Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethics and society: Social aspects of >800 couples coming forward for gender selection of their children

The social characteristics of 809 couples attending a sex preselection clinic have been studied. Their ethnic origins were: Indian 57.8%, European 32.0%, Chinese 3.6% and others 6.8%. The average number of boys and girls per family was 0.09 and 2.70 respectively for couples wanting a boy, and 2.46 and 0.14 for those wanting a girl. The average age of the wives was 34.0 years. These figures were not significantly different in any ethnic subgroup. Out of all the couples, 80.6% stated that they would have had another baby even had sex preselection not been on offer; 37.5% of the couples interviewed have been treated so far. The figures among those treated are substantially the same as those for the whole group. Asian and Middle Eastern couples overwhelmingly wanted boys, whereas European couples showed a slight preference for girls. These results suggest that, given certain guidelines, sex selection is unlikely to lead to a serious distortion of the sex ratio in Britain and other Western societies, but may need careful monitoring in other parts of the world.
Progress of 3D Integration Technologies and 3D Interconnects

Three dimensional stacked circuits having multiple active semiconductor levels rely on the development of strata bonding, micro connects between strata, through strata vias (TSV) and a wafer thinning process. Progress in the each of these process technologies for 3D strata stacking is opening the path to more robust and capable 3D process integrations.
Medical Surveillance of Clandestine Drug Laboratory Investigators

Law enforcement officers investigating clandestine drug laboratories may be exposed to a wide range of hazardous chemicals. This study was conducted to determine the extent of persistent health effects seen in California drug laboratory investigators after occupational exposure. Study participants with a minimum of 1 year of laboratory investigations completed a questionnaire evaluating occupational and personal health history and consented to review of their medical surveillance examinations and administrative records. The 40 participating investigators averaged 6.1 ± 2.5 annual medical evaluations for the period 1991 to 1998. Average annual decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 64.0 ± 138.0 mL/year (median, 40.0 mL/year). For 34 subjects with valid exposure data, longer duration use of respiratory protection was associated with a less rapid decline in FEV1, whereas lack of respiratory protection during the processing phase of laboratory investigation was associated with a more rapid annual decline. There were no significant longitudinal changes in serum alanine aminotransferase, serum aspartate aminotransferase, hemoglobin, and white blood cell count, although platelets declined slightly. Law enforcement personnel investigating clandestine drug laboratories may have long-term respiratory effects from chemical exposure, for which more assiduous use of respiratory protection is recommended.
The log TSH–free T4 relationship in a community‐based cohort is nonlinear and is influenced by age, smoking and thyroid peroxidase antibody status

The TSH–T4 relationship was thought to be inverse log‐linear, but recent cross‐sectional studies of selected populations report a complex, nonlinear relationship. The TSH–T4 relationship has not been evaluated in an unselected, community‐based cohort, and there are limited data regarding clinical factors which affect it.
A Harmonic Suppression Scheme for Open-End Winding Split-Phase IM Drive Using Capacitive Filters for the Full Speed Range

Voltage source inverter (VSI)-fed six-phase induction motor (IM) drives have high 6n ± 1, n = odd-order harmonic currents. This is because these currents, driven by the corresponding harmonic voltages in the inverter output, are limited only by the stator leakage impedance, as these harmonics are absent in the back electromotive force of the motor. To suppress the harmonic currents, either bulky inductive harmonic filters or complex pulsewidth modulation (PWM) techniques have to be used. This paper proposes a harmonic elimination scheme using switched capacitor filters for a VSI-fed split-phase IM drive. Two 3-phase inverters fed from capacitors are used on the open-end side of the motor to suppress 6n ± 1, n = odd-order harmonics. A PWM scheme that can suppress the harmonics as well as balance the capacitor voltage is also proposed. The capacitor fed inverters are switched so that the fundamental voltage is not affected, and the fundamental power is always drawn from the main inverters. The proposed scheme is verified with a detailed experimental study. The effectiveness of the scheme is demonstrated by comparing the results with those obtained by disabling the capacitor fed inverters.
Cohnella algarum sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater green alga Paulinella chromatophora.

