Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blood donor incentives: A step forward or backward

Dramatic increase in blood usage and critical seasonal blood shortages are faced by various countries. Countries which previously reached 100% voluntary nonremunerated donation have been led to offer different kinds of incentives to recruit blood donors and meet their blood demands. In some cases, these incentives are considered monetary and are in complete contrast with International standards like World Health Organization (WHO). It seems that attitudes toward sole dependency on nonremunerated voluntary blood donation have been changed in recent years and experts in some developed countries are reevaluating partial reliance on paid donation. On the other hand, besides the effects of such incentives on blood safety, several economic and psychological studies have shown that incentives have discouraging effects on pro-social behaviors like blood donation and will reduce the number of blood donors in long term. With regard to the results of such studies, it seems that implementing incentive-based blood donor recruitment programs to meet blood requirements by some countries is becoming a challenge for blood banks.
The School Board President’s Perception of the District Superintendent: Applying the Lenses of Social Influence and Social Style

This exploratory study used components found in social influence theory and social style to examine the school board president’s perceptions of the district superintendent’s ability to influence the construction of the board agenda and voting decisions made by school boards in 131 randomly chosen school districts. Social influence theory and social style suggest that credibility, social attractiveness, assertiveness, and emotiveness are effective and compelling elements of influence. Results from this study suggest that favorable board decision making for superintendent-recommended action items is closely related to the superintendent’s trustworthiness (perceived use of skills and knowledge for the good of the district), expertise (specialized knowledge of the superintendent) and social attractiveness (perceived compatibility with board presidents). Findings also indicate that the attributes of social influence theory and social style are perceived as essential in the superintendent’s ability to develop and maintain a cooperative working relationship with board members and the community.
Modified Durbin Method for Accurate Estimation of Moving-Average Models

Spectra with narrow valleys can accurately be described with moving-average (MA) models by using only a small number of parameters. Durbin's MA method uses the estimated parameters of a long autoregressive (AR) model to calculate the MA parameters. Probably all the pejorative remarks on the quality of Durbin's method in the literature are based on suboptimal or wrong choices for the method of AR estimation or for the order of the intermediate AR model. Generally, the AR order should considerably be higher than the order of the best predicting AR model, and it should grow with the sample size. Furthermore, the Burg estimates for the AR parameters give the best results because they have the smallest variance of all the AR methods with a small bias. A modified Durbin MA method uses a properly defined number of AR parameters, which was estimated with Burg's method, and outperforms all the other known MA estimation methods, asymptotically as well as in finite samples. The accuracy is generally close to the Cramer-Rao bound.
Zoo-FISH in the European mole (Talpa europaea) detects all ancestral Boreo-Eutherian human homologous chromosome associations

Zoo-FISH with human whole-chromosome paint probes delineated syntenic association of human homologous chromosome segments 3-21, 14-15, 16-19, 4-8, 7-16 and 12-22 (twice) in the European mole (Talpa europaea, Talpidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia). These segment associations represent shared ancestral Boreo-Eutherian traits, half of which were previously not described for Eulipotyphla. The karyotype of the European mole acquired a minimum of 19 translocations and six inversions compared to the presumed Boreo-Eutherian ancestor.
A Focused Ethnographic Study of Sri Lankan Government Field Veterinarians’ Decision Making about Diagnostic Laboratory Submissions and Perceptions of Surveillance

