Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multifunctional integration on optical fiber tips: challenges and opportunities

Abstract. The flat endface of an optical fiber tip is an emerging light-coupled microscopic platform that combines fiber optics with planar micro- and nanotechnologies. Since different materials and structures are integrated onto the endfaces, optical fiber tip devices have miniature sizes, diverse integrated functions, and low insertion losses, making them suitable for all-optical networks. In recent decades, the increasing demand for multifunctional optical fibers has created opportunities to develop various structures on fiber tips. Meanwhile, the unconventional shape of optical fibers presents challenges involving the adaptation of standard planar micro- and nanostructure preparation strategies for fiber tips. In this context, researchers are committed to exploring and optimizing fiber tip manufacturing techniques, thereby paving the way for future integrated all-fiber devices with multifunctional applications. First, we present a broad overview of current fabrication technologies, classified as “top-down,” “bottom-up,” and “material transfer” methods, for patterning optical fiber tips. Next, we review typical structures integrated on fiber tips and their known and potential applications, categorized with respect to functional structure configurations, including “optical functionalization” and “electrical integration. ” Finally, we discuss the prospects for future opportunities involving multifunctional integrated fiber tips.
Transport, Associated Handling Procedures and Behaviour of Calves Marketed through Chilean Auction Markets

Simple Summary Cattle are transported at least once in their lives, primarily associated with marketing. In Chile one of the main channels for selling animals is auctions. At auction markets, the procedures associated with transport of livestock (loading, unloading and travel) are at least duplicated, affecting their welfare. The aims of this study were to describe the procedures associated with transport and handling of calves (cattle < 9 months old) during marketing through auctions, and to evaluate compliance with Chilean law. A survey of drivers who transport calves from originating farms to markets (OM) and from markets to destination farms (MD) was performed. During loading and unloading, handling by stockpersons, facilities, calf fitness for transport, and behaviour were evaluated using protocols. Most drivers claimed having the training required by law, used bedding material, and provided adequate space for the animals; most OM and MD journeys were less than 2 h. Most calves were assessed as fit for transport. Calves slipped often and some practices associated with poor handling were still observed, mainly during loading. Compliance with the law during transport of calves was adhered to; however, associated handling during unloading and loading is still inadequate, evidencing a need for training. Abstract In Chile, selling animals through livestock markets is common. At markets, stressful events like loading, unloading and travel are at least duplicated. We described procedures associated with transport of calves at 20 markets and evaluated compliance with Chilean law by performing a survey of drivers who transport calves from origin farms to markets (OM) and from markets to destination (MD). During loading and unloading, we evaluated handling by stockpersons, facilities, fitness for transport, and behavioural indicators of the calves through direct observation using protocols. A total of 80% of drivers claimed having the training required by law. The mean travel time was 1 h 31 min for OM and 1 h 44 min for MD journeys (overall range 5 min–40.5 h). Most drivers used bedding material and provided adequate space availability. A total of 99.2% of the observed calves were assessed as fit to transport; slipping, turning back, vocalizing and balking were frequent behaviours observed during loading and unloading. Prohibited practices like prodding and hitting using driving devices were still observed, mainly during loading. Compliance with the law during transport of calves was adhered to; however, the associated handling within markets was still inadequate, evidencing need for training in order to improve animal welfare.
Therapeutic efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin in combination with rabeprazole in the treatment of peptic ulcer

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: Kangfuxin (KFX), a well-known Chinese patent medicine which extracted from Periplaneta americana, is widely used as an adjuvant in the treatment of peptic ulcers (PUs) with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as rabeprazole, in China. However, no clear consensus has been reached on the efficacy for PU treatment. Methods: We searched in 7 electronic databases to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) completed before May 31, 2020 to explore the clinical efficiency of KFX plus rabeprazole in the treatment of PU. Risk ratio (RR) corresponding to 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to estimate the outcomes. Publication bias was assessed by both Egger's and Begg's tests. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata version 10.0. Results: Twenty-five RCTs, comprising 2555 PU patients, were included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that, when compared with rabeprazole-based treatment alone, KFX plus rabeprazole significantly improved the healing rate (RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.25–1.44) and overall response rate of ulcers (RR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.13–1.20), alleviated the clinical symptoms of PU (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.08–1.21), and reduced the recurrence of PU (RR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.61) without an increase in the occurrence of adverse events (RR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.66–1.28). Conclusion: Our study suggests that KFX combined with rabeprazole showed positive therapeutic effects and is safe for treating PU, which may provide more reliable evidence for the clinical use of KFX in the treatment of PU.
Educational intervention to improve palliative care knowledge among informal caregivers of cognitively impaired older adults

