Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Phototherapy on the Reliability of Transcutaneous Bilirubin Devices in Term and Near-Term Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) devices are commonly used for screening of hyperbilirubinemia in term and near-term infants not exposed to phototherapy. However, the accuracy of TcB devices in infants exposed to phototherapy is unclear. Objectives: To conduct a systematic review of studies comparing TcB devices with total serum bilirubin (TSB) in infants receiving phototherapy or in the postphototherapy phase. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus databases (from inception to May 8, 2014) were searched. Additional citations were identified from the bibliography of selected articles and from the abstracts of conference proceedings. The studies were included if they compared TcB results with TSB in term and near-term infants during phototherapy or after discontinuation of phototherapy. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion, and discrepancies were resolved with consensus. Risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Results: Fourteen studies were identified. The pooled estimates of correlation coefficients (r) during phototherapy were: covered sites 0.71 (95% CI 0.64-0.77, 11 studies), uncovered sites 0.65 (95% CI 0.55-0.74), 8 studies), forehead 0.70 (95% CI 0.64-0.75, 12 studies) and sternum 0.64 (95% CI 0.43-0.77, 5 studies). Two studies also provided results as Bland-Altman difference plots (mean TcB-TSB differences -29.2 and 30 µmol/l, respectively). The correlation coefficient improved marginally in the postphototherapy phase (r = 0.72, 95% CI 0.64-0.78, 4 studies). Conclusion: We found a moderate correlation between TcB and TSB during phototherapy with a marginal improvement in the postphototherapy phase. Further research is needed before the use of TcB devices can be recommended for these settings.
God, Evolution and the Problem of Evil:Towards a Solution

The purpose of this thesis is to offer a defence for the goodness of the God of the Judeo/Christian Scriptures—in the light of [the Triune] God’s use of an evolutionary process; a process that has predation, pain and death as an essential core of its potential, id est, to give rise to the ‘end purposes (telɒs) of God’. The methodological approach taken in this thesis is one in which the shape of the account is determined by Christian doctrine—the scientific contribution being critically appropriated to that doctrinally shaped account. Under the heading of ‘Changes to the traditional/Biblical view of the attributes of God’ we consider the implications/alternatives espoused by some philosophical theologians. This section of the thesis explores the alternative views of the ‘nature’ and ‘attributes’ of God, id est, the transposition of the God of Scripture with another in the light of the problem of natural evil—that of a creative ‘ground of being’ that is deemed more acceptable to both science and modern philosophical theology. Further to its research objectives the thesis investigates recent evolutionary defences/theodicies offered by several proponents of both scientific enquiry and theological research and reflection. The final part of the thesis offers an eight-step argument for the goodness and justice of God in the light of evolution—an argument that has developed out of the author’s work regarding God, evolution and the [evidential] problem of evil. A major part of the argument centres on the pre-cosmological existence of angels and the rebellion of those considered ‘fallen’. GOD, evolution and the problem of evil: Towards A Solution Derek J. White 3 The argument offered in this thesis is that such creatures have been at the root of the universal problem of evil (natural and supernatural) since before the ‘birthing’ of the universe and that the problem of evil was dealt a fatal blow through the incarnational work of Christ. A crucial part of the argument in this thesis is the significance of the evolutionary process—as being the only possible means for the development of biological lifeforms—a pathway for the incarnation and a means by which God, in Christ, would bring about redemption for the creation and ransom for mankind. GOD, evolution and the problem of evil: Towards A Solution Derek J. White 4
ENZYME CHARACTERIZATION OF ENDOPHYTIC ACTINOBACTERIA ISOLATED FROM TOMATO PLANTS

Endophytic actinobacteria produce active metabolites, protecting plant tissues against stress. They compounds are widely used in human and veterinary pharmaceutics and agriculture, and of several enzymes with biotechnological potential. The present study characterizes the enzymatic production of endophytic actinobacteria colonizing tomato plants. Twenty-three actinobacteria isolates were tested for the detection of amylase, pectinase, cellulose, lipase, esterase, caseinase, gelatinase and catalase, at three temperatures (25 ̊C, 28 ̊C and 30 ̊C) for 7 days. Substrate hydrolysis and enzymatic index (EI) were determined. The results showed that mean EI of all actinobacteria isolates was between 0.8 and 7.1. Although 30 ̊C was the temperature at which the highest number of isolates presented enzymatic activity, it was at 25 ̊C that amylase, pectinase, lipase and esterase activity reached the highest mean EI. Catalase was produced by all actinobacteria, while lipase, esterase and pectinase activity was observed for at least 20 isolates, regardless the incubation temperature. However, the highest number of isolates able to hydrolyze gelatin and cellulose (8) was observed when growth was carried out at 30 ̊C. The highest EI means were observed for the hydrolysis of lipases, while the lowest values were seen for the hydrolysis of cellulose.
Adaptive Control via Neural Output Feedback for a Class of Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems in a Nested Interconnected Form

