Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cobalt asthma in metalworkers from an automotive engine valve manufacturer.

BACKGROUND Cobalt asthma has previously been described in cobalt production workers, diamond polishers and glassware manufacturers. AIMS To describe a case series of occupational asthma (OA) due to cobalt, identified at the Birmingham Heartlands Occupational Lung Disease Unit, West Midlands, UK. METHODS Cases of cobalt asthma from a West Midlands' manufacturer of automotive engine valves, diagnosed between 1996 and 2005, were identified from the SHIELD database of OA. Case note data on demographics, employment status, asthma symptoms and diagnostic tests, including spirometry, peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements, skin prick testing (SPT) and specific inhalational challenge (SIC) tests to cobalt chloride, were gathered, and descriptive statistics used to illustrate the data. RESULTS The natural history of presentations has been described in detail, as well as a case study of one of the affected workers. Fourteen metalworkers (86% male; mean age 44.9 years) were diagnosed with cobalt asthma between 1996 and 2005. Workers were principally stellite grinders, stellite welders or machine setter-operators. All workers had positive Occupational Asthma SYStem analyses of serial PEF measurements, and sensitization to cobalt chloride was demonstrated in nine workers, by SPT or SIC. CONCLUSIONS We have described a series of 14 workers with cobalt asthma from the automotive manufacturing industry, with objective evidence for sensitization. Health care workers should remain vigilant for cobalt asthma in the automotive manufacturing industry.
Assuring the integrity of the family: being the father of a very low birth weight infant.

AIM The purpose of this study was to explore the paternal role of fathers of very low birth weight infants during their first year of life. BACKGROUND Following birth, very low birth weight infants often require extended hospitalisation and long-term care. The birth experience and the infant's hospitalisation often overwhelm parents and may hinder the development of their parental roles. The father is known to be an important supporting figure for the mother, but most studies in Taiwan have focussed on mothers. DESIGN A qualitative design using a grounded theory approach was employed in this study. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of fathers during home visits. Each father was interviewed twice at one to three months and seven to nine months after his very low birth weight infant's discharge from the hospital. Data were analysed using constant comparison and repeated verification. RESULTS Twelve fathers were included in the study. During the first year of life of their very low birth weight infants, the fathers experienced 'protecting the wife-baby dyad', 'concentrating on the child's health and growth', and 'possessing a complete family'. Subcategories within each major category also emerged. CONCLUSION In this study, Taiwanese fathers of very low birth weight infants learned different and broader dimensions of the paternal role and continually made adjustments to assure their family's integrity. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE These findings can help nurses understand paternal perceptions and behaviours related to having a very low birth weight infant and in turn help fathers adjust to their role.
The relationship between employment and veteran status, disability and gender from 2004-2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

BACKGROUND In 2011, about 1.8 million or 8 percent of the 22.2 million veterans were women in the US. The unemployment rate for female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan rose to 13.5%, above the 8.4% for non-veteran adult women. OBJECTIVE To examine data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), from 2004-2011 to determine the relationship between employment and veteran status, disability and gender. METHODS Chi square analysis was used to determine if significant differences existed between the employment rate of female veterans with disabilities and female veterans without disabilities, female non-veterans with disabilities and male veterans with disabilities. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine how veteran status, disability and gender affected the likelihood of not being employed. RESULTS Significant differences were found in employment rate between female veterans with disabilities and female veterans without disabilities, but not when compared to female non-veterans with disabilities or male veterans with disabilities. Disability was the strongest factor increasing the likelihood of not being employed, though veteran status and female gender were also predictive. CONCLUSIONS Female veterans with disabilities experience low levels of employment. Policies and programs are needed to address the unique needs of these veterans.
The Unique C Termini of Orthopoxvirus Gamma Interferon Binding Proteins Are Essential for Ligand Binding

ABSTRACT The orthopoxviruses ectromelia virus (ECTV) and vaccinia virus (VACV) express secreted gamma interferon binding proteins (IFN-γBPs) with homology to the ligand binding domains of the host's IFN-γ receptor (IFN-γR1). Homology between these proteins is limited to the extracellular portions of the IFN-γR1 and the first ∼200 amino acids of the IFN-γBPs. The remaining 60 amino acids at the C termini of the IFN-γBPs contain a single cysteine residue shown to be important in covalent dimerization of the secreted proteins. The function of the remaining C-terminal domain (CTD) has remained elusive, yet this region is conserved within all orthopoxvirus IFN-γBPs. Using a series of C-terminal deletion constructs, we have determined that the CTD is essential for IFN-γ binding despite having no predicted homology to the IFN-γR1. Truncation of the ECTV IFN-γBP by more than two amino acid residues results in a complete loss of binding activity for both murine IFN-γ and human IFN-γ (hIFN-γ), as measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and bioassay. Equivalent truncation of the VACV IFN-γBP resulted in comparable loss of hIFN-γ binding activity by SPR. Full-length IFN-γBPs were observed to form higher-ordered structures larger than the previously reported dimers. Mutants that were unable to bind IFN-γ with high affinity in SPR experiments failed to assemble into these higher-ordered structures and migrated as dimers. We conclude that the unique CTD of orthopoxvirus IFN-γBPs is important for the assembly of covalent homodimers as well as the assembly of higher-ordered structures essential for IFN-γ binding.
Energy intensity, growth and technical change

