Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oxygen gradients correlate with cell density and cell viability in engineered cardiac tissue

For clinical utility, cardiac grafts should be thick and compact, and contain physiologic density of metabolically active, differentiated cells. This involves the need to control the levels of nutrients, and most critically oxygen, throughout the construct volume. Most culture systems involve diffusional transport within the constructs, a situation associated with gradients of oxygen concentration, cell density, cell viability, and function. The goal of our study was to measure diffusional gradients of oxygen in statically cultured cardiac constructs, and to correlate oxygen gradients to the spatial distributions of cell number and cell viability. Using microelectrodes, we measured oxygen distribution in a disc‐shaped constructs (3.6 mm diameter, 1.8 mm thickness) based on neonatal rat cardiomyocytes cultured on collagen scaffolds for 16 days in static dishes. To rationalize experimental data, a mathematical model of oxygen distribution was derived as a function of cell density, viability, and spatial position within the construct. Oxygen concentration and cell viability decreased linearly and the live cell density decreased exponentially with the distance from the construct surface. Physiological density of live cells was present only within the first 128 µm of the construct thickness. Medium flow significantly increased oxygen concentration within the construct, correlating with the improved tissue properties observed for constructs cultured in convectively mixed bioreactors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Detection of the membrane attack complex as a diagnostic tool in dermatomyositis

Jain A, Sharma MC, Sarkar C, Bhatia R, Singh S, Gulati S, Handa R. Detection of the membrane attack complex as a diagnostic tool in dermatomyositis. Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 123: 122–129. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Macronuclear DNA in Stentor coeruleus: a first approach to its characterization.

The macronuclei of Stentor coeruleus were isolated on a discontinuous sucrose gradient and their DNA was purified by conventional methods. The GC content was 32 mole %. The DNA banded as a single peak on analytical ultracentrifugation at 1-691 g/cm 3 . The molecular weight of the DNA was 5 x 10 6 to 4 x 10 7 daltons. Genome size determined by DNA-DNA reassociation kinetics was 6 x 10 10 daltons. The macronuclear genome was mostly simple, about 85 % being made of non-repetitive sequences. Electron micrograph of Stentor macroauclear DNA spread by a modified Kleinschmidt's technique and shadowed with Pt-Pd. Inset: electron micrograph of a partial denatured DNA molecule. A preliminary study showing AT-rich regions.
Twenty-Four-Hour Blood Pressure Changes in the Course of Lacunar Disease

Background: Changes in blood pressure (BP) over time have not been considered in investigations on the relationship between BP and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Objective: To investigate BP changes throughout a 24-hour period in lacunar infarct patients with different outcomes. Methods: Twelve control subjects (group 1) and 56 patients with symptomatic lacunar infarcts were studied. The infarct patients were divided into three groups: group 2, 25 patients with a fair outcome without any cerebrovascular attack or progressive dementia (mean follow-up period: 4.4 years); group 3, 14 patients with worsening of clinical dementia rating and silent lesions, which included lacunae and diffuse white matter lesions (4.5 years), and group 4, 17 patients who developed symptomatic infarcts (1.7 years). MRIs and ambulatory BP monitoring were performed for each patient on two separate occasions. No patient was treated with antihypertensive agents during the course of the study. Results: In group 2, the second measurements were significantly higher than the first for 24-hour systolic BP (SBP), daytime SBP, 24-hour diastolic BP (DBP), daytime DBP (p < 0.01, for all) and nighttime DBP (p < 0.05). In group 3, the second measurements were significantly lower than the first for 24-hour SBP, daytime SBP, 24-hour DBP, and daytime DBP (p < 0.01, for all). In group 4, the second measurements were significantly lower than the first for 24-hour SBP and daytime SBP (p < 0.01). The correlation between BP and pulse rate became positive for group 2 in second measurements, but was not positive for groups 3 and 4. Conclusions: BP tended to elevate over time in patients with a fair outcome. In contrast, BP tended to decrease in those who developed dementia and symptomatic infarct. Autonomic functions including sympathetic activity might play a role in changes in BP in lacunar infarct patients during the course of disease.
Sef Inhibits Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling by Inhibiting FGFR1 Tyrosine Phosphorylation and Subsequent ERK Activation*

