Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING THE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR SUPERFRUIT BEVERAGES IN THE UNITED STATES

There are many different types of nonalcoholic beverages available in the United States today compared to decade ago. Functionality and health dimensions of beverages have changed over the years. Currently, exotic superfruit beverages are serving as a healthier alternative to more traditional fruit juices, such as orange juice and apple juice, which contain high levels of sugar. Superfruit beverages strong emergence in the marketplace has created a major competition with traditional beverages and is providing consumers an alternative. Knowledge of price sensitivity, substitutes/complements and demographic profiling with respect to consumption of superfruit beverages is important for manufacturers, retailers, advertisers, nutritionists and other stakeholders from a competitive intelligence perspective as well as from a strategic decision-making perspective. Using nationally representative household level data from nearly 65,000 households, factors affecting the consumer demand for superfruit beverages was estimated. Moreover, we estimated own- and cross-price and income elasticities for superfruit beverages delineated by selected demographic segments, hence determine the competitiveness of superfruit beverages vis-a-vis conventional apple and orange juice. This information will reflect the market competitiveness and profiles of demographics consuming superfruit beverages in the United States.
Permutation Entropy: A new feature for Brain-Computer Interfaces

This paper investigates the use of Permutation Entropy (PE) as a feature for mental task classification for a Brain-Computer Interface system. PE is a recently introduced measure which quantifies signal complexity by measuring the departure of a time series from a random one. More regular signals are characterized by lower PE values. Here, PE is utilized to characterize signals from electroencephalograms of 3 subjects performing 4 motor imagery tasks, which are then classified using a Support Vector Machine. Even though it is possible to obtain 100% single-trial classification accuracy, this is very much subject-dependent.
Comparison of dioxin and PCB concentrations in human breast milk samples from Hong Kong and the Netherlands

The adverse effects of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on human health are of increasing concern. These lipophilic compounds are concentrated through the food chain and are present in human milk. This study compares PCB levels in human milk samples from Hong Kong and Dutch mothers. Ten breast milk samples from Hong Kong and 10 from the Netherlands were collected during home visits between 2 and 6 weeks postpartum. Total toxic equivalence (TEQ) of dioxin and PCBs were determined using the DR-CALUX® bioassay. The total dioxin and PCB levels in breast milk samples for Hong Kong ranged from 3.1 to 29.9 pg TEQ g-1 lipid and for the Netherlands from 8.9 to 89.5 pg TEQ g-1 lipid. Despite Hong Kong's high degree of industrialization, the levels of dioxin and PCBs were fourfold lower in the Hong Kong than in the Dutch samples. This may be due to a lower dietary intake of dioxins and PCBs in Hong Kong because of lower background levels of these contaminants or to different food habits.
The Surgical Management of Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: A Systematic Review

Study Design. Systematic review. Objective. To identify whether there is an advantage to instrumented or noninstrumented spinal fusion over decompression alone for patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Summary of Background Data. The operative management of degenerative spondylolisthesis includes spinal decompression with or without instrumented or noninstrumented spinal fusion. Evidence on the operative management of degenerative spondylolisthesis is still divisive. Methods. Relevant RCT and comparative observational studies between 1966 and June 2005 were identified. Abstracted outcomes included clinical outcome, reoperation rate, and solid fusion status. Analyses were separated into: 1) fusion versus decompression alone and 2) instrumented fusion versus noninstrumented fusion. Results. Thirteen studies were included. The studies were generally of low methodologic quality. A satisfactory clinical outcome was significantly more likely with fusion than with decompression alone (relative risk, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.89; P < 0.05). The use of adjunctive instrumentation significantly increased the probability of attaining solid fusion (relative risk, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.75; P < 0.05), but no significant improvement in clinical outcome was recorded (relative risk, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.92–1.54). There was a nonsignificant trend toward lower repeat operations with fusion compared with both decompression alone and instrumented fusion. Conclusion. Spinal fusion may lead to a better clinical outcome than decompression alone. No conclusion about the clinical benefit of instrumenting a spinal fusion could be made. However, there is moderate evidence that the use of instrumentation improves the chance of achieving solid fusion.
Implications of Teacher Competence and Medium of Instruction on the Implementation of Kenyan Sign Language Curriculum in Secondary Schools in Kenya: Analytical Assessment