The global public health community is facing the challenge of emerging infectious diseases. Historically, the majority of these diseases have arisen from animal populations at lower latitudes where many nations experience marked resource constraints. In order to minimize the impact of future events, surveillance of animal populations will need to enable prompt event detection and response. Many surveillance systems targeting animals rely on veterinarians to submit cases to a diagnostic laboratory or input clinical case data. Therefore understanding veterinarians’ decision-making process that guides laboratory case submission and their perceptions of infectious disease surveillance is foundational to interpreting disease patterns reported by laboratories and engaging veterinarians in surveillance initiatives. A focused ethnographic study was conducted with twelve field veterinary surgeons that participated in a mobile phone-based surveillance pilot project in Sri Lanka. Each participant agreed to an individual in-depth interview that was recorded and later transcribed to enable thematic analysis of the interview content. Results found that field veterinarians in Sri Lanka infrequently submit cases to laboratories – so infrequently that common case selection principles could not be described. Field veterinarians in Sri Lanka have a diagnostic process that operates independently of laboratories. Participants indicated a willingness to take part in surveillance initiatives, though they highlighted a need for incentives that satisfy a range of motivations that vary among field veterinarians. This study has implications for the future of animal health surveillance, including interpretation of disease patterns reported, system design and implementation, and engagement of data providers.
Whole-body positron emission tomography and tumor marker CA125 for detection of recurrence in epithelial ovarian cancer

We evaluated the clinical role of the combination of positron emission tomography (PET) with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and tumor marker CA125, in the detection of recurrence after initial therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer. The indication is the cases that cannot be confirmed the recurrence by conventional imaging modalities. Ninety patients underwent PET and computed tomography, including the measurement of specific tumor markers. FDG-PET confirmed recurrence in 46 patients (51%), and the recurrent site was confirmed by PET alone in 17 (37%). PET had high sensitivity for detecting both intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal metastases (93.9 and 92.9%, respectively). PET imaging was able to detect normal-sized metastases in the lymph nodes in 14 (50%) of the 28 patients with retroperitoneal metastasis. PET could show 87.5% positive rate of recurrent patients with asymptomatic rise of CA125 who had no sign of recurrence by conventional imaging methods. Of the 46 recurrent patients, 41 (89%) had specific elevated titers of CA125 at the first treatment. PET imaging was able to detect recurrence at relatively low titers (a median 68 U/mL) of CA125. In 8 (19.5%) of these 41 patients, recurrence with normal CA125 levels could be confirmed only by PET. The sensitivity of the combination of PET and CA125 was 97.8% with only one false-negative case. The combination of FDG-PET and CA125 titer is useful for the accurate detection of recurrence.
Presence of vascular loops entering internal acoustic channel may increase risk of Sudden sensorineural hearing loss and reduce recovery of these patients

To analyze whether there is correlation between branching patterns of anterior inferior cerebellar artery/posterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA/PICA) in cerebellopontine angle (CPA) area, as demonstrated by three‐dimensional fast imaging employing steady‐state acquisition (3D FIESTA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 1) idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) outcomes and 2) recovery of ISSNHL.
Seasonal ecosystem metabolism across shallow benthic habitats measured by aquatic eddy covariance

Shallow benthic habitats are hotspots for carbon cycling and energy flow, but metabolism (primary production and respiration) dynamics and habitat‐specific differences remain poorly understood. We investigated daily, seasonal, and annual metabolism in six key benthic habitats in the Baltic Sea using ~ 2900 h of in situ aquatic eddy covariance oxygen flux measurements. Rocky substrates had the highest metabolism rates. Habitat‐specific annual primary production per m2 was in the order Fucus vesiculosus canopy > Mytilus trossulus reef > Zostera marina canopy > mixed macrophytes canopy > sands, whereas respiration was in the order M. trossulus > F. vesiculosus > Z. marina > mixed macrophytes > sands > aphotic sediments. Winter metabolism contributed 22–31% of annual rates. Spatial upscaling revealed that benthic habitats drive > 90% of ecosystem metabolism in waters ≤5 m depth, highlighting their central role in carbon and nutrient cycling in shallow waters.
The role of infectious bronchitis virus in respiratory and renal problems in broiler chickens