In this paper, an adaptive output feedback control is framed for uncertain nonlinear discrete-time systems. The considered systems are a class of multi-input multioutput nonaffine nonlinear systems, and they are in the nested lower triangular form. Furthermore, the unknown dead-zone inputs are nonlinearly embedded into the systems. These properties of the systems will make it very difficult and challenging to construct a stable controller. By introducing a new diffeomorphism coordinate transformation, the controlled system is first transformed into a state-output model. By introducing a group of new variables, an input-output model is finally obtained. Based on the transformed model, the implicit function theorem is used to determine the existence of the ideal controllers and the approximators are employed to approximate the ideal controllers. By using the mean value theorem, the nonaffine functions of systems can become an affine structure but nonaffine terms still exist. The adaptation auxiliary terms are skillfully designed to cancel the effect of the dead-zone input. Based on the Lyapunov difference theorem, the boundedness of all the signals in the closed-loop system can be ensured and the tracking errors are kept in a bounded compact set. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is checked by a simulation study.
Relationship between the contamination of gulls (Larus dominicanus) and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) with Salmonella serovar Typhimurium by PCR-RFLP

Abstract Shellfish can bioaccumulate in their tissues pathogenic contaminants present in water and they have been related with several outbreaks of food-borne diseases worldwide. With their increased population in urban areas, gulls have been reported as an important source of water environment contamination. During a 10-month period, water, gulls feces and oyster samples were collected in a shellfish harvesting site and analyzed for total and fecal coliform counts (water) and Salmonella presence (gull feces and oyster meat). Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to differentiate Salmonella species detected in gulls and oysters. Salmonella presence was detected in 3/10 of oyster samples and in 6/10 of gull feces samples by PCR. There was a relationship between Salmonella presence in oysters and fecal contamination in water. Restriction profiles of both gulls and oyster samples were similar to Salmonella Typhimurium profile by RFLP. These findings indicate strong evidence that gulls can contribute to Salmonella contamination of harvested oysters.
The effect of shaft flexibility on junior golfers' performance

The aims of this study were to examine the effect of shaft flexibility on the performance of junior golfers and to determine whether there is a relationship between golfers' physical characteristics (16 anthropometric measures, age, experience, strength), performance and shaft flexibility. We assessed the performance of 30 male golfers, aged 7–10 years, with three 7-iron golf clubs of different shaft flexibility at a driving range. The performance parameters measured for equipment evaluation were ball distance achieved, shot dispersion and impact position of the ball on the clubface. The results suggest that there is no particular shaft flex suitable for the age group considered and that experience, strength and arm span are the significant factors when selecting optimal shaft flexibility for children.
Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders

Social adaptation requires specific cognitive and emotional competences. Individuals with high-functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome cannot understand or engage in social situations despite preserved intellectual abilities. Recently, it has been suggested that oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds, may be implicated in the social deficit of autism. We investigated the behavioral effects of oxytocin in 13 subjects with autism. In a simulated ball game where participants interacted with fictitious partners, we found that after oxytocin inhalation, patients exhibited stronger interactions with the most socially cooperative partner and reported enhanced feelings of trust and preference. Also, during free viewing of pictures of faces, oxytocin selectively increased patients’ gazing time on the socially informative region of the face, namely the eyes. Thus, under oxytocin, patients respond more strongly to others and exhibit more appropriate social behavior and affect, suggesting a therapeutic potential of oxytocin through its action on a core dimension of autism.
Social Support and Coronary Heart Disease: Epidemiologic Evidence and Implications for Treatment

Objective: The present paper reviews theories of social support and evidence for the role of social support in the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: Articles for the primary review of social support as a risk factor were identified with MEDLINE (1966–2004) and PsychINFO (1872–2004). Reviews of bibliographies also were used to identify relevant articles. Results: In general, evidence suggests that low social support confers a risk of 1.5 to 2.0 in both healthy populations and in patients with established CHD. However, there is substantial variability in the manner in which social support is conceptualized and measured. In addition, few studies have simultaneously compared differing types of support. Conclusions: Although low levels of support are associated with increased risk for CHD events, it is not clear what types of support are most associated with clinical outcomes in healthy persons and CHD patients. The development of a consensus in the conceptualization and measurement of social support is needed to examine which types of support are most likely to be associated with adverse CHD outcomes. There also is little evidence that improving low social support reduces CHD events. AMI = acute myocardial infarction; ANS = autonomic nervous system; CHD = coronary heart disease; ENRICHD = Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease; HPA = hypothalamic pituitary adrenal; SES = socioeconomic status; SNS = sympathetic nervous system.
Pharmacology of cefotaxime and its desacetyl metabolite in renal and hepatic disease

