Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a clay-based acidic bedding conditioner for dairy cattle bedding.

This study investigated the effects of a clay-based acidic bedding conditioner on sawdust bedding pH, dry matter (DM), environmental pathogen counts, and environmental bacterial counts on teat ends of lactating dairy cows. Sixteen lactating Holstein cows were paired based on parity, days in milk, milk yield, and milk somatic cell count, and were negative for the presence of an intramammary pathogen. Within each pair, cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments with 3-wk periods in a crossover design. Treatment groups consisted of 9 freestalls per group bedded with either untreated sawdust or sawdust with a clay-based acidic bedding conditioner, added at 3- to 4-d intervals over each 21-d period. Bedding and teat ends were aseptically sampled on d 0, 1, 2, 7, 14, and 21 for determination of environmental bacterial counts. At the same time points, bedding was sampled for DM and pH determination. The bacteria identified in the bedding material were total gram-negative bacteria, Streptococcus spp. , and coliform bacteria. The bacteria identified on the teat ends were Streptococcus spp. , coliform bacteria, and Klebsiella spp. Teat end score, milk somatic cell count, and intramammary pathogen presence were measured weekly. Bedding and teat cleanliness, environmental high and low temperatures, and dew point data were collected daily. The bedding conditioner reduced the pH, but not the DM, of the sawdust bedding compared with untreated sawdust. Overall environmental bacterial counts in bedding were lower for treated sawdust. Total bacterial counts in bedding and on teat ends increased with time over both periods. Compared with untreated sawdust, the treated bedding had lower counts of total gram-negative bacteria and streptococci, but not coliform counts. Teat end bacterial counts were lower for cows bedded on treated sawdust for streptococci, coliforms, and Klebsiella spp. compared with cows bedded on untreated sawdust. The clay-based acidic bedding conditioner reduced environmental pathogens in sawdust bedding and teat ends without affecting teat end integrity.
A Study on the Thermal Fatigue Behavior of Solder Joints Under Power Cycling Conditions

Failure mechanisms exposed by environmental accelerating testing methods such as thermal cycling or thermal shock test, may differ from those at service operating conditions. While the device is heated up or cooled down evenly on its external surface during environmental testing, real operating powered devices experience temperature gradients caused by internal local heating, components' different heat dissipation capability, and ambient temperature variation, etc. In this study, a power cycling technique is introduced to better approximate the field operating conditions so as to activate the field failure modes. Power cycling thermal fatigue test is performed with different ball grid array solder joints, that is, lead contained [Sn/37 Pb (SP)] and lead free [Sn/4.0Ag/0.5 Cu (SAC)], and the result is compared. In order to account for the thermal fatigue life behavior discrepancy for different solder joint composition, real time Moire interferometry is applied to measure the global/local thermo-mechanical behavior during power cycling excursion. Effective damage parameter, the total average shear strain, is extracted from the experiment and applied to account for the difference in fatigue life result of two different solders. In addition, amount of experimentally measured total average shear strain is mutually verified with finite element method analysis. It is clear that total average shear strain of a solder joint can be an effective damage parameter to predict thermo-mechanical fatigue life. A physical mechanism in terms of thermal material property of solder joints' is proposed to offer some thoughts to abnormal shear strain behavior that leads to discrepancies in fatigue life of two solders. An importance of power cycling testing method is emphasized for certain package designs.
Artificial Intelligence in business I: Applications, representation, acquisition and explanation

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to review the use of knowledge-based systems and artificial intelligence (AI) in business. Part I of this paper examines domain applications, the use of different knowledge representations, unique contributions for knowledge acquisition from the development of systems for business applications, and models of explanation for systems developed for business. In addition, the paper discusses the use of both normative and descriptive AI systems to model business judgments. Finally, the paper provides a summary of publication sources and meetings on business systems.
HIGH PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY OF BACTERIA IN THE AREA OF PREHISTORIC PAINTINGS IN MAGURA CAVE, BULGARIA

