Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Selected Methods for Monitoring Chemical Contaminants and their Effects in Aquatic Ecosystems

Abstract : This document describes the suite of biological methods of the U.S. Geological Survey Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends program for monitoring chemical contaminants and their effects on fish. The methods, which were selected by panels of experts, are being field-tested in rivers of the Mississippi River, Columbia River, and Rio Grande basins. General health biomarkers include a health assessment index based on gross observation; histopathological examination of selected organs and tissues; condition factor; and the heptosomatic and splenosomatic indices. Immune system indicators are plasma lysozyme activity and measures of splenic macrophage aggregates. Reproductive biomarkers include plasma concentrations of sex steroids hormones (17beta-estradiaol and 11-ketotestosterone) and vitellogenin, gonadal histopathology (including reproductive stage and, in females, gonadal atresia), and the gonadosomatic index. Indicators of exposure to polycyclic aromatic and polyhalogenated hydrocarbons are the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay (performed on solvent extracts of composite fish samples) and hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios are used to assess the trophic position of the fish and their exposure to sewage and other animal wastes. For each indicator we describe endpoints(s) and methods, and discuss the indicator's value and limitations for contaminant monitoring and assessment.
Maternal-Fetal Disposition and Metabolism of Retrorsine in Pregnant Rats

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are extensively synthesized by plants, are commonly present in herbs and foodstuffs, and exhibit hepatotoxicity requiring metabolic activation by cytochrome P450 3A to form the electrophilic metabolites-pyrrolic esters. PAs also cause embryo toxicity, but the metabolic profiles of PAs in fetus and placenta have been far from clear. In this study, we determined the basal metabolic activation of retrorsine (RTS) in rat maternal liver, placenta, and fetal liver in vitro and examined the fetal toxicity and bioactivation of RTS in vivo. Detection of microsomal RTS metabolites in vitro showed that the basal metabolic activity of fetal liver and placenta to RTS was much weaker than that of maternal liver. In addition, a higher rate of pyrrolic ester formation was found in normal male fetal liver compared with that of female pups. In vivo exposure to RTS caused fetal growth retardation, as well as placental and fetal liver injury. Little difference in serum RTS was observed in dams and fetuses, but the content of pyrrole-protein adduction in the fetal liver was much lower than that in maternal liver, which was consistent with basal metabolic activity. Unexpectedly, compared with basal metabolism in fetal liver, exposure to RTS during middle and late pregnancy caused an opposite gender difference in RTS metabolism and CYP3A expression in the fetal liver. For the first time, our study showed that RTS can permeate the placenta barrier and entering fetal circulation, whereas the intrauterine pyrrolic metabolite was generated mainly by fetal liver but not transported from the maternal circulation. Induction of CYP3A by RTS was gender-dependent in the fetal liver, which was probably responsible for RTS-induced fetal hepatic injury, especially for female pups.
Optimization of Catheter Based rtPA Thrombolysis in a Novel In Vitro Clot Model for Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Hematoma lysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) has emerged as an alternative therapy for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Optimal dose and schedule are still unclear. The aim of this study was to create a reliable in vitro blood clot model for investigation of optimal drug dose and timing. An in vitro clot model was established, using 25 mL and 50 mL of human blood. Catheters were placed into the clots and three groups, using intraclot application of rtPA, placebo, and catheter alone, were analyzed. Dose-response relationship, repetition, and duration of rtPA treatment and its effectiveness in aged clots were investigated. A significant relative end weight difference was found in rtPA treated clots compared to catheter alone (p = 0.002) and placebo treated clots (p < 0.001). Dose-response analysis revealed 95% effective dose around 1 mg rtPA in 25 and 50 mL clots. Approximately 80% of relative clot lysis could be achieved after 15 min incubation. Lysis of aged clots was less effective. A new clot model for in vitro investigation was established. Our data suggest that current protocols for rtPA based ICH therapy may be optimized by using less rtPA at shorter incubation times.
miR-149-5p promotes chemotherapeutic resistance in ovarian cancer via the inactivation of the Hippo signaling pathway

Chemotherapeutic resistance remains a critical clinical issue is responsible for treatment failure in patients with ovarian cancer. Evidence of the involvement of miRNAs in chemoresistance in ovarian cancer has been recently emerging. However, the underlying molecular links between chemoresistance and miRNAs remain largely unknown. In this study, we report that miR-149-5p expression is markedly elevated in chemoresistant ovarian cancer tissues compared with the chemosensitive ovarian cancer tissues. Furthermore, the silencing of miR-149-5p enhanced the chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, the upregulation of miR-149-5p aggravated chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cells. Our results further revealed that miR-149-5p directly targeted the core kinase components of the Hippo signaling pathway, STE20-like kinase (MST)1 and protein salvador homolog 1 (SAV1), resulting in the inactivation of TEA domain (TEAD) transcription. On the whole, our findings reveal a novel mechanism of of action miR-149-5p in inducing chemotherapeutic resistance in ovarian cancer, indicating that miR-149-5p may serve as a chemotherapeutic response indicator and a potential therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.
Incorporating Subjective Characteristics in Product Design and Evaluations