Signaling through fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) is essential for many cellular processes including proliferation and migration as well as differentiation events such as angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and chondrogenesis. Recently, genetic screens in Drosophila and gene expression screens in zebrafish have resulted in the identification of several feedback inhibitors of FGF signaling. One of these, Sef (similarexpression to fgf genes), encodes a transmembrane protein that belongs to the FGF synexpression group. Here we show that like zebrafish Sef (zSef), mouse Sef (mSef) interacts with FGFR1 and that the cytoplasmic domain of mSef mediates this interaction. Overexpression of mSef in NIH3T3 cells results in a decrease in FGF-induced cell proliferation associated with a decrease in Tyr phosphorylation of FGFR1 and FRS2. As a consequence, there is a reduction in the phosphorylation of Raf-1 at Ser338, MEK1/2 at Ser217 and Ser221, and ERK1/2 at Thr202 and Tyr204. Furthermore, mSef inhibits ERK activation mediated by a constitutively activated FGFR1 but not by a constitutively active Ras and decreases FGF but not PDGF-mediated activation of Akt. These results indicate that Sef exerts its inhibitory effects at the level of FGFR and upstream of Ras providing an additional level of negative regulation of FGF signaling.
Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale in stroke survivors

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) in stroke survivors. The GSE was administered by the same assessor on two occasions 3 weeks apart with 34 stroke survivors (21 men, 13 women; mean age=68.1 years) 6–10 months after stroke. Psychometric properties including targeting and scaling assumptions, and several reliability indices, were calculated. The mean score was well above the midpoint of the scale and the total scores spanned almost the entire scale range. Floor and ceiling effects were within the limits of 15–20% for total scores (0 and 8.8%, respectively), but not for each item individually. Total skewness was estimated at −1.02 and skewness for individual items was estimated as −1.55 to −0.33. The corrected item–total correlations were all above 0.3, except for one item. Cronbach’s &agr; was high (0.92) and the test–retest reliability was acceptable (intraclass correlation coefficient2,1=0.82). The mean difference (đ) was −0.68 (NS). The SEM was 2.97 (SEM%; 9.40). In conclusion, although targeting in relation to skewness and ceiling effects was observed in some items, the GSE was reliable for use in mobile stroke survivors 6–10 months after stroke.
Six Sigma enablers in Mexican manufacturing companies: a proposed model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of Six Sigma (SS) and the underlying dimensions of its critical success factors (CSF) via an analysis of the effects of top management support (TMS), implementation strategy (IS), and collaborative team (CT) on project performance (PP) in Mexican manufacturing companies. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a SS literature review, a survey was conducted to capture practitioners’ viewpoints about CSFs for SS implementation and their impact on performance in manufacturing companies. A factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted in order to identify and analyze causal relationships. Findings – The results suggest that CSFs grouped in the constructs TMS, IS, and CT have a positive impact on PP as measured by cost reduction, variation reduction, and quality improvement. Research limitations/implications – Although the empirical data collected supported the proposed model, results might differ among organizations in different countries. In addition, the study did not analyze a unique performance metric; instead, general PP dimensions were used. Practical implications – Boosting the TMS, IS, and CT enhances positive PP of SS in manufacturing companies. Originality/value – IS as a construct has not been studied exhaustively; this work contributes to a better understanding of it and its impact on PP. Additionally, studies of SS in Latin America are limited, so this study gives a complementary vision to practitioners and researchers about it.
Une approche à l'estimation et l'identification simultanées

On propose une nouvelle approche permettant simultanément d’estimer l’ordre et d’identifier les paramètres d’un modèle paramétrique. Elle s’applique notamment quand les observations peuvent être modélisées comme la somme d’un nombre inconnu de signaux appartenant à une famille paramétrée connue et d’un bruit blanc. L’idée est de trouver une décomposition parcimonieuse de l’observation sur la famille que l’on a discrétisée par rapport au(x) paramètre(s). La décomposition est non unique et la sélection d’une représentation utilisant un petit nombre de composantes est assurée par la minimisation de la norme `1 des pondérations. L’algorithme sous-jacent a été appliqué à différents contextes, on propose ici une analyse de ses résultats. ABSTRACT
Pasture improvement and the control of sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus L.

The sheep tick is confined almost entirely to rough, poor hill and moorland pastures. Agricultural improvement of these pastures involves (among other things) reduction in the depth of the vegetation layer and partial or complete destruction of the moisture-holding underlying ‘mat’ of decaying vegetable matter. Assessment of the tick populations on improved and on comparable control areas showed a reduction in tick population following upon pasture improvement. But a fairly considerable degree of improvement is required to bring about a satisfactory reduction. Ticks were not completely extirpated even by ploughing. It is probable that pasture improvement affects tick population mainly by reducing cover and thus the humidity. Unfortunately, effective pasture improvement is not economic on hill and moorland grazings in general. Such improvement as is practicable could only be a supplement to other control measures. Since the sheep flock supports almost all the female ticks on a pasture, control is most likely to follow from the development of an efficient acaricidal sheep dip.
LIFE‐HISTORY VARIATION IN POA ANNUA

