Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECTS OF CULTIVARS AND SUBSTRATES ON SOILLESS STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION IN CYPRUS

This experiment was conducted to generate up-to-date, practical and location specific information for soilless strawberry production in Cyprus. Commercial ‘fresh’ strawberry plants (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) of three cultivars (‘Camarosa’, ‘Festival’, and ‘Ventana’) were cultivated from October 2010 to June 2011, using coco-substrates from three different brands (BVB, Wonder Soil, Pelemix) in a 2 levels-pyramid layout. Harvesting started in January and lasted until June. The total yield obtained was similar in all cultivars and of about 439 g plant−1. However, with ‘Ventana’ and ‘Festival’ ‘extra’ category fruits and berry mass were advanced. Early yield (Jan–April) was higher in‘Festival’compared with‘Camarosa’and ‘Ventana’ was in between. Amount of water consumed to produce one kg of fruit fresh weight (WUE), was lower in ‘Ventana’ and ‘Festival’ compared to ‘Camarosa’. No differences were observed in productive characteristics, early yield and WUE according to the substrate. Regarding quality, fruits of ‘Festival’ and ‘Ventana’ retained higher soluble solids to acid ratio, where as fruits of ‘Camarosa’ performed higher levels of bioactive compounds. The results from this study suggest ‘Festival’ and ‘Ventana’ as interesting alternative cultivars.
The paternal methylation imprint of the mouse H19 locus is acquired in the gonocyte stage during foetal testis development

Germline‐specific differential DNA methylation that persists through fertilization and embryonic development is thought to be the ‘imprint’ distinguishing the parental alleles of imprinted genes. If such methylation is to work as the imprinting mechanism, however, it has to be reprogrammed following each passage through the germline. Previous studies on maternally methylated genes have shown that their methylation imprints are first erased in primordial germ cells (PGCs) and then re‐established during oocyte growth.
The effect of ions and second messengers on long‐term potentiation of chemical transmission in avian ciliary ganglia

1 The effects of tetanic stimulation of the oculomotor nerve on transmission through the avian ciliary ganglion have been determined by use of the amplitude of the compound action potential recorded in the ciliary nerve, in the presence of hexamethonium (300 μm), as a measure of synaptic efficacy. 2 Tetanic stimulation for 20 s at 30 Hz potentiated the chemical phase of the compound action potential by at least 100% of its control level. This potentiation, reflecting an increase in synaptic efficacy, decayed over two distinct time courses: firstly, a rapid decay with a time constant in the order of minutes, and secondly, a slower decay, representing a smaller potentiation, with a time constant in the order of an hour. The large increase in synaptic efficacy is attributed to post‐tetanic potentiation (PTP) whereas the smaller but longer lasting increase is attributed to long‐term potentiation (LTP). 3 Higher frequencies of tetanic stimulation gave increased PTP and LTP. 4 In order to test whether the influx of calcium ions into the nerve terminal during the tetanus is likely to be involved in potentiation, facilitation was measured during PTP and LTP. Facilitation was reduced to approximately zero during PTP but recovered to normal values about 15 min into LTP. A requirement for the induction of LTP was shown to be the presence of calcium in the bathing solution. However, blocking synaptic transmission with a high concentration of hexamethonium (3 mm) during the tetanic stimulation did not block the induction of LTP. 5 Application of the muscarinic inhibitor, atropine (2 μm), did not affect the magnitude of PTP or LTP. 6 The activator of protein kinase C, phorbol 12,13‐dibutyrate (2 μm) potentiated synaptic transmission and reduced the potentiation due to PTP although it did not affect that due to LTP, but the inhibitor of this kinase, staurosporine (0.5 μm), partially blocked the appearance of LTP without affecting PTP after the tetanus. 7 An inhibitor of calmodulin, W‐7 (5 μm), reversibly blocked the appearance of LTP significantly after a tetanus although the size of PTP was not affected. 8 The results presented here suggest that the initiation of LTP in the ciliary ganglion is due to an influx of calcium ions into the calyciform nerve terminal during the tetanus and that the mechanism for LTP involves a calcium‐calmodulin‐dependent process.
Reducing BDD size by exploiting structural connectivity

Computer-aided design tools have been limited by the use of the Binary Decision Diagram (BDD). The major drawback of the BDD is its abundant usage of CPU time and memory. Techniques such as BDD variable ordering and sharing have been used in the past to address the size issue. However these techniques remain to be limited to modest-sized circuits. In this paper, we present a significant variation to the conventional BDD, the Connective Binary Decision Diagram (CBDD). The CBDD addresses the size issue concerning conventional BDD implementations by employing the use of minimized-scalable binary decision diagrams (MSBDDs) combined with the structural connectivity present in the circuit's netlist. The experimental results section will demonstrate that the proposed method reduces the BDD size by more than two orders of magnitude for large circuits.
A new alternative to expandable pedicle screws: Expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell

Screw pullout is a very common problem in the fixation of sacrum with pedicle screws. The principal cause of this problem is that the cyclic micro motions in the fixation of sacrum are higher than the other regions of the vertebrae that limit the osteo-integration between bone and screw. In addition to that, the bone quality is very poor at sacrum region. This study investigated a possible solution to the pullout problem without the expandable screws’ handicaps. Newly designed poly-ether-ether-ketone expandable shell and classical pedicle screws were biomechanically compared. Torsion test, pullout tests, fatigue tests, flexion/extension moment test, axial gripping capacity tests and torsional gripping capacity tests were conducted in accordance with ASTM F543, F1798 and F1717. Standard polyurethane foam and calf vertebrae were used as embedding medium for pullout tests. Classical pedicle screw pullout load on polyurethane foam was 564.8 N compared to the failure load for calf vertebrae’s 1264 N. Under the same test conditions, expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell system’s pullout loads from polyurethane foam and calf vertebrae were 1196.3 and 1890 N, respectively. The pullout values for expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell were 33% and 53% higher than classical pedicle screw on polyurethane foam and calf vertebrae, respectively. The expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell exhibited endurance on its 90% of yield load. Contrary to poly-ether-ether-ketone shell, classical pedicle screw exhibited endurance on 70% of its yield load. Expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell exhibited much higher pullout performance than classical pedicle screw. Fatigue performance of expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell is also higher than classical pedicle screw due to damping the micro motion capacity of the poly-ether-ether-ketone. Expandable poly-ether-ether-ketone shell is a safe alternative to all other expandable pedicle screw systems on mechanical perspective.
Simulated Annealing Method with Different Neighborhoods for Solving the Cell Formation Problem

In this paper we solve the cell formation problem with different variants of the simulated annealing method obtained by using different neighborhoods of the current solution. The solution generated at each iteration is obtained by using a diversification of the current solution combined with an intensification to improve this solution. Different diversification and intensification strategies are combined to generate different neighborhoods. The most efficient variant allows improving the best-known solution of one of the 35 benchmark problems commonly used by authors to compare their methods, and reaching the best-known solution of 30 others.
Comparison of seven videolaryngoscopes with the Macintosh laryngoscope in manikins by experienced and novice personnel

Videolaryngoscopy is often reserved for ‘anticipated’ difficult airways, but thereby can result in a higher overall rate of complications. We observed 65 anaesthetists, 67 residents in anaesthesia, 56 paramedics and 65 medical students, intubating the trachea of a standardised manikin model with a normal airway using seven devices: Macintosh classic laryngoscope, Airtraq®, Storz C‐MAC®, Coopdech VLP‐100®, Storz C‐MAC D‐Blade®, GlideScope Cobalt®, McGrath Series5® and Pentax AWS®) in random order. Time to and proportion of successful intubation, complications and user satisfaction were compared. All groups were fastest using devices with a Macintosh‐type blade. All groups needed significantly more attempts using the Airtraq and Pentax AWS (all p < 0.05). Devices with a Macintosh‐type blade (classic laryngoscope and C‐MAC) scored highest in user satisfaction. Our results underline the importance of variability in device performance across individuals and staff groups, which have important implications for which devices hospital providers should rationally purchase.
Overview of Planar Magnetic Technology—Fundamental Properties

The momentum toward high efficiency, high frequency, and high power density in power supplies limits wide use of conventional wire-wound magnetic components. This paper gives an overview of planar magnetic technologies with respect to the development of modern power electronics. The major advantages and disadvantages in the use of planar magnetics for high-frequency power converters are covered, and publications on planar magnetics are reviewed. A detailed survey of winding conduction loss, leakage inductance, and winding capacitance for planar magnetics is presented so power electronics engineers and researchers can have a clear understanding of the intrinsic properties of planar magnetics.
Chemical Speciation and Phytotoxicity of Heavy Metals in Sewage Sludge for the Germination of Chinese Cabbage Seeds

Single extractions with distilled water and diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA), and a sequential extraction procedure were conducted in this study to determine the chemical speciation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in four municipal sewage sludges and subsequently evaluate the phytotoxicity of the metals by a seed germination test of Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.). Analytical results indicated that a high percentage of organic carbon was found in all the sludges, and thus beneficial to application on agricultural land. Total concentrations of the heavy metals were much lower than the pollutant concentration limits for land application of sewage sludge in the USA and Europe. However, Cu and Zn were the most abundant elements in the sewage sludges in this study. In most cases, the water extractable contents of the heavy metals in the sludges were undetectable. However, the heavy metal contents with DTPA extraction were much higher than those with water extraction, respectively. Additionally, the Fe-Mn oxide fraction of Zn was the dominant solid phase, but Zn was the most mobile metal in all the sludges. Lead and Cr were concentrated in residual fractions, while Cu showed the organic fraction as being dominant. The seed germination test of Chinese cabbage showed no significant (p<0.05) inhibition by the sludge extracts with different dilution ratios, but the original sludge extracts inhibited the root growth of Chinese cabbage. Copper, Ni and Zn might cause toxicity to plant growth, as demonstrated in this study. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Quality improvement using the Baldrige Criteria for Organizational Performance Excellence.

PURPOSE The criteria needed to achieve the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) are described. SUMMARY The MBNQA was created in 1987 to recognize quality and performance and to encourage excellence in American companies. In 2003, Saint Luke's Hospital, the largest hospital in the Saint Luke's Health System, received the MBNQA. In the years since, the hospital has continued to use the Baldrige approach and has pursued the award on the health-system level. The Baldrige Criteria for Organizational Performance Excellence provide a framework that focuses on obtaining the highest levels of organizational excellence. These criteria consist of seven categories-leadership; strategic planning; focus on patients, customers, and markets; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; work-force focus; process management; and results. At Saint Luke's Hospital, a category leader was designated for each of the seven categories in order to fully apply the criteria to the organization. Pharmacy leaders worked closely with each category leader to ensure that the appropriate format was being followed and to contribute positively to the written application and the site visit conducted by MBNQA examiners. The MBNQA involves its own vernacular and pattern. Effort should be made to fully understand and embrace the path that the organization's leaders have chosen. Departmental activities should be placed in front of an individual's leadership so that he or she can play an active part in demonstrating quality-improvement success stories. CONCLUSION The criteria for the MBNQA are structured around seven categories that form a framework by which any organization or department can structure its own pursuit of quality and excellence. Pharmacy leaders can play an important role in the successful pursuit of quality within their organization.
PF 3 fit : Hierarchical Flexible Fitting in 3 D EM

We develop a hierarchical solution (PFfit) for fitting an atomic structure to a density map. We use scoring functions that account for steric clashes while maximizing the degree of fit between the protein and the density map, a non-uniform rotationally exhaustive Fourier-based search scheme, and a flexibility model that parametrizes shear and hinge bending motions available to each protein domain. This framework rests on a hierarchical domain decomposition of the input protein, whereby domains at one level in the hierarchy are split into subdomains at the next level. We show that our flexible fitting technique can quickly and efficiently search over the space of motions available to the domains of a protein at each level in the hierarchy, and yields flexible fits that compare favorably with existing pre-MD as well as all-atomistic MD-based flexible fitting schemes. More importantly, our flexible fitting technique is capable of annotating the kind and degree of motion that each domain undergoes, making it a useful tool to analyze protein conformational change in cases where only a protein and density map are available. Availability. PFfit is available from our website:
A survey of potential stressor‐induced physiological changes in carp (Cyprinus carpio) and barbel (Barbus bocagei) along the Tajo River

The objective of this study was to evaluate fish response to acute stress induced by confinement after capture. Because of the previously reported presence of chemical compounds in the Tajo River basin where the study samplinig took place, an exposure biomarker to organic chemicals (retinol) was used. Cortisol and glucose were used as stress biomarkers. Plasma levels of cholesterol were used as lipidic metabolism indicators, and retinol level was used as a specific exposure biomarker. A reference site was established along 300 km of the Tajo River, and nine sampling sites were selected on the basis of whether various human activities and hydrographic characteristics were present. A total of 55 carp (Cyprinus carpio) and 52 barbel (Barbus bocagei) were examined. Cortisol and glucose levels were considered acceptable indicators of the response of the fish to induced stress. In the barbel, plasma retinol levels decreased at two of the sampling sites indicating possible exposure to organic compounds. The overall evaluation of these parameters enabled us to identify three sampling sites at which more studies should be carried out. The possible relationship between the health state of wild fish and the presence of organic compounds or sources of pollution was considered. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 119–125, 2005.
GSK 3-Mediated BCL-3 Phosphorylation Modulates

and was originally identified through molecular cloning of the breakpoint of the t(14;19) chromosome translocation from a subset of human B cell chronic lymphotic Patrick Viatour,1 Emmanuel Dejardin,4 Michael Warnier,1 Florence Lair,1 Estefania Claudio,5 Fabrice Bureau,2 Jean-Christophe Marine,6 Marie-Paule Merville,1 Ulrich Maurer,4 Douglas Green,4 leukemias (McKeithan et al., 1987). This translocation causes BCL-3 overexpression and presumably dysreguJacques Piette,3 Ulrich Siebenlist,5 Vincent Bours,1 and Alain Chariot1,* lation of still mostly unknown downstream target genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation (Ohno et Laboratory of Medical Chemistry and Human Genetics 2 Department of Physiology al., 1990). BCL-3 is also expressed in human breast tumors (Cogswell et al., 2000) with deregulated cyclin 3 Laboratory of Virology and Immunology Center for Biomedical Integrated Genoproteomics D1 expression, suggesting that cyclin D1 may be one of the few BCL-3 target genes identified (Westerheide University of Liège, Sart-Tilman 4000 Liège et al., 2001). However, evidence for BCL-3-induced transformation is missing. Belgium 4 Division of Cellular Immunology BCL-3 is constitutively phosphorylated in vivo (Fujita et al., 1993; Nolan et al., 1993; Bundy and McKeithan, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology San Diego, California 92121 1997), but the kinase(s) responsible for BCL-3 phosphorylation in vivo remain(s) to be identified. 5 Laboratory of Immunoregulation National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases We show here that BCL-3 is phosphorylated by GSK3 and subsequently degraded through the proteasome National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland 20892 pathway. This BCL-3 phosphorylation modulates its oncogenic potential in vitro and in vivo and regulates the 6 Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology expression of a subset of newly identified BCL-3 target genes. Taken together, our results suggest that constituGhent Belgium tive BCL-3 phosphorylation by GSK3 prevents its cellular accumulation and inhibits its oncogenic potential.
VERSION Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress Leads Hemolysis in Sedentary but not Trained Human

Intravascular hemolysis is one of the most emphasized mechanisms for destruction of erythrocytes during and after physical activity. Exercise-induced oxidative stress has been proposed among the different factors for explaining exercise induced-hemolysis. The validity of oxidative stress following exhaustive cycling exercise on erythrocyte damage was investigated in sedentary and trained subjects before and after antioxidant vitamin treatment (A, C, and E) for two months. Exercise induced a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and protein carbonyl content levels in sedentary subjects and resulted in an increase of osmotic fragility and decrease in deformability of erythrocytes, accompanied by signs for intravascular hemolysis (increase in plasma hemoglobin concentration and decrease in haptoglobulin levels). Administration of antioxidant vitamins for two months prevented exercise-induced oxidative stress (TBARS, protein carbonyl content) and deleterious effects of exhaustive exercise on erythrocytes in sedentary subjects. Trained subjects’ erythrocyte responses to exercise were different from sedentary subjects’ before antioxidant vitamin treatment. Osmotic fragility and deformability of erythrocytes, plasma hemoglobin concentration and haptoglobulin levels were not changed after exercise although the increased oxidative stress was observed in trained subjects. After antioxidant vitamin treatment, functional and structural parameters of erythrocytes were not altered in the trained group, but exercise-induced oxidative stress was prevented. Increased percentage of young erythrocyte populations were determined in trained subjects by density separation of erythrocytes. These findings suggest that the exercise-induced oxidative stress may contribute to exercise-induced hemolysis in sedentary human.
LEF-1 activates the transcription of E 2 F 1

LEF-1 and E2F are both transcription factors involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The present study shows for the first time that LEF-1 associates with E2F1 and further b-catenin independently activates the E2F-responsive reporter gene by attenuating the interaction between E2F1 and Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), which indicates that LEF-1, except for its function in Wnt signaling, may play a distinct role via activating the transcription of E2F1. 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Laypersons’ Ratings of Appearance in Children With and Without Single-Suture Craniosynostosis

BackgroundSingle-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) results in head shape anomalies that likely affect social perceptions of appearance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate laypersons’ ratings of attractiveness in children with and without SSC. Among cases, we also examined differences by suture fused and age at surgery. MethodsWe collected photographs of 196 children with SSC and 186 children without SSC as infants (before surgery, for cases) and at ages 18 and 36 months. Photographs were rated by 8 raters, who were blinded to the population being studied. We used linear regression to compare appearance ratings for the 2 groups at each visit and to evaluate changes over time. Regression analyses were used to examine the association between age at surgery and appearance ratings. ResultsChildren with SSC received lower appearance ratings than unaffected controls at each visit (all P < 0.001). Appearance ratings decreased over time, with a similar trajectory for children with and without SSC. Among cases, those with unicoronal and lambdoid synostosis had the lowest ratings and those with sagittal synostosis had the highest. Age at surgery was inversely associated with appearance ratings. ConclusionsChildren with SSC received lower appearance ratings than unaffected controls, with minimal change after surgery. Better outcomes were associated with earlier surgery. These findings do not indicate that children with SSC failed to benefit from surgery, as without surgical intervention, asymmetrical head shape would likely have worsened over time. However, our data suggest that appearance does not fully “normalize. ”
The use of sustainable and scalable health care technologies in developing countries

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health 2016:3 35–46 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health Dovepress