Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solution by Zeolite in Competitive Sorption System

In this study, the sorption behaviour of natural (clinoptilolite) zeolites with respect to cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) has been studied in order to consider its application to purity metal finishing wastewaters. The batch method has been employed, using competitive sorption system with metal concentrations in solution ranging from 50 to 300 mg/l. The percentage sorption and distribution coefficients (Kd) were determined for the sorption system as a function of metal concentration. In addition lability of the sorbed metals was estimated by DTPA extraction following their sorption. The results showed that Freundlich model described satisfactorily sorption of all metals. Zeolite sorbed around 32, 75, 28, 99, and 59 % of the added Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn metal concentrations respectively. According to the percentage sorption and distribution coefficients values, the selectivity sequence of studied metals by zeolite can be given as Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd > Ni. About 57, 47, 78, 22, and 29 % from the total sorbed Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn recovered by DTPA indicating that lability of the adsorbed Ni was higher than, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb respectively. These results show that natural zeolites hold great potential to remove cationic heavy metal species from industrial wastewater.
Endocytosis in skeletal muscle fibers.

Defining the organization of endocytic pathway in multinucleated skeletal myofibers is crucial to understand the routing of membrane proteins, such as receptors and glucose transporters, through this system. Here we analyzed the organization of the endocytic trafficking pathways in isolated rat myofibers. We found that sarcolemmal-coated pits and transferrin receptors were concentrated in the I band areas. Fluid phase markers were taken up into vesicles in the same areas along the whole length of the fibers and were then delivered into structures around and between the nuclei. These markers also accumulated beneath the neuromuscular and myotendinous junctions. The recycling compartment, labeled with transferrin, appeared as perinuclear and interfibrillar dots that partially colocalized with the GLUT4 compartment. Low-density lipoprotein, a marker of the lysosome-directed pathway, was transported into sparsely distributed perinuclear and interfibrillar dots that contacted microtubules. A majority of these dots did not colocalize with internalized transferrin, indicating that the recycling and the lysosome-directed pathways were distinct. In conclusion, the I band areas were active in endocytosis along the whole length of the multinucleated myofibers. The sorting endosomes distributed in a cross-striated fashion while the recycling and late endosomal compartments showed perinuclear and interfibrillar localizations and followed the course of microtubules.
Activation of Muscarinic and of α1‐Adrenergic Receptors on Astrocytes Results in the Accumulation of Inositol Phosphates

Abstract: Astrocyte‐enriched cultures prepared from the newborn rat cortex incorporated [3H]myo‐inositol into intracellular free inositol and inositol lipid pools. Noradrenaline and carbachol stimulated the turnover of these pools resulting in an increased accumulation of intracellular [3H]inositol phosphates. The effects of noradrenaline and carbachol were dose‐dependent and blocked by specific α1‐adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonists, respectively. The increase in [3H]inositol phosphate accumulation caused by these receptor antagonists was virtually unchanged when cultures were incubated in Ca2+ ‐free medium, but was abolished when EGTA was also present in the Ca2+ ‐free medium. Cultures of meningeal fibroblasts, the major cell type contaminating the astrocyte cultures, also accumulated [3H]myo‐inositol, but no increased accumulation of [3H]inositol phosphates was found in response to either noradrenaline or carbachol.
Mechanisms, Predisposing Factors, and Prognosis of Intraoperative Vertebral Subluxation During Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy in Surgical Correction of Thoracolumbar Kyphosis Secondary to Ankylosing Spondylitis

Study Design. A retrospective study. Objective. To analyze the mechanisms, predisposing factors, and prognosis of the intraoperative vertebral subluxation (VS) during pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) for thoracolumbar kyphosis secondary to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Summary of Background Data. VS is one of the most daunting challenges that surgeons encounter during PSO closure, especially in patients with AS with ankylosed and mostly osteoporotic spine. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research designed to conceptualize the mechanisms, predisposing factors, and discuss the complication-avoidance strategies and prognosis. Methods. A retrospective single-center review was performed for a consecutive series of 153 patients with AS with rigid thoracolumbar kyphosis who underwent one-level PSO from April 2000 to December 2013. The incidence of the VS at the level of PSO during correction was analyzed and the potential causative factors were investigated. Results. VS occurred in six patients with the incidence being 3.9% in this patient cohort. The predisposing factors were (1) early fracture of the anterior cortex of the osteotomized vertebra (OV); (2) excessive decancellation from vertebral body causing parallel collapse of the vertebral column with significant loss of the ability to create local lordosis; (3) improper manual osteoclasis due to insufficient decancellation of the OV; and (4) inappropriate application of cantilever technique and concomitant long instrumentation. The early surgical complication involved one patient with cerebrospinal fluid leakage at the osteotomized site, but no devastating neurological deficits. During follow-up, bone healing and adaptive vertebral remodeling with no rod breakage were observed for all these six patients. Conclusion. Intraoperative VS was a rare occurrence associated with inappropriate manual manipulation of osteotomy, gap closure, and rod insertion. Neurological complication was a potential risk, but could be well prevented with extensive laminectomy and emergency actions favoring partial subluxation reduction. Moreover, adaptive bone remodeling and fusion at the level of VS ensured the maintenance of kyphosis correction and avoidance of instrumentation failure. Level of Evidence: 4
Offspring Size Plasticity in Response to Intraspecific Competition: An Adaptive Maternal Effect across Life‐History Stages

