Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analgesia with breastfeeding in addition to skin-to-skin contact during heel prick

Objective To investigate the analgesic effect (measured with Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS)) of breastfeeding (BF) in addition to skin-to-skin contact (SSC) versus other methods of non-pharmacological analgesia during blood sampling through heel lance in healthy term neonates. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Tertiary level maternity ward. Patients One hundred thirty-six healthy term newborns. Inclusion criteria: healthy term neonates, wish to breastfeed and absence of feeding during the previous 60 min. Intervention Neonates were randomly assigned to four groups: Group breastfed with SSC (BF+SSC Group) (n=35); Group sucrose with SSC (Sucrose+SSC Group) (n=35); SSC Group (n=33); or Sucrose Group (n=33). Babies were recorded with a video camera. Outcome measures Three observers watched the videos and measured NIPS score at three time points (t0: 2 min before heel prick; t1: During heel prick; and t2: 2 min after the heel prick). The influences of non-pharmacological methods on crying time, percentage of crying while sampling, heart rate, number of attempts and duration of sampling were also studied. Results BF+SSC Group achieved a significant lower median NIPS score (value=1) compared with other groups (value=2, 4 and 4, respectively). The percentage of neonates with moderate-to-severe pain was also lower in the BF+SSC Group. Both groups BF+SSC and Sucrose+SSC achieved a significant lower percentage of crying compared with SSC Group. Conclusions This study suggests that BF in addition to SSC provides superior analgesia to other kinds of non-pharmacological analgesia in healthy term neonates during heel prick. Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT01576432
Revised normative values for grip strength with the Jamar dynamometer

The Jamar dynamometer has been widely used in various chronic illnesses and has demonstrated its strength as a potential prognostic indicator. Various stratified normative values have been published using different methodologies, leading to conflicting results. No study used statistical techniques considering the non‐Gaussian distribution of the obtained grip strength (GS) values. Jamar GS was assessed in 720 healthy participants, subdivided into seven age decade groups consisting of at least 50 men and 50 women each. Normative values (median and fifth values) were calculated using quantile regressions with restricted cubic spline functions on age. Possible confounding personal factors (hand dominance, length, weight, hobby, and job categorization) were examined. Clinically applicable revised normative values for the Jamar dynamometer, stratified for age and gender, are presented. Hand dominance had no influence. Other personal factors only minimally influenced final values. This study provides revised normative GS values for the Jamar dynamometer.
Novel palmprint biometric system combining several fractal methods for texture information extraction

This paper presents a new method to recognize the person's identity through their palmprints. Palmprint recognition is among the most reliable physiological characteristics that can be used especially in forensic applications thanks to its simplicity and its ease of use, its user friendliness and high identification reliability. Accordingly, it has gained great popularity within the pattern recognition field over the past three decades. In this paper, we suggest a new approach for personal identification based on palmprint features extracted using the various methods of fractal theory. These methods have been broadly applied in image processing fields to estimate the fractal dimensions of an image as an important parameter for the analysis of objects of irregular shapes of the texture image. The novelty of this approach is two-fold. On the one hand, we apply the Box counting (BC), the Mass Radius (MS) and the Cumulative Intersection (CumInt) methods to extract the palmprint texture information. On the other hand, the combination of efficient information from the three descriptors has been presented in order to make identification system more efficient and achieve better performances. Then, we explore such texture information features by using classical machine learning techniques: the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and the Multiclass Random Forest classification algorithms. The results of the experiments conducted on two large datasets show that our proposed method gives better recognition rates of about 96.35% for CASIA-Palmprint dataset and 95.98% for IITD-Touchless-Palmprint dataset. These results obtained are compared to other well-known state-of-the-art approaches.
Induction of mucosal immunity against herpes simplex virus by plasmid DNA immunization

