Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ambient Temperature Growth of Mono- and Polycrystalline NbN Nanofilms and Their Surface and Composition Analysis

This paper presents the studies of high-quality 5-nm-thin NbN films deposited by means of reactive dc magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The deposition without substrate heating offers major advantages from a processing point of view and motivates the extensive composition and surface characterization and comparison of the present films with high-quality films grown at elevated temperatures. Monocrystalline NbN films have been epitaxially grown onto hexagonal GaN buffer layers (0002) and show a distinct low defect interface as confirmed by high-resolution TEM. The critical temperature Tc of the films on the GaN buffer layer reached 10.4 K. Furthermore, a polycrystalline structure was observed on films grown onto Si (100) substrates, exhibiting a Tc of 8.1 K, albeit a narrow transition from the normal to the superconducting state. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflected electron energy loss spectroscopy verified that the composition of NbN was identical irrespective of applied substrate heating. Moreover, the native oxide layer at the surface of NbN has been identified as NbO2 and, thus, is in contrast to the Nb2O5, usually claimed to be formed at the surface of Nb when exposed to air. These findings are of significance since it was proven the possibility of growing epitaxial NbN onto GaN buffer layer in the absence of high temperatures, hence paving the way to employ NbN in more advanced fabrication processes involving a higher degree of complexity. The eased integration and employment of liftoff techniques could, in particular, lead to improved performance of cryogenic ultrasensitive terahertz electronics.
Intravesical resiniferatoxin for the treatment of interstitial cystitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

PURPOSE Interstitial cystitis is a painful bladder condition of unknown etiology and poorly understood pathophysiology. Current therapies have met with limited success. Vanilloid receptor agonists such as resiniferatoxin (RTX) desensitize C-fibers that transmit pain; it is hypothesized that such drugs will be effective in the treatment of interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome by decreasing the pain that leads to urinary frequency and urgency. MATERIALS AND METHODS A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study was conducted in 163 patients with interstitial cystitis. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a single intravesical dose of 50 ml of either RTX 0.01 microM, 0.05 microM, 0.10 microM, or placebo. Safety and efficacy was evaluated over 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the Global Response Assessment, a 7-point scale rating overall change in symptoms of interstitial cystitis after 4 weeks. Secondary efficacy endpoints included reduction in pain, urgency, frequency, nocturia, average void volume, and the O'Leary-Sant Symptom and Problem Indexes. RESULTS RTX did not improve overall symptoms, pain, urgency, frequency, nocturia, or average void volume during 12 weeks followup. RTX resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the incidence of instillation pain, but was otherwise generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS In the largest prospective, randomized clinical trial reported to date with intravesical vanilloid therapy, single administration of RTX at doses of 0.01 microM to 0.10 microM was not effective in patients with interstitial cystitis.
Resonant mirror biosensor analysis of type Iα cAMP‐dependent protein kinase B domain—Cyclic nucleotide interactions

A resonant mirror biosensor was used to study cyclic nucleotide‐receptor interactions. In particular, a novel method was developed to determine inhibition constants (Ki) from initial rates of ligate association to immobilized ligand. This approach was applied to the comparison of cyclic nucleotide‐binding properties of the wild‐type isolated B domain of the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase type Iα regulatory subunit and its Ala‐334‐Thr (A334T) variant that has altered cyclic nucleotide specificity. A cUMP‐saturated form of the B domain was used for all measurements. Under the conditions used, cUMP did not affect the kinetics of B domain association to immobilized cAMP. Triton X‐100 was required to stabilize the protein at nanomolar concentrations. The association and dissociation rate constants for wild‐type and A334T B domains yielded equilibrium dissociation constants of 11 and 16 nM. Heterogeneity of ligate and immobilized ligand, mass transport effects, and other factors were evaluated for their influence on biosensor‐determined kinetic constants. Biosensor‐determined relative inhibition constants (K'i = KicAMP/K'ianalog) for 16 cyclic nucleotide analogs correlated well with those determined by a [3H]cAMP binding assay. Previously published K'i values for the B domain in the intact regulatory subunit were similar to those of the isolated B domain. The K'i values for the wild‐type and A334T B domains were essentially unchanged except for dramatic enhancements in affinity of cGMP analogs for the A334T B domain. These observations validate the isolated B domain as a simple model system for studying cyclic nucleotide‐receptor interactions.
Determination of transport stoichiometry for two cation‐coupled myo‐inositol cotransporters: SMIT2 and HMIT

