Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Based Bio-Ink Improves Cell Viability and Homogeneity during Drop-On-Demand Printing

Drop-on-demand (DOD) bioprinting has attracted huge attention for numerous biological applications due to its precise control over material volume and deposition pattern in a contactless printing approach. 3D bioprinting is still an emerging field and more work is required to improve the viability and homogeneity of printed cells during the printing process. Here, a general purpose bio-ink was developed using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) macromolecules. Different PVP-based bio-inks (0%–3% w/v) were prepared and evaluated for their printability; the short-term and long-term viability of the printed cells were first investigated. The Z value of a bio-ink determines its printability; it is the inverse of the Ohnesorge number (Oh), which is the ratio between the Reynolds number and a square root of the Weber number, and is independent of the bio-ink velocity. The viability of printed cells is dependent on the Z values of the bio-inks; the results indicated that the cells can be printed without any significant impairment using a bio-ink with a threshold Z value of ≤9.30 (2% and 2.5% w/v). Next, the cell output was evaluated over a period of 30 min. The results indicated that PVP molecules mitigate the cell adhesion and sedimentation during the printing process; the 2.5% w/v PVP bio-ink demonstrated the most consistent cell output over a period of 30 min. Hence, PVP macromolecules can play a critical role in improving the cell viability and homogeneity during the bioprinting process.
Emergency department contributors to ambulance diversion: a quantitative analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE We determine the relationship between physician, nursing, and patient factors on emergency department use of ambulance diversion. METHODS Data were collected at 1 ED in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the duration of ambulance diversion during consecutive 8-hour intervals from January to December 1999 (intervals=1,095). By using time series methods, the association between ambulance diversion and nurse hours, physician on duty, and boarded patients was determined. Covariates included patient volume, assessment time, and boarding time. RESULTS A total of 37,999 patients were treated in the ED over the study period (2% major trauma, 16% ambulance arrivals, and 22% admitted). Nurse hours per interval averaged 60. A mean of 3.2 admitted patients were boarded in the ED each interval. For admitted patients, the time from registration to admission order and from admission order to ED departure averaged 5.2 and 3.5 hours, respectively. There was no ambulance diversion during 170 (15.5%) intervals, whereas 17 (1.5%) intervals were continuously on diversion. In time series analyses, ambulance diversion increased with the number of admitted patients boarded in the ED (6.2 minutes per patient; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6 to 9.8 minutes), the number admitted per interval (4.6 minutes per patient; 95% CI 0.1 to 9.1 minutes), assessment time (9.9 minutes per hour; 95% CI 3.3 to 16.5 minutes), and boarding time (11.3 minutes per hour; 95% CI 5.6 to 17.0 minutes). Thirteen of 15 emergency physicians were not associated with ambulance diversion, 1 was associated with reduced use (-36.3 minutes; 95% CI -65.2 to -7.5 minutes), and 1 was associated with increased use (47.6 minutes; 95% CI 4.5 to 90.6 minutes). ED nurse hours were not associated with diversion. Ambulance-delivered patient volume was associated with diversion (5.2 minutes per patient; 95% CI 2.7 to 7.8 minutes), but walk-in patients and patients with major trauma were not. CONCLUSION Admitted patients in the ED are important determinants of ambulance diversion, whereas nurse hours and most emergency physicians are not. Reducing the volume of walk-in patients is unlikely to lessen the use of diversion.
An innovative routing scheme for 802.11-based multi-hop networks

We consider a multi-hop, ad hoc network using the IEEE 802.11b technology, where the nodes may employ different transmission rates depending on their channel conditions. It has been observed that such a network scenario poses new challenges concerning traffic routing as well as channel access. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme for route selection that, by using cross-layer interactions, yields improved throughput performance. Whenever a source node requires a route to reach a destination node, the proposed scheme determines the best source-destination path based on the following MAC parameters: the collision probability and the available bandwidth. Thus, by exploiting the synergy between network layer and MAC layer, the route providing the highest throughput is selected. Results obtained through the ns-2 simulator show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Evidence-based practice: collaboration between education and nursing management.