Magura Cave, situated in the northwest of Bulgaria and containing prehistoric paintings, is a famous tourist site. The present study is the first report on bacterial diversity in guano paintings in a Bulgarian cave using molecular methods. We identified 68 taxa, which is an unusually high number for oligotrophic niches. They are affiliated with eight phyla representing more than half of the bacterial divisions identified in caves. As in many other caves, Proteobacteria dominated in this type of ecosystem (about 40%), followed by Nitrospirae (22.5%) and Acidobacteria (21.5%). Weakly represented were Actinobacteria (6.4%), Chloroflexi (3.2%), Planctomycetes (2.2%), Firmicutes (2.2%), and Gemmatimonadetes (2.2%). About one third of all DNA sequences recovered in this study were new. Some of them had more than 10% divergence from the closest neighbor, which suggests the existence of new taxa of at least genus level. Bacteria identified in the community expressed various types of metabolism; lithoautotrophic, organotrophic, and methylotrophic.
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Childhood Trauma in Patients With Severe Mental Disorders

A high prevalence of childhood abuse has been reported in patients with severe mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 102 patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder. Social, demographic, and clinical data were obtained. Patients were evaluated using Brief Psychotic Relative Scale, and Traumatic Life Events and Distressing Event questionnaires. Almost half (47.5%) of these patients had suffered some kind of child abuse, and our results confirmed a relationship between a history of childhood abuse and more severe psychosis. Diagnosis of schizophrenia was determined 4.1 years earlier in victims of childhood abuse. Hospital admissions were twice as high in victims of psychological abuse. Patients with a history of sexual abuse were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide (68% vs. 28.9%).
Prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in an urban and rural German population: results of a population-based Study of Health in Pomerania.

OBJECTIVE Based on a randomized, population study (Study of Health in Pomerania [SHIP]), the objective of the present study was to determine incidence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adults 20 years or older and to compare the data with TMD prevalence of other exclusively random sample studies that fulfilled criteria similar to those of this study (age > or = 20 years, age range > or = 40 years, sample size > or = 500 subjects, equal gender distribution). METHOD AND MATERIALS Men and women (n = 7,008) 20 to 79 years of age from mid- and small-sized towns in a rural region in northeast Germany were randomly sampled from resident registry office files. The response rate was 68.8%. Adults between the ages of 20 and 81 years (n = 4,289) were clinically and anamnestically examined. RESULTS Half of the subjects (49.9%) had one or more clinical signs of TMD, but only 2.7% were subjectively aware of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain symptoms. Women showed higher frequency for all signs and symptoms of TMD than men. However, these differences were not significant for all signs and symptoms in all age groups. The influence of age on TMD signs and symptoms was less pronounced. The prevalence for the following variables found in the present study compared to those of other comparable, random sample studies was: clinical examination; (TMJ) tenderness to palpation (5% versus 2% to 6%); masticatory muscle tenderness (15% versus 19% to 21%); joint sounds (25% versus 15% to 25%); limited maximum mouth opening < 40 mm (9% versus 5% to 8%); pain upon movement of the mandible (1% versus 1% to 3%); irregular jaw movements (deviation, deflection) (28% versus 28%); interview: subjective joint sounds (9% versus 11% to 13%); and subjective TMJ pain (3% versus 4% to 7%). CONCLUSION The TMD incidence in the current study agreed quite well with the other studies based on random samples with similar subjects and design. The large range of prevalence for signs and symptoms of TMD documented in reviews and meta-analyses could therefore not be confirmed.
Polymorphism in CYP1A1, GSTMI, GSTT1 genes and organochlorine pesticides in the etiology of hypospadias

