Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COMPARISON OF HEMATOLOGICAL, PLASMA BIOCHEMICAL, AND NUTRITIONAL ANALYTES OF REHABILITATING AND APPARENTLY HEALTHY FREE-RANGING ATLANTIC GREEN TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS)

Abstract: Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are unique because hatchlings and pelagic juveniles are carnivorous, whereas later life stages become primarily herbivorous. Although this dietary shift is well understood, nutritional requirements at each developmental stage are not. Diet selection during rehabilitation is challenging, because turtles are often fed high-protein, low-fiber diets to counteract poor appetite and emaciation, which can result in gastrointestinal disorders. The objective of this study was to analyze hematology, plasma biochemistry, and nutritional analytes to determine the effect of diet on rehabilitating green turtle health and recovery. Turtles in rehabilitation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) on Jekyll Island, Georgia (n = 21) were sampled at admission, mid-rehabilitation, and recovery. Duration of rehabilitation ranged from 48 to 233 days (mean = 117) and included a shift from a mixed seafood–vegetable diet at admission to a primarily herbivorous diet at recovery. For comparison, free-ranging turtles captured during an ongoing monitoring project in St. Lucie County, Florida (n = 34) were evaluated for the same variables. Several analytes improved during rehabilitation, including total protein, uric acid, potassium, and vitamins A and E. Others were significantly different, including higher cholesterol and triglycerides, but lower calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium in recovery compared with freeranging turtles. These variations illustrate the benefits of appropriate supportive care during rehabilitation as well as the importance of a species-specific diet for green turtles, and may facilitate formulation of nutritionally complete gel diets for this species under human care.
Maternal exposure to ambient PM2.5 and term low birthweight in the State of Georgia

A growing body of evidence suggests that ambient air pollution could be associated with low birthweight (LBW). In this study, we examined pregnancy exposure to ambient PM2.5 and the risk of LBW in the State of Georgia. The study population consisted of 48,172 full-term live births between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2004 in nine counties of Georgia, which was obtained from the national natality dataset. County-level air quality index data obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was used to estimate exposure to ambient levels of PM2.5. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that infants with maternal exposure to PM2.5 falling within 75 to < 95th percentiles were at increased risk of LBW (OR: 1.36; 95 % CI: 1.03, 1.79), after adjusting for potential confounders. This study provided more evidence on the role of PM2.5 in LBW. Reducing exposure for pregnant women would be necessary to improve the health of infants.
DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA SP. IN INDOCHINESE BOX TURTLES (CUORA BOURRETI)

Abstract: Mycoplasma species are important pathogens of captive and free-ranging chelonians. Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti) is a critically endangered species of Indochinese box turtle in the family Geoemydidae. Four privately owned wild-caught Bourret's box turtles were presented for clinical evaluation for anorexia and lethargy following shipment from a reptile wholesaler 3 wk prior. Choanal-cloacal swabs of two of the turtles were positive for Mycoplasma sp. by polymerase chain reaction. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer was 99% homologous to an unclassified Mycoplasma sp. previously documented in free-ranging and captive North American species of the family Emydidae. The potential of Mycoplasma sp. to induce disease in Bourret's box turtles is unknown. Global trade in live reptiles is believed to have facilitated this potential expansion of host range.
Risk factors and prognosis of voice disorders after surgical treatment of thyroid and parathyroid diseases.

AIM To analyze risk factors and prognosis of voice disorders after surgical treatment of thyroid and parathyroid diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS There were 1272 patients who were operated in the endocrine surgery department for the period from January 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017. We studied the incidence of VF paresis, VF paralysis, and persistent dysphonia as clinical outcomes. Potential risk factors have to be analyzed were sex and age of patients, BMI, diagnosis, surgical technique, thyroid volume, experience of the surgeon and assistant, use of intraoperative neuromonitoring, etc. RESULTS: Significant relationships of risk factors with various complications of thyroid surgery were found. In logistic regression analysis, the independent predictors of complications were the following: 1) for VF paresis - extent of surgery and thyroid volume; 2) for VF paralysis - sex, extent of surgery and thyroid volume; 3) for persistent postoperative dysphonia - age and thyroid volume. CONCLUSION The correlation of various risk factors with development of VF paresis, VF paralysis and persistent dysphonia were identified in patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid surgery.
The Impact of Melt Electrowritten Scaffold Design on Porosity Determined by X-Ray Microtomography