AIM To examine practicing nurses' attitudes and knowledge of evidence-based practice. BACKGROUND Health care providers acknowledge that health care decisions should be grounded in current evidence. Limited evidence documents practicing nurses' attitudes and knowledge regarding evidence-based practice. METHODS A descriptive survey was administered to 286 practicing nurses. Demographics of educational preparation, area of practice, years in practice, age and gender were collected. RESULTS The largest number of respondents held an associate degree (30.6%) or baccalaureate degree (29.5%). Thirty-seven per cent reported over 15 years experience in nursing. Forty-three percent reported 61-100% of their practice was evidence based. Fifty percent reported an ability to determine the validity of evidence, and 58% rated an ability to apply findings to individual cases positively. Administrative support of evidence-based practice was reported by only 5.5%. CONCLUSIONS Nurses voiced agreement that their practice was evidence-based; however, they reported only an average ability to retrieve or critically analyse evidence. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT The findings support the need for an educational intervention for practicing nurses regarding evidence-based practice. Role modelling and collaboration of nurse managers and educators will promote transition of evidence into clinical practice.
Nitric oxide promotes differentiation of rat white preadipocytes in culture Published, JLR Papers in Press, September 16, 2002. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M200305-JLR200

The putative role of nitric oxide (NO) in modulating adipogenesis was investigated in cultured preadipocytes derived from rat white adipose tissue. The NO releasing reagent, hydroxylamine (HA), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) substrate l-arginine (Arg) had no influence on cell replication. However, both HA and Arg exhibited significant induction on differentiation, as evidenced by increased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activities, as well as accelerated triacylglycerol (TG) accumulation. These observations suggested a positive role of NO in modulating adipogenesis. Preadipocytes were found to produce NO, and a ∼50% increase over basal level was observed on the first 2 days of differentiation. Deprivation of endogenous NOS activity by a non-selective NOS inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (NMMA), partially abrogated the differentiation process, implicating a role for endogenous NO to stimulate preadipocyte differentiation. Both NOS isoforms, eNOS and iNOS, were detected in differentiating preadipocytes. Specific iNOS inhibitors (1400W and aminoguanidine) had little influence on NO production and differentiation, suggesting that eNOS rather than iNOS may be the major isoform involved in modulating adipogenesis.
A case‐control study of twin pairs discordant for Parkinson's disease

A previous study of twins with Parkinson's disease (PD) revealed low concordance, suggesting that genetic factors play a minor role in the etiology of PD. To identify possible environmental determinants of PD while maximally controlling for hereditary factors, 31 monozygotic twin pairs discordant for PD were interviewed by telephone. Information about possible risk factors was obtained from systematic and uniform interviews with cases and controls. The only statistically significant result was less cigarette smoking by PD patients (p < 0.05). Thirteen dizygotic discordant twin pairs were evaluated with the same techniques, but there were no statistically significant differences between affected and unaffected twins.
LABETALOL DECREASES CEREBRAL PERFUSION PRESSURE WITHOUT NEGATIVELY AFFECTING CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW IN HYPERTENSIVE GRAVIDAS

Objective: To research the cerebral hemodynamic effects of labetalol in pregnant women with hypertension. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Tertiary Care Medical Center. Population: Pregnant patients with hypertension. Methods: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound was used to measure the blood velocity in the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) of eight pregnant patients with hypertension, before and after the administration of a 200 mg oral dose of labetalol. Five patients had severe preeclampsia, and three had chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia. MCA blood velocity and systemic blood pressure were measured simultaneously at the baseline, and at 60 and 180 min after labetalol. Selected cerebral hemodynamic parameters were compared with normative curves. Values outside of the 5th and 95th percentiles were regarded as abnormal. Main outcome measures: Cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), resistance area product (RAP), and cerebral flow index (CFI). Results: Patient age, gestational age, and parity were similar to those of the normal women from whom the normative data were obtained. Women with hypertension had higher baseline CPP, MAP, and RAP than normal pregnant women, but their CFI was within the normal range. Labetalol reduced the CPP, as well as the systolic, diastolic, and mean BP significantly at 60 and 180 min without significantly affecting the heart rate, MCA velocities, RAP, or CFI. Conclusions: Labetalol effectively reduces CPP, without affecting cerebral perfusion, primarily by a decrease in systemic blood pressure. This makes it an ideal agent for blood pressure control in severely hypertensive pregnant women.
Interferon‐induced Mx proteins in brain tissue of multiple sclerosis patients