A Gram-stain-positive, facultatively aerobic and endospore-forming bacterium, designated strain Pch-40T, was isolated from a freshwater green alga, Paulinella chromatophora. Cells were motile rods with a monotrichous polar flagellum showing catalase- and oxidase-positive reactions. Strain Pch-40T grew at 20-50 °C (optimum, 37-40 °C), at pH 5.0-11.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0-4.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Menaquinone-7 was detected as the sole isoprenoid quinone. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain Pch-40T was 55.6 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain Pch-40T were C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain Pch-40T clearly belonged to the genus Cohnella of the family Paenibacillaceae. Strain Pch-40T was most closely related to Cohnella rhizosphaerae CSE-5610T with a 96.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features and the phylogenetic inference clearly suggested that strain Pch-40T represents a novel species of the genus Cohnella, for which the name Cohnellaalgarum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain Pch-40T (=KACC 19279T=JCM 32033T).
Airsacculitis in turkeys. I. A study of airsacculitis in day-old poults.

With the inauguration of a program for the control of infectious sinusitis (IS) in Minnesota, it became evident that Mycoplasma sp. other than Mycoplasma gallisepticum were also important in turkeys. A routine feature of the control program is the submission for laboratory examination of all turkeys reacting to serological tests for M. gallisepticum as well as turkeys manifesting clinical sinusitis. Many Mycoplasma have been isolated from the birds submitted. Upon further investigation a large number of the Mycoplasma isolates from air-sac lesions and sinus exudates have been found to be of
Ultrafast Tracking Power Supply With Fourth-Order Output Filter and Fixed-Frequency Hysteretic Control

A practical solution is presented for the design of a non-isolated dc/dc power converter with very low output ripple voltage and very fast output voltage step response. The converter is intended for use as an envelope tracking power supply for a radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA) in a TETRA enhanced data service (TEDS) base station. A simple and effective fixed-frequency hysteretic control scheme for the converter (buck with fourth-order output filter) is developed and analyzed. The proposed approach is verified experimentally by a 500 W output prototype, capable of delivering any voltage in the range of 10-30 V within 10 mus with 10 mVpp of output ripple and efficiencies in the 88%-95% range.
Assessment and Control for Confounding by Indication in Observational Studies

In the evaluation of pharmacologic therapies, the controlled clinical trial is the preferred design. When clinical trial results are not available, the alternative designs are observational epidemiologic studies. A traditional concern about the validity of findings from epidemiologic studies is the possibility of bias from uncontrolled confounding. In studies of pharmacologic therapies, confounding by indication may arise when a drug treatment serves as a marker for a clinical characteristic or medical condition that triggers the use of the treatment and that, at the same time, increases the risk of the outcome under study. Confounding by indication is not conceptually different from confounding by other factors, and the approaches to detect and control for confounding — matching, stratification, restriction, and multivariate adjustment — are the same. Even after adjustment for known risk factors, residual confounding may occur because of measurement error or unmeasured or unknown risk factors. Although residual confounding is difficult to exclude in observational studies, there are limits to what this “unknown” confounding can explain. The degree of confounding depends on the prevalence of the putative confounding factor, the level of its association with the disease, and the level of its association with the exposure. For example, a confounding factor with a prevalence of 20% would have to increase the relative odds of both outcome and exposure by factors of 4 to 5 before the relative risk of 1.57 would be reduced to 1.00. Observational studies have provided important scientific evidence about the risks associated with several risk factors, including drug therapies, and they are often the only option for assessing safety. Understanding the methods to detect and control for confounding makes it possible to assess the plausibility of claims that confounding is an alternative explanation for the findings of particular studies. J Am Geriatr Soc 47:749–754, 1999.
Groundwater quality in a South African rural community: a possible threat to public health

