Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CHARACTERIZATION OF GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE IN SCID MICE AND PREVENTION BY PHYSICOCHEMICAL STRESSORS

Background. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) prevents potentially curative allogeneic stem cell transplantation from being offered to cancer patients who lack a suitably matched donor. New methods to prevent GVHD are required to allow successful transplants across major histocompatibility complex barriers. Methods. A model of GVHD in C.B-17 SCID mice was developed to allow the study of allo-activated donor T cells without confounding effects of host lymphocytes. The abilities of cyclosporin-A, anticytokine antibodies, and oxidative stress to prevent GVHD in this model was studied. Results. T cells from major histocompatibility-mismatched donor mice caused severe GVHD in sublethally irradiated SCID hosts that could be ameliorated by coadministration of donor bone marrow but not by cyclosporine-A or anticytokine antibodies. In contrast, three-log more T cells could be injected without clinical consequences if they had been pretreated with a combination of heat, ultraviolet light, and oxygenation. The effect was not the trivial result of donor T cell destruction because T cell reconstitution, although delayed, recovered to normal levels within 2 weeks. Protection from GVHD required oxygenation and was associated with normalization of the CD4/CD8 donor T cell ratio, recovery of host hematopoiesis, and decreased inflammatory cytokine production. Conclusion. Pretreatment of donor T cells with a combination of physicochemical stressors effectively prevents GVHD caused by major major histocompatibility disparities and may facilitate the safe transplantation of patients without HLA-identical donors.
An Analysis of Early Childhood Education Policy in China

China has given high priority to develop its entire educational system including early childhood education. Through secondary data and empirical studies, this paper critically analyzes the policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation of China’s national plan for medium and long-term education reform and development (2010-2020) with regard to early childhood education. The study indicated that formulation of the plan was done with high collaboration of the government and the people. Both ordinary people and experts in the field participated through various platforms. So far, the plan is meeting its objectives, although there are discrepancies between different provinces, and within municipalities. The study will enable to shape the education policy in practice, and share the experiences of China to other countries with similar initiatives.
Multi-objective optimization of reservoir flood dispatch based on MOPSO algorithm

This paper proposes a method using multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm to solve the multi-objective optimal dispatch problem of reservoir flood control, which take minimum value of the highest water level before dam, minimum value of the releasing peak discharge, and water level after flood season very close to flood control level as the objective functions. By using the archiving technique, crowding distance sorting algorithm and mutation technique to improve the algorithm convergence speed and accuracy and enable the Pareto solution set to converge to optimal front promptly and distribute evenly. The algorithm is applied to optimize the dispatch of the Yuecheng reservoir in upper Zhanghe River of the Haihe basin for typical floods occurred in history and the relative relations between dispatching objectives are analyzed. The result indicates that a lot of noninferior dispatch schemes can be generated in a short time, which can provide scientific basis for the decision-maker to make optimal operation and evaluation decision.
When are strategic orientations beneficial for collaborative service innovation?

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of collaborative innovation, the existing literature tends to be somewhat vague in identifying when strategic orientations are beneficial for service innovation between a focal firm and its business partners. The purpose of this study is to examine the relative effects of four strategic orientations (market, service, interaction, and learning) on collaborative service innovation performance, while considering the contextual factor of service offerings (basic installed base, maintenance, operational, and professional). Results based on survey data from 362 paired B2B firms show that learning orientation has the strongest effect on collaborative service innovation performance, and is the most effective for basic installed base services and maintenance services. In contrast, interaction orientation best supports those firms with operational services, while market and service orientations are more effective for professional services. Managers are advised to consider alternative strategic orientations individually aligned with service offerings to achieve desired collaborative service innovation outcomes.
Further Evidence on Mandatory Partner Rotation and Audit Pricing: A Supply‐Side Perspective

This study examines effects of mandatory partner rotation (MPR) on audit fees of Australian-listed companies. Using a fee changes approach, evidence of fee increases in year of the MPR driven by smaller offices of non-Big 4 auditors is found, consistent with supply-side resource constraint arguments. Broadly consistent findings are observed using a fee levels approach. Appointment of inexperienced partners to MPR engagements has no discernible effect on fees. Additional analysis of audit reporting lag indicates fee increases reflect additional audit effort as opposed to a pricing strategy. Overall, the evidence supports recent moves by policy-makers to soften MPR requirements.
A retrospective public health analysis of the Republic of Ireland's Food Harvest 2020 strategy: absence, avoidance and business as usual