1 Present address: Department of Botany, University of Sheffield, Sheffield 510 2TN, UK. Patterns of life-history evolution in populations experiencing different kinds of regulation raise some interesting problems. One problem which has been the subject of some discussion, concerns the evolutionary consequences of density-independent and density-dependent regulation. MacArthur and Wilson (1967) argued that under density-independent regulation, genotypes with the greatest intrinsic rates of natural increase would be selected (r selection) , whereas under density-dependent regulation, those with the greatest carrying capacities would be favoured (K selection). Thus if genetic variability for life histories exists in natural populations, life histories maximising r should be found in populations with histories of density-independent selection and life histories maximising K in those with histories of density-dependent selection. There is of course only one life history which ultimately maximises fitness, irrespective of the environment. This is the life history of an immortal organism which begins to reproduce immediately after birth and produces prodigous numbers of progeny at the shortest possible intervals thereafter. But in the real world resources are
Ovarian steroid concentrations in rats approaching first ovulation.

Steroid concentrations were studied in ovarian tissue obtained by means of unilateral ovariectomy during a 10-day period preceding first ovulation. Furthermore, the levels of progesterone were measured in this period in the serum of simultaneous intact control rats. Ovarian concentrations of testosterone and oestradiol were at about 70 and 15 fmol/mg ovary respectively from 10 to 4 days before first ovulation; they clearly increased to a maximum of 170 and 120 fmol/mg ovary during the last 1-3 days before first ovulation. Ovarian concentrations of 5 alpha-reduced androgens (i.e. androsterone and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol) were high (up to 2500 fmol/mg ovary) from 7 to 4 days before first ovulation, whereas low levels (500-750 fmol/mg ovary) were present during the last 3 days before ovulation. Both ovarian and serum concentrations of progesterone were constantly low (at 500-1000 fmol/mg ovary and at 17-32 nmol/l respectively) from 10 days to 1 day before first ovulation. An inverse correlation was observed between the ovarian content of 5 alpha-reduced androgens and that of oestradiol, which is in agreement with the existence of a prepubertal shift in pathways of steroid production; this shift seems to take place between 4 and 3 days before first ovulation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Artificial intelligent power prediction for efficient resource management of WCDMA mobile network

This paper presents a method of predicting changes of power consumption at Node B of a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) mobile network due to dynamic resource allocation such as movement of unit equipment (UE), handover call from adjacent cell and accommodation of new service request. The method learns the mapping of power consumption at Node B by monitoring power changes that response to previous performed resource allocation. Estimation of the unknown function is implemented with support vector regression (SVR). The output of SVR will be used by WCDMA mobile network to decide on new service admission. Genetic algorithm (GA) is then applied to form optimal beams to cover all UEs in a cell with minimum power. This artificial intelligent call admission control (CAC) was validated using a dynamic WCDMA mobile network simulator. A few comparative results in downlink have shown that our integrated support vector regression assists genetic algorithm (SVRaGA) is capable of predicting next interval power consumption at Node B with low prediction error and improving the quality of service (QoS) by reducing dropped calls.
Integrating User-centred Design in an Early Stage of Mobile Medical Application Prototyping - A Case Study on Data Acquistion in Health Organisations

This paper reports on collaborative work with an SME, developing a system for data acquisition in health care organisations, providing mobile data support. We briefly introduce the ICF and the ICD classification scheme from the WHO as a foundation for our mobile application. A two-staged usability evaluation in a very early stage of development allows us to integrate user-centred design in the mobile application development process. Our procedure comprises interviews and usability tests with a limited number of users and thus can even be performed within a resource-constrained setting as it is typically found in smaller software development teams. We discuss the consolidated results of the usability tests quantitatively and qualitatively. From these results we deduce recommendations (and open issues) concerning the user interface design of the mobile application.
Investigation of Genetic Diversity and Relationships among a Set of Rice Varieties in Iraq Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Analysis

This study is an attempt to determine the genetic diversity and relationships among seven local rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) and one commercial genotype by using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Seven universal primers used in this study produced (110) bands across eight varieties. Of these bands, 96 bands or 87.3% were polymorphic. The size of the amplified bands ranged between 190-3620 bp. The genetic polymorphism value of each primer was determined and ranged between 83-93%. In terms of unique banding patterns, the most characteristic banding pattern was for the Amber variety with primer A13 and for the Al-abasia variety with primer P07. Genetic distances ranged from 0.177 to 0.992 among rice varieties. Cluster analyses were performed to construct a dendrogram among studied rice varieties. The cluster analysis places most of the aromatic varieties into a close relation (subcluster) showing a high level of genetic relatedness and were distinct from non-aromatic (the other subcluster) with a few of independent varieties. Interestingly, a number of varieties originating from the same sources did form well defined groups, indicating association between the RAPD patterns and the geographic origin of the varieties. Therefore, cluster analysis grouped the eight varieties into three main clusters depending on their geographic origin; their ancestor and their aroma characteristics. The information generated from this study can be used in the future for rice breeding programs.
Analysis of dental casualties in prolonged field training exercises.