Consumers often use both objective and subjective criteria to evaluate a product. For example, power tool users may evaluate a power tool on the basis of not only its objective attributes, such as price and switch type, but also its subjective characteristics, such as ease of use and feel of the tool. This research emphasizes incorporating subjective characteristics in new product design. The authors propose a model in which consumers' purchase intentions can be affected by both the objective attributes and the subjective characteristics. This model has the form of a hierarchical Bayesian structural equation model, in which the subjective characteristics are treated as latent constructs. The authors also propose a Bayesian forecasting procedure in which the estimated relationships are used to improve the out-of-sample prediction. They illustrate the proposed approach in two empirical studies. The results indicate that by collecting additional information about consumers' perceptions of the subjective characteristics, the proposed model provides the product designer with a better understanding and a more accurate prediction of consumers' product preferences than the traditional conjoint models.
Links between immunity and conditions leading to psychotherapy.

INTRODUCTION People seeking for psychotherapeutic help present with a variety of conditions including stress, depression, anxiety, and maladaptive individual difference factors. This paper reviews the studies investigating the link between these conditions and immunity. FINDINGS The relationship between stress-related conditions and immunity varies depending on the nature of the stressor. Acute time-limited stressors are associated with an upregulation of natural immunity, brief naturalistic stressors with a shift from cellular to humoral immunity, while long-term and chronic stressors with a decrease in most functional immune measures. Depression is associated with changes in both enumerative and functional immune measures. The most consistent association is with decreased cellular immunity. There is considerable heterogeneity in study findings that may be accounted for by clinical and demographic factors. Only limited evidence has been presented for an association between anxiety and changes in immune function. The results are somewhat inconsistent and no firm conclusions can be drawn from these studies. Relatively few studies investigated the relationship between maladaptive individual difference factors and immunity. Replicated findings include an association between alexithymia and impaired cellular immunity and altered cytokine balance with a shift towards proinflammatory mediators, and a link between Type C and Type C-related coping and HIV progression and impaired immunity. CONCLUSIONS Several conditions leading people to psychotherapy are associated with changes in immune function. However, several findings are preliminary and demand replication. Also, most of the evidence is correlational and further studies allowing for causal inferences are needed. Future psychoimmunology studies should better clarify the clinical relevance of the findings.
A loss-of-function genetic screening identifies novel mediators of thyroid cancer cell viability

RET, BRAF and other protein kinases have been identified as major molecular players in thyroid cancer. To identify novel kinases required for the viability of thyroid carcinoma cells, we performed a RNA interference screening in the RET/PTC1(CCDC6-RET)-positive papillary thyroid cancer cell line TPC1 using a library of synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting the human kinome and related proteins. We identified 14 hits whose silencing was able to significantly reduce the viability and the proliferation of TPC1 cells; most of them were active also in BRAF-mutant BCPAP (papillary thyroid cancer) and 8505C (anaplastic thyroid cancer) and in RAS-mutant CAL62 (anaplastic thyroid cancer) cells. These included members of EPH receptor tyrosine kinase family as well as SRC and MAPK (mitogen activated protein kinases) families. Importantly, silencing of the identified hits did not affect significantly the viability of Nthy-ori 3-1 (hereafter referred to as NTHY) cells derived from normal thyroid tissue, suggesting cancer cell specificity. The identified proteins are worth exploring as potential novel druggable thyroid cancer targets.
No effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA and DHA) supplementation on depressed mood and cognitive function: a randomised controlled trial

Low dietary intakes of the n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) EPA and DHA are thought to be associated with increased risk for a variety of adverse outcomes, including some psychiatric disorders. Evidence from observational and intervention studies for a role of n-3 LCPUFA in depression is mixed, with some support for a benefit of EPA and/or DHA in major depressive illness. The present study was a double-blind randomised controlled trial that evaluated the effects of EPA+DHA supplementation (1·5 g/d) on mood and cognitive function in mild to moderately depressed individuals. Of 218 participants who entered the trial, 190 completed the planned 12 weeks intervention. Compliance, confirmed by plasma fatty acid concentrations, was good, but there was no evidence of a difference between supplemented and placebo groups in the primary outcome – namely, the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales at 12 weeks. Mean depression score was 8·4 for the EPA+DHA group and 9·6 for the placebo group, with an adjusted difference of − 1·0 (95 % CI − 2·8, 0·8; P = 0·27). Other measures of mood, mental health and cognitive function, including Beck Depression Inventory score and attentional bias toward threat words, were similarly little affected by the intervention. In conclusion, substantially increasing EPA+DHA intake for 3 months was found not to have beneficial or harmful effects on mood in mild to moderate depression. Adding the present result to a meta-analysis of previous relevant randomised controlled trial results confirmed an overall negligible benefit of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation for depressed mood.
CONTROL AND EMBEDDED COMPUTING: SURVEY OF RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Abstract This paper provides a survey of the role of feedback control in embedded real-time systems, presented in the context of ARTIST2, the EU/IST network of excellence on design of embedded systems. The survey highlights recent research efforts and future research directions in the areas of codesign of computer-based control systems, implementation-aware embedded control systems, and control of real-time computing systems.
Monoclonal antibodies against metzincin targets