World and U.S. energy intensities have declined over the past century, falling at an average rate of approximately 1.2–1.5 percent a year. The decline has persisted through periods of stagnating or even falling energy prices, suggesting the decline is driven in large part by autonomous factors, independent of price changes. In this paper, we use directed technical change theory to understand the autonomous decline in energy intensity and investigate whether the decline will continue. We show in an economy with no state-dependence, where existing knowledge does not make RD in either case, energy intensity never declines faster than output grows, and so energy use always increases, as long as the extraction cost of energy stays constant.
Effects of Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid and Alpha-Lipoic-Acid on the Visual Response Properties of Cat Retinal Ganglion Cells: An In Vitro Study.

PURPOSE To investigate the effects of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and alpha-lipoic-acid (ALA) on the visual response properties of cat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in wholemount retinas. METHODS Young adult cats were divided into three groups: control, ALA, and TUDCA. In vitro single-unit extracellular recordings were performed on wholemount retinas to objectively evaluate the visual response properties of RGCs prior and post to antioxidant treatment. The visual responses properties of RGCs, including receptive field size, luminance threshold, and contrast sensitivity, were collected online and analyzed off-line with Axon Pclamp9. RESULTS Most of the RF sizes were larger than those plotted prior to the 60 minutes dark adaptation. The luminance threshold was elevated in the control group (no treatment) but reduced post ALA treatment and significantly reduced post TUDCA treatment. The contrast threshold was significantly elevated in the control group (no treatment) and clearly elevated post ALA treatment but effectively sustained post TUCDA treatment. CONCLUSIONS Retinal neurocircuitry deteriorates in wholemount retinas, resulting in abnormal visual response properties in RGCs. Alpha-lipoic-acid and TUDCA exerted beneficial neuroprotective effects by activating the antioxidant pathway, partially restoring the functionality of retinal neurocircuitry and significantly improving the visual response properties of RGCs. However, TUDCA appears to be more effective than ALA in reducing irradiance thresholds and improving contrast sensitivity.
Benchmarking of RF measurement systems for digital predistortion using iterative learning control

In this study iterative learning control (ILC) linearization is used to characterize the performance of a measurement system for modulated measurements and digital predistortion of RF power amplifiers. Without such linearization it is not possible to evaluate the dynamic range and effective bit-resolution (ENOB) of the measurement system because of nonlinear and linear distortions. ILC allows linearization of periodic signals without the need of a predistorter model. With this information it is possible to determine in advance how much signal processing, e.g. averaging and oversampling of measurements, will be necessary to fulfill the linearity requirements. It is shown that using signal processing and ILC the effective resolution of a system using an 8 bit analog-to-digital converter on the receiver side can be increased by 4.3 bit without the need for additional hardware. Besides that it is found that special attention has to be devoted to the receiver nonlinearities to avoid projecting the nonlinearities to the device under test.
Characterization of a Cellobiohydrolase (MoCel6A) Produced by Magnaporthe oryzae

ABSTRACT Three GH-6 family cellobiohydrolases are expected in the genome of Magnaporthe grisea based on the complete genome sequence. Here, we demonstrate the properties, kinetics, and substrate specificities of a Magnaporthe oryzae GH-6 family cellobiohydrolase (MoCel6A). In addition, the effect of cellobiose on MoCel6A activity was also investigated. MoCel6A contiguously fused to a histidine tag was overexpressed in M. oryzae and purified by affinity chromatography. MoCel6A showed higher hydrolytic activities on phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PSC), β-glucan, and cellooligosaccharide derivatives than on cellulose, of which the best substrates were cellooligosaccharides. A tandemly aligned cellulose binding domain (CBD) at the N terminus caused increased activity on cellulose and PSC, whereas deletion of the CBD (catalytic domain only) showed decreased activity on cellulose. MoCel6A hydrolysis of cellooligosaccharides and sulforhodamine-conjugated cellooligosaccharides was not inhibited by exogenously adding cellobiose up to 438 mM, which, rather, enhanced activity, whereas a GH-7 family cellobiohydrolase from M. oryzae (MoCel7A) was severely inhibited by more than 29 mM cellobiose. Furthermore, we assessed the effects of cellobiose on hydrolytic activities using MoCel6A and Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase (TrCel6A), which were prepared in Aspergillus oryzae. MoCel6A showed increased hydrolysis of cellopentaose used as a substrate in the presence of 292 mM cellobiose at pH 4.5 and pH 6.0, and enhanced activity disappeared at pH 9.0. In contrast, TrCel6A exhibited slightly increased hydrolysis at pH 4.5, and hydrolysis was severely inhibited at pH 9.0. These results suggest that enhancement or inhibition of hydrolytic activities by cellobiose is dependent on the reaction mixture pH.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells as Models for Aneuploid Chromosomal Syndromes

