Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of dietary energy density on the liver health of broilers exposed to heat stress and their performance during finisher period.

This study was aimed to assess the impact of dietary energy density on liver health parameters, carcass characteristics and performance of broilers exposed to heat stress. 600 Cobb male chicks were assigned to five dietary treatments and four replicates. Chicks were fed diet based on corn as main energy source and energy level based on Cobb standard (C), corn based diet with 3% lesser energy than control (T1), corn based diet with 6% lesser energy than control (T2), corn and soybean oil based diet according to Cobb standard (T3), corn and soybean oil based diet with 3% upper energy than control (T4). Temperature was increased to 34 °C for 8-hour daily from day 12 to 42 of age to induce heat stress. The highest level of ALP was for T3 and T4 and the lowest one was for T2. The highest levels of AST and ALP were for T4 and the lowest level was for T2. The lowest HSP70 gene expression was found in chicks fed T2 diet. The highest level of creatine kinase was for T4 at day 28 of age and for T3 and T4 at day 42 of age. The lowest level of creatine kinase was for T1 and T2 groups. The highest weight gain during finisher period found in T3 group andthe highest feed intake was for T2 group. The lowest feed conversion ratio was for T3 and T4 and the highest ones for C, T1 and T2 groups.Higher energy density provided with soybean oil inclusion could induce liver damages. Lower energy density in diet of broiler chickens under heat stress also resulted in liver damages and poor performance. It was concluded that soybean oil inclusion in diet of broiler chickens under heat stress caused better performance, when energy density of diet was satisfied based on strain recommendation.
Rates of disease progression according to initial highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen: a collaborative analysis of 12 prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND No large clinical end-point trials have been conducted comparing regimens among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-positive persons starting antiretroviral therapy. We examined clinical progression according to initial regimen in the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration, which is based on 12 European and North American cohort studies. METHODS We analyzed progression to death from any cause and to AIDS or death (AIDS/death), comparing efavirenz (EFV), nevirapine (NVP), nelfinavir, idinavir, ritonavir (RTV), RTV-boosted protease inhibitors (PIs), saquinavir, and abacavir. We also compared nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor pairs: zidovudine/lamivudine (AZT/3TC), stavudine (D4T)/3TC, D4T/didanosine (DDI), and others. RESULTS A total of 17,666 treatment-naive patients, 55,622 person-years at risk, 1,617 new AIDS events, and 895 deaths were analyzed. Compared with EFV, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for AIDS/death was 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.60) for NVP, 1.31 (95% CI, 1.01-1.71) for RTV, and 1.45 (95% CI, 1.15-1.81) for RTV-boosted PIs. For death, the adjusted HR for NVP was 1.65 (95% CI, 1.16-2.36). The adjusted HR for death for D4T/3TC was 1.35 (95% CI, 1.14-1.59), compared with AZT/3TC. CONCLUSIONS Outcomes may vary across initial regimens. Results are observational and may have been affected by bias due to unmeasured or residual confounding. There is a need for large, randomized, clinical end-point trials.
An Adaptive Association Test for Multiple Phenotypes with GWAS Summary Statistics

We study the problem of testing for single marker‐multiple phenotype associations based on genome‐wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics without access to individual‐level genotype and phenotype data. For most published GWASs, because obtaining summary data is substantially easier than accessing individual‐level phenotype and genotype data, while often multiple correlated traits have been collected, the problem studied here has become increasingly important. We propose a powerful adaptive test and compare its performance with some existing tests. We illustrate its applications to analyses of a meta‐analyzed GWAS dataset with three blood lipid traits and another with sex‐stratified anthropometric traits, and further demonstrate its potential power gain over some existing methods through realistic simulation studies. We start from the situation with only one set of (possibly meta‐analyzed) genome‐wide summary statistics, then extend the method to meta‐analysis of multiple sets of genome‐wide summary statistics, each from one GWAS. We expect the proposed test to be useful in practice as more powerful than or complementary to existing methods.
Use of discount cigarettes by smokers in 20 communities in the United States, 1988-1993.