Three different mammalian myo‐inositol cotransporters are currently known; two are Na+‐coupled (SMIT1 and SMIT2) and one is proton‐coupled (HMIT). Although their transport stoichiometries have not been directly determined, significant cooperativities in the Na+ activation of SMIT1 and SMIT2 suggest that more than one Na+ ion drives the transport of each myo‐inositol. The two techniques used here to determine transport stoichiometry take advantage of the electrogenicity of both SMIT2 and HMIT expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The first method compares the measurement of charge transferred into voltage‐clamped oocytes with the simultaneous uptake of radiolabelled substrate. The second approach uses high accuracy volume measurements to determine the transport‐dependent osmolyte uptake and compares it to the amount of charge transported. This method was calibrated using a potassium channel (ROMK2) and was validated with the Na+/glucose cotransporter SGLT1, which has a known stoichiometry of 2 : 1. Volume measurements indicated a stoichiometric ratio of 1.78 ± 0.27 ion per α‐methyl‐glucose (αMG) for SGLT1 whereas the radiotracer uptake method indicated 2.14 ± 0.05. The two methods yielded a SMIT2 stoichiometry measurement of 1.75 ± 0.30 and 1.82 ± 0.10, both in agreement with a 2 Na+:1 myo‐inositol stoichiometry. For HMIT, the flux ratio was 1.02 ± 0.04 charge per myo‐inositol, but the volumetric method suggested 0.67 ± 0.05 charge per myo‐inositol molecule. This last value is presumed to be an underestimate of the true stoichiometry of one proton for one myo‐inositol molecule due to some proton exchange for osmotically active species. This hypothesis was confirmed by using SGLT1 as a proton‐driven glucose cotransporter. In conclusion, despite the inherent difficulty in estimating the osmotic effect of a proton influx, the volumetric method was found valuable as it has the unique capacity of detecting unidentified transported substrates.
Eating patterns of children's favorite foods and its related factors among elementary, middle, and high school students in Korea

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES There are limited studies investigating the eating patterns of children's favorite foods. The present study aimed to evaluate a wide range of children's favorite foods, derive its eating patterns, and identify factors related to the patterns. SUBJECTS/METHODS A nationwide cross-sectional study included 5,458 students in elementary, middle, and high schools. The survey was conducted at each school to evaluate children's favorite food intake, including the intake frequency of 31 food items or food groups, and its related factors, such as demographic, economic, and environmental characteristics and awareness of policies on children's favorite foods. Factor analysis using varimax rotation method and logistic regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS Two factors were derived as major eating patterns from data of children's favorite foods: the ‘unhealthy eating pattern’ which mainly involves confectionery, chocolate, ramen, fried food, etc.; and the ‘healthy eating pattern’ which mainly involves soybean milk, vegetables, fruit juice, and nuts. A stepwise selection procedure through the regression analysis revealed that allowance, use of screen media, less awareness of policies on children's favorite foods, and less interest in health were positively related to the tendency of unhealthy or less-healthy eating patterns (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study examined that the eating patterns of children's favorite foods were associated with certain environmental characteristics and awareness about the related policies. These findings suggest that a nutrition education program regarding children's favorite foods needs to be conducted according to the characteristics of students to develop their healthy eating habits and proper choice of favorite foods.
False-negative isolations or absence of lesions may cause mis-diagnosis of diseased plants infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi

In a series of growth cabinet, glasshouse and field experiments, tissue samples from living clonal Eucalyptus marginata (jarřah) were incubated immediately after sampling on agar (NARPH) selective for Phytophthora. Phytophthora cinnamomi was recovered 3–6 months after inoculation from 50% of samples with lesions and 30% of symptomless samples. However, up to 11% of samples with and without lesions and from which P. cinnamomi was not initially isolated contained viable pathogen. This was shown by removing tissue which had not produced any growth of P. cinnamomi on NARPH plates, cutting it into smaller sections, washing in sterile deionised water repeatedly for 9 days, and replating. Plating stem or bark tissue directly onto NARPH produced false-negative results for nine P. cinnarnomi isolates and six jarrah clones. The behaviour of the pathogen indicates that it could be present as dormant structures, such as chlamydospores, that need to be induced to germinate. Alternatively, fungistatic compounds in the tissue needed to be removed to allow the pathogen to grow. These results have important implications for disease diagnosis and management, disease-free certification and quarantine clearance.
Loss of Heterochromatin Protein 1 Gamma Reduces the Number of Primordial Germ Cells via Impaired Cell Cycle Progression in Mice1

Signals from extraembryonic tissues in mice determine which proximal epiblast cells become primordial germ cells (PGCs). After their specification, approximately 40 PGCs appear at the base of the allantoic bud and migrate to the genital ridges, where they expand to about 25 000 cells by Embryonic Day (E)13.5. The heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family members HP1alpha, HP1beta, and HP1gamma (CBX5, CBX1, and CBX3, respectively) are thought to induce heterochromatin structure and to regulate gene expression by binding methylated histone H3 lysine 9. We found a dramatic loss of germ cells before meiosis in HP1gamma mutant (HP1gamma−/−) mice that we generated previously. The reduction in PGCs in HP1gamma−/− embryos was detectable from the early bud stage (E7.25), and the number of HP1gamma−/− PGCs was gradually reduced thereafter. Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into PGCs was significantly reduced in E7.25 and E12.5 HP1gamma−/− embryos. Furthermore, a lower proportion of HP1gamma−/− PGCs than wild-type PGCs was in S phase, and a higher proportion, respectively, was in G1 phase at E12.5. Moreover, the proportion of p21 (Cip, official symbol CDKN1A)-positive HP1gamma−/− PGCs was increased, suggesting that the G1/S phase transition was inhibited. However, no differences were detected between fate determination, migration, apoptosis, or histone modification of PGCs of control embryos and those of HP1gamma−/− embryos. Therefore, the reduction in PGCs in HP1gamma−/− embryos could be caused by impaired cell cycle in PGCs. These results suggest that HP1gamma plays an important role in keeping enough germ cells by regulating the PGC cell cycle.
Postural stability and sickness symptoms after HMD use

A head-mounted display use may induce various effects and symptoms. In our experiment we measured the time course of postural sway and sickness symptoms for 60 minutes after a head-mounted display (HMD) use. The results indicate that game playing with stereoscopic graphics and fast movement stimuli produced slightly increased postural sway and sickness symptoms for 20-30 minutes after the HMD use. However, there was no correlation between disorientation symptoms and sway. We also found out that watching a movie with the HMD was so relaxing that it made the participants feel better after the immersion.
Healthy people 2010 objectives for physical activity, physical education, and television viewing among adolescents: national trends from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 1999-2007.

