Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the effects of oral colostrum supplementation during the first fourteen days on the health and performance of preweaned calves

Abstract Increasing concerns about antimicrobial resistance have led to the development and implementation of alternatives to antimicrobial use in animal production. The objective of this clinical trial was to determine the effect of colostrum supplementation of the milk replacer ration on morbidity, mortality, feed intake, and weight gain of preweaned calves. Ninety 1-d-old calves on each of 3 commercial calf ranches were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Treatment-group calves received 10g of supplemental immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the form of 70g of colostrum powder in the milk replacer twice daily for 14 d. The placebo-group calves received a nutritionally equivalent supplement lacking IgG in the milk replacer twice daily for 14 d. Control calves received milk replacer without supplements twice daily. Calves were housed in individual hutches and were weighed on d 1, 28, and 60. Serum was collected on d 2 for serum IgG determination. Daily health evaluations for the first 28 d of life were performed by study personnel blinded to treatment group assignment. Observed illness was treated based on health assessment, rectal temperature, and specific calf ranch protocols. Feed consumption (milk and grain) was recorded. Calves receiving supplemental colostrum had less diarrhea and received fewer antimicrobial treatments than control and placebo calves. The results indicated that calf diarrhea was associated with low serum IgG levels and low-weight calves. Grain consumption and weight gain over the first 28 d of life were significantly greater in colostrum-supplemented calves compared with control calves. No differences in mortality or respiratory disease incidence among groups were detected. Supplemental colostrum during the first 2 wk of life can reduce diarrheal disease in preweaned calves on calf ranches and thereby reduce the amount of antimicrobial treatments needed.
There's a world outside your TV: exploring interactions beyond the physical TV screen

We explore interactions in the space surrounding the TV set, and use this space as a canvas to display additional TV content in the form of projected screens and customized controls and widgets. We present implementation details for a prototype that creates a hybrid, physical-projected, augmented TV space with off-the-shelf, low-cost technical equipment. The results of a participatory design study are reported to inform development of interaction techniques for multimedia content that spans the physical-projected TV space. We report a set of commands for twelve frequently-used TV tasks and compile guidelines for designing interactions for augmented TV spaces. With this work, we plan to make TV interface designers aware of the many opportunities offered by the space around the physical TV screen once turned interactive. It is our hope that this very first investigation of the interactive potential of the area surrounding the TV set will encourage new explorations of augmented TV spaces, and will foster the design of new applications and new entertainment experiences for our interactive, smart TV spaces of the future.
Self-Reconfigurable Robots: An Introduction

Self-reconfigurable robots are constructed of robotic modules that can be connected in many different ways. These modules move in relationship to each other, which allows the robot as a whole to change shape. This shapeshifting makes it possible for the robots to adapt and optimize their shapes for different tasks. Thus, a self-reconfigurable robot can first assume the shape of a rolling track to cover distance quickly, then the shape of a snake to explore a narrow space, and finally the shape of a hexapod to carry an artifact back to the starting point. The field of self-reconfigurable robots has seen significant progress over the last twenty years, and this book collects and synthesizes existing research previously only available in widely scattered individual papers, offering an accessible guide to the latest information on self-reconfigurable robots for researchers and students interested in the field. Self-Reconfigurable Robots focuses on conveying the intuition behind the design and control of self-reconfigurable robots rather than technical details. Suggestions for further reading refer readers to the underlying sources of technical information. The book includes descriptions of existing robots and a brief history of the field; discussion of module design considerations, including module geometry, connector design, and computing and communication infrastructure; an in-depth presentation of strategies for controlling self-reconfiguration and locomotion; and exploration of future research challenges.
Guanylyl cyclase sensitivity to nitric oxide is protected by a thiol oxidation-driven interaction with thioredoxin-1

Nitric oxide (NO) modulates many physiological events through production of cGMP from its receptor, the NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (GC1). NO also appears to function in a cGMP-independent manner, via S-nitrosation (SNO), a redox-based modification of cysteine thiols. Previously, we have shown that S-nitrosated GC1 (SNO-GC1) is desensitized to NO stimulation following prolonged NO exposure or under oxidative/nitrosative stress. In animal models of nitrate tolerance and angiotensin II-induced hypertension, decreased vasodilation in response to NO correlates with GC1 thiol oxidation, but the physiological mechanism that resensitizes GC1 to NO and restores basal activity is unknown. Because GC1 interacts with the oxidoreductase protein-disulfide isomerase, we hypothesized that thioredoxin-1 (Trx1), a cytosolic oxidoreductase, could be involved in restoring GC1 basal activity and NO sensitivity because the Trx/thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) system maintains thiol redox homeostasis. Here, by manipulating activity and levels of the Trx1/TrxR system and by using a Trx1-Trap assay, we demonstrate that Trx1 modulates cGMP synthesis through an association between Trx1 and GC1 via a mixed disulfide. A proximity ligation assay confirmed the endogenous Trx1–GC1 complex in cells. Mutational analysis suggested that Cys609 in GC1 is involved in the Trx1–GC1 association and modulation of GC1 activity. Functionally, we established that Trx1 protects GC1 from S-nitrosocysteine–induced desensitization. A computational model of Trx1–GC1 interaction illustrates a possible mechanism for Trx1 to maintain basal GC1 activity and prevent/rescue GC1 desensitization to NO. The etiology of some oxidative vascular diseases may very well be explained by the dysfunction of the Trx1–GC1 association.
5-HT4 Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders: Current Status and Perspective