The ability of mucosally delivered plasmid DNA encoding glycoprotein B (gB) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) to generate systemic as well as distal mucosal immunity was evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized intranasally (i.n.) with gB DNA or DNA expressing beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal). Two days following immunization, gB and beta-Gal gene expression was detected by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in lungs and cervical lymph nodes (CLN). Histological analysis showed that beta-Gal protein was expressed in vivo in the lungs and the CLN of animals immunized with i.n. administered beta-Gal DNA. The immune responses generated by i.n. administration of gB DNA with or without cholera toxin (CT) were compared to those generated by intramuscular (i.m.) gB DNA and i.n. live HSV administration. Three i.n. doses of gB DNA over a 3-week period resulted in a distal mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response. In addition, the mucosal IgA response was enhanced by coadministration of CT with gB DNA. The i.m. route of immunization induced a strong IgG response in the serum and vagina but was inefficient in generating a mucosal IgA response. Antigen-specific cytokine ELISPOT analyses as well as the serum IgG1/IgG2a ratio indicated induction of stronger Th2 responses following the additional i.n. administration of CT compared to i.n. or i.m. gB DNA or i.n. live HSV immunization. In addition, mucosal immunization with gB DNA induced anti-HSV cell-mediated immunity in vivo as measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity. Although i.n. DNA immunization was an effective means of inducing mucosal antibody, it was inferior to i.m. DNA delivery in providing protection against lethal HSV challenge via the vaginal route. In addition, both i.m. and i.n. plasmid immunizations failed to generate an immune barrier to viral invasion of the mucosa.
Interaction of Fas Ligand and Fas Expressed on Osteoclast Precursors Increases Osteoclastogenesis1

We incidentally found that osteoclast precursors and mature osteoclasts express Fas ligand (FasL) as well as Fas, which was confirmed by flow cytometry, immunofluorescent staining, and RT-PCR. The aim of this study was to determine the role of FasL in differentiation and cell death of osteoclasts. To study the role of FasL in osteoclastogenesis, neutralizing anti-FasL mAb or rFasL was added during receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis using bone marrow-derived macrophages. Neutralization of endogenous FasL by anti-FasL mAb decreased osteoclastogenesis, whereas rFasL enhanced osteoclast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, rFasL up-regulated the secretion of osteoclastogenic cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, and the activation of NF-κB. Functional blocking of IL-1β and TNF-α using IL-1 receptor antagonist and soluble TNFR confirmed that those cytokines mediated the effect of FasL on osteoclastogenesis. The osteoclast precursors were relatively resistant to rFasL-induced apoptosis especially before RANKL treatment, resulting in minimal cell loss by rFasL treatment during osteoclastogenesis. Although rFasL increased the cell death of mature osteoclasts, growth factor withdrawal induced much more cell death. However, anti-FasL mAb did not affect the survival of mature osteoclasts, suggesting that the endogenous FasL does not have a role in the apoptosis of osteoclasts. Finally, in contrast to the effect on apoptosis, rFasL-assisted osteoclastogenesis was not mediated by caspases. In conclusion, FasL has a novel function in bone homeostasis by enhancing the differentiation of osteoclasts, which was not considered previously.
Hydrogen Peroxide–Mediated Activation of MAP Kinase 6 Modulates Nitric Oxide Biosynthesis and Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis[w]

Nitric oxide has been proposed to act as a signal for numerous physiological and developmental processes in plants. This work describes the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MPK) cascade in nitric oxide synthesis via nitrate reductase. It demonstrates H2O2-mediated MPK6 activation of nitric oxide production and signal transduction during root development in Arabidopsis. Nitric oxide (NO) is a bioactive molecule that functions in numerous physiological and developmental processes in plants, including lateral root development. In this study, we used biochemical and genetic approaches to analyze the function of Arabidopsis thaliana mitogen-activated protein kinase 6 (MPK6) in the regulation of NO synthesis in response to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) during lateral root development. In both mpk6 mutants studied, H2O2-induced NO synthesis and nitrate reductase (NR) activity were decreased dramatically. Furthermore, one NR isoform, NIA2, was required for the MPK6-mediated production of NO induced by H2O2. Notably, NIA2 interacted physically with MPK6 in vitro and in vivo and also served as a substrate of MPK6. Phosphorylation of NIA2 by MPK6 led to an increase in NR activity, and Ser-627 was identified as the putative phosphorylation site on NIA2. Phenotypical analysis revealed that mpk6-2 and mpk6-3 seedlings produce more and longer lateral roots than wild-type plants did after application of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside or H2O2. These data support strongly a function of MPK6 in modulating NO production and signal transduction in response to H2O2 during Arabidopsis root development.
Reproductive and Hormonal Risk Factors for Ductal Carcinoma In situ of the Breast