BACKGROUND To help inform policies and programs, a need exists to understand the extent to which Healthy People 2010 objectives for physical activity, physical education (PE), and television (TV) viewing among adolescents are being achieved. METHODS As part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 5 national school-based surveys were conducted biennially from 1999 through 2007. Each survey used a 3-stage cross-sectional sample of students in grades 9 to 12 and provided self-reported data from approximately 14,000 students. Logistic regression models that controlled for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade were used to analyze secular trends. RESULTS During 1999 to 2007, prevalence estimates for regular participation in moderate and vigorous physical activity, participation in daily PE classes, and being physically active in PE classes did not change significantly among female, male, white, black, or Hispanic students. In contrast, the prevalence of TV viewing for 2 or fewer hours on a school day increased significantly among female, male, white, black, and Hispanic students and among students in every grade except 12th grade. CONCLUSIONS Among US adolescents, no significant progress has been made toward increasing participation in physical activity or school PE classes; however, improvements have been made in reducing TV viewing time.
High Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Rural Tanzania—Diagnosis Mainly Based on Fasting Blood Glucose from Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and increased long-term risk of metabolic diseases for both mother and child. In Tanzania, GDM prevalence increased from 0% in 1991 to 19.5% in 2016. Anaemia has been proposed to precipitate the pathogenesis of GDM. We aimed to examine the prevalence of GDM in a rural area of Tanzania with a high prevalence of anaemia and to examine a potential association between haemoglobin concentration and blood glucose during pregnancy. The participants were included in a population-based preconception, pregnancy and birth cohort study. In total, 538 women were followed during pregnancy and scheduled for an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at week 32–34 of gestation. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to the WHO 2013 guidelines. Out of 392 women screened, 39% (95% CI: 34.2–44.1) had GDM, the majority of whom (94.1%) were diagnosed based solely on the fasting blood sample from the OGTT. No associations were observed between haemoglobin or ferritin and glucose measurements during pregnancy. A very high prevalence of GDM was found in rural Tanzania. In view of the laborious, costly and inconvenient OGTT, alternative methods such as fasting blood glucose should be considered when screening for GDM in low- and middle-income countries.
Transforming Growth Factor-β Controls Human Osteoclastogenesis through the p38 MAPK and Regulation of RANK Expression*

Although RANK-L is essential for osteoclast formation, factors such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are potent modulators of osteoclastogenic stimuli. To systematically investigate the role of TGF-β in human osteoclastogenesis, monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood by three distinct approaches, resulting in either a lymphocyte-rich, a lymphocyte-poor, or a pure osteoclast precursor (CD14-positive) cell population. In each of these osteoclast precursor populations, the effect of TGF-β on proliferation, TRAP activity, and bone resorption was investigated with respect to time and length of exposure. When using the highly pure CD14 osteoclast precursor cell population, the effect of TGF-β was strongly dependent on the stage of osteoclast maturation. When monocytes were exposed to TGF-β during the initial culture period (days 1–7), TRAP activity and bone resorption were increased by 40%, whereas the cell number was reduced by 25%. A similar decrease in cell number was observed when TGF-β was present during the entire culture period (days 1–21), but in direct contrast, TRAP activity, cell fusion, cathepsin K, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression as well as bone resorption were almost completely abrogated. Moreover, we found that latent TGF-β was strongly activated by incubation with MMP-9 and suggest this to be a highly relevant mechanism for regulating osteoclast activity. To further investigate the molecular mechanism responsible for the divergent effects of continuous versus discontinuous exposure to TGF-β, we examined RANK expression and p38 MAPK activation. We found the TGF-β strongly induced p38 MAPK in monocytes, but not in mature osteoclasts, and that continuous exposure of TGF-β to monocytes down-regulated RANK expression. The current results suggest that TGF-β promotes human osteoclastogenesis in monocytes through stimulation of the p38 MAPK, whereas continuous exposure to TGF-β abrogates osteoclastogenesis through down-regulation of RANK expression and therefore attenuation of RANK-RANK-L signaling.
Developing and validating a tool to measure parenting self-efficacy.