Background: 5-HT4 receptor plays important roles regulating gastrointestinal motility, enteric neuronal signaling and visceral pain in the gastrointestinal tract. Over the past decade, the 5-HT4 receptor has been highlighted as an attractive drug target for the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, functional dyspepsia, gastroparesis and so on. Objectives: This article aims to provide an overview of serotonin receptors related to the gastrointestinal motility disorders, and to address the characteristics of past, current and future 5-HT4 receptor agonists for treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders, focusing on the pharmacology, efficacy and safety profile. Methods: A literature search was performed using databases including MEDLINE (1974-July 2014), SCOPUS, Google Scholar, abstracts presented at the gastroenterology meetings and unpublished data from pharmaceutical companies. Specific search terms used were “5-HT4 receptor agonist”, “gastrointestinal motility disorder”, “irritable bowel syndrome” and “chronic constipation”. Conclusions: In contrast to nonselective 5-HT4 receptor agonists such as tegaserod and cisapride, which were withdrawn due to cardiovascular adverse effects, several potent and selective 5-HT4 receptor agonists have been found to display the improved safety profile and the therapeutic potential in clinical trials and preclinical studies. These include agents such as prucalopride, velusetrag, naronapride, YKP10811 and DA-6886. These compounds differ in chemistry, efficacy, adverse effects and pharmacokinetics. The various properties of 5-HT4 receptor agonists will help us not only to enable adequate treatment to be tailored to the needs of each patient but also to stimulate further efforts to develop promising innovative drugs for gastrointestinal motility disorders.
Neural Correlates of Audiovisual Sensory Integration

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the neural basis of information matching during sensory integration using a spatial-temporal matching task in healthy individuals. Method: A total of 37 healthy participants were recruited to match spatial dots with an auditory tone sequence in a 3T GE Discovery MR750 scanner. In addition, they were examined with the sensory integration subscale of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. Results: We found that the bilateral occipital-parietal conjunction cortex and the precentral frontal gyrus were activated during the matching condition rather than in the nonmatching condition. Activation of the occipital-parietal conjunction cortex was associated with integration of information across visual and auditory modalities, whereas activation of the precentral frontal gyrus was associated with decision making of movements. In addition, activation of the left superior frontal gyrus was associated with scores on the sensory integration subscale of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the bilateral occipital-parietal conjunction cortex is responsible for matching information input from multiple modalities during audiovisual sensory integration.
Acute Postoperative Pain

One of the most important causes of postoperative morbidity and mortality is insufficiently treated pain. Postoperarive pain that could not be treated sufficiently leads to problems like reduction in vital capacity and alveolar ventilation, pneumonia, tachycardia, hypertension, myocardial ischemia and infarction, conversion to chronic pain, delay in wound healing and prolonged hospital stay. These problems may be prevented by successful management of postoperative pain. Acute postoperative pain management is a dynamic process. A detailed preoperative assessment should be done at the beginning and the most appropriate pain management should be provided by utilizing the newest drugs and techniques after estimation of riskbenefit status for each patient. J o u r n a l o f A ne sth esia & Cical es e a r c h ISSN: 2155-6148 Journal of Anesthesia & Clinical Research Citation: Beyaz SG, Bayar F, Erdem AF (2011) Acute Postoperatıve Pain. J Anesthe Clinic Res S7:002. doi:10.4172/2155-6148.S7-002
Conference on 'Future food and health' Symposium I: Sustainability and food security