Abstract The concept of an Ecological Approach to health and including Health in All Policies warrants inter-sectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration to improve health determinants and reduce health inequities. Agriculture policies, which greatly influence food production and its environmental impacts as well as food availability and dietary consumption, are therefore of interest to public health. Increasing rates of non-communicable diseases linked to diets containing high levels of processed foods, increasing numbers of households unable to access nutritious food and the environmental consequences of the food system are amongst the major health challenges of today, both globally and in Ireland. In 2010, Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries published Food Harvest 2020 a roadmap for Irish agriculture for the subsequent decade prepared against a backdrop of rising diet-related ill-health and increasing environmental concerns. This article critically analyses the process of consultation and stakeholder involvement in the development of Food Harvest 2020 from a public health perspective. Publically available documents including submissions to the Food Harvest 2020 consultation process were the primary source of data. This study highlights a distinct absence of public health representation in the process, an avoidance of some key public health challenges and the dominance of a ‘business as usual’ approach.
Prospective External Validation of a Predictive Score for Postoperative Pulmonary Complications

Background:No externally validated risk score for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) is currently available. The authors tested the generalizability of the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia risk score for PPCs in a large European cohort (Prospective Evaluation of a RIsk Score for postoperative pulmonary COmPlications in Europe). Methods:Sixty-three centers recruited 5,859 surgical patients receiving general, neuraxial, or plexus block anesthesia. The Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia factors (age, preoperative arterial oxygen saturation in air, acute respiratory infection during the previous month, preoperative anemia, upper abdominal or intrathoracic surgery, surgical duration, and emergency surgery) were recorded, along with PPC occurrence (respiratory infection or failure, bronchospasm, atelectasis, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, or aspiration pneumonitis). Discrimination, calibration, and diagnostic accuracy measures of the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score’s performance were calculated for the Prospective Evaluation of a RIsk Score for postoperative pulmonary COmPlications in Europe cohort and three subsamples: Spain, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. Results:The full Prospective Evaluation of a RIsk Score for postoperative pulmonary COmPlications in Europe data set included 5,099 patients; 725 PPCs were recorded for 404 patients (7.9%). The score’s discrimination was good: c-statistic (95% CI), 0.80 (0.78 to 0.82). Predicted versus observed PPC rates for low, intermediate, and high risk were 0.87 and 3.39% (score <26), 7.82 and 12.98% (≥26 and <45), and 38.13 and 38.01% (≥45), respectively; the positive likelihood ratio for a score of 45 or greater was 7.12 (5.93 to 8.56). The score performed best in the Western Europe subsample—c-statistic, 0.87 (0.83 to 0.90) and positive likelihood ratio, 11.56 (8.63 to 15.47)—and worst in the Eastern Europe subsample. The predicted (5.5%) and observed (5.7%) PPC rates were most similar in the Spain subsample. Conclusions:The Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score predicts three levels of PPC risk in hospitals outside the development setting. Performance differs between geographic areas.
A Toroidal DC Beam Current Transformer with High Resolution

Beam current is measured with a system combining a second harmonic magnetic modulator with an active current transformer in an operational feedback loop, to obtain wide band response down to dc. A beam current monitor using this principle has been in operation in the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR) for over 10 years. The original design concept and performance has since been improved. The magnetic modulator-demodulator circuit has two modes of operation: low gain and wide band for initial search until tracking (with the beam current signal) and high gain, narrow band for optimum dc stability during normal operation. A second active L/R integrator loop is added to remove any residual modulator noise from the output signal to improve signal-to-noise ratio in the mid-frequency range. The performance of the system depends very much on the magnetic characteristics of the toroidal cores. The choice of material, measurement methods and core selection is discussed. More recent applications are beam intensity monitors for the CERN Antiproton Accumulator Ring (AA) and the CERN Proton Synchrotron (CPS).
Type 2 diabetes and bone

There is a growing body of research showing that diabetes is an independent risk factor for fracture. Type 2 diabetes (T2D), which predominates in older individuals and is increasing globally as a consequence of the obesity epidemic, is associated with normal or even increased dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA)‐derived areal bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, the paradoxical increase in fracture risk has led to the hypothesis that there are diabetes‐associated alterations in material and structural properties. An overly glycated collagen matrix, confounded by a low turnover state, in the setting of subtle cortical abnormalities, may lead to compromised biomechanical competence. In current clinical practice, because BMD is central to fracture prediction, a consequence of this paradox is a lack of suitable methods, including FRAX, to predict fracture risk in older adults with T2D. The option of adding diabetes to the FRAX algorithm is appealing but requires additional data from large population‐based cohorts. The need for improved methods for identification of fracture in older adults with T2D is an important priority for osteoporosis research. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Unique Properties of the Chicken TLR4/MD-2 Complex: Selective Lipopolysaccharide Activation of the MyD88-Dependent Pathway1