Background and purpose: Recombinant interferon‐beta is proven as an effective long‐term treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Unlike in other chronic inflammatory diseases, endogenous synthesis of type I interferons (IFN‐alpha and IFN‐beta) has not been studied extensively in MS. Mx proteins A and B (MxA and MxB) are intracellular proteins that are induced exclusively by type I IFNs. We investigated the expression of Mx proteins in post‐mortem brain tissue of IFN‐beta‐naïve MS patients as a marker for endogenous synthesis of type I IFNs.
Comparative Prognostic Utility of Indexes of Microvascular Function Alone or in Combination in Patients With an Acute ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is frequently successful at restoring coronary artery blood flow in patients with acute ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction; however, failed myocardial reperfusion commonly passes undetected in up to half of these patients. The index of microvascular resistance (IMR) is a novel invasive measure of coronary microvascular function. We aimed to investigate the pathological and prognostic significance of an IMR>40, alone or in combination with a coronary flow reserve (CFR⩽2.0), in the culprit artery after emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Methods: Patients with acute ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction were prospectively enrolled during emergency percutaneous coronary intervention and categorized according to IMR (⩽40 or >40) and CFR (⩽2.0 or >2.0). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was acquired 2 days and 6 months after myocardial infarction. All-cause death or first heart failure hospitalization was a prespecified outcome (median follow-up, 845 days). Results: IMR and CFR were measured in the culprit artery at the end of percutaneous coronary intervention in 283 patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (mean±SD age, 60±12 years; 73% male). The median IMR and CFR were 25 (interquartile range, 15–48) and 1.6 (interquartile range, 1.1–2.1), respectively. An IMR>40 was a multivariable associate of myocardial hemorrhage (odds ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–4.27; P=0.042). An IMR>40 was closely associated with microvascular obstruction. Symptom-to-reperfusion time, TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) blush grade, and no (⩽30%) ST-segment resolution were not associated with these pathologies. An IMR>40 was a multivariable associate of the changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (coefficient, −2.12; 95% confidence interval, −4.02 to −0.23; P=0.028) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (coefficient, 7.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.41–15.29; P=0.039) at 6 months independently of infarct size. An IMR>40 (odds ratio, 4.36; 95% confidence interval, 2.10–9.06; P<0.001) was a multivariable associate of all-cause death or heart failure. Compared with an IMR>40, the combination of IMR>40 and CFR⩽2.0 did not have incremental prognostic value. Conclusions: An IMR>40 is a multivariable associate of left ventricular and clinical outcomes after ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction independently of the infarction size. Compared with standard clinical measures of the efficacy of myocardial reperfusion, including the ischemic time, ST-segment elevation, angiographic blush grade, and CFR, IMR has superior clinical value for risk stratification and may be considered a reference test for failed myocardial reperfusion. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https//www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT02072850.
Cancer cells surviving hypoxia obtain hypoxia resistance and maintain anti‐apoptotic potential under reoxygenation

In solid tumors hypoxia and reoxygenation may be important factors in secondary expansion after anti‐cancer therapy. Our study examined the effect of hypoxia and reoxygenation on the apoptotic potential of cancer cells. Four experimental groups were studied using a human colorectal cancer cell line (HCT116) that is apoptosis‐competent in conventional culture: (1) sham, cells grown under conventional conditions; (2) hypoxic, cells cultured in 95% N2 and 5% CO2 for 24 hr; (3) continued hypoxic, cells cultured for 48 hr; and (4) reoxygenation, cells grown in hypoxic conditions for 24 hr followed by another 24 hr under conventional conditions. Protein expression of p53, bcl‐2 and PCNA were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting (p53), and viable cell growth rate was determined. Hypoxia for 24 hr induced significant up‐regulation of p53 and bcl‐2 expression, accompanied by significant decreases of cell growth rate and PCNA expression. Up‐regulation of p53 and bcl‐2 expression persisted with both continued hypoxia and reoxygenation, despite increased cell growth rate and PCNA expression. Cells escaping hypoxia acquired sustained resistance to apoptosis and proliferate despite an elevated p53 level, suggesting that p53 transfer to hypoxic solid tumor should be reevaluated as a cancer gene therapy approach. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On the Demand Paradox Model in the Development of Tourism Resource and the Realistic Choice in China

By analyzing and correcting the paradox model of tourism demand which was put by America economist Veblen, and inspection of the Giffen Goods condition, the author creates an innovative concept: counter Giffen goods and sets up a new model which can realize two noumenon principle-people-focused and ecosystem-focused- in tourism development. This model indicates that tourism products in accordance with two noumenon principle will manifest a positive correlation effect of the demand paradox in theory and practice.
A two-parameter exponential function approach to simply and accurately characterize spatial regime of topographic index for land-surface parameterizations