Abstract : The field dental records of all soldiers reporting to dental sick call from Joint Readiness Exercises Empire Glacier-78 and Brave Shield-17 were analyzed to determine the incidence, causal factors, and amount of loss duty time due to dental emergencies. Three hundred sixty Army personnel presented as dental emergencies from a total population of 24,500 during a 39-day period, an incidence of 14.7 dental emergencies per 1000 troops. The calculated annual incidence of dental emergencies was 167.36 per 1000 troops. The main causes were caries (52 percent) and gingival conditions (22 percent). The remaining 16 percent included fractured teeth (5 percent), broken prostheses (4 percent), and miscellaneous conditions (7 percent). Dental emergencies comprised 21.5 percent of the total medical sick call. Seventy-four percent of the dental emergencies were judged to be preventable. The estimated lost duty time was 318 days for an observed rate of 13 days per 1000 troops and an estimated annual rate of 121.5 per 1000 troops. The most significant factor affecting lost duty time for treatment appeared to be the availability of transportation to and from the treatment facility. (Author)
The Epidemiology of Mental and Substance Use—Related Disorders among White, Chinese, and other Asian Populations in Canada

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate and compare the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance dependence in white, Chinese, and other Asian populations in Canada and to identify correlates of mental disorders in these ethnic groups. Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being. The WHO's Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess mental disorders diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. We included subjects who were white (n = 33 399), Chinese (n = 733), or from other Asian populations (n = 1113). The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders was estimated according to ethnic group. Results: The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders in Chinese participants was lower than the prevalence rates in white participants. Other Asian participants were less likely than white individuals to have had any mood and anxiety disorder in their lifetime. The 12-month prevalence of any mental disorder in Chinese participants was lower than in other Asian participants. However, the proportion of Chinese participants with perceived fair to poor mental health was higher than in the other Asian and white groups. Conclusions: The prevalence of mental disorders among Chinese individuals living in Canada resembles that in China's population. The prevalence of mental disorders in the Asian populations may vary by region. Studies are needed to examine subthreshold mental disorders in the Asian populations as well as ethnic differences in mental disorders in relation to sex, age, and clinical conditions.
Excretion and disposition of [14C]carbaryl in pregnant, non-pregnant and foetal tissues of the rat after acute administration.

1. Non-pregnant or pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats on the 18th and 19th days of gestation were injected i.p. with a tracter dose (2.8 microCi/kg) of either [ring-14C]carbaryl or [carbonyl-14C]carbaryl. Distribution of total 14C was examined in foetal, maternal and non-pregnant rat tissues. Pregnancy alters the disposition and excretion of carbaryl. 2. Carbaryl crossed the placenta and was rapidly distributed in all foetal tissues. Highest concentrations were seen in foetal kidney. At 8 h after injection, foetal brain, heart and lung all contained more 14C, on a weight basis, than their maternal organ counterparts. Elimination from the whole foetus was biphasic, and after 8 h approx. 3% of the dose was still present in the whole foetus. 3. Significantly more 14CO2 was exhaled by the pregnant rat during 8 h than by non-pregnant. Urinary excretion of 14C after dosage with [ring-14C]carbaryl was significantly less in pregnant than in non-pregnant rats. 4. Kinetically, the tissue distribution of 14C from carbaryl or metabolites was biphasic in pregnant and non-pregnant animals. [14C]carbaryl concn. declined rapidly for 1 to 2 h. After 2 h the 14C levels from animals dosed with [ring-14C]carbaryl declined more slowly. 5. The pattern of 14C distribution was more complicated after injection of [carbonyl-14C]carbaryl. The 14C activity increased in the animal tissues after 2 h, in contrast to animals dosed with [ring-14C]carbaryl. Non-pregnant animals treated with [carbonyl-14C]carbaryl did not show a similar pattern of distribution. Carbamylated tissue proteins may, after time, release some bound carbonyl-14C label, causing the increase in 14C activity seen between 2 and 8 h. However, this does not necessarily imply uptake of the intact carbamate.