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and maternal endogenous estrogen may cause hypospadias, common congenital anomaly. Several organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been reported to possess an endocrine-disrupting potential. Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTM1 and GSTT1) of xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme family are involved in the metabolism of various environmental toxicants and steroidal hormones. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate the role of CYP1A1, GSTM1, GSTT1 genes polymorphism, OCPs levels and risk of hypospadias. A total of 80 hypospadiac and 120 age-matched control boys were included. OCP levels in blood were determined using Gas Chromatograph equipped with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and polymorphism in CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was evaluated by RFLP and multiplex PCR method. We observed significant high levels of β-hexachlorohexane (HCH), γ-HCH, and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) in the cases. CYP1A1 polymorphisms were not significantly different among cases and controls, whereas concomitant deletion of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes was significantly higher in cases as compared to controls. However, after adjusting for low birth weight and maternal occupational exposure, the results did not remain significant but odds of risk was higher (OR = 1.72, p = 0.14) among cases. In conclusion, our study suggests irrespective of genetic predisposition, higher level of some OCPs may be associated with increased risk of hypospadias.
Safety, tolerance and pharmacokinetics of a humanized monoclonal antibody to respiratory syncytial virus in premature infants and infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. MEDI-493 Study Group.

BACKGROUND Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. MEDI-493 (palivizumab) is a humanized monoclonal antibody to the fusion protein of RSV and is active in animal models for prevention of pulmonary RSV replication. OBJECTIVE To describe the safety, tolerance, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of repeat intravenous doses of MEDI-493 in premature infants or infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. DESIGN Phase I/II multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, dose escalation trial. PATIENT POPULATION Infants born prematurely (< or = 35 weeks of gestation) who were < or = 6 months of age and infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia who were < or = 24 months of age were eligible for study participation. STUDY AGENTS: Participants received 3, 10 or 15 mg/kg MEDI-493 or 0.9% saline intravenously every 30 days for up to five doses. RESULTS MEDI-493 was safe and well-tolerated and did not induce a specific anti-MEDI-493 response. The mean half-life of 20 days was comparable with that of other immunoglobulin G preparations. Mean trough serum concentrations 30 days after Infusion 1 were 6.8, 36.1 and 60.6 microg/ml for the 3-, 10- and 15-mg/kg dose groups, respectively. After Infusion 2 the trough concentrations were 11.9, 45.2 and 70.7 microg/ml. After subsequent doses the mean trough values ranged from 14 to 18 microg/ml in those given 3 mg/kg and were > 40 microg/ml for patients who received 10 or 15 mg/kg MEDI-493 (46 to 72 microg/ml and 88 to 96 microg/ml, respectively). CONCLUSIONS MEDI-493 was safe and well-tolerated in this high risk pediatric population. Mean serum concentrations of MEDI-493 that have been shown to produce a 2-log reduction in pulmonary RSV titer in cotton rats were maintained when 10 or 15 mg/kg MEDI-493 was given every 30 days to pediatric patients at high risk for serious RSV disease. Monthly doses of 15 mg/kg maintained concentrations of > 40 microg/ml for the majority of patients.
Pregnancy after perinatal loss: the relationship between anxiety and prenatal attachment.

OBJECTIVE To determine the difference between levels of pregnancy-specific anxiety and prenatal attachment in a group of pregnant women who previously had a late pregnancy loss and a group of primiparous women of similar gestational age. To also determine the relationship, if any, between anxiety and prenatal attachment in both groups. DESIGN A nonrandom, comparative descriptive design. SETTING Participants recruited from medical offices, childbirth classes, and perinatal support groups and newsletters. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of 31 expectant mothers (15 primiparae and 16 who previously experienced a late pregnancy miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death). Both groups of women were in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of their current pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Anxiety was measured using the Pregnancy Outcome Questionnaire; prenatal attachment was measured using the Prenatal Attachment Inventory. RESULTS The loss group showed significantly greater levels of anxiety and significantly lower levels of prenatal attachment compared with a group of primiparous women of a similar gestational age. CONCLUSIONS Women who experienced a previous late pregnancy loss had a higher level of anxiety related to concerns about the pregnancy and decreased prenatal attachment with the child in the current pregnancy. Women in their first pregnancy had decreased anxiety compared with the loss group. Higher levels of prenatal attachment also were shown in the primiparous group.
Posttraumatic Peripherally-induced Dystonia and Multifocal Deep Brain Stimulation: Case Report