The concept of a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet is not new, but with increasingconcern about future global food security and climate change there is a renewed interest in thistopic. Dietary intakes in UK accounts for approximately 20–30% of total annual greenhousegas emissions (GHGE), with the greatest contributions coming from high intakes of meat anddairy products. Dietary proposals to help mitigate climate change (i.e. reduce GHGE) havefocused on reducing consumption of meat and dairy products, but this must be considered inthe context of the whole diet, alongside any possible nutritional consequences for health.Bringing together health and environmental impact of the diet raises the question of whether ahealthy diet can also be an environmentally sustainable diet. While recent research showed thatit is possible to achieve a realistic diet that meets dietary requirement for health and has lowerGHGE, it cannot be assumed that a healthy diet will always have lower GHGE. With differentcombinations of food it is possible to consume a diet that meets dietary requirements for health,but has high GHGE. It is important to understand what constitutes a sustainable diet, but thisthen needs to be communicated effectively to try and change well-established dietary intakes ofthe population. Studies show that understanding of sustainable diets is poor and there are manymisconceptions (e.g. the overestimation of the protein requirements for a healthy diet), whichcould contribute to the barriers towards changing dietary intakes.Dietary requirements: Health: Greenhouse gas emissions: Sustainable diets
DP 04-05 Environmental and Technology Policies for Climate Mitigation

We assess different policies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and promoting the innovation and diffusion of renewable energy. We evaluate the relative performance of policies according to incentives provided for emissions reduction, efficiency, and other outcomes. We also assess how the nature of technological progress through learning and R&D, and the degree of knowledge spillovers, affect the desirability of different policies. Due to knowledge spillovers, optimal policy involves a portfolio of different instruments targeted at emissions, learning, and R&D. Although the relative cost of individual policies in achieving reductions depends on parameter values and the emissions target, in a numerical application to the U.S. electricity sector, the ranking is roughly as follows: (1) emissions price, (2) emissions performance standard, (3) fossil power tax, (4) renewables share requirement, (5) renewables subsidy, and (6) R&D subsidy. Nonetheless, an optimal portfolio of policies achieves emissions reductions at significantly lower cost than any single policy.
An Antenna Advance for Cognitive Radio: Introducing a Multilayered Split Ring Resonator-Loaded Printed Ultrawideband Antenna with Multifunctional Characteristics

In this article, we present a new design concept for a multifunctional antenna providing single/dual frequency-notched ultrawideband (UWB) capability and its complementary multiple narrow-band functionality from a printed coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed annular-ring monopole antenna (ARMA). We achieved the proposed multiple antenna configurations by loading square split-ring resonator (SRR) pairs of different dimensions beneath the substrate and above the superstrate, along with copper strips suitably positioned on the CPW feeding section of the antenna. The proposed antenna is compact, because of SRR loading in the substrate and superstrate, which provide seven different antenna functionalities/responses originating from a single radiating annular-ring monopole printed on a dielectric substrate.
Radio access network virtualization for future mobile carrier networks

This article presents a survey of cellular network sharing, which is a key building block for virtualizing future mobile carrier networks in order to address the explosive capacity demand of mobile traffic, and reduce the CAPEX and OPEX burden faced by operators to handle this demand. We start by reviewing the 3GPP network sharing standardized functionality followed by a discussion on emerging business models calling for additional features. Then an overview of the RAN sharing enhancements currently being considered by the 3GPP RSE Study Item is presented. Based on the developing network sharing needs, a summary of the state of the art of mobile carrier network virtualization is provided, encompassing RAN sharing as well as a higher level of base station programmability and customization for the sharing entities. As an example of RAN virtualization techniques feasibility, a solution based on spectrum sharing is presented: the network virtualization substrate (NVS), which can be natively implemented in base stations. NVS performance is evaluated in an LTE network by means of simulation, showing that it can meet the needs of future virtualized mobile carrier networks in terms of isolation, utilization, and customization.
Moist Wound Healing : Past and Present A historical perspective on the importance of moist wound healing

Introduction ocal wound care involves the key priorities of debridement, control of infection and prolonged inflammation, and moisture balance. The holistic approach suggests that these priorities must not be addressed in isolation, but rather as an evolving continuum dependent on the phase of wound healing, the etiology of the wound, and the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting wound healing. A fairly recent framework that has influenced wound care professionals is the model of wound bed preparation (WBP). It is critical to create a foundation in which healing can occur and WBP supports this by providing a structured approach to wound management. WBP is defined as wound management that accelerates healing or facilitates the effectiveness of other therapeutic measures. The TIME mnemonic is an easy-to-remember framework for local wound care within the WBP model (Table 1). WBP involves a holistic wound assessment, consisting of examining the underlying etiology and the patient’s psychosocial needs. Within this framework, moist wound healing (MWH) is a central pillar. L An operational definition of MWH is reviewed by Bolton, and is related to the processes (e.g. dressings) that keep a wound moist. Dressings are discussed later in this article. It is clear that MWH is regarded as the ideal environment for optimal healing. A clear definition of MWH is not well established because of the inability to quantify optimal moisture levels. In the absence of MWH, the dermis dehydrates. This supports a scab formation that creates a barrier to epithelial migration, as the cells must move deep under the scab to migrate to a viable wound surface. Wound healing is achieved when epidermal cells migrate and mature across wound margins to achieve epithelialization.
Association of coffee drinking with total and cause-specific mortality.