Syndromes caused by chromosomal aneuploidies are widely recognized genetic disorders in humans and often lead to spontaneous miscarriage. Preimplantation genetic screening is used to detect chromosomal aneuploidies in early embryos. Our aim was to derive aneuploid human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines that may serve as models for human syndromes caused by aneuploidies. We have established 25 hESC lines from blastocysts diagnosed as aneuploid on day 3 of their in vitro development. The hESC lines exhibited morphology and expressed markers typical of hESCs. They demonstrated long‐term proliferation capacity and pluripotent differentiation. Karyotype analysis revealed that two‐third of the cell lines carry a normal euploid karyotype, while one‐third remained aneuploid throughout the derivation, resulting in eight hESC lines carrying either trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome), 16, 17, 21 (Down syndrome), X (Triple X syndrome), or monosomy X (Turner syndrome). On the basis of the level of single nucleotide polymorphism heterozygosity in the aneuploid chromosomes, we determined whether the aneuploidy originated from meiotic or mitotic chromosomal nondisjunction. Gene expression profiles of the trisomic cell lines suggested that all three chromosomes are actively transcribed. Our analysis allowed us to determine which tissues are most affected by the presence of a third copy of either chromosome 13, 16, 17 or 21 and highlighted the effects of trisomies on embryonic development. The results presented here suggest that aneuploid embryos can serve as an alternative source for either normal euploid or aneuploid hESC lines, which represent an invaluable tool to study developmental aspects of chromosomal abnormalities in humans.STEM CELLS 2010; 28:1530–1540.
Why cells need intramembrane proteases – a mechanistic perspective

Intramembrane proteases (IMPRs) cleave transmembrane proteins inside the lipid bilayer. They regulate a growing number of biological processes, and our knowledge about the evolutionary and functional niches these unusual enzymes have filled is slowly unravelling. Although structures of representative members of four IMPR families have been solved, the mechanism of substrate recognition and cleavage is still poorly understood. Here I offer a view on substrate recognition by IMPRs from the angle of their biological functions. Zooming in on rhomboid proteases I delineate the emerging principles and areas of contention, and argue that by studying the mechanisms, specificity and natural substrate repertoires of IMPRs we can understand the properties for which they have been selected in evolution.
Complexities in Accessing REDD+ Benefits in Community Forestry: Evidence from Nepal's Terai Region

SUMMARY The objectives of Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, forest conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+) can be achieved if communities are actively involved in and benefit from forest resource management. The study examined factors affecting justice in REDD+ benefit sharing in community forestry in Nepal's Terai region. The most influential factors identified were the economic status of forest users, the decision-making process, conflicting issues within the community and the accountability of local leaders. Poor people are highly dependent on forest resources, while the rich benefit comparatively more from their control over decision-making structures. Rich people participate less in community development work but more in the decision-making mechanism in community forestry. The poorer representation of disadvantaged forest users in decision-making limits their influence on the accountability of the authorities to local needs. Democratically elected and accountable leadership creates opportunity for justice in REDD+ benefit sharing among users. Accountability towards poor and disadvantaged people could be improved by developing the leadership skills of the poor and disadvantaged forest users at local level. The factors described in the study affect justice in benefit sharing, and have policy implication for the success of REDD+ both at the local and regional level.
Novel heart rate parameters for the assessment of autonomic nervous system function in premature infants

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance is a key factor in homeostatic control of cardiac activity, breathing and certain reflex reactions such as coughing, sneezing and swallowing and thus plays a crucial role for survival. ANS impairment has been related to many neonatal pathologies, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Moreover, some conditions have been identified as risk factors for SIDS, such as prone sleep position. There is an urgent need for timely and non-invasive assessment of ANS function in at-risk infants. Systematic measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) offers an optimal approach to access indirectly both sympathetic and parasympathetic influences on ANS functioning. In this paper, data from premature infants collected in a sleep physiology laboratory in the NICU are presented: traditional and novel approaches to HRV analyses are applied and compared in order to evaluate their relative merits in the assessment of ANS activity and the influence of sleep position. Indices from time domain and nonlinear approaches contributed as markers of physiological development in premature infants. Moreover, significant differences were observed as a function of sleep position.
Cationic Gradient Reversal and Cytoskeleton-independent Volume Regulatory Pathways Define an Early Stage of Apoptosis*