One-fifth of all newly diagnosed breast cancer cases are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), but little is known about DCIS risk factors. Recent studies suggest that some subtypes of DCIS (high grade or comedo) share histopathologic and epidemiologic characteristics with invasive disease, whereas others (medium or low grade or non-comedo) show different patterns. To investigate whether reproductive and hormonal risk factors differ among comedo and non-comedo types of DCIS and invasive breast cancer (IBC), we used a population-based case-control study of 1,808 invasive and 446 DCIS breast cancer cases and their age and race frequency-matched controls (1,564 invasive and 458 DCIS). Three or more full-term pregnancies showed a strong inverse association with comedo-type DCIS [odds ratio (OR), 0.53; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.30-0.95] and a weaker inverse association for non-comedo DCIS (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.42-1.27). Several risk factors (age at first full-term pregnancy, breast-feeding, and age at menopause) showed similar associations for comedo-type DCIS and IBC but different associations for non-comedo DCIS. Ten or more years of oral contraceptive showed a positive association with comedo-type DCIS (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.70-2.47) and IBC (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.06-5.09) but an inverse association for non-comedo DCIS (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.25-1.04). Our results support the theory that comedo-type DCIS may share hormonal and reproductive risk factors with IBC, whereas the etiology of non-comedo DCIS deserves further investigation. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(5):1507–14)
Robust MMSE linear precoding for visible light communication broadcasting systems

In this paper, we study an indoor visible light communication (VLC) downlink system with multiple LED fixtures and multiple single-photodiode users. We assume that VLC transmission over a subset of fixtures can be coordinated through a power line communication backbone network. Hence, we have a multiple-input VLC system, for which we derive the optimal linear precoding transmitter according to the minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) criterion. Different from similar problems in RF wireless communication, we need to take constraints resulting from the LED linearity region and its use as an illumination device into account. Since the precoder design requires channel knowledge at the transmitter, usually provided through a low-rate RF or infrared feedback channel, we further extend our derivations to the practically relevant case of imperfect channel estimation. Numerical results for VLC with different system parameters are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed transmitter designs.
Exploring the Role of Content Knowledge in Responsive Teaching

In this paper, we begin to explore the role of content knowledge in responsive teaching (RT), using in situ data to draw out and speak to a latent disagreement within the literature. We claim that one role that content knowledge plays in RT is to support teachers in eliciting, seeing, and then pursuing disciplinary connections within their students’ thinking. We suggest an approach to teacher education that draws on the historical wisdom of the physics education research community, in which teachers develop content knowledge and then practice using that knowledge to listen and respond to student thinking.
Effects of 0.05% sodium hypochlorite oral rinse on supragingival biofilm and gingival inflammation.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of 0.05% sodium hypochlorite mouth rinse on supragingival biofilm and gingival inflammation. METHODS The study was performed as a controlled, randomised, investigator-blinded, parallel group trial in 40 prison inmates. Following a preparatory period to obtain a plaque- and gingivitis-free dentition, tooth-brushing was substituted for 21 days by supervised twice daily rinsing with either 15 ml of fresh solution 0.05% sodium hypochlorite or 15 ml of distilled water. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (QHPI), the Löe and Silness Gingival Index (L&SGI) and bleeding on probing. Adverse events were evaluated by questionnaire, visual examination and clinical photographs. RESULTS At day 21, the average QHPI score had increased to 3.82 in the water rinse group and 1.98 in the sodium hypochlorite rinse group. The average L&SGI score had increased to 2.1 in the water rinse group and 1.0 in the sodium hypochlorite rinse group, and the average percentage of sites that bled on probing had increased to 93.1% in the water rinse group and 56.7% in the sodium hypochlorite rinse group. Differences were statistically significant (P = 0.001). A brown extrinsic tooth stain along the gingival margin appeared in 100% of participants in the sodium hypochlorite rinse group and in 35.0% of participants in the water rinse group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS An oral rinse with 0.05% sodium hypochlorite resulted in significant reductions in supragingival biofilm accumulation and gingival inflammation. Dilute sodium hypochlorite may represent an efficacious, safe and affordable antimicrobial agent in the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.
A multiresolution approach to the extraction of the pyloric rhythm