OBJECTIVE: To examine characteristics of smokers associated with the use of discount and generic cigarettes. DESIGN: Data for this analysis come from two population-based cross-sectional telephone surveys (1988 survey n = 32952; 1993 survey n = 11783) and a cohort tracking survey (n = 11966) of smokers aged 25-64 years conducted in 20 communities in the United States between 1988 and 1993 as part of the National Cancer Institute's Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation. OUTCOME MEASURES: In each survey, current smokers were asked to report the six-digit UPC code displayed on the side of the pack of their current cigarettes. Respondents who did not have a pack available or who could not locate the UPC code number were asked to report their usual brand of cigarettes smoked. A master list of UPC code numbers was developed so that reported UPC codes could be associated with specific cigarette brand names. Brand name cigarettes were categorised as either premium or discount brands using information from the Maxwell consumer report. Respondents who reported smoking "no name" generic cigarettes were classified as smoking a discount cigarette. RESULTS: The reported use of discount/generic cigarettes increased from 6.2% in 1988 to 23.4% in 1993. The trend toward increased use of lower priced cigarettes was evident in all 20 communities studied. The use of low priced cigarettes was associated with lower household income, higher daily cigarette consumption, and residence in an area with higher average cigarette prices. Respondents using discount/generic cigarettes were less likely to stop smoking or to reduce cigarette consumption between 1988 and 1993 compared with those using premium brand cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: The availability of discount/generic cigarettes has made smoking more affordable, which most likely has helped the cigarette industry retain customers sensitive to price, who might have otherwise reduced consumption or stop smoking altogether.
Pulmonary vasodilation to adrenomedullin: a novel peptide in humans.

The present study investigates the effects of human adrenomedullin (ADM) on the pulmonary vascular bed of isolated, blood-perfused rat lung. Because pulmonary blood flow and left atrial pressure were constant, changes in pulmonary arterial pressure directly reflect changes in pulmonary vascular resistance. Under conditions of resting (low) pulmonary vasomotor tone, intra-arterial bolus injections of ADM-(1-52) and two truncated sequences of ADM-(1-52) [ADM-(1-12) and ADM-(13-52)] did not alter pulmonary arterial pressure. When pulmonary vasomotor tone was increased by U-46619, a thromboxane A2 mimic, intra-arterial bolus injections of ADM-(1-52) and ADM-(13-52) at similar doses produced similar, dose-dependent reductions in pulmonary arterial pressure. On a molar basis, ADM-(1-52) had greater pulmonary vasodilator activity than isoproterenol. In contrast, ADM-(1-12) had no activity. When pulmonary vasomotor tone was actively increased to the same level using KCl, the pulmonary vasodilator activity of ADM-(13-52) was decreased 10-fold. The present data demonstrate that ADM-(1-52) dilates the pulmonary vascular bed and suggest that the pulmonary vasodilator activity of ADM is greater on pulmonary blood vessels preconstricted through a receptor-dependent mechanism. Because meclofenamate, nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, methysergide, BW A-1433U83, U-37883A, and calcitonin gene-related peptide [CGRP-(8-37)], a CGRP-receptor antagonist, did not alter the pulmonary vasodilator response to ADM-(1-52), the present data suggest that ADM dilates the pulmonary vascular bed independently of cyclooxygenase products, endothelium-derived relaxation factor, serotoninergic receptors, adenosine1 purinoreceptors, ATP-dependent potassium channels, and CGRP receptors. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Dynamical Systems with Delays Modeling , analysis , and design

Delays and Dynamics 3 Physical Systems with Delays . 4 Examples From Biology . 4 Examples From Networks . 9 Other physical examples . 15 Mathematical Models . 16 Integrators . 16
Requirements archaeology: from unstructured information to high quality specifications [in the automotive industry]

