Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic changes of mononuclear phagocytes in circulating, pulmonary alveolar and interstitial compartments in a mouse model of experimental silicosis

Abstract Context: Silicosis is a devastating, irreversible lung fibrosis condition exposed to crystalline silica. The mononuclear phagocyte system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of silicosis. Objective: The present study was aimed to explore the dynamic changes of mononuclear phagocytes in circulating, pulmonary alveolar and interstitial compartments in experimental silicosis model. Materials and methods: A mouse model of lung fibrosis was developed with crystalline silica particles (2 mg/40 μL via oropharyngeal instillation) using male C57BL/6 mice, and were killed on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. The lung inflammation and fibrosis was investigated using hematoxylin–eosin staining and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis, Masson’s trichrome staining, and immunofluorescence. Circulating monocyte subsets (Ly6Chi and Ly6Clo), polarization state of BALF-derived alveolar macrophages (AMϕ) and lung interstitial macrophages (IMϕ, derived from enzymatically digested lung tissue) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: The percentage of Ly6Chi monocytes significantly increased on day 1 after silica exposure, which reached the peak level from day 7 till day 28. Moreover, M2 (alternative activation) AMϕ (PI − CD64 + CD206+) was dramatically and progressively increased from day 1 to day 28. A parallel increase in IMϕ with M2 polarization (PI-CD64 + CD11b + CD206+) was also observed from day 1 to day 28. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate a dynamic view of mononuclear phagocyte change in three compartments after silica challenge, which highlights the remodeling of mononuclear phagocyte system as a potential therapeutic target for silicosis.
Robust Coherent Sensor Combining With Decision Directed Reversal Correction

Measurement of a single source by multiple sensors can produce signals that are synchronous but reversed: one signal rises while the other falls. Combining the signals can produce a better signal quality than a single sensor, but detection and correction of the reversals is crucial to avoid destructive interference. Conventional time delay estimation (TDE) methods are good detection tools but may be hampered by conditions such as drift, low signal to noise ratios, and burst interference. Furthermore, these methods are designed for stationary periodic signals, and are susceptible to nonstationary behavior present in the physical world. A method of detection based on the signal slope and a fused reference is presented. Simulations for signals with varying levels of interference were analyzed. A tradeoff between immunity to drift and immunity to noise was controllable by a window length parameter. The proposed method was robust to the simulated interference, withstanding more than 10-dB higher noise and drift than conventional TDE methods. A real-world experiment to extract breathing from a bed-based pressure sensor array was also run. Mean correlations of extracted respiration to gold standard respiration curves were 0.863, achieving a 32% performance improvement over not detecting and correcting the reversals, and a 7% improvement over the conventional detection methods.
Performance management and development system in the South African public service : a critical review

A well designed and properly implemented performance management and development system provides a firm foundation for effective service delivery. The morale among staff in an institution, where a performance management system is designed with great care and used optimally, is likely to be higher if all other human resources issues are taken care of. There have been concerns about the level and quality of services in the South African public service. While there are a number of reasons for the poor performance of public institutions, performance management should contribute to the success of service delivery. This article attempts to answer the following questions: What is the nature and extent of performance management-related problems in the South African public service and what can be done to overcome these challenges?
Impedance-Based Surveillance of Transient Permeability Changes in Coronary Endothelial Monolayers after Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

The relative radiation sensitivities of the various compartments of the heart are poorly characterized. Cardiac fibrosis is a common side effect of radiotherapy, suggesting that endothelial barrier function is an important factor in radiation-induced pathology. We employed Electric Cell Substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) to assess cytoskeletal rearrangement, permeability changes and endothelial barrier function changes in response to radiation in studies of human coronary arterial endothelial cells (HCAECs). A 5-Gy dose of γ radiation resulted in a significant sixfold transient decrease in transmonolayer resistance 3 h postirradiation (P = 0.001). This decrease in resistance coincided with changes in fluorescent tracer flux (P = 0.05) and display of an actin bundling phenotype. After irradiation, decreases in wound healing (P = 0.03) and micromotion within the monolayer (P = 0.02) were also observed. Time-lapse video studies confirmed that the monolayer is dynamic and showed that cells are extruded from the monolayer at a higher frequency after irradiation. These findings suggest that perturbed endothelial barrier function in the heart can occur at lower doses of γ radiation than previously reported.
Conserved expression of the GPR151 receptor in habenular axonal projections of vertebrates