The pharmacology of cefotaxime and the metabolite desacetyl cefotaxime was studied in 40 patients with various degrees of renal and hepatic failure who received 0.5 or 1 g of cefotaxime intravenously. Patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance, 3 to 10 ml/min) had a cefotaxime serum half-life of 2.6 h and desacetyl cefotaxime serum half-life of 10.0 h. The equivalent figures were 1.0 and 1.5 h, respectively, in subjects with normal renal function. The presence of an acute coexisting illness together with severe renal impairment was associated with a further prolongation of the serum half-lives. Hepatic dysfunction was accompanied by a reduction in desacetyl metabolite formation. A reduction of cefotaxime dosing to 0.5 g twice a day would appear prudent when the creatinine clearance is 5 ml/min or less to avoid accumulation of the parent compound and the metabolite.
Improved Conventional Method for the Laboratory Diagnosis of Peritonitis from Peritoneal Dialysate in Sudan

of daptomycin in the container, but the decline was weak, and has no practical effect. Because of the mechanics of a PD exchange, many drug additives may need to be stored for a significant period before instillation into the peritoneal cavity (12). Our results suggest that daptomycin can be injected into Physioneal or Nutrineal, and the solutions stored at 4°C for 1 day before instillation in a peritonitis episode. A single chromatography peak was observed; we did not perform a degradation product study. Daptomycin potentially offers a novel strategy in peritonitis because of a unique mechanism of action, low incidence of resistance, and lack of cross-resistance with other classes of antibacterials. Furthermore, daptomycin appears to be indicated for use in PD peritonitis, producing a better bacterial kill at a higher rate than is seen with cefazolin or vancomycin (12). Intraperitoneal administration may allow for more direct control over the intraperitoneal daptomycin level and may lower systemic exposure to the drug, reducing the likelihood of adverse effects (4). Our study shows that daptomycin compatibility is preserved when the drug is diluted in Physioneal and Nutrineal PD solution at concentrations up to 200 mg/L, highlighting the therapeutic alternative that this drug might represent in peritonitis treatment. Further investigations into the in vivo pharmacokinetics of daptomycin with intraperitoneal administration are required.
Revised guideline on immunophenotyping in acute leukaemias and chronic lymphoproliferative disorders.

Guideline issued by the General Haematology Task Force of the British Committee for Standards inHaematology (BCSH), British Society of Haematology, 2 Carlton House Terrace, LondonIn 1994, the General Haematology Task Force (GHTF) ofthe British Committee for Standards in Haematology(BCSH) published two guidelines on immunophenotypingin acute leukaemias (General Haematology Task Force ofthe BCSH, 1994a) and chronic lymphoproliferative disor-ders (General Haematology Task Force of the BCSH,1994b). Over the past ﬁve years there have been major technicaladvances in this ﬁeld (Table 1). In addition, some newmonoclonal antibodies (McAb) have been shown to behighly speciﬁc for the lymphoid or myeloid lineages,respectively, and their use is therefore recommended inthe diagnosis of acute leukaemias.This revised guideline will focus on new techniques andreagents and deﬁne new panels of McAb recommended forlineage assignment in acute leukaemias and for thecharacterization of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders.This guideline does not consider in any detail the detectionof minimal residual disease, the diagnosis of biphenotypicacute leukaemias or the evaluation of stem cell harvest.Nor does it address the selection of antibodies fortherapeutic purposes. Furthermore, the antibody panelsoutlined here are not absolute and other McAb may beequally appropriate.This guideline was written by a working partycomprised of ﬁve members selected by the BCSH becauseof their expertise in this ﬁeld. In addition the draftguideline was reviewed by eight UK laboratories in theforefront of the ﬁeld of immunophenotyping. Theircomments were discussed and incorporated into the draftwhen appropriate. The ﬁnal manuscript was approved byall members of the BCSH and by the Committee of theBritish Society of Haematology (BSH). The guidelinerepresents the opinion of the BCSH Task Force and hasbeen approved by the BSH.
The Soluble Form of LR11 Protein Is a Regulator of Hypoxia-induced, Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (uPAR)-mediated Adhesion of Immature Hematological Cells*