Describes a successful approach taken at Mercedes-Benz Technology Center (MTC), with the goal of obtaining high-quality requirements specifications for cars while minimizing the additional workload of the core development teams. The system to be specified was the set of embedded systems responsible for driver and passenger comfort. The focus of the specification process was on software requirements. The basic idea was to assign and hire supplementary staff to do the job. At first glance, the overall effort of about 100 person-months to obtain the requirements specifications needed may seem quite high. Nevertheless, we are convinced that this expense represents an excellent investment. The point is that the obtained high-quality, uniform and well-structured requirements stored in a single requirements management database can be efficiently reused in subsequent development cycles for future passenger car models. This partial reuse of specifications promises two major advantages: better specifications in less time.
An Investigation of the Effects of Raw Garlic on Radiation-induced Bystander Effects in MCF7 Cells

Introduction Radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) is a phenomenon in which radiation signals are transmitted from irradiated cells to non-irradiated ones, inducing radiation effects in these cells. RIBE plays an effective role in radiation response at environmentally relevant low doses and in radiotherapy, given its impact on adjacent normal tissues or those far from the irradiated tumor. Reactive oxygen species contribute to RIBE induction. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the possible inhibitory effects of garlic, as an antioxidant-containing plant, on RIBE. Materials and Methods MCF7 cells, treated with raw garlic extracts, were irradiated by 60Co gamma rays, and their culture medium was transferred to non-irradiated autologous bystander cells. Percentage cell viability and micronucleus formation in both irradiated and bystander cells were examined and compared with corresponding cell groups, not treated with garlic. Results Treatment with garlic extract reduced the number of micronucleus-containing cells in both irradiated and bystander cells. However, it only increased the percentage cell viability in bystander cells, not the irradiated ones. Conclusion RIBE was effectively suppressed by raw garlic extracts. Inhibitory effects of raw garlic may be of particular importance for exposure to environmentally relevant low doses, where RIBE dominates direct radiation effects. They are also partially important for addressing the limited therapeutic gain of radiotherapy, as they may only increase the percentage cell viability of bystander cells, not the directly irradiated tumor cells. However, more comprehensive in-vivo research regarding garlic treatment duration is required to support the obtained results.
Increased Prolyl 4-Hydroxylase Domain Proteins Compensate for Decreased Oxygen Levels

Prolyl 4-hydroxylase domain (PHD) proteins are oxygen-dependent enzymes that hydroxylate hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF) α-subunits, leading to their subsequent ubiquitination and degradation. Paradoxically, the expression of two family members (PHD2 and PHD3) is induced in hypoxic cell culture despite the reduced availability of the oxygen co-substrate, and it has been suggested that they become functionally relevant following re-oxygenation to rapidly terminate the HIF response. Here we show that PHDs are also induced in hypoxic mice in vivo, albeit in a tissue-specific manner. As demonstrated under chronically hypoxic conditions in vitro, PHD2 and PHD3 show a transient maximum but remain up-regulated over more than 10 days, suggesting a feedback down-regulation of HIF-1α which then levels off at a novel set point. Indeed, hypoxic induction of PHD2 and PHD3 is paralleled by the attenuation of endogenous HIF-1α. Using an engineered oxygen-sensitive reporter gene in a cellular background lacking endogenous HIF-1α and hence inducible PHD expression, we could show that increased exogenous PHD levels can compensate for a wide range of hypoxic conditions. Similar data were obtained in a reconstituted cell-free system in vitro. In summary, these results suggest that due to their high O2 Km values, PHDs have optimal oxygen-sensing properties under all physiologically relevant oxygen concentrations; increased PHDs play a functional role even under oxygen-deprived conditions, allowing the HIF system to adapt to a novel oxygen threshold and to respond to another hypoxic insult. Furthermore, such an autoregulatory oxygen-sensing system would explain how a single mechanism works in a wide variety of differently oxygenated tissues.
Analytical Modeling of Graphene Ribbons as Optical Circuit Elements