Access to clean and potable water is a great challenge in most rural areas of South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether the quality of the groundwater supply poses a possible threat to the health of these communities. Groundwater samples collected from 100 boreholes in rural areas of Mpumalanga were subjected to culture-based methods and molecular analysis targeting 16S RNA gene. The physical and chemical contents were also determined. The results of the study revealed that all the physico-chemical parameters were within the limits set by the national guidelines for domestic purposes, with the exception of magnesium, calcium, fluorides, nitrate, and turbidity. Seventy percent of the boreholes complied with the fluoride limit (0-1 mg/l), 98% with the nitrate (0-6 mg/l as N), 85% with the magnesium (0-30 mg/l as Mg), 68% with the calcium (0-32 mg/l as Ca, and 52% with turbidity (<1 NTU). The results also indicated that 78% and 81% of the boreholes did not comply with the limits set by the national guidelines in terms of fecal (0 cfu/100 ml) and total coliforms (0-5 cfu/100 ml), respectively. Of 100 boreholes, molecular study revealed the presence of Citrobacter freundii in 35%, Serratia marcescens in 19%, Bacillus cereus in 11%, Enterobacter cloacae in 9%, Salmonella enterica in 7%, and Pseudomonas maltophilia in 7%. Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella flexineri, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Cronobacter sakazakii were found in 1% of 100 boreholes. The results of this study were conclusive evidence that some groundwater supplies in rural areas of Mpumalanga pose a serious threat to the health of consumers.
Model reduction and ℓ1-gain analysis for two-dimensional positive systems

In this paper, for the two-dimensional (2-D) positive linear system, model reduction problem is tackled and the ℓ1-gain performance is also discussed. By constructing suitable co-positive Lyapunov function, criteria are obtained for the considered 2-D positive model to be asymptotically stable with given ℓ1-gain index. Then, specific design schemes are given to acquire the estimator matrix parameters for the reduced-order 2-D system. Simulation example is also given to provide effectiveness of the proposed method.
A novel model of distal colon cancer in athymic mice.

PURPOSE The present a novel adenocarcinoma model in athymic mice. METHODS Seven athymic mice were used. Colon diversion and distal fistula were made. Adenocarcinoma cells were inoculated in the submucosa of fistula. Tumor growth was monitored daily. Scintigraphy with 99mTc-MIBI was performed to identify the tumor. RESULTS The model of distal colon cancer is feasible. Tumor detection was possible by both, macroscopically and molecular imaging. All resections demonstrated poorly differentiated tumors. Colon obstruction occurred in one case, similarly to evolution in human tumors of distal colon. CONCLUSION The proposed model of distal colon cancer is feasible, allows for easy monitoring of tumoral growth by both, macroscopically and molecular imaging, and is suitable for studying the evolution of tumor with implementation of cytotoxic therapy in vivo.
The proteogenomic path towards biomarker discovery

Abstract: The desire for biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of diseases has never been greater. With the availability of genome data and an increased availability of proteome data, the discovery of biomarkers has become increasingly feasible. However, the task is daunting and requires collaborations among researchers working in the fields of transplantation, immunology, genetics, molecular biology, biostatistics and bioinformatics. With the advancement of high throughput omic techniques such as genomics and proteomics (collectively known as proteogenomics), efforts have been made to develop diagnostic tools from new and to‐be discovered biomarkers. Yet biomarker validation, particularly in organ transplantation, remains challenging because of the lack of a true gold standard for diagnostic categories and analytical bottlenecks that face high‐throughput data deconvolution. Even though microarray technique is relatively mature, proteomics is still growing with regards to data normalization and analysis methods. Study design, sample selection and rigorous data analysis are the critical issues for biomarker discovery using high‐throughput proteogenomic technologies that combine the use and strengths of both genomics and proteomics. In this review, we look into the current status and latest developments in the field of biomarker discovery using genomics and proteomics related to organ transplantation, with an emphasis on the evolution of proteomic technologies.
Initial attempt to establish population reference values for blood glucose and lipids in Makerere University undergraduate students.