Abstract Objective Lack of palliative care knowledge among caregivers may pose an access barrier for cognitively impaired older adults, who may benefit from the specialized care. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving palliative care knowledge among informal caregivers of cognitively impaired older adults. Method Using a one-group, pre- and post-test intervention design, this study implemented an individual, face-to-face educational intervention with an informational brochure for 43 informal caregivers of chronically or seriously ill older adults (50+) with cognitive impairment, recruited from communities in West Alabama. Their level of knowledge about palliative care was assessed by the Palliative Care Knowledge Scale (PaCKS). The pre- and post-test scores were compared by the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and the racial subgroup (Whites vs. Blacks) comparison was made by the Mann–Whitney U test. Results There was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores (z = 5.38, p < 0.001), indicating a statistically significant effect of the educational intervention in improving palliative care knowledge among participants. There was a significant difference (U = 143, p < 0.05) between Whites and Blacks in the pre-test, which, however, disappeared in the post-test (U = 173.50, p > 0.05), suggesting that the amount of increased PaCKS scores were significantly greater for Blacks (Mdn = 9.50) than for Whites (Mdn = 4.00, U = 130.50, p < 0.05). Significance of results This study demonstrated that a one-time educational intervention can improve the level of palliative care knowledge among informal caregivers of chronically or seriously ill older adults with cognitive impairment, particularly among Black caregivers. Therefore, further educational efforts can be made to promote palliative care knowledge and reduce racial disparities in palliative care knowledge and its use.
Extended Signal-Space Separation Method for Improved Interference Suppression in MEG

Objective: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals typically reflect a mixture of neuromagnetic fields, subject-related artifacts, external interference and sensor noise. Even inside a magnetically shielded room, external interference can be significantly stronger than brain signals. Methods such as signal-space projection (SSP) and signal-space separation (SSS) have been developed to suppress this residual interference, but their performance might not be sufficient in cases of strong interference or when the sources of interference change over time. Methods: Here we suggest a new method, extended signal-space separation (eSSS), which combines a physical model of the magnetic fields (as in SSS) with a statistical description of the interference (as in SSP). We demonstrate the performance of this method via simulations and experimental MEG data. Results: The eSSS method clearly outperforms SSS and SSP in interference suppression regardless of the extent of a priori information available on the interference sources. We also show that the method does not cause location or amplitude bias in dipole modeling. Conclusion: Our eSSS method provides better data quality than SSP or SSS and can be readily combined with other SSS-based methods, such as spatiotemporal SSS or head movement compensation. Thus, eSSS extends and complements the interference suppression techniques currently available for MEG. Significance: Due to its ability to suppress external interference to the level of sensor noise, eSSS can facilitate single-trial data analysis, exemplified in automated analysis of epileptic data. Such an enhanced suppression is especially important in environments with large interference fields.
ETUDE DE LA CINETIQUE ET DE LA THERMODYNAMIQUE DES SYSTEMES REACTIONNELS (X-I-O-H) PAR SPECTROMETRIE DE MASSE HAUTE TEMPERATURE

La spectrometrie de masse haute temperature a ete utilisee pour analyser les vapeurs simulant la reaction entre l'iode et les produits de fissions issus d'un accident grave de reacteur nucleaire a eau pressurisee. Deux voies principales ont ete explorees, -(i) l'analyse thermodynamique des processus de vaporisation de CsOH, CsI et des melanges CsI-CsOH. - (ii) la conception d'un reacteur specifique pour l'analyse de la cinetique de recombinaison d'atomes pour former des molecules stables. La pre��sente etude a confirme l'existence de la molecule mixte Cs2IOH(g). Les pressions de vapeurs CsOH(g), Cs2O2H2(g) et Cs2IOH(g) ont ete determinees. Les parametres moleculaires de la molecule mixte ont ete estimes sur la base des dimeres purs Cs2O2H2(g) and Cs2I2(g) et l'enthalpie de formation proposee. L'acquisition de donnees cinetiques necessite un reacteur dedie dont la conception est presentee dans ce travail ainsi que les tests de qualifications associes.
Decompressive Craniectomy Improves QTc Interval in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is commonly associated with cardiac dysfunction, which may be reflected by abnormal electrocardiograms (ECG) and/or contractility. TBI-related cardiac disorders depend on the type of cerebral injury, the region of brain damage and the severity of the intracranial hypertension. Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is commonly used to reduce intra-cranial hypertension (ICH). Although DC decreases ICH rapidly, its effect on ECG has not been systematically studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in ECG in patients undergoing DC. Methods: Adult patients without previously known cardiac diseases treated for isolated TBI with DC were studied. ECG variables, such as: spatial QRS-T angle (spQRS-T), corrected QT interval (QTc), QRS and T axes (QRSax and Tax, respectively), STJ segment and the index of cardio-electrophysiological balance (iCEB) were analyzed before DC and at 12–24 h after DC. Changes in ECG were analyzed according to the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias and 28-day mortality. Results: 48 patients (17 female and 31 male) aged 18–64 were studied. Intra-cranial pressure correlated with QTc before DC (p < 0.01, r = 0.49). DC reduced spQRS-T (p < 0.001) and QTc interval (p < 0.01), increased Tax (p < 0.01) and changed STJ in a majority of leads but did not affect QRSax and iCEB. The iCEB was relatively increased before DC in patients who eventually experienced cardiac arrhythmias after DC (p < 0.05). Higher post-DC iCEB was also noted in non-survivors (p < 0.05), although iCEB values were notably heart rate-dependent. Conclusions: ICP positively correlates with QTc interval in patients with isolated TBI, and DC for relief of ICH reduces QTc and spQRS-T. However, DC might also increase risk for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, especially in ICH patients with notably prolonged QTc before and increased iCEB after DC.
Multiplex Immunoassay Techniques for On-Site Detection of Security Sensitive Toxins