The metzincin clan of metalloproteinases includes the MMP, disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) and ADAM with thrombospondin motifs families, which cleave extracellular targets in a wide range of (patho)physiological processes. Antibodies constitute a powerful tool to modulate the activity of these enzymes for both therapeutic and research purposes. In this review, we give an overview of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that have been tested in preclinical disease models, human trials and important studies of metzincin structure and function. Initial attempts to develop therapeutic small molecule inhibitors against MMPs were hampered by structural similarities between metzincin active sites and, consequently, off‐target effects. Therefore, more recently, mAbs have been developed that do not bind to the active site but bind to surface‐exposed loops that are poorly conserved in closely related family members. Inhibition of protease activity by these mAbs occurs through a variety of mechanisms, including (i) barring access to the active site, (ii) disruption of exosite binding, and (iii) prevention of protease activation. These different modes of inhibition are discussed in the context of the antibodies' potency, selectivity and, importantly, the effects in models of disease and clinical trials. In addition, various innovative strategies that were used to generate anti‐metzincin mAbs are discussed.
FROM ACT TO OUTCOME-A COGNITIVE MODEL OF CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT

Organisational behaviour can be modelled as an Act-to-Outcome process and this behavioural model is found to be applicable to construction procurement. The Act-to-Product and Product-to-Outcome paths are respectively the project realisation stage and post-occupancy stage in construction procurement. Organisational behaviour is governed by organisational goals, seemingly project goals affect the Act-to-Outcome process. There are a number of moderators to this goal-performance relationship, and these moderators (such as ability, task complexity, situational constraints) will in turn affect the Act-to-Product as well as Product-to-Outcome processes. In selecting an appropriate procurement system, the decision maker should take into account the effect of these moderators when choosing amongst the alternatives, and finally, an alternative selection method using conjoint analysis is illustrated.
The 16-fold way: a microparallel taxonomy

Presents a novel mechanism that implements register renaming, dynamic speculation and precise interrupts. Renaming of registers is performed during the instruction fetch stage instead of the decode stage, and the mechanism is designed to operate in parallel with the tag match logic used by most cache designs. It is estimated that the critical path of the mechanism requires approximately the same number of logic levels as the tag match logic, and therefore should not impact cycle time. <<ETX>>
Airway management in the presence of cervical spine instability: A cross-sectional survey of the members of the Indian Society of Neuroanaesthesiology and Critical Care

Background and Aims: There is a paucity of clinical practice guidelines for the ideal approach to airway management in patients with cervical spine instability (CSI). The aim of this survey was to evaluate preferences, perceptions and practices regarding airway management in patients with CSI among neuroanaesthesiologists practicing in India. Methods: A 25-item questionnaire was circulated for cross-sectional survey to 378 members of the Indian Society of Neuroanaesthesiology and Critical Care (ISNACC) by E-mail. We sent four reminders and again submitted our survey to non-responders during the 2017 annual ISNACC meeting. Apart from demographic information, the survey captured preferred methods of intubation and airway management for patients with CSI and their justification. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the use of indirect technique for intubation. Results: Only 122 out of the 378 anaesthesiologists responded to our survey. Most respondents were senior consultants, working in training hospitals, and performed ≥25 intubations per year for CSI patients. The majority of neuroanaesthesiologists (78.7%; n = 96) preferred indirect techniques for elective intubation. However, 45 anaesthesiologists (36.9%) preferred indirect techniques for emergency intubation. In an adjusted analysis, preference for patients to be conscious during intubation was significantly associated with the use of indirect techniques (odds ratio = 3.79; confidence interval = 1.52–9.49, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Among ISNACC members, indirect techniques are preferred for elective intubation of patients with CSI, while direct laryngoscopy is preferred for emergency intubation.
Comparison of Ductile Damage Models During Scratch Tests - A Numerical Study