This paper describes our work toward the development of a computationally robust methodology to identify the pyloric neurons in the stomatogastric ganglion of Cancer pagurus using voltage-sensitive dye imaging. The multi-resolution signal decomposition procedure constructed using the sequential Singular Spectrum Analysis approach to isolate the pyloric rhythm from optical recordings of dyed live cells is presented. Early results suggest that the developed procedure offers a demonstrably reliable way to extract the rhythm from the recording data of these cells.
Replication of Avian Sarcoma Virus In Vivo Requires an Interaction between the Viral RNA and the TψC Loop of the tRNATrp Primer

ABSTRACT Reverse transcription in avian sarcoma virus (ASV) initiates from the 3′ end of a tRNATrp primer, which anneals near the 5′ end of the RNA genome. The region around the primer-binding site (PBS) forms an elaborate stem structure composed of the U5-inverted repeat (U5-IR) stem, the U5-leader stem, and the association of the tRNA primer with the PBS. There is evidence for an additional interaction between the viral U5 RNA and the TψC loop of the tRNATrp (U5-TψC). We now demonstrate that this U5-TψC interaction is necessary for efficient replication of ASV in culture. By randomizing specific biologically relevant regions of the viral RNA, thereby producing a library of mutant viruses, we are able to select, through multiple rounds of infection, those sequences imparting survival fitness to the virus. Randomizing the U5-TψC interaction region of the viral RNA results in selection of largely wild-type sequences after five rounds of infection. Also recovered are mutant viruses that maintain their ability to base pair with the TψC loop of the tRNATrp. To prove this interaction is specific to the tRNA primer, we constructed a second library, in which we altered the PBS to anneal to tRNAPro, while simultaneously randomizing the viral RNA U5-TψC region. After five rounds of infection, the consensus sequence 5′-GPuPuCPy-3′ emerged, which is complementary to the 5′-GGTTC-3′ sequence found in the TψC loop of tRNAPro. These observations confirm the importance of the U5-TψC interaction in vivo.
Capitalist Spirit and the Markets: Why Income Inequality Matters

I develop a simple static general equilibrium model with capitalist-spirit preferences and prices set by firm owners (entrepreneurs). The model’s pure symmetric Nash equilibria differ markedly from the canonical model: (i) A positive output gap and unemployment may emerge in equilibrium, despite the absence of price rigidities or information asymmetries. (ii) Income and wealth inequality affect equilibrium prices and employment. (iii) The model generates ambiguous comparative statics. Specifically, an increase in inequality of either type may reduce employment and increase the output gap of the economy, while productivity reductions may have the opposite effect. As a result, minimum wage policies may increase employment. These results provide some justification for a number of arguments used in public debates.
Hole correction in estimated depth map from single image using color uniformity principle

Depth map estimation forms an integral part of many applications such as 2D-to-3D creation. There exists various methods in literature for depth map estimation using different cues and structure. Usually, depth information is decoded from these cues at the edges and matting is applied to spread it over neighboring regions. Defocus is one such cue due to its natural existence and does not require any precondition compared to other cues. However, there can exist regions in images with no edges. These regions are referred to hole regions and are the main source of error in estimated depth map. In this paper, we propose a method to correct some of these errors to obtain an accurate depth map. The proposed method uses color uniformity principle to detect hole regions present in depth map. We also provide a framework to identify falsely detected holes in order to increase effectiveness of our method.
Inflation Dynamics in India: Evidence from Hybrid New Keynesian Philips Curve

This study fitted the hybrid version of the new Keynesian Phillips curve using India time series data with aim of assessing inflation dynamics under different leaderships of the Reserve Bank Governors and the extent within which prices of imported goods contribute in the domestic inflation in India. Monthly time series data for index of industrial production (IIP), RGDP, NGDP, GDP deflator and consumer price index spinning from 1990M01 to 2015M03 was collected from the Reserve Bank of St. Louis website; the model was estimated using generalized method of moment (GMM). The study found the following: i) there is the existence of long run tradeoff between inflation and output, this finding is consistent in all the models; that is, the benchmark model and scenario I and II respectively. ii) the study found the dominance of forward looking firms in price setting; although, Rajan leadership is characterized with the dominance of backward looking firms. iii) The extent of the impact of imported prices to domestic inflation is insignificant as the exchange rate pass-through is less than 0.12% across all the scenarios. iv) the study found that the de-trended IIP, RGDP and NGDP using HP-filter are not good proxies for output gap as the series in most cases appeared with wrong sign and/or statistically insignificant. Therefore the study concluded that the behavior of HNKPC in India is consistent with the theoretical and empirical regularities of the model.
Extracellular fluid volume and glomerular filtration rate: their relation and variabilities in patients with renal disease and healthy individuals

IntroductionThe slope-only technique for measuring glomerular filtration rate (GFR) relies on extracellular fluid volume (ECV) remaining within narrow limits. Although this requirement is met in healthy individuals, ECV may deviate or vary more in patients with abnormal renal function. MethodsWe examined the correlation between surface area-scaled ECV and GFR, and their coefficients of variation (CVs), measured from simultaneous, multisample clearances of 51Cr-EDTA and iohexol in 20 healthy volunteers and 60 patients with a range of renal functions. We also compared scaled GFR and ECV, and their CVs, measured from three-sample, slope-intercept clearance of 51Cr-EDTA in 921 patients routinely referred for GFR measurement. ResultsIn the 80 participants undergoing multisample, dual-indicator clearance, there was no correlation between GFR measured with one indicator and ECV measured with the other. CVs of GFR in the 60 patients were 48.1 and 44.6% for 51Cr-EDTA and iohexol, respectively, but the CVs of ECV were only 12.3 and 15.4%. These differences were less marked in the healthy participants with corresponding CVs of 13.9 and 14.9% for GFR, and 11.7 and 12.2% for ECV. There was no correlation between scaled GFR and ECV in patients having slope-intercept clearance; CVs of GFR and ECV were 32.4 and 17.8%, respectively. ConclusionIn unselected patient populations, there is no correlation between GFR and ECV. The CV of ECV is slightly higher in patients than healthy individuals but, in both, is less than the CV of GFR. These data do not detract from the use of slope-only GFR.
Utility maximization models for two-hop energy relaying in practical RF harvesting networks

Cooperative energy relaying helps in improving the radio frequency (RF) energy transfer (ET) efficiency by harvesting the otherwise dissipated energy and then transferring it to the nearby energy receiver. The achievable RF-ET gains are strongly influenced by the relative relay placement (RP), which may cause blocking of the direct energy transfer (DET) path between RF source and receiver, or energy signals from RF source and relay may add destructively. So, to maximize the utility of an RF energy harvesting (RF-EH) energy relay, we propose (a) a novel slotted harvest-then-transfer-energy protocol to avoid interference to DET, and (b) optimal no-impact on line-of-sight (Ni-LoS) RP model for avoiding obstruction to the existing LoS or DET path due to its physical presence. Further, an accurate piecewise linear approximation for harvested dc power as a function of received RF power is presented to incorporate the practical RF-EH hardware constraints. Since the optimal RP problem for maximizing harvested energy at receiver from EH relay is nonconvex, conditional generalized convexity principles are used to obtain the closed-form global-optimal solution. Numerical performance of the proposed utility maximization models for EH RP is investigated under practical RF-EH system settings.