Curriculum implementation is a crucial, difficult and unavoidable phase in curriculum development. It entails putting into practice the officially prescribed courses of study as intended. The way a curriculum is introduced can create a discrepancy between the proposed curriculum and the actual practice in schools. For deaf students to achieve the goals of education there was need to include Kenyan Sign Language in the curriculum. This was attempted in 2007 in standard one, five and form one classes. It was noticeable that this was the same year teachers were called upon to prepare materials and be in-serviced for the implementation. In 2008 there was an outcry of teachers expressing their discomfort in teaching Kenyan sign language without adequate preparations. The purpose of this study therefore, was to examine teacher factors during the implementation of Kenyan sign language curriculum in Kenya. Descriptive survey design was used in the study. The target population comprised of 15 sign language teachers from 4 secondary schools spread out in four districts in Kenya namely; Nyeri, Mumias, Rongo and Bondo. The sample size consisted of 13 teachers. The study employed saturated sampling technique because the population was too small. Data was collected by use of questionnaire, interview schedule and lesson observation checklist. A pilot study was conducted in one of the schools selected through simple random sampling technique. The instruments used in the study were presented to Lecturers in the faculty of Education at Maseno University to ascertain their face validity. Reliability was computed using Cranbach’s Alpha which showed 0.361, 0.440, 0.481 and 0.468 for objectives, content, teaching materials and evaluation respectively. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequency counts, percentages and charts. Qualitative data was collected, categorized into emergent themes which were reported. Results indicated that teachers had professional certificates, attended in-service courses and had experience; teachers used different media of instruction Based on the findings, this study concluded that although teachers’ level of competent was average they needed proficiency examination to improve. Although teachers used Kenya sign language as the language for instruction there was no uniformity in the medium of instruction.
Coupling backbone flexibility and amino acid sequence selection in protein design

Using a protein design algorithm that considers side‐chain packing quantitatively, the effect of explicit backbone motion on the selection of amino acids in protein design was assessed in the core of the streptococcal protein G β1 domain (Gβ1). Concerted backbone motion was introduced by varying Gβ1′s supersecondary structure parameter values. The stability and structural flexibility of seven of the redesigned proteins were determined experimentally and showed that core variants containing as many as 6 of 10 possible mutations retain native‐like properties. This result demonstrates that backbone flexibility can be combined explicitly with amino acid side‐chain selection and that the selection algorithm is sufficiently robust to tolerate perturbations as large as 15% of Gβ1's native supersecondary structure parameter values.
Integration of remote monitoring data into the hospital electronic health record system: Implementation based on international standards

Remote follow-up of implanted ICD's offers a solution to the problem of overcrowded clinics. All major device companies have developed a remote follow-up solution. Data from the remote follow-up are stored in a central database system, operated by the device company and accessible for the physician. However, the problem now arises that part of the patient's clinical information is stored in the local electronic health record (EHR) system in the hospital, while another part is only available in the remote monitoring database. In our hospital, we have implemented the IHE-IDCO profile to import data from the remote databases from two device vendors into our self-developed Cardiology Information System (EPD-Vision). Data is exchanged via a HL7/XML communication protocol, as defined in the IHE-IDCO profile. Remote follow-up data is visible in EPD-Vision™ in the same manner as the data from the in-house follow-up.
Cultivable Gut Bacteria of Scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Inhibit Bacillus thuringiensis Multiplication