The habenula is a phylogenetically conserved brain structure in the epithalamus. It is a major node in the information flow between fronto‐limbic brain regions and monoaminergic brainstem nuclei, and is thus anatomically and functionally ideally positioned to regulate emotional, motivational, and cognitive behaviors. Consequently, the habenula may be critically important in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression. Here we investigated the expression pattern of GPR151, a G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR), whose mRNA has been identified as highly and specifically enriched in habenular neurons by in situ hybridization and translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP). In the present immunohistochemical study we demonstrate a pronounced and highly specific expression of the GPR151 protein in the medial and lateral habenula of rodent brain. Specific expression was also seen in efferent habenular fibers projecting to the interpeduncular nucleus, the rostromedial tegmental area, the rhabdoid nucleus, the mesencephalic raphe nuclei, and the dorsal tegmental nucleus. Using confocal microscopy and quantitative colocalization analysis, we found that GPR151‐expressing axons and terminals overlap with cholinergic, substance P‐ergic, and glutamatergic markers. Virtually identical expression patterns were observed in rat, mouse, and zebrafish brains. Our data demonstrate that GPR151 is highly conserved, specific for a subdivision of the habenular neurocircuitry, and constitutes a promising novel target for psychiatric drug development. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:359–380, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A TD-FD Combined Method for Enhancing Reflectometry Measurements in Liquid Quality Monitoring

Quality measurement techniques for fluid-related industry applications, require difficult procedures and the process control, associated to the permittivity monitoring, limits the use of traditional sensing technologies. In this paper, a complete investigative path based on time-domain reflectometry (TDR) and frequency domain analysis is presented, in order to appropriately improve the measurement of the frequency dependent dielectric characteristics over a wide range of fluids, even when lossy liquids are involved. The proposed approach conjugates low-cost and portability with the real time monitoring capability, paving the way to the use of the proposed method in many industrial areas.
Prostacyclin (PGI2) Synthesis in the Vascular Wall of Rats with Bilateral Renal Artery Stenosis

The ability of vessels (rings of arteries and vena cava) to synthesize prostacyclin (PGI2 “in vitro” was analyzed in the initial (6-day) and chronic (6-week) phase of two-kidney, two clip hypertension. Male Wistar CHbb THOM rats were used. Tissues were incubated for two hours in Krebs solution containing 14C-arachidonk acid as exogenous substrate. Specimens (in benzene-ethanol 4:1 vol/vol) and the unlabeled standard solutions of arachidonic acid, 6-keto PGF1a, PGF2α, and PGE2, were spotted on silica gel-G plates for thin layer chromatography. Conversion of 14C-arachidonic acid to stable metabolite 6-keto PGF1a was used as an index of PGI2 synthesis. Results shown: 1) PGI2 is the major PG synthesized by the rat artery wall; 2) PGI2 synthesis was increased 2.4 times in the initial 6-day period of development of rendvascular hypertension (RH); 3) no changes in PGI2 production were observed in arteries during the chronic 6-week period of RH; 4) abdominal vena cava has little or no capacity to produce PGI2. As PGI2 is a potent vasodilator, higher production by arteries during the 6-day period suggests that prostacyclin could play a modulator role on peripheral resistance during the initial phase of renal hypertension.
Phospholipid fatty acids of brain and liver are modified by α-tocopherol and dietary fat in growing chicks

Dietary fatty acids modify phospholipid fatty acids in brain and liver of growing chickens post-hatching.The effect of vitamin E deficiency on this process is unknown and may be relevant to the pathogenesis of chick nutritional encephalomalacia (NE). Therefore laying hens received a diet low in vitamin E (10 mg α-tocopherol/kg feed). Resulting chicks were assigned to nine dietary groups each fed with either oleic (18:ln-9, 58 g/kg), linoleic (18:2n-6, 57 g/kg) or linolenic (18:3n-3, 56 g/kg) acid together with 5, 25 or 125 mg α-tocopherol/kg feed. NE affecting the cerebellum only occurred in the group given linoleic acid and 5 mg α-tocopherol/kg.In l-d-old chicks and after 1 and 2 weeks the phospholipid fatty acid composition of liver, cerebrum and cerebellum (additionally after 3 weeks) was determined. The feed fatty acids were incorporated into the liver very efficiently during the first week of life. Unsaturation of liver membranes decreased in the orderdietary linolenic >linoleic >oleic acid. In liver, also, the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation on phospholipid fatty acids was most pronounced. Theunsaturation index increased during deficiency, whereas n-9 fatty acids decreased. In the chicken brain the alterations were delayed and less distinct. The cerebellum phospholipids were rich in n-9 fatty acids and as a whole more saturated in comparison with the cerebrum. Cerebellar unsaturation increased when linolenic or linoleic acid was given. However, NE-producing dietary conditions were not accompanied by specific alterations in cerebellar phospholipid fatty acids due to the α-tocopherol content of the diet. Rather the alterations of membrane fatty acids in the liver seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of NE.
Cardiovascular events on board commercial maritime vessels: a two-year review.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are an important concern in merchant maritime operations. They are responsible for the majority of deaths at sea that are not related to injury or violence. The objective was to better understand the epidemiology of CVD in merchant maritime operations. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective review of medical events on board merchant maritime vessels over a period of two years, from a US-based telemedicine provider's database. RESULTS A total of 1,394 cases were initially retrieved from the database. CVD was diagnosed in 29 cases and was the eleventh leading cause for accessing the telemedicine provider. Five deaths occurred in the study period, three of which related to CVDs. CVDs resulted in more diversions and the utilization of more urgent means of communication. DISCUSSION CVDs present a challenge in maritime health. The current pre-employment system is not, in a reasonable cost/benefit balance, able to prevent on board events from occurring. The success of telemedicine depends heavily on the onsite resources, both human and material. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), along with other devices such as multi-parameter monitors, are tools generally available to address acute presentations of CVDs, but their applicability on board commercial ships is a matter of controversy. CONCLUSIONS CVDs are an important concern in commercial maritime operations due to the need for subsequent evaluation and potential complications including the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. In this study, CVDs were probably responsible for three on board deaths. Additional research is warranted to provide more evidence about the best resources to have on board to handle CVDs more effectively.
Aprendiendo en Casa: Media as a Resource for Learning among Hispanic-Latino Families. A Report of the Families and Media Project.