The ‘wear mode diagram’ has been commonly used to classify the deformation regime of the soft work-piece during scratching, into three modes: ploughing, wedge formation and cutting. The scratch test is used to evaluate wear modes and material removal associated with wear. There are different damage models in the literature used for the description of material behaviour after damage initiation under different loading conditions. However, there has been little analysis to compare damage models during scratch test conditions. The first aim of this work is first to use a finite element modelling package (Abaqus/Explicit) to build a 3D model to capture deformation modes during scratching with indenters with different attack angles. Three different damage models are incorporated into the model and patterns of damage initiation and propagation are compared with experimental results from the literature. This work highlights the role of the damage model in accurately capturing wear modes and material removal during two body sliding interactions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15544/balttrib.2015. 23
Machine-Learning-Based Prediction of a Missed Scheduled Clinical Appointment by Patients With Diabetes

Background: About 10% of patients with diabetes discontinue treatment, resulting in the progression of diabetes-related complications and reduced quality of life. Objective: The objective was to predict a missed clinical appointment (MA), which can lead to discontinued treatment for diabetes patients. Methods: A machine-learning algorithm was used to build a logistic regression model for MA predictions, with L2-norm regularization used to avoid over-fitting and 10-fold cross validation used to evaluate prediction performance. Data associated with patient MAs were extracted from electronic medical records and classified into two groups: one related to patients’ clinical condition (X1) and the other related to previous findings (X2). The records used were those of the University of Tokyo Hospital, and they included the history of 16 026 clinical appointments scheduled by 879 patients whose initial clinical visit had been made after January 1, 2004, who had diagnostic codes indicating diabetes, and whose HbA1c had been tested within 3 months after their initial visit. Records between April 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014, were inspected for a history of MAs. Results: The best predictor of MAs proved to be X1 + X2 (AUC = 0.958); precision and recall rates were, respectively, 0.757 and 0.659. Among all the appointment data, the day of the week when an appointment was made was most strongly associated with MA predictions (weight = 2.22). Conclusions: Our findings may provide information to help clinicians make timely interventions to avoid MAs.
Leaf Shape Descriptor for Tree Species Identification

The problem of automatic leaf identification is particularly challenging because, in addition to constraints derived from image processing such as geometric deformations (rotation, scale, translation) and illumination variations, it involves difficulties arising from foliar properties. These include two main aspects: the first is the enormous number and diversity of leaf species and the second, which is relevant to some special species, is the high inter-species and the low intra-species similarity. In this paper, we present a novel boundary-based approach that attempts to overcome the most of these constraints. This method has been compared to results obtained in the image CLEF 2011 plant identification task. The main advantage of this first benchmark edition is that different image retrieval techniques were tested and a crowd-sourced leaf dataset was used. Our method provides the best classification rate for scan and scan-like pictures. Besides its high accuracy, our method satisfies real-time requirements with a low computational cost.
Residual-Based External Torque Estimation in Series Elastic Actuators Over a Wide Stiffness Range: Frequency Domain Approach

This letter presents an enhanced external torque estimation algorithm for series elastic actuators (SEAs) expanding the usability of the residual-based technique. Although the residual method demonstrates online torque estimation capability in diverse applications and thus becomes popular, it is practically challenging to achieve accurate estimation performance in a wide stiffness range of SEAs. The performance degradation is mainly induced by inaccurate transmission torque information, which is stemmed from unexpected errors in the spring deflection based torque sensing. To overcome the issue, this letter analyses the limitation of the conventional approach in frequency domain and proposes the enhanced residual to be used over a wide stiffness range of SEAs. The performance of proposed method is comparatively verified with conventional method in the both of simulations and experiments.
Evidence supporting vertical transmission of Salmonella in dairy cattle

SUMMARY We set out to investigate whether Salmonella enterica could be recovered from various tissues of viable neonatal calves immediately following parturition. Eleven samples were aseptically collected from each of 20 calves and consisted of both left and right subiliac and prescapular lymph nodes (LN), mesenteric LN, spleen and liver, as well as intestinal tissue (including luminal contents) from the small intestine, caecum, spiral colon and rectum. In addition, a faecal sample was collected from 19 of the dams. Salmonella was recovered from at least one sample from 10 of the 20 neonates. Across all calves, Salmonella was recovered from 12·7% of all samples and from LN in particular, Salmonella was recovered from 10·0%, 5·0%, and 5·0% of subiliac, prescapular, and mesenteric LN, respectively. Within calves, Salmonella was recovered from 0% to 73% of samples and across tissues, estimates of Salmonella prevalence were greatest in the caecum (30%) but was never recovered from the right pre-scapular LN. These data provide evidence of vertical transmission from a dam to her fetus such that viable calves are born already infected and thereby not requiring faecal–oral exposure for transmission. This new knowledge ought to challenge – or at least add to – existing paradigms of Salmonella transmission dynamics within cattle herds.