ABSTRACT The entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis is used to control various pest species of scarab beetle but is not particularly effective. Gut bacteria have diverse ecological and evolutionary effects on their hosts, but whether gut bacteria can protect scarabs from B. thuringiensis infection remains poorly understood. To investigate this, we isolated 32 cultivable gut bacteria from Holotrichia oblita Faldermann, Holotrichia parallela Motschulsky, and Anomala corpulenta Motschulsky, and analyzed their effect on B. thuringiensis multiplication and Cry toxin stability. 16S rDNA analysis indicated that these gut bacteria belong to the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes phyla. A confrontation culture analyses of the 32 isolates against three scarab-specific B. thuringiensis strains showed that the majority of the scarab gut bacteria had antibacterial activity against the B. thuringiensis strains. The Cry toxin stability analysis results showed that while several strains produced proteases capable of processing the scarab-specific toxin Cry8Ea, none were able to completely degrade it. These results suggest that gut bacteria can potentially affect the susceptibility of scarabs to B. thuringiensis and that this should be considered when considering future control measures.
Chromosome 17 allelic loss in astrocytic tumors and its clinico-pathologic implications.

To prognosticate the implications of various allelic losses on chromosome 17 in the morphology and biology of astrocytic tumors, we have examined loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 14 microsatellite loci on chromosome 17 in a series of 19 astrocytic tumors (3 astrocytomas, 5 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 11 glioblastomas). The DNA samples extracted from tumor and matched normal brain tissue were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and photography under UV transillumination. The molecular genetic data were compared with immunohistochemistry performed with antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), MIB-1 and p53 protein. LOH was observed in 11/19 (58%) instances with frequent involvement of TP53, NF1, and D17S795 loci, LOH at D17S578 and D17S520 occurred in recurrent tumors exclusively. Allelic status of D17S795 in all 12 informative instances were concordant with GFAP immunoreactivity (p < 0.01, Fisher's test). p53 immunopositivity (> 25% of tumor cell nuclei) was seen in 11 (58%) tumors, of which 6 were informative of TP53 locus with 2 (33%) demonstrating LOH. The MIB-1 staining indexes in astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, and glioblastomas were 1.9 +/- 0.9, 8.4 +/- 4.0, and 17.1 +/- 7.1% (mean +/- SD), respectively, and their differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05, Student's t test). A trend of inverse relationship between patient survival and the number of tumor cell nuclei with immunohistochemically detectable p53 protein was seen in glioblastoma cases: 20.5 +/- 12.7 versus 13.7 +/- 6.3 months (mean +/- SD) in instances with > or > or = 25% positive cells, respectively. We conclude, the intriguing correlation between allelic status of D17S795 microsatellite locus and GFAP immunoreactivity suggests the possible involvement of q21.2 segment of chromosome 17 in the morphology and biology of astrocytic tumors.
The hydrophobic effect contributes to polyubiquitin chain recognition.