BACKGROUND Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages, but the association between coffee consumption and the risk of death remains unclear. METHODS We examined the association of coffee drinking with subsequent total and cause-specific mortality among 229,119 men and 173,141 women in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study who were 50 to 71 years of age at baseline. Participants with cancer, heart disease, and stroke were excluded. Coffee consumption was assessed once at baseline. RESULTS During 5,148,760 person-years of follow-up between 1995 and 2008, a total of 33,731 men and 18,784 women died. In age-adjusted models, the risk of death was increased among coffee drinkers. However, coffee drinkers were also more likely to smoke, and, after adjustment for tobacco-smoking status and other potential confounders, there was a significant inverse association between coffee consumption and mortality. Adjusted hazard ratios for death among men who drank coffee as compared with those who did not were as follows: 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95 to 1.04) for drinking less than 1 cup per day, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.90 to 0.99) for 1 cup, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86 to 0.93) for 2 or 3 cups, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84 to 0.93) for 4 or 5 cups, and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.85 to 0.96) for 6 or more cups of coffee per day (P<0.001 for trend); the respective hazard ratios among women were 1.01 (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.07), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.01), 0.87 (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.92), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.90), and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.78 to 0.93) (P<0.001 for trend). Inverse associations were observed for deaths due to heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections, but not for deaths due to cancer. Results were similar in subgroups, including persons who had never smoked and persons who reported very good to excellent health at baseline. CONCLUSIONS In this large prospective study, coffee consumption was inversely associated with total and cause-specific mortality. Whether this was a causal or associational finding cannot be determined from our data. (Funded by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.).
Inducting pre-service teachers into reflective inquiry and research methods: Contested curriculum and pedagogical spaces

The location of research methods within the pre-service teacher education curriculum has been a contentious debate within the writer’s Faculty of Education for many years. Concurrently the scope and sequence of the major concepts and skills to be taught in inquiry and research methods and the related pedagogy has also been contentious. This paper attempts to chart some of the dimensions and contentions within these spaces. A self-study methodology is utilised in conjunction with the views of collegial staff and case study data from a cohort of students who have recently completed the subject. The purpose of this paper is to support a professional critique of teaching inquiry and research methods and the development of a statement of enhanced best practice.
Calculating Payback Periods for Energy Efficiency Improvement Applications at a University Hospital

The increasing demand for energy and the depletion of existing fossil fuel based resources have forced the countries to realize the efficient use of energy, energy saving applications and searching alternative energy sources. Using the energy efficiently and performing energy saving studies have great importance for developing countries like ours that are dependent on other countries to meet their energy needs. Hospitals generally consume 6% of total energy in the buildings. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are the significant part of electrical energy consumption at the hospitals. The air-conditioning system is responsible for around 70% of total electricity consumption. Electric motors and lighting systems in a hospital represent approximately 19-21% of the total energy consumption. In this study, according to the detailed analysis on the lighting devices, electric motors and HVAC systems, the energy saving potentials and payback periods of these systems are estimated for a University Hospital.
CXCR4 blockade decreases CD4+ T cell exhaustion and improves survival in a murine model of polymicrobial sepsis

Sepsis is a dysregulated systemic response to infection involving many inflammatory pathways and the induction of counter-regulatory anti-inflammatory processes that results in a state of immune incompetence and can lead to multi-organ failure. CXCR4 is a chemokine receptor that, following ligation by CXCL12, directs cells to bone marrow niches and also plays an important role in T cell cosignaling and formation of the immunological synapse. Here, we investigated the expression and function of CXCR4 in a murine model of polymicrobial sepsis. Results indicate that CXCR4 is selectively upregulated on naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and CD4+ central memory T cells following the induction of sepsis, and that CXCR4 antagonism resulted in a significant decrease in sepsis-induced mortality. We probed the mechanistic basis for these findings and found that CXCR4 antagonism significantly increased the number of peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following sepsis. Moreover, mice treated with the CXCR4 antagonist contained fewer PD-1+ LAG-3+ 2B4+ cells, suggesting that blockade of CXCR4 mitigates CD4+ T cell exhaustion during sepsis. Taken together, these results characterize CXCR4 as an important pathway that modulates immune dysfunction and mortality following sepsis, which may hold promise as a target for future therapeutic intervention in septic patients.