Background: Serum levels of the soluble LR11 fragment (sLR11) increase in patients with acute leukemia. Results: Hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)-1α activation increases LR11 levels, and sLR11 enhances adhesion of HSPCs to BM stromal cells via a uPAR-mediated pathway. Conclusion: sLR11 regulates hypoxia-induced attachment of HSPCs. Significance: sLR11 may stabilize the hematological pool size by controlling HSPC attachment to the BM niche. A key property of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) regarding differentiation from the self-renewing quiescent to the proliferating stage is their adhesion to the bone marrow (BM) niche. An important molecule involved in proliferation and pool size of HSPCs in the BM is the hypoxia-induced urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). Here, we show that the soluble form (sLR11) of LR11 (also called SorLA or SORL1) modulates the uPAR-mediated attachment of HSPCs under hypoxic conditions. Immunohistochemical and mRNA expression analyses revealed that hypoxia increased LR11 expression in hematological c-Kit+ Lin− cells. In U937 cells, hypoxia induced a transient rise in LR11 transcription, production of cellular protein, and release of sLR11. Attachment to stromal cells of c-Kit+ Lin− cells of lr11−/− mice was reduced by hypoxia much more than of lr11+/+ animals. sLR11 induced the adhesion of U937 and c-Kit+ Lin− cells to stromal cells. Cell attachment was increased by sLR11 and reduced in the presence of anti-uPAR antibodies. Furthermore, the fraction of uPAR co-immunoprecipitated with LR11 in membrane extracts of U937 cells was increased by hypoxia. CoCl2, a chemical inducer of HIF-1α, enhanced the levels of LR11 and sLR11 in U937 cells. The decrease in hypoxia-induced attachment of HIF-1α-knockdown cells was largely prevented by exogenously added sLR11. Finally, hypoxia induced HIF-1α binding to a consensus binding site in the LR11 promoter. Thus, we conclude that sLR11 regulates the hypoxia-enhanced adhesion of HSPCs via an uPAR-mediated pathway that stabilizes the hematological pool size by controlling cell attachment to the BM niche.
Schizophrenia: An Information Processing Model

There is a wealth of literature associating schizophrenia with disorders of information processing and attention. This paper draws together knowledge from experimental cognitive psychology and examines how both research findings and the clinical manifestations of schizophrenia can be accommodated by an information processing paradigm. An attentional model of schizophrenia is proposed in which disorders in the perception of information are related to dysfunction at the level of preattentive processes. This is seen as one crucial difference between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, both of which demonstrate failures of sensory gating and filter mechanisms in the acquisition and processing of inputs. Commonalities between the two disorders are thus addressed. Certain psychopathological phenomena in schizophrenia, particularly negative symptoms (‘inhibition’), hallucinations and delusions, are seen as compensatory operations of a disordered information processing system. The model has heuristic value and is able to account for, and coherently organise, the variability which continues to confound research in schizophrenia.
IMPACT OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND ANTI-TRANSPIRATION ON WATER USE EFFICIENCY , YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF TWO GRAPEVINE CULTIVARS .

The effect of irrigation deficit and anti-transpirant on water use efficiency, yield and fruit quality of two table grapes cultivars (vitis vinifera L.), namely Thompson seedless and Flame seedless, were studied in sandy soil for the two seasons. Split-split experiments were conducted under three water regimes [control, 100% (I1); moderate water stress, 75% (I2) and severe water stress 50% (I3)] of ETc as a main plot and three antitranspirant concentrations [0% (S0), 1% (S1) and 3% (S3)] of ELO (linus seed oil triethanolamine) as sub-main plot. The results showed that, water use efficiency (WUE) decreased significantly with increasing water stress levels but increased significantly with increasing antitranspirant concentration for the two grape cvs, while the highest water utilization efficiency (WUTE) was observed under I3 and S3. Flame variety showed little response to water stress as compared with Thompson variety. Water stress treatments I2 and I3 significantly decreased the yield by 10.40%, 21.86%; and by 9.48%, 18.64% for Thompson and Flame, respectively. Under the same water treatments, yield increased by 8.04 and 16.40%; and by 4.06 and 10.00% in Thompson, and by 4.41 and 11.49%; and by 1.23 and 4.38% in Flame for S1 and S3, respectively. The maximum antitranspirant dependency percentage was achieved under I3 and S3 which reached to 15.18% and 17.50% for Thompson and Flame seedless, respectively. Grape-water response factor (Ky) for the two grape varieties was reduced as the antitranspirant J.Agric. &Env.Sci.Alex.Univ.,Egypt Vol.5 (2)2006 425 concentration increased. Fruit quality (i.e. cluster weight, cluster length, cluster width, weight of 100 berries, and volume of 100 berries) for the two grapevine cvs showed negative significant effect with water stress and positive significant effect with antitranspirant concentration. While, percentage of total soluble solids and titratable acidity significantly increased with increasing water stress and decreases significantly with increasing antitranspirant concentration. No significant differences in the two seasons was found between water stress treatments and TSS/acid ratio for Thompson while in Flame a significant increase between I1and I3 was noticed. Flame berries had a significant increase of TSS/acid as the antitranspirant concentration increased. A significant difference was found between S0 and S3 in Thompson berries. Finally, we can conclude that Antitranspirant can be used as a tool for grape growers to improve water use efficiency. This may also lead to a reduced risk of water stress, maintain or increase yield and improve fruit quality