During evolution, mammals have evolved a powerful innate immune response to LPS. Chickens are much more resistant to LPS-induced septic shock. Herein we report that chickens sense LPS via orthologs of mammalian TLR4 and myeloid differentiation protein-2 (MD-2) rather than the previously implicated chicken TLR2 isoform type 2 (chTLR2t2) receptor. Cloning and expression of recombinant chTLR4 and chMD-2 in HeLa 57A cells activated NF-κB at concentrations of LPS as low as 100 pg/ml. Differential pairing of chicken and mammalian TLR4 and MD-2 indicated that the protein interaction was species-specific in contrast to the formation of functional human and murine chimeric complexes. The chicken LPS receptor responded to a wide variety of LPS derivatives and to the synthetic lipid A compounds 406 and 506. The LPS specificity resembled the functionality of the murine rather than the human TLR4/MD-2 complex. Polymorphism in chTLR4 (Tyr383His and Gln611Arg) did not influence the LPS response. Interestingly, LPS consistently failed to activate the MyD88-independent induction of IFN-β in chicken cells, in contrast to the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) that yielded a potent IFN-β response. These results suggest that chicken lack a functional LPS-specific TRAM-TRIF (TRIF-related adapter molecule/TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing IFN-β) signaling pathway, which may explain their aberrant response to LPS compared with the mammalian species.
STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICE TOWARDS THE INTERNET AMONG BSC STUDENTS OF SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SHAHID BEHESHTI UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Background and purpose: The Internet is a useful tool for developing a variety of learning experiences and as a source of information and as a means of facilitated communication between students and teachers. The aim of this research was to investigate the level of knowledge, attitudes and practice of The Internet use among Bachelors’ degree students in Shahid Beheshti School of Health. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and conducted on 250 students. Data collected using a questionnaire based on demographic characteristics, as well as knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding the use of the Internet. Results: Majority of the students (77.1%) had poor knowledge about the Internet search, but most of them (92%) had positive attitudes towards using the Internet for learning. 52.4% of the respondents used the Internet for search related to their lessons less than 5 hours/week. The Internet usage and knowledge were significantly higher among male students. Conclusions: In spite of positive attitudes about the Internet use for improving the education process and facilitating research, students' knowledge about the Internet search was poor. It is recommended that mentioned skills training were included as a separate course in the curriculum of BSc Students’ program. Keywords: THE INTERNET, PUBLIC HEALTH, INFORMATION , COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
Effects of Visual Feedback Distortion on Gait Adaptation: Comparison of Implicit Visual Distortion Versus Conscious Modulation on Retention of Motor Learning

Goal: Visual feedback can be used during gait rehabilitation to improve the efficacy of training. We presented a paradigm called visual feedback distortion; the visual representation of step length was manipulated during treadmill walking. Our prior work demonstrated that an implicit distortion of visual feedback of step length entails an unintentional adaptive process in the subjects' spatial gait pattern. Here, we investigated whether the implicit visual feedback distortion, versus conscious correction, promotes efficient locomotor adaptation that relates to greater retention of a task. Methods: Thirteen healthy subjects were studied under two conditions: (1) we implicitly distorted the visual representation of their gait symmetry over 14 min, and (2) with help of visual feedback, subjects were told to walk on the treadmill with the intent of attaining the gait asymmetry observed during the first implicit trial. After adaptation, the visual feedback was removed while subjects continued walking normally. Over this 6-min period, retention of preserved asymmetric pattern was assessed. Results: We found that there was a greater retention rate during the implicit distortion trial than that of the visually guided conscious modulation trial. Conclusion: This study highlights the important role of implicit learning in the context of gait rehabilitation by demonstrating that training with implicit visual feedback distortion may produce longer lasting effects. Significance: This suggests that using visual feedback distortion could improve the effectiveness of treadmill rehabilitation processes by influencing the retention of motor skills.
Development of topical hydrogels of terbinafine hydrochloride and evaluation of their antifungal activity