UNLABELLED The purpose of this study was to establish blood glucose and lipid profile of Makerere University undergraduate students. STUDY DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 183 students participated in the study. Capillary blood glucose was read instantly on a finger prick sample off Sensorex glucose analyzer. Venous blood from the antecubital vein was used for lipid assays. Total cholesterol was assayed by the oxidase-peroxidase enzyme system. Plasma triacylglycerols were analyzed using the glycerokinase-oxidase reagents. HDL and LDL cholesterol were analyzed using homogeneous enzymatic methods. Concentration results for each variable were plotted in histograms and the type of distribution established. Summary statistics were then calculated non- parametrically to set reference values. RESULTS Empirical ranges were: Cholesterol 2.1-7.2 mmol/L; triacylglycerols 0.4-6.87 mmol/L; HDLC 0.09-2.13 mmol/L; LDLC 0.95-5.38 mmol/L and capillary blood glucose 2.72-9.21 mmol/L. The reference ranges covering the central 95 percentile were: Cholesterol 2.65-5.15 mmol/L, triacylglycerols 0.61-4.03 mmol/L; HDLC 0.58-1.97 mmol/L; LDLC 1.25-3.57 mmol/L and capillary blood glucose 3.11-7.55 mmol/L. CONCLUSION The established reference values for the age group 20-26 years were: Total Cholesterol 2.65-5.15 mmol/L, LDL 1.25-3.57 mmol/L, HDL 0.58-1.97 mmol/L, TG 0.61-4.03 mmol/L and capillary blood glucose 3.11-7.55 mmol/L which differed from set international values. RECOMMENDATIONS We recommend the establishment of indices for the indigenous populations, conscientiously planned diets, and regular exercise.
Methodology and Technical Requirements of the Galectin-3 Test for the Preoperative Characterization of Thyroid Nodules

In the last decade, the &bgr;-galactosyl binding protein galectin-3 has been the object of extensive molecular, structural, and functional studies aimed to clarify its biological role in cancer. Multicenter studies also contributed to discover the potential clinical value of galectin-3 expression analysis in distinguishing, preoperatively, benign from malignant thyroid nodules. As a consequence galectin-3 is receiving significant attention as tumor marker for thyroid cancer diagnosis, but some conflicting results mostly owing to methodological problems have been published. The possibility to apply preoperatively a reliable galectin-3 test method on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA)-derived thyroid cells represents an important achievement. When correctly applied, the method reduces consistently the gray area of thyroid FNA cytology, contributing to avoid unnecessary thyroid surgery. Although the efficacy and reliability of the galectin-3 test method have been extensively proved in several studies, its translation in the clinical setting requires well-standardized reagents and procedures. After a decade of experimental work on galectin-3−related basic and translational research projects, the major methodological problems that may potentially impair the diagnostic performance of galectin-3 immunotargeting are highlighted and discussed in detail. A standardized protocol for a reliable galectin-3 expression analysis is finally provided. The aim of this contribution is to improve the clinical management of patients with thyroid nodules, promoting the preoperative use of a reliable galectin-3 test method as ancillary technique to conventional thyroid FNA cytology. The final goal is to decrease unnecessary thyroid surgery and its related social costs.
Performance Comparison of Speaker Identification using Vector Quantization by MFCC Algorithm

- In the proposed work, feature extraction algorithm is used for speaker identification system, the proposed feature extraction algorithm is Mel frequency Cepstrum Coefficient (MFCC). The extracted speech features (MFCC’s) of a speaker using vector quantization algorithm are quantized to a number of centroids. The distance between centroids of individual speaker in testing phase and the MFCC’s of each speaker in training phase is measured and the speaker is identified according to the minimum distance. The code performs the identification satisfactorily and is developed in the MATLAB environment
Student attitudes towards mobile library services for smartphones

