Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of neurotrophic factor concentrations with a novel in vitro concept for peripheral nerve regeneration

The regeneration of nerves of the peripheral nervous system after injuries is a complex process. This study presents a novel in vitro neurite regeneration concept to investigate the regeneration of neurons and their processes with different concentrations of neurotrophic factors. The core part of the concept is a transparent microfluidic neurite isolation (NI) device affixed on top of a microelectrode array (MEA), providing a fast and easy way to assess both the growth and the electrical activity of neurites. The NI‐MEA isolates neurites from the culture with microchannels that serve as guidance tubes, equipped with microelectrodes. Thus, the NI‐MEA allows neurite growth, as observed by microscopy, to be correlated with neurite electrical activity, as measured by electrophysiological recordings. To demonstrate proof of concept of neurite regeneration, we cultured cells from the superior cervical ganglion of postnatal mice under different concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF). During the regeneration process, we observed an increase in the number of neurites entering the microchannels along with an increase in spike activity recorded by the microelectrodes in the microchannels. We also observed a concentration‐dependent effect of neurotrophic factor on the excitability of the growing neurites, with neurites bathed in 20 ng/ml NGF exhibiting enhanced early growth. Thus, our neurite regeneration concept with the NI‐MEA device allows further study of neurotrophic factors and reduces the requirement for in vivo experiments on the regeneration of peripheral nerves after injury. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of rickets among Asians: a meta-analysis

This article has been retracted. Dr Songming Huang has advised that although he agreed to be listed as the correspondence author he should not have been named as a co-author of this publication because he made no contributions to it. He and Song Mao have asked for the article to be retracted on the ground that data included in it and its conclusions are to a significant degree the same as those previously published in Chin J Evid Based Pediatr 2011;6:4.
Sequential Plasma-Activated Bonding Mechanism of Silicon/Silicon Wafers

To investigate the sequentially plasma-activated bonding (SPAB) mechanism of silicon/silicon wafers, the surface hydrophilicity, and the interface voids, nanostructures and chemical compositions that control the bonding quality, such as bonding strength, have been observed. Although the sequentially plasma-activated surfaces are hydrophilic, the SPAB mechanism is not identical to the hydrophilic bonding. SPAB shows high bonding strength at room temperature and water rearrangement below 150°C, which removes the water from the interface to the bulk. This results in a thinner amorphous silicon oxide layer at the interface. Further heating of the bonded wafers desorbs water from the bulk. The heating at 225°C starts producing hillocks at the interface, which turn into voids at temperatures above 400°C for absorbing the hydrogen gas produced from the desorbed water at the interface. The new and bigger voids are due to the hydrogen gas at 600°C and start accumulating at 800°C, resulting in bubbles caused by the accumulation of voids at the preferential sites. No nitrogen exists either in silicon or in the amorphous SiO2 layer at the interface. The Si-L2, 3 edges from the amorphous silicon oxide at the bonded interface are identical to those of the standard SiO2.
Progressive Region-Specific De Novo Methylation of the p16 CpG Island in Primary Human Mammary Epithelial Cell Strains during Escape from M0 Growth Arrest

ABSTRACT CpG island methylation plays an important role in normal cellular processes, such as genomic imprinting and X-chromosome inactivation, as well as in abnormal processes, such as neoplasia. However, the dynamics of de novo CpG island methylation, during which a CpG island is converted from an unmethylated, active state to a densely methylated, inactive state, are largely unknown. It is unclear whether the development of de novo CpG island methylation is a progressive process, in which a subset of CpG sites are initially methylated with a subsequent increase in methylation density, or a single event, in which the initial methylation event encompasses the entire CpG island. The tumor suppressor gene p16/CDKN2a/INK4a (p16) is inactivated by CpG island methylation during neoplastic progression in a variety of human cancers. We investigated the development of methylation in the p16 CpG island in primary human mammary epithelial cell strains during escape from mortality stage 0 (M0) growth arrest. The methylation status of 47 CpG sites in the p16 CpG island on individual DNA molecules was determined by sequencing PCR clones of bisulfite-treated genomic DNA. The p16 CpG island was initially methylated at a subset of sites in three discrete regions in association with p16 transcriptional repression and escape from M0 growth arrest. With continued passage, methylation gradually increased in density and methylation expanded to sites in adjacent regions. Thus, de novo methylation in the p16 CpG island is a progressive process that is neither site specific nor completely random but instead is region specific. Our results suggest that early detection of methylation in the CpG island of the p16 gene will require methylation analysis of the three regions and that the identification of region-specific methylation patterns in other genes may be essential for an accurate assessment of methylation-mediated transcriptional silencing.
Hysterectomy surveillance--United States, 1980-1993.