Broiler chickens in Egypt represent the main source of animal protein. Unfortunately, they usually are hit by many disease problems. Respiratory and renal affections are investigated in forty four broiler chicken flocks during 2014-2015 in three large Governorates; Sharkia, Dakahlia and Gharbia. The birds age ranged from 19-54days and suffured from general signs of illness, respiratory troubles with Whitish and greenish diarrhea. Mortality rates ranged from (0.5-30%). On necropsy, tracheitis, bronchitis and congestion of lungs were recorded in all flocks. Caseated plugs at tracheal bifurcation (29/44), fibrinous pericarditis, perihepatitis and air sacculitis(19/44) were also observed. Nepherosis-nephritis (22/44) and General congestion with hemorrhage on proventriculus (n=9) and cecal tonsil (n=4) were seen among affected birds. Chicken embryo inoculation with respiratory and renal tissue suspension revealed reduction in embryo size (n=9), death within 72hrs (n=24) while 5 flocks required successive blind passage to show reduction in embryo size up to 2cm compared to 5cm in negative control. The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on both original tissues and allantoic fluids using specific primers for S1 gene. Nine positive infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were detected in original samples compared with only 2 in allantoic fluids of the same samples. It could be concluded that IBV is responsible on 20% of respiratory and renal troubles in broilers under investigation. The direct RT-PCR could be reliable tool for appropriate IBV diagnosis in chickens.
Endothelial Cell “Memory” of Inflammatory Stimulation: Human Venular Endothelial Cells Store Interleukin 8 in Weibel-Palade Bodies

The expression and secretion of interleukin (IL)-8, the prototype member of the C-X-C subfamily of chemokines, can be induced by diverse inflammatory stimuli in many cells, including endothelial cells (EC). Upon de novo synthesis, IL-8 localizes intracellularly in the Golgi apparatus, from where it is secreted. In addition to this constitutive secretory pathway, we describe a depot storage and separate regulated secretory pathway of IL-8 in EC. The prolonged stimulation of primary human EC with inflammatory mediators resulted in the accumulation of IL-8 in Weibel-Palade bodies, where it colocalized with von Willebrand factor. IL-8 was retained in these storage organelles for several days after the removal of the stimulus and could be released by EC secretagogues such as phorbol myristate acetate, the calcium ionophore A23187, and histamine. These findings suggest that storage of IL-8 in Weibel-Palade bodies may serve as the EC “memory” of a preceding inflammatory insult, which then enables the cells to secrete IL-8 immediately without de novo protein synthesis.
Analytical Modeling of the Suspended-Gate FET and Design Insights for Low-Power Logic

An analytical model for the suspended-gate field-effect transistor (SGFET), dedicated to the dc analysis of SGFET logic circuits, is developed. The model is based on the depletion approximation and expresses the pull-in voltage, the pull-out voltage, and the stable travel range as a function of the structural parameters. Gate position is explicitly expressed as a function of the gate voltage, thus enabling the convenient integration of the analytical SGFET relationships into the standard MOSFET models. Starting from the new SGFET model, the influence of the mechanical hysteresis on the circuit steady-state behavior is discussed, the potential of using the SGFET as an ultra-low power switch is demonstrated, and the operation of the complementary SGFET inverter is analyzed.
Fast-swimming hydromedusae exploit velar kinematics to form an optimal vortex wake

SUMMARY Fast-swimming hydromedusan jellyfish possess a characteristic funnel-shaped velum at the exit of their oral cavity that interacts with the pulsed jets of water ejected during swimming motions. It has been previously assumed that the velum primarily serves to augment swimming thrust by constricting the ejected flow in order to produce higher jet velocities. This paper presents high-speed video and dye-flow visualizations of free-swimming Nemopsis bachei hydromedusae, which instead indicate that the time-dependent velar kinematics observed during the swimming cycle primarily serve to optimize vortices formed by the ejected water rather than to affect the speed of the ejected flow. Optimal vortex formation is favorable in fast-swimming jellyfish because, unlike the jet funnelling mechanism, it allows for the minimization of energy costs while maximizing thrust forces. However, the vortex `formation number' corresponding to optimality in N. bachei is substantially greater than the value of 4 found in previous engineering studies of pulsed jets from rigid tubes. The increased optimal vortex formation number is attributable to the transient velar kinematics exhibited by the animals. A recently developed model for instantaneous forces generated during swimming motions is implemented to demonstrate that transient velar kinematics are required in order to achieve the measured swimming trajectories. The presence of velar structures in fast-swimming jellyfish and the occurrence of similar jet-regulating mechanisms in other jet-propelled swimmers (e.g. the funnel of squid) appear to be a primary factor contributing to success of fast-swimming jetters, despite their primitive body plans.
Effects of chemical pretreatments on the hydrogen isotope composition of 2:1 clay minerals.