Biological toxins are a heterogeneous group of high molecular as well as low molecular weight toxins produced by living organisms. Due to their physical and logistical properties, biological toxins are very attractive to terrorists for use in acts of bioterrorism. Therefore, among the group of biological toxins, several are categorized as security relevant, e.g., botulinum neurotoxins, staphylococcal enterotoxins, abrin, ricin or saxitoxin. Additionally, several security sensitive toxins also play a major role in natural food poisoning outbreaks. For a prompt response to a potential bioterrorist attack using biological toxins, first responders need reliable, easy-to-use and highly sensitive methodologies for on-site detection of the causative agent. Therefore, the aim of this review is to present on-site immunoassay platforms for multiplex detection of biological toxins. Furthermore, we introduce several commercially available detection technologies specialized for mobile or on-site identification of security sensitive toxins.
Testing the Performance of an Innovative Markerless Technique for Quantitative and Qualitative Gait Analysis

Gait abnormalities such as high stride and step frequency/cadence (SF—stride/second, CAD—step/second), stride variability (SV) and low harmony may increase the risk of injuries and be a sentinel of medical conditions. This research aims to present a new markerless video-based technology for quantitative and qualitative gait analysis. 86 healthy individuals (mead age 32 years) performed a 90 s test on treadmill at self-selected walking speed. We measured SF and CAD by a photoelectric sensors system; then, we calculated average ± standard deviation (SD) and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV) of SF as an index of SV. We also recorded a 60 fps video of the patient. With a custom-designed web-based video analysis software, we performed a spectral analysis of the brightness over time for each pixel of the image, that reinstituted the frequency contents of the videos. The two main frequency contents (F1 and F2) from this analysis should reflect the forcing/dominant variables, i.e., SF and CAD. Then, a harmony index (HI) was calculated, that should reflect the proportion of the pixels of the image that move consistently with F1 or its supraharmonics. The higher the HI value, the less variable the gait. The correspondence SF-F1 and CAD-F2 was evaluated with both paired t-Test and correlation and the relationship between SV and HI with correlation. SF and CAD were not significantly different from and highly correlated with F1 (0.893 ± 0.080 Hz vs. 0.895 ± 0.084 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.99) and F2 (1.787 ± 0.163 Hz vs. 1.791 ± 0.165 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.97). The SV was 1.84% ± 0.66% and it was significantly and moderately correlated with HI (0.082 ± 0.028, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.13). The innovative video-based technique of global, markerless gait analysis proposed in our study accurately identifies the main frequency contents and the variability of gait in healthy individuals, thus providing a time-efficient, low-cost means to quantitatively and qualitatively study human locomotion.
Exploring the Diversity of Active Ureolytic Bacteria in the Rumen by Comparison of cDNA and gDNA