Melt electrowriting (MEW) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique using thermoplastic polymers to produce microscale structures, including scaffolds for tissue engineering. MEW scaffolds have, in general, high porosities and can be designed with different fiber diameters, spacings, and laydown patterns. The need for a reliable method for scaffold characterization is essential for quality assurance and research purposes. In this study, we describe the use of submicrometer X-ray tomography for the generation of local thickness maps of volume porosity of 16 different scaffold groups, comprising 2 diameter groups, 2 fiber spacing groups, and 4 different laydown patters (0/90°, 0/60/120°, 0/45/90/135°, and 0/30/60/90/120/150°), all made using a custom-built MEW printer with medical-grade poly(ɛ-caprolactone). The results showed a porosity range between 77.7% and 90.7% for all the scaffolds. Moreover, the influence of the scaffold regularity and flatness in the more regular pore shapes (0/90°, 0/60/120°) lead to the shift of the local thickness graph to one side, and thus the prevalence of one pore size. This nondestructive method for MEW scaffold characterization overcomes the limitations of microscopic methods of pore shape and size estimation. Impact Statement Melt electrowriting is an AM technology that bridges the gap between solution electrospinning and melt microextrusion technologies. It can be applied to biomaterials and tissue engineering by making a spectrum of scaffolds with various laydown patterns at dimensions not previously studied. Using submicrometer X-ray tomography, a “fingerprint” of porosity for such scaffolds can be obtained and used as an important measure for quality control, to ensure that the scaffold fabricated is the one designed and allows the selection of specific scaffolds based on desired porosities.
How inhibiting nitrification affects nitrogen cycle and reduces environmental impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen input

Anthropogenic activities, and in particular the use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer, have doubled global annual reactive N inputs in the past 50–100 years, causing deleterious effects on the environment through increased N leaching and nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions. Leaching and gaseous losses of N are greatly controlled by the net rate of microbial nitrification. Extensive experiments have been conducted to develop ways to inhibit this process through use of nitrification inhibitors (NI) in combination with fertilizers. Yet, no study has comprehensively assessed how inhibiting nitrification affects both hydrologic and gaseous losses of N and plant nitrogen use efficiency. We synthesized the results of 62 NI field studies and evaluated how NI application altered N cycle and ecosystem services in N‐enriched systems. Our results showed that inhibiting nitrification by NI application increased NH3 emission (mean: 20%, 95% confidential interval: 33–67%), but reduced dissolved inorganic N leaching (−48%, −56% to −38%), N2O emission (−44%, −48% to −39%) and NO emission (−24%, −38% to −8%). This amounted to a net reduction of 16.5% in the total N release to the environment. Inhibiting nitrification also increased plant N recovery (58%, 34–93%) and productivity of grain (9%, 6–13%), straw (15%, 12–18%), vegetable (5%, 0–10%) and pasture hay (14%, 8–20%). The cost and benefit analysis showed that the economic benefit of reducing N's environmental impacts offsets the cost of NI application. Applying NI along with N fertilizer could bring additional revenues of $163 ha−1 yr−1 for a maize farm, equivalent to 8.95% increase in revenues. Our findings showed that NIs could create a win‐win scenario that reduces the negative impact of N leaching and greenhouse gas production, while increases the agricultural output. However, NI's potential negative impacts, such as increase in NH3 emission and the risk of NI contamination, should be fully considered before large‐scale application.
Alternatives to Rapid Sequence Intubation: Contemporary Airway Management with Ketamine

Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a high-risk procedure commonly performed in emergency medicine, critical care, and the prehospital setting. Traditional rapid sequence intubation (RSI), the simultaneous administration of an induction agent and muscle relaxant, is more likely to harm patients who do not allow appropriate preparation and preoxygenation, have concerning airway anatomy, or severe hypoxia, acidemia, or hypotension. Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, can be used to facilitate two alternatives to RSI to augment airway safety in these scenarios: delayed sequence intubation – the use of ketamine to allow airway preparation and preoxygenation in the agitated patient; and ketamine-only breathing intubation, in which ketamine is used without a paralytic to facilitate ETI as the patient continues to breathe spontaneously. Ketamine may also provide hemodynamic benefits during standard RSI and is a valuable agent for post-intubation analgesia and sedation. When RSI is not an optimal airway management strategy, ketamine’s unique pharmacology can be harnessed to facilitate alternative approaches that may increase patient safety.
The Role of Polyether Ether Ketone (Peek) in Dentistry – A Review

This study is aimed to review the applications of Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) in dentistry. The increased demand for aesthetics, legislation in some developed countries, few drawbacks with existing materials and clinicians shifting their paradigms towards metal free restorations led space for the metal-free restorations in today’s dental practice. An electronic literature search was conducted through Medline via PubMed, Wiley Online library, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, as well as the Google Scholar between January 2010 and March 2018 using the keywords: PEEK, modified PEEK, PEEK and Dental, advantages of PEEK, applications of PEEK in dentistry and PEEK Implants. A total of 103 articles were found in the literature search and out of these, 18 were not related to our study and hence were excluded. Finally, 85 articles were found to be relevant. PEEK has been explained for a number of applications in dental practice. The literature showed that the PEEK material has superior mechanical properties with different uses in various specialties of dentistry.
Graph Structure and Monadic Second-Order Logic - A Language-Theoretic Approach