RATIONALE Clays are a commonly occurring authigenic mineral within soils, and the hydrogen isotope ratios of their structural hydroxyl groups can serve as a useful environmental proxy. Chemical and physical treatments are necessary to eliminate contaminating materials from clays, but they have the potential to alter their isotopic composition. METHODS Several pure, commonly occurring 2:1 clay mineralogies were treated with typical chemical procedures for the removal of carbonates, organic matter, and amorphous hydroxides. Samples were heated under vacuum to remove the adsorbed and interlayer water that occurs universally in natural clays. The samples were then analyzed for hydrogen content and isotope ratios through thermal conversion elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (TC-EA/IRMS). RESULTS No effects on hydrogen composition were found for most of the analyzed mineralogies. Smectite samples showed significant alteration following treatments for carbonate and organic matter. In addition, the smectites showed variable levels of hydrogen exchange with isotopically labeled H2 O. CONCLUSIONS Smectites show significant and highly variable alteration following common chemical treatments, and analysis for paleoclimate reconstruction is problematic. A minor amount of H isotope exchange is likely at temperatures sufficient to remove adsorbed water, and efforts must be made to minimize and quantify this exchange during analyses of clay samples.
Progesterone, progestins and 17-hydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione in the utero-ovarian, uterine and peripheral blood of the pregnant rhesus monkey.

Progesterone, progestins, and 17-hydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione (17-OHP) were measured in the utero-ovarian, uterine and peripheral plasma at days 22, 42, and 157 of pregnancy in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). At day 22, the concentrations of these steroids in the utero-ovarian vein were higher than in the uterine vein, and the titers in both of these vessels were higher than those in the periphery. At day 42, the quantities of progesterone, progestins and 17-OHP in the utero-ovarian vein were not elevated over uterine vein levels but hormone levels in both of these vessels were higher than peripheral titers, although progesterone and progestins in the utero-ovarian and uterine veins were not elevated as markedly over peripheral concentrations at day 42 as at day 22. At day 157, progesterone and progestins were higher in the uteroovarian vein than in the uterine vein and their concentrations in both vessels were considerably elevated over peripheral blood levels. Little 17-OHP was present at day 157.
High-throughput wafer-scale microtensile testing of thin films

This paper reports on the mechanical characterization of thin films using the microtensile technique performed for the first time at the wafer-scale. Multiple test structures are processed and sequentially measured on the same substrate, thus eliminating delicate handling of individual samples. The current layout uses 26 test structures evenly distributed on a 4-inch silicon wafer, each of them having microtensile specimens. A fully automated, high-throughput setup has been developed, which enables the fast acquisition of data with statistical relevance for the reliable extraction of material properties. The technique has been successfully applied to mum- and sub-mum-thick films. These include brittle materials, such as polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) and silicon nitride (SiNx), and ductile materials such as aluminum (Al). The extraction of mechanical parameters such as the Young's modulus E, mean tensile strength sigma tildeu, Weibull modulus m and 0.2% offset yield strength sigma0.2% is demonstrated.
PAMs ameliorates the imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin disease in mice by inhibition of translocation of NF-κB and production of inflammatory cytokines