Simple Summary Ureolytic bacteria produce urease that hydrolyzes dietary or recycled urea to ammonia, which can then be converted into microbial proteins. The diversity of ruminal ureolytic bacteria benefits N utilization efficiency in ruminants. However, there is no information at the complementary DNA (cDNA) level to reflect the active status of ureolytic bacteria. To reveal the diversity of active ureolytic bacteria in the rumen, we compared ureC amplicons between genomic DNA (gDNA) and cDNA. These results revealed distinct ureolytic bacterial community profiles based on gDNA and cDNA. The dominant ureolytic bacterial had high transcriptional activity, and the differential were mainly distributed in the genus of low abundance. Abstract In this study we revealed the diversity of active ureolytic bacteria in the rumen by compared ureC amplicons between gDNA and cDNA. Rumen fluid was collected from four Holstein dairy cows with rumen fistulas at 0, 2, and 6 h after morning feeding. Total microbial gDNA and RNA were isolated, and the RNA was reverse-transcribed into cDNA. The ureC gene amplicons of gDNA and cDNA were produced and sequenced by MiSeq. These results revealed that the sampling time had no significant difference on the alphssa and beta diversity indices of the ureolytic bacteria. The Shannon diversity of the ureC gene for cDNA was greater than that for gDNA (p < 0.05). There were significant difference in the beta diversity of ureolytic bacteria between gDNA and cDNA (p < 0.01), which indicates a shift in the community of active ureolytic bacteria. Approximately 67% of ureC sequences from cDNA could not be confidently classified at the genus level. The active ureolytic bacteria were mainly from Helicobacter, Herbaspirillum, Clostridium, Paenibacillus, Synechococcus, and Sphingobacterium sp. Changes in the operational taxonomic units revealed that the top abundant ureC genes were mostly consistent between gDNA and cDNA, and most differences occurred in the ureC genes with lower abundances. These results revealed distinct ureolytic bacteria community profiles based on gDNA and cDNA. The dominant ureolytic bacteria had high transcriptional activity, and the differential were mainly distributed in the genus of low abundance.
Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Under normal physiological conditions the brain primarily utilizes glucose for ATP generation. However, in situations where glucose is sparse, e.g., during prolonged fasting, ketone bodies become an important energy source for the brain. The brain’s utilization of ketones seems to depend mainly on the concentration in the blood, thus many dietary approaches such as ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids or exogenous ketones, facilitate significant changes in the brain’s metabolism. Therefore, these approaches may ameliorate the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by a deterioration of the brain’s glucose metabolism, providing a therapeutic advantage in these diseases. Most clinical studies examining the neuroprotective role of ketone bodies have been conducted in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, where brain imaging studies support the notion of enhancing brain energy metabolism with ketones. Likewise, a few studies show modest functional improvements in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive benefits in patients with—or at risk of—Alzheimer’s disease after ketogenic interventions. Here, we summarize current knowledge on how ketogenic interventions support brain metabolism and discuss the therapeutic role of ketones in neurodegenerative disease, emphasizing clinical data.
Psychometric properties of the stress control mindset measure in university students from Australia and the UK

Beliefs about the consequences of stress, stress mindsets, are associated with health and performance outcomes under stress. This article reports the development and examination of the psychometric properties of a measure of stress mindset: The Stress Control Mindset Measure (SCMM). The measure is consistent with theory on mindsets about self‐attributes and conceptualizes stress mindset as the extent to which individuals endorse beliefs that stress can be enhancing.
The Influence of Lumbar Modifiers on Functional and Radiological Outcomes in the Brace Treatment of Lenke Type 1 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Abstract Background Brace treatment prevents the progression of scoliosis and reduces surgical treatment rates. However, the efficacy of brace treatment varies depending on the patientʼs age, gender, curve magnitude and type, structure of the curve, and patient compliance at the beginning of treatment. Methods Between January 2009 and April 2015, 106 Lenke type 1 AIS consecutive patients (69 females, 37 males) who were treated with a brace were examined in three groups according to Lenke classification lumbar modifiers. The patients were evaluated at pre-bracing and 1 and 2 years after bracing. The Scoliosis Research Society 22 (SRS-22) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used for functional evaluation. Radiological evaluation revealed the Cobb angle, thoracic kyphosis angle, lumbar lordosis angle, trunk shift, shoulder asymmetry, and body height difference. Results Functional and radiological evaluation showed a statistically significant improvement in Lenke 1A, 1B, and 1C at 1 and 2 years after bracing compared to the pre-bracing (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, and p = 0.000, respectively). Lenke 1C had the best ODI score and followed by decreasing values of 1B and 1A respectively (p = 0.009). Lenke 1B had the best SRS-22 score and the mean scores of 1A and 1C were equal (p = 0.017). There was no significant difference between the groups in the parameters other than the trunk shift in radiological evaluation (p = 0.043). Conclusions Significant improvement was observed in all types of lumbar modifiers at the end of the 2nd year compared to pre-bracing. The best improvement in the ODI score was in the 1C modifier, whereas the best improvement in the SRS-22 score was in the 1B modifier. The type of lumbar modifier should be directly taken into consideration before starting brace treatment in Lenke type 1 AIS. Level of evidence Level III, retrospective study