The concept of topographic index (TI), for characterizing the likely distribution of variable source areas within a watershed, has been successfully incorporated into some land-surface processes parameterizations and climate models. Representing the spatial distribution regime of TI accurately and simply is a crucial issue for those topography-based land- atmosphere interactions studies. In this paper, a simple but effective method, named as two-parameter exponential function, was developed to solve such problem. Since the important runoff generation mechanism occurs chiefly in lowland areas of a catchment or a simulating grid unit, it is not necessary to accurately capture the distribution where the TI values are less than the mean TI value (corresponding to upland areas). As a special case of the three-parameter gamma distribution, the two- parameter exponential function is used to fit only the part of the actual discrete CDF where TI is larger than its mean value so that it performs better than the previous gamma distribution does. In this exponential function, two significant parameters, the maximum fractional saturated area (Fmax) and the exponential coefficient (Cs) should be determined by topographic characteristics. So we investigated the relationships of these two important parameters with the mean value of TI, lambdam. Fortunately, it was found that the value of Fmax (0.35-0.55) can be derived directly from actual CDF curve, and the exponential coefficient, Cs (0.58-0.68), can also be obtained from a simple equation of Cs =0.04/lm +0.21. Fifty 0.5deg X 0.5deg DEM blocks of 90- m resolution, which were chosen randomly to represent a wide range of terrain complexity, were clipped from STRM DEM3 datasets covering the central part of China to verify the validity of this exponential function approach. The experimental results suggested that the two-parameter exponential function agrees fairy well with the actual cumulative distribution function (CDF) curves in lowland part of those grid cells located at mountainous areas, where the general three-parameter gamma distribution fails to fit the discrete distribution of TI, as well as at flat areas. The two-parameter exponential function approach, which can accurately and simply characterizing spatial regime of TI in lowland areas under different topographic conditions, improves the expression of fractional saturated area and the parameterization of topography-based land-surface processes.
A comparative assessment of azinphosmethyl bioaccumulation and toxicity in two estuarine meiobenthic harpacticoid copepods

Aqueous, pore‐water, and whole‐sediment bioassays were conducted with meiobenthic copepods with different infaunal lifestyles to assess the acute and chronic toxicity of the organophosphorous pesticide azinphosmethyl (APM) and its bioaccumulation potential in sediments. Biota sediment accumulation factors were an order of magnitude higher for the deeper burrowing Amphiascus tenuiremis (26.6) than the epibenthic Microarthridion littorale (2.2). The female A. tenuiremis APM median lethal concentration (LC50; 3.6 μg/L) was twice the male LC50 (1.8 μg/L), in straight seawater exposures, and nearly 20% higher than males in whole‐sediment exposures (540 vs 456 ng/g dry weight). Amphiascus tenuiremis were 17 times more sensitive to sediment‐associated APM than M. littorale. In pore‐water‐only exposures, the adult mixed‐sex A. tenuiremis LC50 (5.0 μg/L) was nearly twice the seawater mixed‐sex LC50 (2.7 μg/L). Dissolved organic carbon in pore water was five times higher (20 mg/L) than in seawater‐only exposures (4 mg/L). Differences in acute toxicity within exposure media were driven by species‐ and sex‐specific differences in lipid content. Amphiascus tenuiremis likely experienced greater exposure to sediment‐associated toxicants via longer periods of direct contact with pore water than M. littorale and, therefore, exhibited correspondingly higher bioaccumulation and acute toxicity. Copepod reproduction was significantly reduced (>60%) in 14‐d sediment culture exposures at sublethal APM levels, suggesting that chronic field exposure to sediment‐associated APM would result in sharp declines in copepod population growth.
Global 4-H Network: Laying the Groundwork for Global Extension Opportunities

A descriptive study examining 4-H programs in Africa, Asia, and Europe was conducted to provide understanding and direction in the establishment of a Global 4-H Network. Information regarding structure, organizational support, funding, and programming areas was gathered. Programs varied greatly by country, and many partnered with other 4-H organizations around the world. Few content areas offered by the surveyed countries aligned with their major agricultural commodities, even though content areas were available in the United States 4-H Program. The Global 4-H Network has the potential to fill these holes and provide additional opportunities to global programs.
Exhaled nitric oxide as a predictor of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

INTRODUCTION Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is present in 40 to 90% of patients with asthma. Exhaled NO (eNO) levels have been correlated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine, and have correlated with the degree of decrease in FEV(1) with exercise. The purpose of our study was to examine whether eNO measurements prior to or after exercise could be used as a surrogate marker of exertional bronchoconstriction in a population referred specifically for the evaluation of EIB. METHODS We studied 50 consecutive subjects without a history of asthma who were referred for the clinical evaluation of EIB. eNO levels were measured prior to exercise challenge and every 5 min for a total of 30 min after exercise. Forced expiratory flows were measured prior to and serially after exercise challenge. RESULTS Seven subjects had a decrease in FEV(1) of > or = 15% with exercise. The mean eNO level prior to exercise was 41 parts per billion (ppb) [median +/- SD, 23 +/- 42.2 ppb] in the EIB group and 25.6 ppb (median, 19.95 +/- 18.47 ppb) in the group without EIB. A receiver operator characteristic curve yielded a value of 0.636. When using an eNO level of < 12 ppb, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value for EIB were 1.0, 0.31, 0.19, and 1.0, respectively; therefore, no one with a baseline eNO of < 12 ppb demonstrated EIB. CONCLUSIONS No subjects with very low pre-exercise eNO levels (< 12 ppb) demonstrated bronchial hyperresponsiveness to exercise. eNO measurement may obviate the need for bronchoprovocation testing in patients who complain of exertional dyspnea.