When provisioning offspring, mothers balance the benefits of producing a few large, fitter offspring with the costs of decreased fecundity. The optimal balance between offspring size and fecundity depends on the environment. Theory predicts that larger offspring have advantages in adverse conditions, but in favorable conditions size is less important. Thus, if environmental quality varies, selection should favor mothers that adaptively allocate resources in response to local conditions to maximize maternal fitness. In the bryozoan Bugula neritina, we show that the intensity of intraspecific competition dramatically changes the offspring size/performance relationship in the field. In benign or extremely competitive environments, offspring size is less important, but at intermediate levels of competition, colonies from larger larvae have higher performance than colonies from smaller larvae. We predicted mothers should produce larger offspring when intermediate competition is likely and tested these expectations in the field by manipulating the density of brood colonies. Our findings matched expectations: mothers produced larger larvae at high densities and smaller larvae at low densities. In addition, mothers from high‐density environments produced larvae that have higher dispersal potential, which may enable offspring to escape crowded environments. It appears mothers can adaptively adjust offspring size to maximize maternal fitness, altering the offspring phenotype across multiple life‐history stages.
Integrated Solar Energy Harvesting and Storage

To explore integrated solar energy harvesting as a power source for low power systems, an array of energy scavenging photodiodes based on a passive-pixel architecture for CMOS imagers has been fabricated together with storage capacitors implemented using on-chip interconnect in a 0.35-mum bulk process. Integrated vertical plate capacitors enable dense energy storage without limiting optical efficiency. Tests were conducted with both a white light source and a green laser. Measurements indicate that 225 muW/mm2 output power may be generated by white light with an intensity of 20 kLUX.
The Impact of Frailty on the Risk of Conversion from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidences from a 5-Year Observational Study

The frailty construct has increasingly been adopted in the field of cognitive disorders. The aim of the present study was to measure frailty in a cohort of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to explore whether frailty measures may consent to predict the risk of conversion to dementia. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of outpatients with amnesic MCI (aMCI) consecutively recruited at our Department, and followed-up for 5 years. Individual frailty status was measured by means of a frailty index (FI) consisting of 39 deficits (including signs, symptoms, diagnoses, and disabilities). Univariate analyses were used to compare the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics between subjects converting or not converting to probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia over the follow-up. Risk for conversion to AD dementia was assessed using Cox regression models. Ninety-one subjects with aMCI (mean age 72.7, SD 7.1 years; women 49.5%) were consecutively recruited over a period of 12 months. Low levels of frailty were documented in the sample (mean FI score 10.0, SD 5.3). A statistically significant correlation between age and FI was observed. Overall, 58 participants converted to AD dementia over time. The Cox regression analysis showed that age (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.08), male sex (HR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30–0.91), Mini–Mental State Examination score (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77–0.94), and FI (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05–1.18) were all significantly associated with the probability of MCI conversion. Individual’s frailty status may increase the risk of conversion from a condition of MCI to overt AD dementia. The adoption of constructs comprehensively reflecting the biological decline of the aging subject may add useful estimates and information in the clinical approach to cognitive disorders.
The Impact of School-Located Influenza Vaccination Programs on Student Absenteeism

A literature review was conducted to summarize the impact of school-located influenza vaccination (SLIV) programs on school absenteeism. Seven studies were identified: six peer-reviewed articles and one conference presentation. The number of students vaccinated ranged from 185 to 5,315, representing 35–86% of enrolled students. Six studies compared absenteeism for students in SLIV schools and control schools; all found absenteeism decreased in SLIV schools. Three studies compared absenteeism for vaccinated and unvaccinated students in SLIV schools; all found that absenteeism was reduced for vaccinated students. Benefits were also reported to extend beyond the vaccinated children; one study found that absenteeism was significantly reduced among high school students when elementary school students were vaccinated. The available evidence indicates that SLIV programs reduce student absenteeism during the influenza season. Additional research into sustainable funding sources and the comprehensive effects of SLIV programs on students, families, staff, and the community is warranted.
Sertraline treatment of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression: pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and efficacy.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of sertraline in children (6 to 12 years old) and adolescents (13 to 17 years old). METHOD Children (n = 29) and adolescents (n = 32) with major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or both received a single dose of 50 mg of sertraline followed, 1 week later, by 35 days of sertraline treatment as follows: (1) either a starting dose of 25 mg/day titrated to 200 mg/day in 25-mg increments or (2) a starting dose of 50 mg/day titrated to 200 mg/day in 50-mg increments. Sertraline and desmethylsertraline pharmacokinetics were determined approximately weekly, and efficacy measures were assessed before drug administration and at the end of treatment. RESULTS Mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), peak plasma concentration (Cmax), and elimination half-life (t1/2) for sertraline and desmethylsertraline were similar to previously reported adult values. No titration-dependent pharmacokinetic or safety differences were seen. While Cmax and AUC0-24 were greater for children versus adolescents, these differences disappeared after parameters were normalized for body weight. Sertraline was well tolerated in both children and adolescents, with adverse experiences similar to those previously reported by adult patients. Efficacy measurements indicated improvement (p < .001) in depression and OCD symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS Sertraline can be safely administered to pediatric patients using the currently recommended adult titration schedule.
Release of colicin E2 from Escherichia coli