The study of graph structure has advanced in recent years with great strides: finite graphs can be described algebraically, enabling them to be constructed out of more basic elements. Separately the properties of graphs can be studied in a logical language called monadic second-order logic. In this book, these two features of graph structure are brought together for the first time in a presentation that unifies and synthesizes research over the last 25 years. The author not only provides a thorough description of the theory, but also details its applications, on the one hand to the construction of graph algorithms, and, on the other to the extension of formal language theory to finite graphs. Consequently the book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in graph theory, finite model theory, formal language theory, and complexity theory.
Promoting colorectal cancer screening through a new model of delivering rural primary care in the USA: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION Despite the known benefits of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, rural areas have consistently reported lower screening rates than their urban counterparts. Alternative healthcare delivery models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs), have the potential to increase CRC rates through collaboration among healthcare providers with the aim of improving quality and decreasing cost. However, researchers have not sufficiently explored how this innovative model could influence the promotion of cancer screening. The purpose of the study was to explore the mechanism of how CRC screening can be promoted in ACO-participating rural primary care clinics. METHODS The study collected qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 21 healthcare professionals employed in ACO-participating primary care clinics in rural Nebraska. Participants were asked about their views on opportunities and challenges to promote CRC screening in an ACO context. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS The study found that the new healthcare delivery model can offer opportunities to promote cancer screening in rural areas through enhanced electronic health record use, information sharing and collaborative learning within ACO networks, use of standardized quality measures and performance feedback, a shift to preventive/comprehensive care, adoption of team-based care, and empowered care coordinators. The perceived challenges were found in financial instability, increased staff workload, lack of provider training/education, and lack of resources in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS This study found that the innovative care delivery model, ACO, could provide a well-designed platform for promoting CRC screening in rural areas, if sustainable resources (eg finance, health providers, and education) are provided. This study provides 'practical' information to identify effective and sustainable intervention programs to promote preventive screening. Further efforts are needed to facilitate delivery system reforms in rural primary care, such as improving performance evaluation measures and methods.
Assessment of Cytomorphometric Features of Oral Squames from Buccal Mucosa of Tobacco Users using Oral Brush Biopsy: An Exfoliative Cytological Study.

Background: Tobacco comprises of one of the most common addiction in the society. All the forms of the tobacco are harmful, causing alterations in the cellular parameters of the oral mucosal cells. A number of techniques and methods are available along with chair side examination for supplementing the diagnosis of tobacco induced premalignant lesions. Exfoliative cytology is one such technique, which is non-invasive and can be used for mass screening. Therefore, we evaluated the cytological and cytomorphometric changes in the oral squames using brush biopsy from buccal mucosa of tobacco users. Methods: A total of 300 patients with age group of 25 to 60 years were included in the study. Detailed history of the patients were taken to known the method (smoking, smokeless or both) and frequency of tobacco intake. Scrapings from the buccal mucosal scrape were obtained, smeared on slides and were subsequently stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Observation and analyses of the smears was done under microscope followed by analysis in the computer using software Dewinter Biowizard version 3.0. various cellular parameters were assessed and compared in between different groups. Patients were divided into two major groups- Habituers and Nonhabituers. The habituers were again divided into: Tobacco smokers, Tobacco chewers and patients having combined habit. Independent-Samples T Test and One-Way ANOVA were used to assess the level of significance. Results: Significant results were obtained while comparing nuclear parameter, cellular area, cellular perimeter, cell contour and nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio in between lesional group and tobacco smoking group. While comparing between tobacco smoking group and Non habituers group, significant results were obtained in all the parameters except for cell contour and N/C ratio. Significant results were obtained while comparing between lesions and combined habit groups. While comparing between habituers and non- habituers group, except for cell contour significant results were obtained in all other cellular parameters. Conclusion: Early changes detection in clinically normal oral mucosa of tobacco users is possible by using non-invasive, painless procedures like oral brush biopsy and cytomorphometry. Further studies recommended.
Integrating Customer Choice in Differentiated Slotting for Last-Mile Logistics