the formative research and summative evaluations for all of Sesame Workshop's global projects and works with partners around the world to elevate the quality and rigor of the Workshop's international research. She has also overseen content development and outreach projects in Asia. June received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, where her program of work focused on the contexts and effects of children's media use. She is currently co-editing a book about Sesame Workshop's international work, and has co-authored several reviews and research papers. Dr. Brigid Barron is an Associate Professor of Education at Stanford and a co-lead of the NSF-funded Learning in Informal and Formal Environments (LIFE) Science of Learning research center that investigates the social foundations of learning across diverse communities contexts, and domains. Her research investigates how digital technologies can serve as catalysts for collaborative learning at home, school, and in the community. A special focus of this work is articulating relationships between the development of interests, learner pathways to expertise, personal social networks, and designed settings for learning. Her work appears in peer-reviewed journals and books. Aprendiendo en casa: Media as a resource for learning among Hispanic-Latino families is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The mission of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center is to foster innovation in children's learning through digital media. The Cooney Center catalyzes and supports research, development, and investment in digital media technologies to advance children's learning, and is committed to the timely dissemination of useful research. Working closely with its Fellows, national advisors, media scholars, and practitioners, the Center publishes industry, policy, and research briefs examining key issues in the field of digital media and learning.
Reliability Equivalence and Sensitivity Analysis to UHVDC Systems Based on the Matrix Description of the F&D Method

For reliability analysis to ultra HVDC transmission (UHVDC) systems, the transition rates after multi-step equivalence are not explicit expressions of the reliability parameters. Thus, the sensitivity of the reliability indices to the parameters cannot be analytically expressed. A new sensitivity model after equivalence is proposed. The state space considering the winding of converter transformers is derived, two half-capacity levels are differentiated, and the passive reserve shutdown is considered. The derivatives of the state probabilities to reliability parameters are given by the transition rates. The transition frequencies before and after state aggregation are given by matrix form to facilitate the frequency and duration (F&D) method, thus yielding sensitivities after reliability equivalence. Numerical results validate accuracy of the sensitivity and the resulting reliability indices, and quantify the dependency of the sensitivity on the parametric change and spare schemes. The proposed model helps determine the vulnerable parameter and component of UHVDC systems, find countermeasures, or estimate error due to the uncertainty of reliability parameters.
Use of Pit-and-Fissure Sealants.