AIMS This paper reports the development of a tool to measure parenting self-efficacy as an aid to evaluating parenting programmes. BACKGROUND Whilst there has been increasing interest in parenting programmes from parents, government and professionals, there is a lack of rigorous evaluation studies of their effectiveness, particularly their longer-term outcomes. Equally, there is little research evidence of the views and experiences of parents themselves. It is important to develop robust outcome measures which draw on well-developed theoretical constructs to measure parents' perceived abilities to manage their children based on their own views and experiences. Self-efficacy, a self-perception of one's ability to perform competently and effectively in a particular task or setting, may provide such a framework. METHODS Data from 12 focus groups conducted with parents and parenting programme facilitators informed the development of the tool. A thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts identified key items to be included in the self-efficacy instrument, and these were developed into 82 Likert-format statements. A multi-method approach was used to test the instrument for validity and reliability. FINDINGS Nine domain specific sub-scales of parenting were identified from the analysis of the focus group data. Internal reliability coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.80 to 0.89, and the overall scale reliability was 0.94. External reliability coefficients ranged from rs = 0.58 (n = 19, P < 0.01) to rs = 0.88 (n = 19, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION A valid and reliable tool to measure parenting self-efficacy has been developed, which will aid evaluation of parenting programmes.
Moderators of chronic disease self-management programs: who benefits?

Background: The Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) has resulted in moderate beneficial outcomes in randomized controlled trials. A study of a modified CDSMP in England suggested that younger participants, those with lower initial self-efficacy and those with greater depression benefited most from the program. Design: Using data from previous CDSMP programs in English and Spanish, we examined whether there were statistically significant interactions between baseline statuses (demographic, disease and health status variables) and randomization (intervention or usual-care control) in estimating 6-month changes in health status (health distress, activity limitation/role function, self-efficacy and self-reported general health). If an interaction was found, post hoc examinations of the relationships between the baseline variables and outcomes determined the directions of the relationships. Results: Six moderating variables were found in the original English-language CDSMP and three in the Spanish program. Each moderator was specific to only one outcome within only one of the two studies. Conclusion: There were no consistent moderating effects across four outcomes and two programs and little evidence to suggest that any groups should be targeted for program recruitment. The CDSMP appears to remain useful to a wide range of people with chronic illness.
Improved robust stability criteria for time-delay systems

The delay-dependent robust stability for uncertain time-delay systems is investigated in this paper. Firstly, a novel augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is constructed and its positive definiteness is proved. Then, some slack matrices are used in order to avoid using any bounding techniques, and as a result, the improved delay-dependent stability criteria are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities, and it is also theoretically established that the obtained results are less conservative than some existing stability conditions. Finally, numerical examples are also given to illustrate the significant improvement on the conservatism of the delay bound over some existing results.
Application of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay in the detection of herpesvirus of turkey (FC 126 strain) from chicken samples in Nigeria

Aim: This study was designed to optimize and apply the use of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as an alternative to conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) (FC 126 strain) in vaccinated and non-vaccinated poultry in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: HVT positive control (vaccine) was used for optimization of LAMP using six primers that target the HVT070 gene sequence of the virus. These primers can differentiate HVT, a Marek’s disease virus (MDV) serotype 3 from MDV serotypes 1 and 2. Samples were collected from clinical cases of Marek’s disease (MD) in chickens, processed and subjected to LAMP and PCR. Results: LAMP assay for HVT was optimized. HVT was detected in 60% (3/5) and 100% (5/5) of the samples analyzed by PCR and LAMP, respectively. HVT was detected in the feathers, liver, skin, and spleen with average DNA purity of 3.05-4.52 μg DNA/mg (A260/A280) using LAMP. Conventional PCR detected HVT in two vaccinated and one unvaccinated chicken samples, while LAMP detected HVT in two vaccinated and three unvaccinated corresponding chicken samples. However, LAMP was a faster and simpler technique to carry out than PCR. Conclusion: LAMP assay for the detection of HVT was optimized. LAMP and PCR detected HVT in clinical samples collected. LAMP assay can be a very good alternative to PCR for detection of HVT and other viruses. This is the first report of the use of LAMP for the detection of viruses of veterinary importance in Nigeria. LAMP should be optimized as a diagnostic and research tool for investigation of poultry diseases such as MD in Nigeria.