PROBLEM/CONDITION In the United States, approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year, and the procedure is the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure among reproductive-aged women. REPORTING PERIOD COVERED 1980-1993. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM This surveillance system uses data obtained from CDC's National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) to describe the epidemiology of hysterectomy. The NHDS is an annual probability sample of discharges from non-Federal, short-stay hospitals in the United States. RESULTS In the United States during 1980-1993, an estimated 8.6 million women aged > or =15 years had a hysterectomy. The overall rate of hysterectomy declined slightly from 1980 (7.1 hysterectomies per 1,000 women) to 1987 (6.6 per 1,000 women). The redesign of the NHDS in 1988 resulted in a decrease in estimated rates (i.e., the average annual rate for 1988-1993 was 5.5 per 1,000 women). Rates differed by age, with women aged 40-44 years most likely to have this procedure. Overall annual rates of hysterectomy did not differ significantly by race. The diagnosis most often associated with hysterectomy was uterine leiomyoma; during 1988-1993, this diagnosis accounted for 62% of hysterectomies among black women, 29% among white women, and 45% among women of other races. During 1988-1993, the percentage of hysterectomies performed by the vaginal route increased significantly; furthermore, an increasingly higher percentage of vaginal hysterectomies were accompanied by bilateral oophorectomy. From 1991 through 1993, laparoscopy was associated more frequently with vaginal hysterectomy than in previous years. INTERPRETATION The rate of hysterectomy decreased slightly during the first half of the 14-year surveillance period, then leveled off during the second half. The increase in simultaneous coding of laparoscopy and vaginal hysterectomy on hospital discharge forms probably reflected the growing use of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. ACTIONS TAKEN Continued surveillance for hysterectomy will enable changes in clinical practice (e.g., the use of LAVH) to be identified, and information derived from the surveillance system may assist in directing biomedical assessment priorities (e.g., to determine the reasons for race-specific differences in the prevalence of uterine leiomyoma).
Abluminal-Coated Drug-Eluting Bifurcation-Dedicated Stent for the Treatment of Tibioperoneal Bifurcation

Endovascular treatment of below-the-knee region disease is often challenging because of the involvement of arterial bifurcations. Several cases have been reported on the use of coronary stents for the treatment of these patients, but limited evidence is available on the use of dedicated coronary bifurcation devices. We here report the endovascular treatment of a symptomatic bifurcation lesion in below-the-knee region, using a self-expanding Biolimus A9–eluting stent in combination with a “conventional” coronary drug-eluting stent.
Systematic approach to investigate and counteract interference-effects in automotive radars

Considering the fast growing market for automobile radars, a comprehensive investigation of interference between these radars is an essential step towards very high radar penetration rates with a maximum of system-to-system isolation. The MOSARIM project, funded by the European Commission, addresses this topic. The paper presented here introduces a multisystem radar simulator with focus on interference investigation and mitigation, including a scenario editing tool, a wave propagation simulator as well as the organization and post processing in Matlab. The simulation approach is demonstrated on the basis of a simple dynamic traffic scenario. Simulations and references underline the validity of the introduced approach.
MOGAMESH: A multi-objective algorithm for node placement in wireless mesh networks based on genetic algorithms

The optimal placement of mesh nodes of an infrastructure wireless mesh network is considered. The optimization is performed w.r. t. two objectives, i.e. installation cost and coverage probability. Mesh nodes with directional antennae are assumed. In this regard, we propose MOGAMESH, a 2-stages multi-objective evolutionary optimization algorithm which tries to optimize the two objectives by means of genetic algorithms, where individuals or solutions are represented by network graphs. In the first stage, candidate network topologies are found by letting a population of graphs evolve. Iteratively, a non-dominated sorting technique classifies individuals which are then selected for the evolution process. Solutions are individuals belonging to the Pareto front, i.e. the set of all non-dominated solutions. In the second stage, a link elimination algorithm further reduces the number of links of the network. In this way, MOGAMESH can provide the network designer with the maximum number of devices to install for every mesh node along with candidate network topologies. We analyze the performance of MOGAMESH for realistic instances of a wireless mesh network with increasing user density.
A two-choice strategy through a medial tibial approach for the treatment of pilon fractures with posterior or anterior fragmentation.