The principal targeting signal used in the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway is a homopolymeric, K48-linked polyubiquitin chain: the chain is recognized by a specific factor(s) in the 19S regulatory complex of the 26S proteasome, while the substrate is degraded by the 20S catalytic complex. We have previously presented evidence implicating the side chains of L8, I44, and V70 in the recognition of K48-linked chains. In the crystal structure of tetraubiquitin, these side chains form a repeating, surface-exposed hydrophobic patch. To test the hypothesis that a close-packing interaction involving this patch is important for the chain recognition, residue 8 was mutated to a series of smaller aliphatic amino acids (G, A, V). The effects of these mutations were first investigated in rabbit reticulocyte fraction II; even the severest truncating mutation (L8G) had only a modest inhibitory effect on the degradation of a model substrate (125I-lactalbumin). We show that these steady-state degradation data substantially underestimate the deleterious effects of these mutations on chain recognition by the proteasome, because the recognition step does not contribute to rate limitation in the fraction II system. Much stronger inhibition was observed when chain binding was measured in a competition assay using purified 26S proteasomes, and the change in binding free energy depended linearly on the surface area of the side chain. This behavior is consistent with a mode of binding in which the hydrophobic effect makes a favorable contribution; i.e., one or more L8 side chains is shielded from solvent when the chain binds to the 19S complex. A similar linear dependence of binding energy on side chain area was observed for chain binding to the 19S subunit known as S5a (as assayed using recombinant S5a bound to nickel beads). Octa-ubiquitin (K0.5 = 1.6 microM) bound to S5a 4.2-fold more tightly than tetra-ubiquitin; this is similar to the factor of 5. 8-fold relating the affinities of the same two chains for the 26S proteasome. Altogether, these findings indicate that the interaction of K48-linked chains with the 19S complex is substantially similar to the interaction of chains with isolated S5a. The results further suggest that the hydrophobic patch is part of a minimum element which allows for specific recognition of the polyubiquitin degradation signal by the 26S proteasome.
Pelvic floor muscle training for stress urinary incontinence: a randomized, controlled trial comparing different conservative therapies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is an effective therapy for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). There is little and inconsistent data about different strategies of PFMT. Finding the right, patient-oriented treatment decision seems to be essential in order to achieve good results in conservative management of SUI. It was the aim of this prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare three different strategies using electromyography (EMG) biofeedback-assisted PFMT with and without electrical stimulation (ES) for treatment of SUI in women capable of voluntarily contracting the pelvic floor when a home-training device with vaginal electrode was used. METHOD Three-arm RCT comparing 1) EMG biofeedback-assisted PFMT and conventional ES; 2) EMG biofeedback-assisted PFMT and dynamic ES; and 3) EMG biofeedback-assisted PFMT. Primary outcome measures were quality of life (King's Health Questionnaire) and degree of suffering (rated on a visual analogue scale from 1 to 10). Secondary outcome measures were number of pads used, pad weight test, contractility of the pelvic floor measured by digital palpation and intra-vaginal EMG. RESULTS The quality of life significantly increased over the 12-week training. The number of pads used was reduced, the pad weight test and the contractility of the pelvic floor significantly improved. There were no significant differences between the three groups. CONCLUSION This RCT shows significant improvement in patients' quality of life for conservative therapy of SUI. Differences between the three therapeutic options analyzed could not be found. Additional ES showed no benefit for patients with SUI, capable of voluntary pelvic floor contraction.
Early crown-rump length. A good predictor of gestational age.

With the increased resolution of newer transabdominal and transvaginal imaging equipment, ultrasound is being used more frequently for the diagnosis of early pregnancy complications. Extrapolation of gestational age from early crown-rump lengths (CRLs) has been difficult because previously established tables of CRL versus gestational age have contained few measurements at less than seven to eight weeks from the first day of the last menses. Accordingly, the relationship between early CRL (in millimeters) and calculated menstrual age (CMA) (in days) in 36 patients with a known date of conception was studied with transvaginal sonography and found to have a linear relationship, defined by the equation CMA = 0.99 x CRL + 40.0 (r = .95, P less than .001). The relationship can be used to date pregnancies as early as 26 days after conception.
Ultrathin MXene‐Micropattern‐Based Field‐Effect Transistor for Probing Neural Activity

A field-effect transistor (FET) based on ultrathin Ti3 C2 -MXene micropatterns is developed and utilized as a highly sensitive biosensor. The device is produced with the microcontact printing technique, making use of its unique advantages for easy fabrication. Using the MXene-FET device, label-free probing of small molecules in typical biological environments and fast detection of action potentials in primary neurons is demonstrated.
Efficacy and irritancy of enhancers on the in‐vitro and in‐vivo percutaneous absorption of curcumin

Curcumin is a predominant compound derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa L. , and shows antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory and antineoplastic activity. The in‐vitro and in‐vivo skin absorption of curcumin was investigated after application of enhancers using Wistar rat as an animal model. The enhancers selected in this study included terpenes, flavonoids and cholestanol. The irritant profiles of these enhancers were also established by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and histological observations. Cyclic monoterpenes generally showed stronger enhancement of curcumin permeation than the other enhancers. Modulation of concentration and pretreatment duration of enhancers possibly indicated that the enhancers have varied ability and mechanisms to enhance curcumin permeation. Terpineol produced the highest TEWL values among the enhancers tested, whereas ketocholestanol produced no, or only a negligible, increase in TEWL as compared with control. The results showed that skin disruption and inflammation did not necessarily correspond to the enhancing efficiency of the enhancers.
True-Time-Delay Beamforming With a Rotman-Lens for Ultrawideband Antenna Systems

