomy for Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion in Adults

Objective: To analyze the closure time of diode laser-assisted myringotomies, the incidence of complications, and the hearing results in comparison with the "cold" procedure in adults with otitis media with effusion (OME). Study Design: Prospective case-control study. Setting: Tertiary referral center, university hospital. Patients: Twenty-eight adult patients (39 ears), 13 men and 15 women, age 13 to 76 years (mean, 51.9). Inclusion criteria included 3 months (or more) history of OME resistant to medical therapy. Twenty-two control patients (34 ears) underwent cold myringotomies with knife and ventilation tubes (VT). Intervention: Diode laser myringotomy performed in an office setting under local anesthesia with topical EMLA ointment. Main Outcome Measures: Timing of closure of the myringotomy, hearing results, incidence of complications, recurrence of OME. Results: No intra- or postoperative pain nor complications were observed. Otomicroscopic daily monitoring documented the healing patterns of the tympanostomies, which remained patent for 7 to 25 days (average, 15.6 ± 4.8 days). Immediate improvement of hearing was achieved in every patient. Recurrence of OME was observed in 36 ears (92.3%) within 1 month from healing. In the control group with VTs, healing of the eardrum was observed between 126 and 301 days (average, 183.2 ± 44.8 days), and recurrence of OME was observed in 8 ears (23.5%) (p < 0.001). One month after healing, the air-bone gap was retained within 10 dB in 10.3% (4/39) of the diode laser group and in 50% (17/34) of the standard procedure group (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Diode laser myringotomy is a straightforward, painless procedure simplified by the thin fiberoptic cables available. Functional benefit is comparable to conventional tympanostomies plus VTs, but the duration of patency is too short to achieve long-term clearance of the effusion in "glue" ears of adult patients. Selected indications could be acute or recurrent otitis media or the prevention of barotraumas in tubal dysfunction.
Deployment and PTSD in the female combat veteran: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND The number of females serving in the Gulf War has risen and continues to be a rapidly growing group. Females occupy a wide range of roles and face a myriad of challenges as they serve alongside their male counterparts in almost every role. Females are also facing redeployment, multiple deployments, and/or extended deployments. The stressors of war and deployments may be putting them at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If left untreated, PTSD can have devastating and debilitating consequences for veteran's functioning and relationships, their families, and society. OBJECTIVE To examine the literature over the past 10 years to determine if there is a relationship between deployments and the incidence of PTSD in female combat veterans as compared with male veterans. METHOD Systematic review. RESULTS The numbers of veterans screening for PTSD are increasing. Those who have experienced extended or multiple tours have higher screening rates. Females report slightly less combat exposure than males but higher exposures to other stressors of war such as military sexual trauma. Females were at higher risk for depression while males were at higher risk of substance abuse. Females and lower rank were associated with greater utilization of Veterans Administration services.
Parenting and child mental health

Abstract This paper reviews parenting programmes and their effectiveness with families of young children and highlights additional resources for primary care practitioners. Typically, 30% of GP consultations concern child behaviour problems and established behaviour problems can have lasting effects on children’s life chances. These problems can be identified in infancy and toddlerhood.Parenting is a key risk factor in their development and maintenance, yet is also amenable to change. In this paper we consider six parenting programmes that are widely evaluated and/or available in the U.K. and their evidence base . These include two NICE recommended parenting programmes (Incredible Years and Triple P), which offer tiered and flexible parenting programmes; predominantly for parents of school-age children. We also review Parent–Infant Psychotherapy, which is typically for parents of younger children. Fourth is Family Nurse Partnership, an intensive programme to support young, first-time mothers. Finally we consider, video feedback programmes which use video to focus in detail on parents’ interactions with their children, including Video Feedback to Promote Positive Parenting and Video Interactive Guidance. These interventions demonstrate the range of approaches which are being used to intervene early in children’s lives to try to prevent the development of enduring behavioural problems.
Context‐dependent resistance to proteolysis of intrinsically disordered proteins

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), also known as intrinsically unstructured proteins (IUPs), lack a well‐defined 3D structure in vitro and, in some cases, also in vivo. Here, we discuss the question of proteolytic sensitivity of IDPs, with a view to better explaining their in vivo characteristics. After an initial assessment of the status of IDPs in vivo, we briefly survey the intracellular proteolytic systems. Subsequently, we discuss the evidence for IDPs being inherently sensitive to proteolysis. Such sensitivity would not, however, result in enhanced degradation if the protease‐sensitive sites were sequestered. Accordingly, IDP access to and degradation by the proteasome, the major proteolytic complex within eukaryotic cells, are discussed in detail. The emerging picture appears to be that IDPs are inherently sensitive to proteasomal degradation along the lines of the “degradation by default” model. However, available data sets of intracellular protein half‐lives suggest that intrinsic disorder does not imply a significantly shorter half‐life. We assess the power of available systemic half‐life measurements, but also discuss possible mechanisms that could protect IDPs from intracellular degradation. Finally, we discuss the relevance of the proteolytic sensitivity of IDPs to their function and evolution.
Non-warning odors trigger innate color aversions—as long as they are novel