OBJECTIVE The anterolateral approach to the tibia has been popularized for the management of tibial pilon fractures. For complex fracture patterns a combined anterolateral/anteromedial approach is suitable but a high rate of complication has been reported. In our retrospective study a two-choice strategy adopting a medial tibial approach was proposed for the treatment of pilon fractures with anterior or posterior fragmentation. METHODS Based on an anatomic study of tibial pilon fractures, we retrospectively analyzed the fractures with primary posterior, posterior-lateral or anterior, anterior-lateral (Tillaux-Chaput) involvement of the distal tibia. This retrospective study consisted of 18 patients with a closed tibial plafond fracture. The inclusion criteria were: (1) pre- sence of an anterior/anterolateral type fragment or a posterior (Volkmann) type fragment involving larger than 25% of the articular surface, (2) a minimum follow-up of 12 months, (3) a fibula fracture associated with a medial column fracture of the distal tibia, and (4) soft tissue conditions at the time of operation that did not compromise the choice of surgical access (Tscherne classification for closed fractures: grade 0 and grade 1). Tibial plafond fractures were classified into two groups: one presenting anterior and the other with posterior rim (Volkmann) fragments. RESULTS Most patients achieved a good clinical recovery in terms of range of motion and Olerud-Molander scale scores. Only three patients presented a grade 2 osteoarthritis at the 12 month follow-up. CONCLUSION Our two-choice strategy highlights concepts which have been previously debated and described in the literature. But a new extended protocol for surgical approach to the distal tibia, including more fracture patterns and their association should be further investigated.
Selection of DNA binding sites by regulatory proteins: the LexA protein and the arginine repressor use different strategies for functional specificity.

The DNA sequences in the operator sites of the arginine regulon and of the SOS regulon have been subject to a statistical analysis. A quantitative correlation is found between the statistics of sequence choice and the activity at individual operator sites in both systems, as expected from theoretical considerations [Berg & von Hippel, J.Mol. Biol. (1987) 193, 723-750]. Based on these correlations it is possible to predict the effect of various sequence mutations. There is a significant difference in the slopes of the correlation lines between sequence and activity for the two systems. From this difference it can be expected that individual point mutations in the ARG boxes will have a much smaller effect on activity than similar changes in the SOS boxes. This difference may be related to a strong cooperative activity at tandem ARG boxes while the binding at SOS boxes appears to be mostly noncooperative.
A study on ocular and facial muscle artifacts in EEG signals for BCI applications

This work aims to analyze the EEG signals produced by facial gestures and eye movements called artifacts. Although these signals are considered contaminants in EEG signals used for medical diagnosis, these are observed in order to consider the possibility of using them as inputs for certain applications. As such, the project aims to observe distinct signal patterns in the EEG signals acquired for certain facial gestures as a preliminary work to facial gesture detection. Using the Emotiv Epoc Neuroheadset, the cross correlation between pairs of 14 channels for six facial gestures and their frequency response are compared. These facial gestures are blink, left wink, right wink, raise brow, smile, and clench. Particular channel pairs are found to be highly correlated for certain facial gestures and can be used as possible means of detecting these gestures. In the frequency domain, only the gestures smile and clench registered a distinctive frequency response among the other gestures. Moreover, the Emotiv Epoc neuroheadset paired with the Arduino Duemilanove board was found to be an effective tool as a controller for household appliances. Also, the neuroheadset was useful in developing an extended communication platform. As such not only does it prove to be a viable device for developing systems in aiding the physically-challenged, but also provides a glimpse of the potential advances in the field of Brain-Computer Interfaces.
Fertility in men exposed prenatally to diethylstilbestrol.

BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol causes infertility in male mice and has been associated with malformations of the genital tract in men. However, little is known about the fertility of men who have been exposed prenatally to diethylstilbestrol. METHODS In 1950 through 1952, 1646 pregnant women were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of diethylstilbestrol at Chicago Lying-in Hospital. We interviewed men who were born to the women during that study about their fertility. RESULTS Four decades after their birth, we were able to trace 548 of the surviving sons (68 percent). Ninety percent consented to be interviewed (253 who had been exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero and 241 who had not been exposed). Congenital malformations of the genitalia were reported three times as often by the diethylstilbestrol-exposed men as by the sons of the women in the placebo group. Within the exposed group, malformations were reported twice as often among those exposed to diethylstilbestrol before the 11th week of gestation as among those exposed later (P = 0.05). Men with genital malformations were nonetheless as fertile as other men. The diethylstilbestrol-exposed men (with or without genital malformations) had no impairment of fertility by any measure, including whether they had ever impregnated a women, age at the birth of their first child, average number of children, medical diagnosis of a fertility problem, or length of time to conception in the most recent pregnancy of the female partner. Finally, diethylstilbestrol-exposed men had no impairment of sexual function, as indicated, for example, by the frequency of intercourse or reported episodes of decreased libido. CONCLUSIONS High doses of diethylstilbestrol did not lead to impairment of fertility or sexual function in adult men who had been exposed to the drug in utero.
Change in Balance Confidence and Its Associations With Increasing Disability in Older Community-Dwelling Women at Risk for Falling