An analytical design model for Rotman-lenses is presented, with an accurate treatment of the return loss of the ports and their phase centers. The detailed design equations allow a very fast prototyping prior to numerical simulations for the final adjustment. Based on the presented model a prototype has been built for the true-time-delay phasing of an antenna array for the ultrawideband frequency range from 3.1 GHz - 10.6 GHz. Measurement results of the prototype together with an antenna array for transient systems are presented in the time and frequency domain.
CPW-Fed S-Shaped Slot Antenna for Broadband Circular Polarization

In this letter, a new broadband circularly polarized (CP) printed-slot antenna fed by a coplanar waveguide (CPW) is designed and fabricated. To achieve a broadband CP wave, an S-shaped slot is employed in the ground to produce orthogonal surface currents for right-hand circular polarization (RHCP). Furthermore, an L-shaped radiator is introduced to obtain a broad impedance bandwidth that can cover the whole CP bandwidth completely. Good agreement is achieved between the simulation and measurement, which shows that the presented antenna covers an impedance bandwidth (S11 <; -10 dB) of 104% from 1.78 to 5.64 GHz, and a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth (ARBW) of 58.6% from 2.85 to 5.21 GHz. The surface current analysis and a parametric study of the design are also carried out to explain the mechanism of circular polarization.
Protein synthesis in entorhinal cortex and long‐term potentiation in dentate gyrus

Despite the concentration of effort in recent years, the mechanisms underlying the expression of long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus remain elusive, but amidst the uncertainty and sometimes controversy, one consistent finding is emerging; this is that late‐phase LTP requires synthesis of proteins. This hypothesis was first proposed by a number of groups who reported that the more persistent components of LTP were blocked by protein synthesis inhibitors, and was supported by a significant literature which indicated that morphological changes accompanied LTP. Recent evidence indicated that the increase in protein synthesis may be cAMP‐dependent and that subsequent activation of the transcription factor, CREB, represented one step in the cascade of events leading to protein synthesis. Whether protein synthesis occurs in presynaptic or postsynaptic neurons, or both, is still a subject of debate. Here we present evidence which suggests that LTP in perforant path‐granule cell synapses is accompanied by protein synthesis, specifically synthesis of synaptic vesicle proteins, in the entorhinal cortex. We also show that protein synthesis is decreased in the entorhinal cortex of aged rats and a strain of rat which is genetically hypertensive, both of which exhibited impaired LTP. We propose that that the observed increase in protein synthesis in the entorhinal cortex, which accompanied LTP in the dentate gyrus, contributes to the reported changes in morphology in the presynaptic terminal. Hippocampus 10:431–437, 2000 © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Peripheral glutamate release in the hindpaw following low and high intensity sciatic stimulation

The present study demonstrates that following A and/or C fiber stimulation of the sciatic nerve, glutamate levels increase significantly in the hindpaw extracellular space. In hindpaw dialysate, electrical stimulation (5 min) of the sciatic nerve at 2×, 20×, 50× or 200× threshold current required to produce a muscle twitch resulted in peak glutamate increases of 120.8 ± 9%, 134.3 ± 5%, 153.9 ± 10% and 150.5 ± 5% of basal levels, respectively. Application of 1% capsaicin to the sciatic nerve (10 min) to selectively activate C fibers resulted in a peak glutamate increase of 130.8 ± 8% of basal levels. Aspartate levels did not change significantly in either paradigm. These data indicate that low and high intensity stimulation can result in peripheral release of glutamate, providing a major source of ligand for the glutamate receptors localized on peripheral primary afferents.