Psoriasis is a chronic and persistent inflammatory skin disease seriously affecting the quality of human life. In this study, we reported an ancient formula of Chinese folk medicine, the natural plant antimicrobial solution (PAMs) for its anti-inflammatory effects and proposed the primary mechanisms on inhibiting the inflammatory response in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells and imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin disease mouse model. Two main functional components of hydroxysafflor Yellow A and allantoin in PAMs were quantified by HPLC to be 94.2±2.2 and 262.9±12.5 μg/mL respectively. PAMs could significantly reduce the gene expression and inflammatory cytokines production of Macrophage-Derived Chemokine (MDC), IL-8 and IL-6 in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. PAMs also significantly ameliorates the psoriatic-like symptoms in a mouse model with the evaluation scores for both the single (scales, thickness, erythema) and cumulative features were in the order of blank control < Dexamethasone < PAMs < 50% ethanol < model groups. The results were further confirmed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. The down-regulated gene expression of IL-8, TNF-α, ICAM-1 and IL-23 in mouse tissues was consistent with the results from those of the HaCaT cells. The inhibition of psoriasis-like skin inflammation by PAMs was correlated with the inactivation of the translocation of P65 protein into cellular nucleus, indicating the inhibition of the inflammatory NF-κB signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings suggest that PAMs may be a promising drug candidate for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders, such as psoriasis.
Arylacetamide Deacetylase Is a Determinant Enzyme for the Difference in Hydrolase Activities of Phenacetin and Acetaminophen

Phenacetin was withdrawn from the market because it caused renal failure in some patients. Many reports indicated that the nephrotoxicity of phenacetin is associated with the hydrolyzed metabolite, p-phenetidine. Acetaminophen (APAP), the major metabolite of phenacetin, is also hydrolyzed to p-aminophenol, which is a nephrotoxicant. However, APAP is safely prescribed if used in normal therapeutic doses. This background prompted us to investigate the difference between phenacetin and APAP hydrolase activities in human liver. In this study, we found that phenacetin is efficiently hydrolyzed in human liver microsomes (HLM) [CLint 1.08 ± 0.02 μl/(min · mg)], whereas APAP is hardly hydrolyzed [0.02 ± 0.00 μl/(min · mg)]. To identify the esterase involved in their hydrolysis, the activities were measured using recombinant human carboxylesterase (CES) 1A1, CES2, and arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC). Among these, AADAC showed a Km value (1.82 ± 0.02 mM) similar to that of HLM (3.30 ± 0.16 mM) and the highest activity [Vmax 6.03 ± 0.14 nmol/(min · mg)]. In contrast, APAP was poorly hydrolyzed by the three esterases. The large contribution of AADAC to phenacetin hydrolysis was demonstrated by the prediction with a relative activity factor. In addition, the phenacetin hydrolase activity by AADAC was activated by flutamide (5-fold) as well as that in HLM (4-fold), and the activity in HLM was potently inhibited by eserine, a strong inhibitor of AADAC. In conclusion, we found that AADAC is the principal enzyme responsible for the phenacetin hydrolysis, and the difference of hydrolase activity between phenacetin and APAP is largely due to the substrate specificity of AADAC.
A Pilot Clinical Trial of Creatine and Minocycline in Early Parkinson Disease: 18-Month Results

Objective: To report an 18-month follow-up on creatine and minocycline futility study, the Neuroprotective Exploratory Trials in Parkinson Disease, Futility Study 1 (NET-PD FS-1). Background: The NET-PD FS-1 futility study on creatine and minocycline found neither agent futile in slowing down the progression of disability in Parkinson disease (PD) at 12 months using the prespecified futility threshold. An additional 6 months of follow-up aimed to assess safety and potential interactions of the study interventions with antiparkinsonian therapy. Methods: Additional 6 months of follow-up in randomized, blinded phase II trial of creatine (dosage, 10 g/d) and minocycline (dosage, 200 mg/d) in subjects with early PD. Results: By 18 months, symptomatic treatment of PD symptoms was required in 61% of creatine, 62% of minocycline, and 60% of placebo-treated subjects. Study treatment was prematurely discontinued in 9%, 23%, and 6% of subjects in the creatine, minocycline, and placebo arms, respectively. Creatine and minocycline did not seem to adversely influence the response to symptomatic therapy nor increase adverse events. Conclusions: Data from this small, 18-month phase II trial of creatine and minocycline do not demonstrate safety concerns that would preclude a large, phase III efficacy trial, although the decreased tolerability of minocycline is a concern.