We demonstrate that graphene ribbons can be modeled as circuit elements, which have dual capacitive-inductive nature. In the subwavelength regime, the surface current density on a single graphene ribbon subject to an incident p-polarized plane wave is derived analytically and then it is extended to coplanar arrays of graphene ribbons by applying perturbation theory. It is demonstrated that even isolated graphene ribbons have capacitive properties and the interaction between them in an array only changes the capacitance. Finally, we propose an accurate circuit model for the ribbon array by applying appropriate boundary conditions.
Capacitive pressure sensor fabricated using printed circuit board techniques

A capacitive sensor to measure pressure can be developed using standard PCB processing techniques and soldering using a hot plate, at a very low cost. However, the sensitivity achieved with such a sensor is very good for most applications. The paper describes the development of a sensor designed and constructed using these techniques, and integrated with an electronic circuit that converts the capacitance into frequency. The experimental results show very good behavior. Furthermore, the idea can be adapted to develop other low-cost sensors or devices.
FimA, a major virulence factor associated with Streptococcus parasanguis endocarditis

Adherence of microorganisms to damaged heart tissue is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. In the present study, we investigated the role of the FimA protein as a potential virulence factor associated with Streptococcus parasanguis endocarditis. FimA is a 36-kDa surface protein that is a recognized adhesin in the oral cavity where it mediates adherence to the salivary pellicle. An insertion mutant and a deletion mutant of S. parasanguis were employed in the rat model of endocarditis to determine the relevance of FimA in endocarditis pathogenesis. Catheterized rats were infected with either the fimA deletion mutant VT929, the fimA insertion mutant VT930, or the isogenic, wild-type S. parasanguis FW213. Rats inoculated with FW213 developed endocarditis more frequently (50.9%) than animals inoculated with either the deletion mutant (2.7%) or the insertion mutant (7.6%) (P < 0.001). A series of in vitro assays were performed to explore the mechanism(s) by which FimA enhanced the infectivity of S. parasanguis. FimA did not inhibit the uptake or the subsequent killing of S. parasanguis by phagocytic granulocytes. Similarly, FimA did not play a role in the adherence to or the aggregation of platelets. Significant differences were noted between FW213 and VT929 (P < 0.05) and FW213 and VT930 (P < 0.001) in their abilities to bind to fibrin monolayers. The mean percent adherence of FW213 to fibrin monolayers (2.1%) was greater than those of VT929 (0.5%) and VT930 (0.12%). Taken together, these results indicate that FimA is a major virulence determinant associated with S. parasanguis endocarditis and further suggest that its role is associated with initial colonization of damaged heart tissue.
Attention Networks for Modeling Behaviors in Addiction Counseling

In psychotherapy interactions there are several desirable and undesirable behaviors that give insight into the efﬁcacy of the counselor and the progress of the client. It is important to be able to identify when these target behaviors occur and what aspects of the interaction signal their occurrence. Manual observation and annotation of these behaviors is costly and time intensive. In this paper, we use long short term memory networks equipped with an attention mechanism to process transcripts of addiction counseling sessions and predict prominent counselor and client behaviors. We demonstrate that this approach gives competitive performance while also providing additional inter-pretability
Big Data Analytics for developing countries – Using the Cloud for Operational BI in Health

The multi‐layered view of digital divide suggests there is inequality of access to ICT, inequality of capability to exploit ICT and inequality of outcomes after exploiting ICT. This is evidently clear in the health systems of developing countries. In this paper, we look at cloud computing being able to provide computing as a utility service that might bridge this digital divide for Health Information Systems in developing countries. We highlight the role of Operational Business Intelligence (BI) tools to be able to make better decisions in health service provisioning. Through the case of DHIS2 software and its Analytics‐as‐a‐Service (AaaS) model, we look at how tools can exploit Cloud computing capabilities to perform analytics on Big Data that is resulting from integration of health data from multiple sources. Beyond looking at purely warehousing techniques, we suggest understanding Big Data from Organizational Capabilities and expanding organizational capabilities by offloading computing as a utility to vendors through cloud computing.
Rebonding of unused brackets with different orthodontic adhesives