OBJECTIVE:We report on the effect of multifocal deep brain stimulation for the treatment of posttraumatic peripherally-induced dystonia. CLINICAL PRESENTATION:A 34-year-old woman presented with an 8-year history of painful tonic dystonia starting in her left leg after injury of the third metatarsal bone. She did not benefit from right-sided pallidal stimulation by an electrode misplaced in the globus pallidus externus in another hospital. INTERVENTION:Quadripolar deep brain stimulation electrodes were placed in the globus pallidus internus and the ventrolateral thalamus by computed tomographic-guided stereotactic surgery and microelectrode recording contralateral to the side of dystonia. The Burke-Fahn-Marsden motor score of 34 did not improve with chronic pallidal or thalamic stimulation. CONCLUSION:Although deep brain stimulation is received with great enthusiasm, it is important to identify its limitations in certain subtypes of dystonia.
Improving strategies for the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis

Amyloidosis refers to a group of rare but potentially fatal, protein misfolding diseases. The heart is frequently involved in the most common types, that is, immunoglobulin light chain and transthyretin amyloidosis and is the single most important predictor of patient outcomes. A major limitation in improving patient outcomes, in addition to developing novel therapeutics, is the late diagnosis of the disease. Once suspected, an organ for biopsy should be targeted and the amyloid type should be identified by mass spectrometry. An endomyocardial biopsy should be offered if cardiac involvement is in doubt. Echocardiography, MRI and nuclear imaging can provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic information and can secure the diagnosis if amyloid has been identified in an extracardiac tissue.
SGE‐102: A novel therapy for refractory status epilepticus

Refractory status epilepticus (SE) has a mortality rate of up to 35%. Current treatment protocols for the treatment of SE begin with benzodiazepines and then proceed to conventional anticonvulsants. If seizures continue, SE is considered refractory (RSE) and treatment with anesthetic agents in undertaken. Twenty‐four h to 48 h after initiation of anesthesia with midazolam, pentobarbital or thiopental, or propofol, an attempt is made to wean the anesthetic. If this fails and seizures recur, SE is considered highly refractory (HRSE) and repeated attempts are undertaken. No randomized trial data are available to guide the choice of anesthetic agent in either RSE or HRSE status. Medication resistance in established SE is thought to result, in part, from internalization of synaptic γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, making them unavailable for modulation. Neurosteroids act on both synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors, which are not internalized, and are therefore hypothesized to have a role in the treatment of RSE. SGE‐102 is a neurosteroid metabolite of progesterone with demonstrated anticonvulsant properties in animal seizure models. A randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled adjunctive trial of SGE will include subjects randomized at the time that initial treatment with anesthesia is initiated. Subjects will receive midazolam and either SGE‐102 or placebo. Midazolam will be tapered and discontinued between hours 24 and 48. SGE‐102 or placebo will be continued through hour 120. The primary end point will be the difference in proportion of subjects from each arm who remain seizure free through hour 120. Secondary end points will include the proportion of subjects who are seizure free at hour 168, 2 days after discontinuation of the experimental agent. The study will be powered to have a 90% chance of detecting a clinically meaningful reduction in seizure recurrence at 120 h. Comprehensive safety and pharmacokinetic data will also be obtained during the course of the trial.
Reproductive Endocrine Disorders in Women with Primary Generalized Epilepsy