Treatment of Escherichia coli K-12(ColE2.P9) with 500 ng of mitomycin C per ml resulted in rapid and almost synchronous colicin E2 production. Colicin accumulated outside the cytoplasmic membrane, most probably in the periplasmic space. Colicin release occurred during a period in which the turbidity of the culture declined markedly. Periplasmic alkaline phosphatase was released during the same period, but cytoplasmic beta-galactosidase release was delayed.
Perioperative factors affecting the outcome following repair of biliary atresia.

The records of all patients with biliary atresia seen at the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles during a 14-year period were reviewed. Of the 41 patients who could be evaluated, 32 were treated with trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, five were given other agents, and four received no prophylaxis after surgery. At least one episode of cholangitis occurred in nine patients. With one exception, all patients destined to have cholangitis did so within 9 months of surgery. Of the nine patients, five were receiving prophylaxis at the time the disease developed, but two were no longer receiving any prophylaxis. The other two patients in whom cholangitis developed never received antibiotic prophylaxis. In the 24 patients who had a Kasai type of portoenterostomy, cholangitis developed in three of the five (60%) with a Roux-en-Y limb length less than 40 cm and in two of the 19 (10.5%) with limb lengths greater than 40 cm (P less than .02). When performed earlier than 61 days after birth, surgery resulted in adequate bile flow in 64.7% (11/17) of patients who could be evaluated as compared with 31.8% (7/22) for surgery at 61 days or later (P less than .05). Of the patients with adequate biliary drainage 11 had no apparent liver disease, but only two of the patients with poor drainage were free of clinical liver disease. The conclusion from this series is that a combination of timely surgery, intestinal conduit at least 40 cm in length, and subsequent long-term antibiotic prophylaxis favors the best bile flow and reduces the occurrence of cholangitis, resulting in the best outcome.
A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF COUPLE DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY ON SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS AND MENTAL HEALTH OF IRANIAN BORDERLINE PERSONALITY COUPLES: A CONTROLLED TRIAL

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of couple dialectical behavior therapy (CDBT) on symptoms and quality of marital relationships and mental health of Iranian borderline personality couples. Borderline personality disorder symptoms (BPDSI-IV), general mental health questioner (GHQ), perceived relationship quality components (PRQC) were assessed in 15 male patients and their partner who had participated in this program. Fifteen waiting list patients were participated as control group. Post-testing was conducted four months after the initial assessment (i.e. 1 month after discharge for the CDBT group). ANCOVA with pretest as covariate demonstrated that there was a significant difference between the groups in favor of the CDBT on 8 psychopathological variables and 3 subscale of GHQ and 5 subscale of PRQC. The results confirmed the efficacy of CDBT in redacting BPD symptoms, increasing mental health improvement and perceived relationship quality of patients.
Reproducibility of stable isotope-labeled tracer measures of VLDL-triglyceride and VLDL-apolipoprotein B-100 kinetics Published, JLR Papers in Press, February 26, 2007.

To gain insight into the mechanisms regulating plasma lipid homeostasis, FFA, VLDL-triglyceride (TG), and VLDL-apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) kinetics are commonly assessed using stable isotope-labeled tracer methods. The reproducibility of these measurements, which is critical for the experimental design, is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the repeatability of plasma FFA, VLDL-TG, and VLDL-apoB-100 kinetics in eight healthy men using stable isotope-labeled tracer techniques. There were no systematic differences in plasma FFA, VLDL-TG, and VLDL-apoB-100 concentrations and kinetics between the two studies. Intraindividual day-to-day variability for various outcome variables ranged from 15% to 25%, and almost all of this was of biological origin. The most robust outcome variables were FFA rate of appearance and hepatic VLDL-TG and VLDL-apoB-100 secretion rates; the least robust were VLDL-TG and VLDL-apoB-100 plasma clearance rates and mean residence times. Overall, physiologically meaningful differences in mean values (i.e., 25–30% in magnitude) can be obtained with a sample size of 6–10 subjects for paired studies and 12–20 subjects per group for cross-sectional studies, assuming a type I error rate of 0.05 and a type II error rate of 0.20 (i.e., 80% power). These findings will be useful for future studies investigating FFA, VLDL-TG, and VLDL-apoB-100 kinetics with the methods described.
Experimental Insights Into High-Frequency Instabilities and Related Anomalous Electron Transport in Hall Thrusters

The properties of high-frequency (HF) instabilities (f > MHz) in Hall thrusters are reviewed on the basis of a large experimental data set previously obtained with the use of antennas, probes, and magnetic coils. The phenomenological representations of their physical sources are discussed. The development of these HF instabilities results in anomalous electron transport, and the corresponding transport coefficients are evaluated from these experimental data.
Immunohistochemical organization of the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus in the tree shrew

The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) was differentiated into multiple subdivisions (dorsal cap, intergeniculate leaflet, parvicellular segment, and internal and external magnocellular laminae, the latter being further divisible into a lateral and medial division) on the basis of retinal projections, immunochemistry, and histochemistry. Retinal projections traced with intravitreal injections of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase revealed direct bilateral input to all subregions of the vLGN, except for the internal magnocellular lamina (which received only contralateral input) and the parvicellular segment (which was not retinorecipient). Furthermore, retinal inputs clearly distinguished the relatively heavily retinorecipient intergeniculate leaflet from the less prominently labeled dorsal cap. Immunohistochemical localization of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) perikarya revealed their prominence in the intergeniculate leaflet and the external magnocellular laminae with a concentration along the optic tract. NPY immunoreactive fibers were seen in all but the parvicellular subregion. Gamma amino butyric acid immunoreactivity was seen throughout the vLGN, but was most concentrated in the dorsal cap and the magnocellular laminae, followed by the intergeniculate leaflet. Histochemical studies of cytochrome oxidase and nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)‐diaphorase localization revealed similar patterns of dense reactivity within the external magnocellular lamina, intergeniculate leaflet and dorsal cap, and somewhat less dense, but substantial reactivity in the internal magnocellular lamina. Within the external magnocellular lamina, cells reactive for cytochrome oxidase were noted in the lateral portion bordering the optic tract, whereas those specific for NADPH‐diaphorase were dispersed throughout the lamina. Poor reactivity for both histochemical markers was evident in the parvicellular segment. Overall, the markedly different patterns of retinal input and neurochemical organization between the subdivisions of the tree shrew vLGN suggest their involvement in diverse functions. Furthermore, the basic similarity of the organization of the tree shrew vLGN to that of the taxonomically unrelated ground squirrel may indicate a common mammalian scheme.
The Effects of the Contrast Polarity of Dot-Pair Partners on the Detection of Bilateral Symmetry

Detection of vertical bilateral symmetry has previously been studied in patterns composed of black or white dots on a grey background under four conditions: (a) same contrast (black or white) for all dots (called BB or WW, for ‘all black or all white’); (b) half of the dots black and half white with positive correspondence between symmetrical dot pairs (called MA for ‘matched’); (c) half of the dots black and half white with negative correspondence between symmetrical dot pairs (called OPP for ‘opposite’); and (d) black (white) dots on one side of the axis and white (black) dots on the other (called BW for ‘one side black the other white’). It was found that performance was ordered BB (or WW) = MA > OPP =BW, where > indicates better performance. That experiment was repeated here in experiment 1 with symmetry axes not only at vertical but also at horizontal and the two diagonals. It was found overall that BB = MA > OPP, BW. However, OPP > BW when random trials were included in the analysis but when they were excluded BW > OPP. This was due to a very high false-alarm rate in condition BW which could be accounted for if grouping by colour occurs prior to symmetry detection. In experiment 2 it was shown that vertical-symmetry salience over other orientations remained about the same as OPP patterns progressively changed into BB patterns by varying the percentage same polarity between 0% and 100% in 12%–13% steps. Thus, dot-pair polarity affects performance without affecting relative axis salience, as was also found recently when dot pattern outlines were masked. All of the data indicate that although opposite dot polarity does reduce performance slightly, the symmetry-detection mechanism is remarkably resilient to such perturbation. The high false-alarm rate in the BW condition of experiment 1 may be accounted for by extremely salient global grouping of dots by luminance which effectively creates an integral stimulus which is perceptually difficult to break down into its component dot pairs, prohibiting the required point-by-point matching necessary to reject symmetry detection. The small detrimental effect of nonmatched polarity might be due to the polarity differences masking the grouping of dots into ‘clumps’ on either side of the axis, a process for which there is a great deal of independent evidence.