In this paper, we study an e-grocer’s problem of differentiated slotting in last-mile logistics for attended home delivery. The purpose of differentiated slotting is to statically determine which time slots should be on offer throughout the selling horizon in each area of a delivery region on each future service day such that costeffective last-mile delivery schedules on an operational level can be expected. For this purpose, in addition to an appropriate approximation of potential delivery tours and costs, it is crucial to adequately consider the customer choice behavior between slots. In this paper, we propose a model-based, profit-oriented slotting approach that accounts for such choice behavior in a realistic, sophisticated fashion using a finite-mixture multinomial logit choice model. We formulate the resulting optimization problem as a non-linear mixedinteger program and show how it can be linearized. Further, we conduct a computational study to examine the benefit of the new approach. In particular, we demonstrate the superiority of our approach to existing approaches in the academic literature, which neglect or simplistically approximate customer choice behavior and which are purely cost-based.
Toward a conceptual framework for social media adoption by non-urban communities for non-profit activities: Insights from an integration of grand theories of technology acceptance

This paper describes perceptions of social media as a communication tool and source of information for non-profit activities in non-urban communities. It proposes a conceptual framework predicated on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the information systems success model as theoretical lenses and suggests that four key factors influence the intentions of non-urban communities to adopt and use social media for communication and information of non-profit activities: performance expectancy (i.e. perception of the benefits of using non-profits’ social media to enhance performance), effort expectancy (i.e. perception of how easy it will be to use non-profits’ social media), social conditions (i.e. expectation of others in non-urban communities to use non-profits’ social media), and facilitating conditions (i.e. access to resources and technology as well as self-efficacy with respect to use of non-profits’ social media). It also suggests that three key enablers allow non-profits to leverage those key factors: information quality (i.e. quality of information about non-profit activities), system quality (i.e. quality of social media interface and technology used by non-profits), and service quality (i.e. quality of interactions between representatives of non-profits and non-urban communities on social media). Further empirical testing to validate the conceptual framework, using a non-urban community sample, and strategic investments in key enablers and determinants of high impact and significance should help non-profits to develop effective social media strategies to widen their reach to and in non-urban communities.
Theory and Design of Adaptive Automation in Aviation Systems

Abstract : Recent technological advances have made viable the implementation of intelligent automation in advanced tactical aircraft. The use of this technology has given rise to new human factors issues and concerns. Errors in highly automated aircraft have been linked to the adverse effects of automation on the pilot's system awareness, monitoring workload, and ability to revert to manual control. However adaptive automation, or automation that is implemented dynamically in response to changing task demands on the pilot, has been proposed to be superior to systems with fixed, or static automation. This report examines several issues concerning the theory and design of adaptive automation in aviation systems, particularly as applied to advanced tactical aircraft. An analysis of the relative costs and benefits of conventional (static) aviation automation provides the starting point for the development of a theory of adaptive automation. This analysis includes a review of the empirical studies investigating effects of automation on pilot performance. The main concepts of adaptive automation are then introduced, and four major methods for implementing adaptive automation in the advanced cockpit are described and discussed. Aircraft Automation, Pilot Situational Awareness, Aviation Human Factors, Pilot Workload.
Phosphate Assay Kit in One Cell for Electrochemical Detection of Intracellular Phosphate Ions at Single Cells

In this paper, phosphate assay kit in one cell is realized for the electrochemical detection of intracellular phosphate ions at single cells. The components of the phosphate assay kit, including maltose phosphorylase, maltose, mutarotase, and glucose oxidase, are electrochemically injected into a living cell through a nanometer-sized capillary with the ring electrode at the tip. These components react with phosphate ions inside the cell to generate hydrogen peroxide that is electrochemically oxidized at the ring electrode for the qualification of intracellular phosphate ions. An average 1.7 nA charge was collected from eight individual cells, suggesting an intracellular phosphate concentration of 2.1 mM. The establishment in the electrochemical measurement of phosphate ions provides a special strategy to monitor the fluctuation of intracellular phosphate at single cells, which is significant for the future investigation of phosphate signal transduction pathway.
Evaluation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers as Synthetic Virus Neutralizing Antibody Mimics

Rapid development of antibody-based therapeutics are crucial to the agenda of innovative manufacturing of macromolecular therapies to combat emergent diseases. Although highly specific, antibody therapies are costly to produce. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) constitute a rapidly-evolving class of antigen-recognition materials that act as synthetic antibodies. We report here on the virus neutralizing capacity of hydrogel-based MIPs. We produced MIPs using porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV-1), as a model mammalian virus. Assays were performed to evaluate the specificity of virus neutralization, the effect of incubation time and MIP concentration. Polyacrylamide and N-hydroxymethylacrylamide based MIPs produced a highly significant reduction in infectious viral titer recovered after treatment, reducing it to the limit of detection of the assay. MIP specificity was tested by comparing their neutralizing effects on PRRSV-1 to the effects on the unrelated bovine viral diarrhea virus-1; no significant cross-reactivity was observed. The MIPs demonstrated effective virus neutralization in just 2.5 min and their effect was concentration dependent. These data support the further evaluation of MIPs as synthetic antibodies as a novel approach to the treatment of viral infection.