Summary: It is known that women suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy may frequently present reproductive endocrine disorders (REDs). We hypothesized that a high occurrence of REDs could be found also in primary generalized epilepsy (PGE), and therefore investigated the hormonal and ovarian echographic profiles in 20 PGE female patients of reproductive age. Fourteen reported normal menstrual cycles, while 6 complained of longstanding menstrual irregularities. All but three patients were receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. In all subjects, the basal levels of gonadotropins, prolactin, and gonadal steroids were assayed. The response of luteinizing hormone (LH) to gonadotropin‐releasing hormone was also investigated and ovarian ultrasonographic findings were evaluated. In five of six patients with menstrual problems (25% of the group), a well‐defined RED was diagnosed (polycystic ovarian disease in three cases and hypothalamic ovarian failure in two). The 14 patients with normal menstrual cycles showed an elevation of mean basal follicle‐stimulating hormone and prolactin, and a blunting of mean LH response. Our results suggest that a high occurrence of REDs may be found also in PGE. We hypothesize that a neurotransmitter dysfunction might be the common pathogenetic mechanism resulting in both REDs and PGE. The hormonal alterations observed in the patients with normal menstrual cycles seem to support our hypothesis. Previous data seem to rule out a possible AED effect accounting for the hormonal findings observed in our series. However, further studies are needed to confirm our preliminary results.
Gold (III) porphyrin complexes induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest and inhibit tumor growth in colon cancer

Gold (III) compounds have exhibited favorable antitumor properties both in vitro and in vivo. In a previous study, the authors reported that the novel gold (III) complex 1a (gold 1a) exhibited strong cytotoxicity in some tumor cell lines. In the current study, the effect of gold 1a was investigated on colon cancer cells.
Photophysical Properties of the Prefluorescent Nitroxide Probes QT and C343T

The photophysical properties of the nitroxide prefluorescent probes 4‐(3‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐4‐quinolinoyloxy)‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐4‐yl) ester free radical (QT) and 2,3,4,6,7,8‐hexahydro‐quinolizino [1,10,9‐gh] coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acid (1‐oxyl‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐4‐yl) ester free radical (C343T) were evaluated as a function of pH and solvent properties. The absorbance of QT showed high pH sensitivity. The pKa values for the different ionization forms involved in the acid–base equilibrium of the quinoline chromophore were determined in the ground and excited states. The fluorescence lifetimes of QT, and N‐hydroxylamine (QTH) and quinoline methyl ester (QMe) derivatives, showed that the intramolecular quenching efficiency by the nitroxide moiety is independent of the quinoline ionization form. The fluorescence and absorbance of C343T were highly sensitive to solvent polarity in agreement with a charged transfer excited state of the chromophore. However, we noted a decrease in the intramolecular fluorescence quenching efficiency by the nitroxide moiety when changing the polarity of the solvent from hexane to water. This behavior has been attributed to a suppression of an energy transfer mechanism in the nitroxide quenching process in very polar solvents. The results obtained in micelles allow us to propose QT and C343T as sensors for pH and micropolarity, respectively, in addition to their role as monitors for free radicals or hydrogen transfer from phenols.
Genome-wide DNA methylation variability in adolescent monozygotic twins followed since birth

DNA methylation patterns are characterized by highly conserved developmental programs, but allow for divergent gene expression resulting from stochastic epigenetic drift or divergent environments. Genome-wide methylation studies in monozygotic (MZ) twins are providing insight into the extent of epigenetic variation that occurs, irrespective of genotype. However, little is known about the variability of DNA methylation patterns in adolescence, a period involving significant and rapid physical, emotional, social, and neurodevelopmental change. Here, we assessed genome-wide DNA methylation using the 450 K Illumina BeadChip in a sample of 37 MZ twin pairs followed longitudinally since birth to investigate: 1) the extent of variation in DNA methylation in identical genetic backgrounds in adolescence and; 2) whether these variations are randomly distributed or enriched in particular functional pathways. We also assessed stability of DNA methylation over 3–6 months to distinguish stable trait-like and variable state-like genes. A pathway analysis found high within-pair variability in genes associated with development, cellular mechanisms, tissue and cell morphology, and various disorders. Test-retest analyses performed in a sub-sample of 8 twin pairs demonstrated enrichment in gene pathways involved in organismal development, cellular growth and proliferation, cell signaling, and particular disorders. The variability found in functional gene pathways may plausibly underlie phenotypic differences in this adolescent MZ twin sample. Furthermore, we assessed stability of methylation over 3–6 months and found that some genes were stable while others were unstable, suggesting that the methylome remains dynamic in adolescence and that dynamic sites tend to be organized in certain gene pathways.