Abstract The purpose of this study was to prepare hydrogels and microemulsion (ME)-based gel formulations containing 1% terbinafine hydrochloride (TER-HCL) and to evaluate the use of these formulations for the antifungal treatment of fungal infections. Three different hydrogel formulations were prepared using chitosan, Carbopol® 974 and Natrosol® 250 polymers. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram was constructed, and starting from ME formulation, a ME gel form containing 1% Carbopol 974 was prepared. We also examined the characteristic properties of the prepared hyrogels. The physical stability of hydrogels and the ME -based gels were evaluated after storage at different temperatures for a period of 3 months. The release of TER-HCL from the gels and the commercial product (Lamisil®) was carried out by using a standard dialysis membrane in phosphate buffer (pH 5.2) at 32 °C. The results of the in vitro release study showed that the Natrosol gel released the highest amount of drug, followed by Carbopol gel, chitosan gel, commercial product, and the microoemulsion-based gel in that order. In vitro examination of antifungal activity revealed that all the prepared and commercial products were effective against Candida parapsilosis, Penicillium, Aspergillus niger and Microsporum. These results indicate that the Natrosol®-based hydrogel is a good candidate for the topical delivery of TER-HCL.
Flexible memory: A novel main memory architecture with block-level memory compression

Main memory system is facing increasingly high pressure from the advances of multi-core processors. The simplicity of conventional memory architecture has helped minimize memory latency and reduce the design cost. However, in present multi-core era, it is increasingly attractive to adopt flexible and advanced memory organization to further improve memory bandwidth utilization, power efficiency, and reliability, despite an increase of memory system complexity. Motivated by the idea, we propose an innovative memory compression scheme with a flexible memory organization, used in combination with the recently proposed, power-efficient sub-ranked memory. Our detailed simulation show that the scheme may gain an average of 1.5× effective capacity gain, reduce the power consumption of memory subsystem by up to 45%, on average in the range from 13% to 16%, and yield moderate performance improvement.
Incremental similarity metric to evaluate complexity of human gait: A distributed Wireless Sensor Network approach

The analysis of the complexity of biological systems - a proved parameter indicative of the proper functioning of the human body - traditionally involves highly complex algorithms. In this work we use a well-known measure of similarity, the Normalized Compression Distance (NCD), to compute the variation of complexity of the human gait. We define the incremental NCD (iNCD) and analyze the duration of the gait cycle time series. To validate iNCD as a metric for this type of analysis, we perform experiments using a four-nodes Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), with one trained volunteer running on a treadmill during one hour, at a comfortable velocity. We show that the joint use of a WSN with iNCD analysis is a useful tool for detecting human gait anomalies at controlled computational load.
Clinical evaluation of a highly wear resistant composite.

The purpose of this clinical study was to determine the long-term potential of a resin composite restorative material. A total of 62 restorations of a modified Herculite Incisal formulation were inserted into Class I and Class II preparations. A control group of the conventional Herculite formulation was also placed into Class I and Class II cavity preparations at an earlier date. The cavity preparations for both formulations were standardized to conform to that of conventional conservative amalgams. Deep portions of the preparations were lined with calcium hydroxide. The enamel margins were etched per manufacturers' directions followed by a dentin bonding agent. After application of the appropriate matrix, the restorations were placed incrementally. Each restoration was independently evaluated by two clinicians at baseline, 6-months, 1, 2 and 3 years in accordance with the USPHS criteria. In addition, all restorations were evaluated for wear using a series of optical standards (M-L). The color matching ability of the material never fell below 96%. The percent of restorations exhibiting a surface texture similar to enamel never fell below 90% Alfa. At the end of 3 years, the total average loss of material was only 28 microns. No clinical evidence of bulk fracture was detected with the modified Herculite formulation at 3 years. The wear rate of the modified formulation of Herculite was essentially one-half that of conventional Herculite XR. Marginal ditching, which is characteristic of most posterior resin composites in which the filler particle is 1 micron or less, was exhibited. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Asp1, a Conserved 1/3 Inositol Polyphosphate Kinase, Regulates the Dimorphic Switch in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

ABSTRACT The ability to undergo dramatic morphological changes in response to extrinsic cues is conserved in fungi. We have used the model yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to determine which intracellular signal regulates the dimorphic switch from the single-cell yeast form to the filamentous invasive growth form. The S. pombe Asp1 protein, a member of the conserved Vip1 1/3 inositol polyphosphate kinase family, is a key regulator of the morphological switch via the cAMP protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Lack of a functional Asp1 kinase domain abolishes invasive growth which is monopolar, while an increase in Asp1-generated inositol pyrophosphates (PP) increases the cellular response. Remarkably, the Asp1 kinase activity encoded by the N-terminal part of the protein is regulated negatively by the C-terminal domain of Asp1, which has homology to acid histidine phosphatases. Thus, the fine tuning of the cellular response to environmental cues is modulated by the same protein. As the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Asp1 ortholog is also required for the dimorphic switch in this yeast, we propose that Vip1 family members have a general role in regulating fungal dimorphism.