Objectives: To describe change in balance confidence, and to identify associated factors and disabling consequences. Method: Secondary analysis of 2 years of data collected from 272 older women enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of fall prevention. Balance confidence and disability measures were assessed at baseline, after the 12 week intervention, and at 1 and 2 years follow-up. Associated factors were measured at baseline. Results: Balance confidence varied at baseline and decreased 5% over 2 years, but no variables predicted this decline. Baseline balance confidence was associated with poor physical function and mental health. Decreasing balance confidence was associated with increasing impairments in balance and hip flexion strength, increasing functional limitations in mobility and chair rises, reduced physical activity levels, increased activity restrictions, and decreasing social networks. Discussion: Decreasing balance confidence plays an important role in disablement. More research is needed to identify predictors of decreasing balance confidence.
Physical activity patterns and sedentary behaviors of children from urban and rural areas of Cyprus.

BACKGROUND A sedentary lifestyle among children is becoming increasingly common and has been linked to future risk of degenerative diseases. Urban residence has been suggested to be a contributing factor to a less active lifestyle; however, not all available studies support this link. In the present study we examined the physical activity patterns and sedentary behaviours of children living in urban and rural areas of Cyprus, where major demographic shifts have occurred the last decades. METHODS We studied 1140 children (531 boys; 609 girls), aged 10-12 years, registered in 24 selected elementary public schools from five urban and rural districts of Cyprus. Children completed a semi-quantitative physical activity questionnaire regarding frequency and duration of everyday physical and sedentary activities. Weight and height of the children, as well as demographic and socioeconomic information was collected from children and their guardians. RESULTS Rural children reported being slightly more active after school and occupied weekly with outdoors chores compared to urban children, who on the other hand reported engaging in sports on a weekly basis more than their rural peers (all p < 0.10). However, the average weekly time spent by urban and rural children on vigorous (8.6 +/- 4.7 and 9.1 +/- 4.8 h/w, respectively; p = 0.193) or moderate-to-vigorous (14.9 +/- 7.6 and 15.2 +/- 7.6 h/w, respectively; p = 0.612) activities, as well as total screen time, were not different. The distribution of children with regards to most other physical activity and inactivity pursuits was similar between urban and rural areas. CONCLUSION We found no substantial differences in the physical activity habits and sedentary behaviours among children living in urban and rural areas of Cyprus. Hence public health awareness directed to enhance physical activity and decrease sedentary lifestyle among youngsters should focus equally to urban and rural children.
Examining Associations of Sexual Attraction and Attitudes on Women's Disordered Eating Behavior.

OBJECTIVE We aimed to expand the scant research on disordered eating in women identifying same-sex sexual attractions. METHOD We used multiple linear regressions to explore potential mechanisms driving disordered eating--both explicit and implicit weight bias and heterosexism--in a cross-sectional, online-recruited community sample of women (N = 437). Participants endorsed a range of sexual attractions from exclusively opposite-sex (21.1%) to exclusively same-sex (19.5%) attraction. RESULTS Findings revealed no associations between sexual attraction and disordered eating. Awareness of sociocultural norms valuing thinness accounted for disordered eating for all women, regardless of sexual attraction, and was influenced by attitudes regarding weight. Among women endorsing same-sex attractions, self-reported internalized heterosexism influenced disordered eating. DISCUSSION Findings contradict long-held beliefs that same-sex attracted women are protected from disordered eating. They emphasize a universal risk, for all women, of sociocultural norms valuing thinness, as well as the risk of internalized heterosexism among same-sex attracted women.
Mathematical Modeling and PID Controller Parameter Tuning in a Didactic Thermal Plant

This paper involves an application of PID controllers topologies, deployed in an Arduino platform, applied to a didactic thermal plant. The tuning parameters of the controller are performed by experimental methods, in which have been chosen from the Ziegler-Nichols method (step response) and the CHR (Chien, Hrones and Reswick) method of tuning. Routines were created in Matlab and Arduino to provide the necessary interface and send the control parameters to the plant, in which is held signal acquisition and monitoring of the necessary variables. Therefore, it was found that different topologies have responded satisfactorily to the PID controller tuning methods used, standing out among them the CHR method. In addition, the teaching methodology PBL (Problem Based Learning) was successfully used as a way to increase interest in student learning in control systems