BACKGROUND This article presents evidence-based clinical recommendations for the use of pit-and-fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents. A guideline panel convened by the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry conducted a systematic review and formulated recommendations to address clinical questions in relation to the efficacy, retention, and potential side effects of sealants to prevent dental caries; their efficacy compared with fluoride varnishes; and a head-to-head comparison of the different types of sealant material used to prevent caries on pits-and-fissures of occlusal surfaces. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED This is an update of the ADA 2008 recommendations on the use of pit-and-fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars. The authors conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and other sources to identify randomized controlled trials reporting on the effect of sealants (available on the U.S. market) when applied to the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars. The authors used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to assess the quality of the evidence and to move from the evidence to the decisions. RESULTS The guideline panel formulated 3 main recommendations. They concluded that sealants are effective in preventing and arresting pit-and-fissure occlusal carious lesions of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents compared with the nonuse of sealants or use of fluoride varnishes. They also concluded that sealants could minimize the progression of non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions (also referred to as initial lesions) that receive a sealant. Finally, based on the available limited evidence, the panel was unable to provide specific recommendations on the relative merits of 1 type of sealant material over the others. Conclusions and practical implications: These recommendations are designed to inform practitioners during the clinical decision-making process in relation to the prevention of occlusal carious lesions in children and adolescents. Clinicians are encouraged to discuss the information in this guideline with patients or the parents of patients. The authors recommend that clinicians re-orient their efforts toward increasing the use of sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents.
Hand-Sewn Versus Mechanical Esophagogastric Anastomosis After Esophagectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: To evaluate the risks and benefits of using a circular stapler (CS) compared with the hand-sewn (HS) method for the esophagogastric anastomosis after esophageal resection. Background Data: Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicated that the use of a CS might prevent anastomotic leakage, whereas it was more likely to lead to anastomotic strictures. The relative efficacy of this intervention in comparison with the HS method has not been conclusively determined. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of all RCTs that compared HS versus mechanical anastomosis using a CS was conducted regarding the leakage, strictures, operative time, and mortality. The study protocol was established a priori according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration. Results: Twelve RCTs were included with a total of 1407 patients. The use of a CS, compared with the HS method, (1) led to no significant difference in the incidence of anastomotic leakage [risk ratio (RR): 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66–1.59] or postoperative mortality (RR: 1.64, 95% CI: 0.95–2.83), (2) increased the incidence of anastomotic strictures (RR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.16–2.42), and (3) reduced the length of the operation time (mean: −15.3 minutes, range: −28.1 to −2.39). For these results, a subgroup analysis and a meta-regression analysis yielded no significant differences for the anastomotic site, diameter of the CS, layer, or configuration. Conclusion: The use of a CS contributed to reducing the length of the operation, but was associated with an increased risk of anastomotic strictures. Both the CS and the HS method are viable alternatives in the reconstruction after esophagectomy.
TGF-β1 Expression in Renal Allograft Rejection and Cyclosporine A Toxicity

Background. To assess short- and long-term influence of the TGF-β1 on renal allografts. Methods. Expression of TGF-β1 and TNF-α, and the proportion of macrophages and eosinophils in interstitium were evaluated in 64 cases including five cases with nonrejected kidneys (NRK), 18 cases with acute rejection (AR), 26 cases with chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), and 15 cases with acute cyclosporine A (CsA) toxicity. Follow-up biopsies of all cases with AR and CsA toxicity were evaluated for development of interstitial fibrosis (IF) and graft atherosclerosis (GAS). Additionally, influence of tubular-TGF-β1 expression on graft function during 6 months after the diagnostic biopsy was evaluated. Results. A significant differences was seen between rejected kidneys and acute CsA toxicity in regards of tubular TGF-β1 expression that patients with CsA toxicity exhibited significantly higher grade of tubular TGF-β1 expression than patients with AR (P<0.05) and CAN (P<0.05). A significant difference was found between the grades of tubular TGF-β1 expression in regards to graft function of cases with AR and CsA toxicity (P< 0.05). Higher grade tubular TGF-β1 expression showed better graft function during 6 months. Besides the degree of renal TGF-β1 expression was positively correlated with development of diffuse IF and GAS (P<0.05) that the risk of the IF and GAS was higher in cases with grade 2 renal TGF-β1 expression. Conclusions. Despite the short-term posttransplantation tubule-repairing effects of TGF-β1, the overall effects of TGF-β1 in the kidney seem to be negative that increased expression of TGF-β1 promotes IF and vasculopathy associated with CAN.
Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in the Treatment: Resistant Patients who Suffer from Severe Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Background: During the past years, significant efforts have been made to explain the biological backgrounds of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Cortical-subcortical and neurotransmitter models are used for explaining the symptoms of OCD, so our hypothesis is that brain's transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) can regulate the brain activities of the OCD patients. Thus, based on the mentioned issues, this research seeks to investigate the efficacy of TDCS in treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD. Materials and Methods: The present study is a clinical trial research which was based on the available sampling method, 42 treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD were selected as research's samples (2015–2016). Medical intervention protocol in this study is TDCS cathode type that was done in 15 sessions for 3 consecutive weeks (each session was conducted for 30 min daily). Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used for evaluating the efficacy of TDCS method during the 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th sessions and it was also used for checking the 1st and 3rd monthly follow-up phases. Results: Variance within-group analysis (repeated measure) showed that the mean differences in the different stages of evaluation are significant (seven stages of evaluation). Conclusion: TDCS can be introduced as an appropriate, strong tool for regulating the brain - behavioral systems and it can also be introduced as a suitable alternative treatment for treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD.