Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study of Narrow-Band Imaging and i-scan for Predicting the Histology of Intermediate-to-Large Colorectal Polyps: A Prospective, Randomized Pilot Study

Background/Aims To date, no reports have compared the diagnostic efficacy of narrow-band imaging (NBI) and i-scan for the histologic prediction of intermediate-to-large colorectal polyps. We aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of NBI and i-scan in predicting histology, and their inter-/intra-observer agreement. Methods We performed a prospective, randomized study that included 66 patients (NBI, n=33 vs. i-scan, n=33) with colorectal polyps (size >10 mm but <50 mm) who underwent colonoscopic resection. During the procedure, three endoscopists documented their prediction using the Japan NBI Expert Team (JNET) classification. Two months after study completion, the endoscopists reviewed still images and video clips for analysis. Results The overall diagnostic accuracies in the NBI and i-scan groups were 73.7% (73/99) and 75.8% (75/99), respectively, and there was no statistical significance between the two groups (p=0.744). The JNET classification as applied to NBI and i-scan showed substantial inter-observer agreement (NBI κ-value 0.612, p=0.001 vs. i-scan κ-value 0.662, p=0.002). Additionally, the κ-values of intra-observer agreement were in the range of 0.385–0.660 with NBI and 0.364–0.741 with i-scan. Conclusions NBI and i-scan have similar diagnostic accuracies for the histologic prediction of intermediate-to-large colorectal polyps. Furthermore, the inter-/intra-observer agreement was acceptable for both modalities when the JNET classification was applied.
Effect of catalyst systems and reaction conditions on the synthesis of cellulose-g-PDMAam copolymers by controlled radical polymerization

Various copper-based catalyst systems and reaction conditions were studied in the graft copolymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAam) with a cellulose-based macroinitiator by controlled radical polymerization. The cellulose macroinitiator with degree of substitution DS = 0.44 was synthesized from dissolving softwood pulp in a LiCl/DMAc solution. The graft copolymerizations of DMAam, using the cellulose macroinitiator and various copper-based catalyst systems, were then carried out in DMSO solutions. The copolymerization kinetics was followed by 1H NMR. Water-soluble cellulose-g-PDMAam copolymers were comprehensively characterized by ATR-FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopies and SEC analyses. DLS and steady-shear viscosity measurements revealed that when the DPgraft of the cellulose-g-PDMAam copolymer is high enough, the copolymer forms a more compact structure in water. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Lactams in sulfuric acid. The mechanism of amide hydrolysis in weak to moderately strong aqueous mineral acid media

Reaction rate constants obtained in moderately concentrated sulfuric acid for the hydrolysis of simple lactams of ring sizes five, six, seven, and eight as a function of acidity and temperature have been analyzed using the excess acidity kinetic method. The basicity constants for these substrates have been recalculated; the 13C NMR spectra used to obtain these values are very sensitive to medium effects. It was found that the basicities of the lactams at 0.003-0.1 M lactam concentration were over half a pK unit more basic than they were at 0.5 M lactam, presumably because of the medium effect. Apart from this, the rate constant results obtained at different times by different groups using different techniques for monitoring the kinetics are in adequate agreement. The excess acidity analysis showed that the kinetics could be fitted according to the "three-water-molecule followed by one-water-molecule" mechanistic scenario previously found, or could just as well be fitted by a "one-water-molecule followed b.
Inductive Textile Sensor Design and Validation for a Wearable Monitoring Device

Textile sensors have gained attention for wearable devices, in which the most popular are the resistive textile sensor. However, these sensors present high hysteresis and a drift when stretched for long periods of time. Inductive textile sensors have been commonly used as antennas and plethysmographs, and their applications have been extended to measure heartbeat, wireless data transmission, and motion and gesture capturing systems. Inductive textile sensors have shown high reliability, stable readings, low production cost, and an easy manufacturing process. This paper presents the design and validation of an inductive strain textile sensor. The anthropometric dimensions of a healthy participant were used to define the maximum dimensions of the inductive textile sensor. The design of the inductive sensor was studied through theoretical calculations and simulations. Parameters such as height, width, area, perimeter, and number of complete loops were considered to calculate and evaluate the inductance value.
An overview on plasticized biodegradable corn starch-based films: the physicochemical properties and gelatinization process

Abstract With increasing awareness of environmental protection, petroleum-based raw materials are continuously decreasing, which in turn necessitated the development of eco-friendly sustainable biomaterials, as alternative strategy. Starch could be an ideal substitute. Corn starch has been used as a renewable material for development of biodegradable packaging, owing to great varieties, low cost, large-scale industrial production, and good films forming properties. Unfortunately, its poor mechanical and barrier properties have limited the application of starch-based films. Thence, plasticizers were added to overcome the aforementioned pitfalls and improve the films elongation, distribution, flexibility, elasticity, and rigidity. Addition of plasticizers can change the continuity and therefore would enhance the properties of corn starch-based films. While plasticization can improve the tensile strength and percent elongation, it can reduce the water resistance in prepared films. Herein, we focused on changes of starch granules during gelatinization process, types of biodegradable films, as well as the types of modified starch with plasticizers. Furthermore, the influence of plasticizers on corn starch-based films and the physicochemical properties of various types of corn starch-based films were also addressed.
Post-Moore Memory Technology: Sneak Path Current (SPC) Phenomena on RRAM Crossbar Array and Solutions

The sneak path current (SPC) is the inevitable issue in crossbar memory array while implementing high-density storage configuration. The crosstalks are attracting much attention, and the read accuracy in the crossbar architecture is deteriorated by the SPC. In this work, the sneak path current problem is observed and investigated by the electrical experimental measurements in the crossbar array structure with the half-read scheme. The read margin of the selected cell is improved by the bilayer stacked structure, and the sneak path current is reduced ~20% in the bilayer structure. The voltage-read stress-induced read margin degradation has also been investigated, and less voltage stress degradation is showed in bilayer structure due to the intrinsic nonlinearity. The oxide-based bilayer stacked resistive random access memory (RRAM) is presented to offer immunity toward sneak path currents in high-density memory integrations when implementing the future high-density storage and in-memory computing applications.
Atributos químicos e produção de milho em um latossolo vermelho eutroférrico tratado com lodo de esgoto

A utilizacao de lodo de esgoto como fertilizante orgânico ou condicionador do solo, tem-se tornado cada vez mais atraente, pelos altos custos e impactos ambientais relacionados com os demais metodos de disposicao, pela presenca de nutrientes vegetais e materia orgânica no lodo e pela necessidade de reducao de custos na agricultura. No entanto, em sua composicao, pode conter metais pesados, microrganismos patogenicos e compostos orgânicos toxicos. Visando estudar os efeitos da aplicacao de lodo de esgoto em areas agricolas, foi realizado um experimento, com duracao de dois anos agricolas, para determinar alteracoes em propriedades quimicas do solo, principalmente sobre os teores de P, Cu, Ni e Zn em um Latossolo Vermelho eutroferrico, de textura argilosa, cultivado com milho. O experimento consistiu na aplicacao de lodo de esgoto em duas doses comparadas a uma testemunha com adubacao quimica. Para analise de rotina das propriedades quimicas e do teor de Ni do solo, foram coletadas amostras nas profundidades de 0-0,05; 0,05-0,10 e 0,10-0,20 m apos a colheita do milho no primeiro e no segundo ano. Foi feita, tambem, uma extracao sequencial de P em amostras da camada de 0-0,05 m, na seguinte ordem: CaCl2 (P biologicamente mais disponivel); NaHCO3 (P disponivel); NaOH (P ligado aos oxidos de Fe e Al); HCl (P ligado a Ca) e digestao nitrico-perclorica (P residual). A producao do milho foi maior nos tratamentos com aplicacao do lodo. Os teores disponiveis de P no solo onde foi aplicado lodo foram semelhantes aos do tratamento sem lodo e com adubo quimico. Entretanto, a aplicacao do lodo aumentou as fracoes labeis e moderadamente labeis do P na camada superficial. Os dados indicaram, por outro lado, aumento dos teores de Cu, Ni e Zn no solo e de Zn na planta. Dessa forma, faz-se necessario constante monitoramento do solo onde o lodo de esgoto e aplicado para o controle adequado dos teores de metais.
Progress in the Application of Nanoparticles and Graphene as Drug Carriers and on the Diagnosis of Brain Infections

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the protective sheath around the brain that protects the sensitive microenvironments of the brain. However, certain pathogens, viruses, and bacteria disrupt the endothelial barrier and cause infection and hence inflammation in meninges. Macromolecular therapeutics are unable to cross the tight junctions, thereby limiting their bioavailability in the brain. Recently, nanotechnology has brought a revolution in the field of drug delivery in brain infections. The nanostructures have high targeting accuracy and specificity to the receptors in the case of active targeting, which have made them the ideal cargoes to permeate across the BBB. In addition, nanomaterials with biomimetic functions have been introduced to efficiently cross the BBB to be engulfed by the pathogens. This review focuses on the nanotechnology-based drug delivery approaches for exploration in brain infections, including meningitis. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, or, rarely, protozoa or parasites may be the cause of brain infections. Moreover, inflammation of the meninges, called meningitis, is presently diagnosed using laboratory and imaging tests. Despite attempts to improve diagnostic instruments for brain infections and meningitis, due to its complicated and multidimensional nature and lack of successful diagnosis, meningitis appears almost untreatable. Potential for overcoming the difficulties and limitations related to conventional diagnostics has been shown by nanoparticles (NPs). Nanomedicine now offers new methods and perspectives to improve our knowledge of meningitis and can potentially give meningitis patients new hope. Here, we review traditional diagnosis tools and key nanoparticles (Au-NPs, graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), QDs, etc.) for early diagnosis of brain infections and meningitis.
Interacting with Hemoglobin: Paracoccidioides spp. Recruits hsp30 on Its Cell Surface for Enhanced Ability to Use This Iron Source

Paracoccidioides spp. are thermally dimorphic fungi that cause paracoccidioidomycosis and can affect both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. The infection can lead to moderate or severe illness and death. Paracoccidioides spp. undergo micronutrients deprivation within the host, including iron. To overcome such cellular stress, this genus of fungi responds in multiple ways, such as the utilization of hemoglobin. A glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored fungal receptor, Rbt5, has the primary role of acquiring the essential nutrient iron from hemoglobin. Conversely, it is not clear if additional proteins participate in the process of using hemoglobin by the fungus. Therefore, in order to investigate changes in the proteomic level of P. lutzii cell wall, we deprived the fungus of iron and then treated those cells with hemoglobin. Deprived iron cells were used as control. Next, we performed cell wall fractionation and the obtained proteins were submitted to nanoUPLC-MSE. Protein expression levels of the cell wall F1 fraction of cells exposed to hemoglobin were compared with the protein expression of the cell wall F1 fraction of iron-deprived cells. Our results showed that P. lutzii exposure to hemoglobin increased the level of adhesins expression by the fungus, according to the proteomic data. We confirmed that the exposure of the fungus to hemoglobin increased its ability to adhere to macrophages by flow cytometry. In addition, we found that HSP30 of P. lutzii is a novel hemoglobin-binding protein and a possible heme oxygenase. In order to investigate the importance of HSP30 in the Paracoccidioides genus, we developed a Paracoccidioides brasiliensis knockdown strain of HSP30 via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and demonstrated that silencing this gene decreases the ability of P. brasiliensis to use hemoglobin as a nutrient source. Additional studies are needed to establish HSP30 as a virulence factor, which can support the development of new therapeutic and/or diagnostic approaches.
Synthesis and Properties of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Composed of Epoxy Resins and Polysulphones with Cross-linkable Pendant Vinylbenzyl Groups

Polysulphones with cross-linkable pendant vinylbenzyl groups (PSF-VB) were prepared via chloromethylation of commercial polysulphones. The curing reactivity of PSF-VB was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared based on bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) and PSF-VB, where DGEBA was cured by 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulphone and VB groups of PSF-VB were radically polymerized using dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Polysulphones having pendant benzyl groups (PSF-Bz) were also prepared and used as non-reactive modifiers. The fracture toughness (K 1C ) for the resulting epoxy/PSF-VB IPN increased by 65% with no loss of mechanical properties on 10 wt% addition of PSF-VB (7.9 mol% VB unit, MW 74000). Non-reactive PSF-Bz was less effective than PSF-VB. Although the PSF-Bz modified resin had a particulate structure, the morphologies of the PSF-VB/epoxy IPNs were not clear from scanning electron micrographs. Furthermore, the epoxy/PSF-VB IPNs had higher solvent resistance than the epoxy/PSF-Bz blends. Morphological behaviour, modification results and high solvent resistance of the cured epoxy/PSF-VB resins indicate that crosslinked PSF-VB and the epoxy network entangled fully in the presence of DCP.
The Effect of an Adsorbent Matrix on Recovery of Microorganisms from Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Groundwater

The microbial degradation of recalcitrant hydrocarbons is an important process that can contribute to the remediation of oil and gas-contaminated environments. Due to the complex structure of subsurface terrestrial environments, it is important to identify the microbial communities that may be contributing to biodegradation processes, along with their abilities to metabolize different hydrocarbons in situ. In this study, a variety of adsorbent materials were assessed for their ability to trap both hydrocarbons and microorganisms in contaminated groundwater. Of the materials tested, a porous polymer resin (Tenax-TA) recovered the highest diversity of microbial taxa in preliminary experiments and was selected for additional (microcosm-based) testing. Oxic and anoxic experiments were prepared with groundwater collected from a contaminated aquifer to assess the ability of Tenax-TA to adsorb two environmental hydrocarbon contaminants of interest (toluene and benzene) while simultaneously providing a surface for microbial growth and hydrocarbon biodegradation. Microorganisms in oxic microcosms completely degraded both targets within 14 days of incubation, while anoxically-incubated microorganisms metabolized toluene but not benzene in less than 80 days. Community analysis of Tenax-TA-associated microorganisms revealed taxa highly enriched in sessile hydrocarbon-degrading treatments, including Saprospiraceae, Azoarcus, and Desulfoprunum, which may facilitate hydrocarbon degradation. This study showed that Tenax-TA can be used as a matrix to effectively trap both microorganisms and hydrocarbons in contaminated environmental systems for assessing and studying hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms of interest.
Sources of satisfaction, dissatisfaction and well-being for UK advanced practice nurses: A qualitative study.

AIMS To examine and explore organisational and role conditions that promote or inhibit job satisfaction and workplace well-being for advanced practice nurses. BACKGROUND The advanced practice role is common across the world. Research shows it is well regarded by patients and improves patient outcomes but there is little evidence about what the role is like for nurses. METHODS A subsample of an existing cohort of advanced practice nurses were invited for interview. Twenty-two nurses were interviewed over the phone. Interviews transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Four themes were derived from the data; 'the advanced nurse role and professional identity', 'feeling exposed', 'support for the advancement of the role' and 'demonstrating impact'. CONCLUSION Nurses report considerable dissatisfaction with role identity and concerns relating to isolation on a daily basis and these negatively affect well-being. However, they also identified significant satisfaction with the role, particularly when well supported and able to recognise the unique contribution that they made to the lives of patients and to their organisations. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Clear role definitions, provision of high quality clinical supervision and addressing issues of isolation are likely to improve the job satisfaction of advanced practice nurses.
Telomere length and signal joint T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles as biomarkers for chronological age estimation

Abstract Background Chronological age estimation is a challenging marker in the field of forensic medicine. The current study aimed to investigate the accuracy of signal joint T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (sjTRECs) quantification and telomere length measurement as methods for estimating chronological age. Methods Telomere length was estimated in the DNA derived from the buccal cells through estimating the telomeric restriction fragment (TRF) length using TeloTTAGGG Telomere Length Assay while the sjTRECs quantification was carried out on DNA isolated from the blood samples using qPCR. Results The TRF length was shortened with increased age (r = −0.722, p < 0.001). The sjTRECs were also decreased with increased age (r = −0.831, p < 0.001). Stronger coefficient and lower standard error of the estimate was obtained when multiple regression analysis for age prediction based on the values of both methods was applied (r = −0.876, p < 0.001).
Risk of Contracting COVID-19, Personal Resources and Subjective Well-Being among Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Role of Stress and Meaning-Making

The latest research suggests that the relationships between the risk of contracting COVID-19, personal resources and subjective well-being have rather an indirect character and can include the occurrence of mediating factors related to meaning-making processes and stress experiences. Protection motivation theory offers a theoretical paradigm that enables these associations to be thoroughly investigated and understood. The current study aimed to examine the mediating roles of meaning-making and stress in the relationship of risk of contracting COVID-19 and personal resources (self-efficacy and meaning in life) with subjective well-being among healthcare workers. A total of 225 healthcare workers from hospitals, medical centres and diagnostic units completed a set of questionnaires during the first few months of the COVID-19 lockdown period (March–May 2020). The results revealed that greater self-efficacy and meaning in life were associated with higher cognitive and affective dimensions of subjective well-being, whereas a lesser risk of contracting COVID-19 was only associated with the higher affective dimension. The central finding demonstrated different mediating roles of stress and meaning-making in the relationship of risk of contracting COVID-19 and personal resources with the cognitive and affective dimensions of subjective well-being. This confirmed the applicability of meaning-oriented and stress management processes for understanding how healthcare workers’ well-being is affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heterogeneous glioma cell invasion under interstitial flow depending on their differentiation status.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal type of malignant brain tumor. A deeper mechanistic understanding of the invasion of heterogeneous GBM cell populations is crucial to develop therapeutic strategies. A key regulator of GBM cell invasion is interstitial flow. However, the effect of an interstitial flow on the invasion of heterogeneous GBM cell populations composed of glioma initiating cells (GICs) and relatively differentiated progeny cells remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated how GICs invade 3D hydrogels in response to an interstitial flow with respect to their differentiation status. Microfluidic culture systems were used to apply an interstitial flow to the cells migrating from the cell aggregates into the 3D hydrogel. Phase-contrast microscopy revealed that the invasion and protrusion formation of the GICs in differentiated cell conditions were significantly enhanced by a forward interstitial flow, whose direction was the same as that of the cell invasion, whereas those in stem cell conditions were not enhanced by the interstitial flow. The mechanism of flow-induced invasion was further investigated by focusing on differentiated cell conditions. Immunofluorescence images revealed that the expression of cell-extracellular matrix adhesion-associated molecules, such as integrin β1, focal adhesion kinase, and phosphorylated Src, was upregulated in forward interstitial flow conditions. We then confirmed that cell invasion and protrusion formation were significantly inhibited by PP2, a Src inhibitor. Finally, we observed that the flow-induced cell invasion was preceded by nestin-positive immature GICs at the invasion front and followed by tubulin β3-positive differentiated cells. Our findings provide insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies to inhibit flow-induced glioma invasion.