OBJECTIVE: To compare in vitro shear bond strength (SBS) of different orthodontic adhesives in bonding and repeatedly rebonding metal brackets, and to evaluate the bond failure site with the adhesive remnant index (ARI). METHODS: Specimens consisted of 90 extracted human first premolars, randomly divided into three groups (n=30). The adhesives Alpha Plast (AP), ConciseTM (CO) and TransbondTM XT (TB) were used in each group. Three SBS tests were performed, i.e., one at T0 (initial) and the other two at T1 and T2 (first and second rebondings, respectively), observing a 24-hour interval. The tests were performed in a Shimadzu AG-I (10kN) SBS testing machine, at a speed of 0.5 mm/min. RESULTS: SBS data were subjected to ANOVA, Tukey's test and Bonferroni test (p<0.05). For the ARI, the Kruskal Wallis test was performed, followed by the Dunn test. The results revealed that at T0 groups AP and CO showed SBS values that were near, but above TB values; and at T1 and T2, the highest SBS values were observed for the AP group, followed by the CO and TB groups. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant differences were found in SBS between groups AP, CO and TB during bonding and repeated rebondings of unused metal brackets, with group AP achieving the highest SBS value. Regarding ARI, adhesive AP exhibited bond failure at the enamel-adhesive interface, with a higher enamel fracture frequency.
Design of a pectin-based microparticle formulation using zinc ions as the cross-linking agent and glutaraldehyde as the hardening agent for colonic-specific delivery of resveratrol: In vitro and in vivo evaluations

The aim of this study was to develop a colon-specific microparticle formulation based on pectin. Resveratrol was used as a model drug due to its potential therapeutic efficacy on colitis and colon cancer. Microparticles were produced by cross-linking pectin molecules with zinc ions and with glutaraldehyde as hardening agent for pectins. Different microparticles were prepared by varying the formulation variables. Effect of these formulation variables were investigated on particle shape and size, moisture content and weight-loss during drying, encapsulation efficiency, swelling–erosion ratio, and drug release pattern of the formulated microparticles. Formulation conditions were optimized based on the in vitro drug release study. Morphology, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, stability, and in vivo pharmacokinetic study of the microparticles prepared at the optimized formulation conditions were performed. Microparticles were spherical with <1 mm diameter and encapsulation efficiencies of >94%. The glutaraldehyde-modified microparticles prepared at optimized formulation conditions revealed colon specific in vitro and in vivo drug release. Plasma appearance of drug was delayed for 4–5 h after their administration directly into stomach, but displayed comparable area under the curve to other controls in the experiment, indicating the potential of the developed formulation as a colon-specific drug delivery system.
GRB 060607A: A GRB with Bright Asynchronous Early $X$-ray and Optical Emissions

The early optical emission of the moderately high redshift ($z=3.08$) GRB 060607A shows a remarkable broad and strong peak with a rapid rise and a relatively slow power-law decay. It is not coincident with the strong early-time flares seen in the X-ray and gamma-ray energy bands. There is weak evidence for variability superposed on this dominant component in several optical bands that can be related to flares in high energy bands. While for a small number of GRBs, well-sampled optical flares have been observed simultaneously with X-ray and gamma ray pulses, GRB 060607A is one of the few cases where the early optical emission shows no significant evidence for correlation with the prompt emission. In this work we first report in detail the broad band observations of this burst by Swift. Then by applying a simple model for the dynamics and the synchrotron radiation of a relativistic shock, we show that the dominant component of the early emissions in optical wavelengths has the same origin as the tail emission produced after the main gamma ray activity. The most plausible explanation for the peak in the optical light curve seems to be the cooling of the prompt after the main collisions, shifting the characteristic synchrotron frequency to the optical bands. It seems that the cooling process requires a steepening of the electron energy distribution and/or a break in this distribution at high energies. The sharp break in the X-ray light curve at few thousands of seconds after the trigger, is not observed in the IR/optical/UV bands, and therefore can not be a jet break. Either the X-ray break is due to a change in the spectrum of the accelerated electrons or the lack of an optical break is due to the presence of a related delayed response component (Abbreviated).