Warning signals made by unpalatable insects to potential predators commonly target more than one sense: such signals are ‘‘multimodal. ’’ Pyrazines are odors produced by warningly colored insects when attacked, and have been shown to interact with food coloration, biasing avian predators against novel and typically aposematic food. However, at present it is not known whether this is an adaptation by prey to exploit a general feature of avian psychology, or an evolutionary response by birds to enhance their avoidance of unpalatable prey. Here we investigate the effect of other odors on the innate responses of naive domestic chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) to food that is of novel color, or of a color that is associated with warning coloration, yellow. In the first experiment, we demonstrate that natural and artificial odors that have no association with aposematism in the wild can produce biases against both novel colored foods and yellow colored foods. In a second experiment, we also show that odor novelty is vital for eliciting such effects. These results support the idea that warning odors have evolved in response to preexisting psychological biases against novel odors in predators, rather than predators evolving specific responses against odors associated with unpalatable prey. Key words: antipredator; aposematism; foraging; innate aversions; multimodal signals; neophobia; signal design. [Behav Ecol 12:134–139 (2001)]
Increased systemic immune-inflammation index independently predicts poor survival for hormone receptor-negative, HER2-positive breast cancer patients

Purpose: We sought to examine the role of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in hormone receptor-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2+ (HER2+) breast cancer patients. Patients and methods: 155 HER2+ patients treated in our hospital from September 3, 2002, to September 21, 2012, were retrospectively enrolled. SII was established as neutrophil x platelet/lymphocyte counts. The median value of SII was used as cut-off value. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to evaluate the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). To comparatively evaluate the survival rates between patients from two groups, we used the log-rank test. For identifying independent factors of prognosis, we used the Cox regression model, applying multivariate statistics. Results: Analyses show that HER2+ patients with high and low SII had median DFS of 15.1 and 31.5 months, respectively (P<0.001), while the median DMFS in HER2+ patients with high SII was 18.4 and in patients with low SII was 33.0 months (P=0.001), and the median OS were 54.5 and 71.1 months respectively in high and low SII patients, respectively (P=0.002). Multivariate analysis had revealed increased SII independently linked to poor DFS (HR =1.46, 95% CI: 1.01–2.11, P=0.045). The difference between SII and DMFS bore no statistical significance. (HR =1.40, 95% CI: 0.96–2.03, P=0.078), while high SII independently predicted short OS (HR =1.51, 95% CI: 1.02–2.25, P=0.038). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increased SII independently predicts poor survival for hormone receptor-negative, HER2+ breast cancer patients. Prospective studies are, however, required to confirm the role of SII in the prognosis of patients with HER2+ before clinical use.
Hepatitis C Screening: Barriers to Linkage to Care

Abstract Background and Aims: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a medical and public health concern. Once infected individuals are identified, management includes not only education but also the use of antiviral therapy. Although screening for HCV is readily available, barriers exist which prevent assessment and treatment in individuals potentially infected with HCV. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients screened for HCV within the University of California, Los Angeles Health Care System between February 22 and July 9, 2018. We defined linkage to care as: 1) confirmatory HCV RNA test after screening HCV antibody test found a positive result; and 2) follow-up appointment for treatment was established with a specialist. Demographic and baseline laboratory values were collected. Factors potentially associated with prohibiting linkage of care were evaluated. Results: During the study period, 17,512 individuals were screened for HCV. A total of 238 (1.35%) were found to have detectable HCV antibodies. Of the individuals with detectable HCV antibodies, 48 (20%) did not undergo confirmatory testing with viral levels. Of the 190 individuals who underwent further testing, 70 patients were noted to be viremic. Among them, 17 of the 70 (24%) were not linked to a specialist for further care. Younger patients (p = 0.02) and people who inject drugs (p = 0.02) were less likely to be referred for specialty care. Conclusions: The results of our study highlight that younger patients and people who inject drugs are less likely to be referred to specialty care for HCV treatment. Efforts are needed to engage these populations.
High Leptin Levels Are Associated with Stroke

Background and Purpose: Leptin, an important hormone for body weight regulation, may be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular manifestations of obesity. We tested whether leptin may be an independent risk marker for stroke in a case-referent study. Methods: Definitive acute stroke events, defined by MONICA criteria, were identified from October 1, 1995 to April 30, 1999. Referents without known cardiovascular disease were randomly selected from a population census. Patient characteristics were taken from hospital files and leptin was analyzed in stored samples. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine possible differences in leptin levels between groups. Results: One hundred and thirty-seven cases with ischemic stroke and 69 cases with hemorrhagic stroke were identified. In comparison with referents, male patients with stroke had significantly higher leptin levels. Both male and female stroke patients had increased blood pressure compared with the referents. In multivariate analyses, high leptin levels were associated with both ischemic (OR = 4.89; 95% CI: 1.89–12.62) and hemorrhagic (OR = 3.86; 95% CI: 1.13–13.16) stroke in men, and with ischemic stroke in women (OR = 4.10; 95% CI: 1.45–11.62). The combination of high leptin levels and increased blood pressure (systolic or diastolic) was associated with a strong positive interaction in males with hemorrhagic stroke. Conclusion: Leptin may be an important link for the development of cerebrovascular disease in the insulin resistance syndrome in men.