Purpose – This paper aims to provide quantitative and qualitative data on students' use of mobile devices and to consider the benefit of academic mobile library services to students.Design/methodology/approach – Initial mobile library research included an online survey that attracted 1,716 participants. This was followed up with two discussion groups of six undergraduate and five postgraduate students. The survey followed‐on from an earlier survey conducted by the University of Edinburgh's Information Services (IS) in March 2010.Findings – The dramatic growth of smartphone ownership among students in an eight‐month period was surprising: a 17 per cent increase between March and November 2010. In addition, 68 per cent of students who plan to change their mobile handset would upgrade to a smartphone.Research limitations/implications – As students were unable to provide feedback on University of Edinburgh's own mobile library services, their feedback is speculative and subject to change.Practical implication.
A Nonhistone Protein-Protein Interaction Required for Assembly of the SIR Complex and Silent Chromatin

ABSTRACT Budding yeast silent chromatin, or heterochromatin, is composed of histones and the Sir2, Sir3, and Sir4 proteins. Their assembly into silent chromatin is believed to require the deacetylation of histones by the NAD-dependent deacetylase Sir2 and the subsequent interaction of Sir3 and Sir4 with these hypoacetylated regions of chromatin. Here we explore the role of interactions among the Sir proteins in the assembly of the SIR complex and the formation of silent chromatin. We show that significant fractions of Sir2, Sir3, and Sir4 are associated together in a stable complex. When the assembly of Sir3 into this complex is disrupted by a specific mutation on the surface of the C-terminal coiled-coil domain of Sir4, Sir3 is no longer recruited to chromatin and silencing is disrupted. Because in sir4 mutant cells the association of Sir3 with chromatin is greatly reduced despite the partial Sir2-dependent deacetylation of histones near silencers, we conclude that histone deacetylation is not sufficient for the full recruitment of silencing proteins to chromatin and that Sir-Sir interactions are essential for the assembly of heterochromatin.
6G-5 ARFI Ultrasound for Characterizing Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, with coronary artery disease and stroke alone accounting for 70% of CVD mortalities. Given this tremendous human impact, imaging technologies that enhance CVD outcomes by enabling earlier disease detection, monitoring the effects of therapeutic interventions, and delineating disease progression or regression are in critical need. We hypothesize that Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) ultrasound is efficacious for noninvasive characterization of atherosclerotic plaque and arterial walls in CVD assessment. To test this hypothesis, we performed ARFI imaging in three iliac arteries: 1) an excised familial hypercholesterolemic (FH) pig iliac with a raised focal atherosclerotic plaque, 2) an in vivo FH pig iliac with diffuse atherosclerosis, and 3) an in vivo control pig iliac with no known disease. In all three cases, our ARFI results were compared to matched immunohistochemistry, which showed a spatial correlation between collagen and elastin content and tissue mechanical property. This work supports the merit of additional investigations into ARFI imaging as a noninvasive, in vivo imaging technology for characterizing atherosclerotic plaque and arteries
Electroencephalogram Theta/Beta Ratio and Spectral Power Correlates of Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents With AD/HD

Objective: The electroencephalogram (EEG) has been widely used in AD/HD research. The current study firstly aimed to replicate a recent trend related to EEG theta/beta ratio (TBR) in children and adolescents. Also, the study aimed to examine the value of resting EEG activity as biomarkers for executive function (EF) in participants with AD/HD. Method: Fifty-three participants with AD/HD and 37 healthy controls were recruited. Resting EEG was recorded with eyes closed. Participants with AD/HD additionally completed EF tasks via the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Results: TBR did not differ between groups; however, TBR was positively correlated with inattentive symptoms in AD/HD. Other correlations were found between EEG activity and neuropsychological functions including spatial planning and decision making in the AD/HD group. Conclusion: The results do not support the diagnostic value of TBR. Instead, given the heterogeneous features, the results support the prognostic value of EEG in AD/HD.