Cell shrinkage, or apoptotic volume decrease (AVD), is a ubiquitous characteristic of programmed cell death that is independent of the death stimulus and occurs in all examples of apoptosis. Here we distinguished two specific stages of AVD based on cell size and a unique early reversal of intracellular ions that occurs in response to activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic cell death signal pathways. The primary stage of AVD is characterized by an early exchange of the normal intracellular ion distribution for sodium from 12 to 113.6 mm and potassium from 139.5 to 30 mm. This early ionic reversal is associated with a 20-40% decrease in cell volume, externalization of phosphatidylserine, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and caspase activation and activity along with nuclear condensation that occurs independent of actin cytoskeleton disruption. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton, however, prevents a secondary stage of AVD in apoptotic cells, characterized by a loss of both potassium and sodium that results in an 80-85% loss in cell volume, DNA degradation, and apoptotic body formation. Together these studies demonstrate that AVD occurs in two distinct stages with the earliest stage reflecting a cellular cationic gradient reversal.
Are digital natives a myth or reality?: Students’ use of technologies for learning

This paper outlines the findings of a study investigating the extent and nature of use of digital technologies by undergraduate students in Social Work and Engineering, in two British universities. The study involved a questionnaire survey of students (n=160) followed by in-depth interviews with students (n=8) and lecturers and support staff (n=8) in both institutions. Firstly, the findings suggest that students use a limited range of technologies for both learning and socialisation. For learning, mainly established ICTs are used- institutional VLE, Google and Wikipedia and mobile phones. Students make limited, recreational use of social technologies such as media sharing tools and social networking sites. Secondly, the findings point to a low level of use of and familiarity with collaborative knowledge creation tools, virtual worlds, personal web publishing, and other emergent social technologies. Thirdly, the study did not find evidence to support the claims regarding students adopting radically different patterns of knowledge creation and sharing suggested by some previous studies. The study shows that students’ attitudes to learning appear to be influenced by the approaches adopted by their lecturers. Far from demanding lecturers change their practice, students appear to conform to fairly traditional pedagogies, albeit with minor uses of technology tools that deliver content. Despite both groups clearly using a rather limited range of technologies for learning, the results point to some age differences, with younger, engineering students making somewhat more active, albeit limited, use of tools than the older ones. The outcomes suggest that although the calls for radical transformations in educational approaches may be legitimate it would be misleading to ground the arguments for such change solely in students’ shifting expectations and patterns of learning and technology use.
Applications of Business Analytics in Predicting Flight On-time Performance in a Complex and Dynamic System

Abstract:Flight on-time performance is one of the most important issues in the National Airspace System, a very complex and dynamic system. To avoid negative impacts to the aviation industry, the Federal Aviation Administration has set a long-term objective of understanding and mitigating flight delays. Building an effective and accurate prediction model of flight-delay incidents will help airport executives make the best decisions in delay scenarios. This article utilized two advanced prediction methods to predict the probability of a flight-delay incident—data mining using the decision tree and data mining using Bayesian inference. Prediction models were built using flight on-time performance data collected from different sources. The results indicated important airport-related factors and their effects on the flight on-time performance.
Prevention of colon cancer by pre- and probiotics: evidence from laboratory studies

Oligofructose and inulin, selective fermentable chicory fructans, have been shown to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria which are regarded as beneficial strains in the colon. Studies were designed to evaluate inulin (Raftiline) and oligofructose (Raftilose), for their potential inhibitory properties against aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation in the colon of rats. ACF are putative preneoplastic lesions from which adenomas and carcinomas may develop. The results of this study demonstrate that dietary administration of oligofructose and inulin inhibits the formation of preneoplastic lesions in the colon suggesting the potential colon tumour inhibitory properties of chicory fructans. Since these prebiotics selectively stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, tumour inhibitory activity of lyophilized cultures of Bifidobacterium longum (BL) against azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats and modulating effect of these cultures on colonic tumour cell proliferation, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, and ras-p21 oncoprotein expression were investigated. Dietary administration of lyophilized cultures of BL strongly suppressed AOM-induced colon tumour development. Inhibition of colon carcinogenesis was associated with a decrease in colonic mucosal cell proliferation and colonic mucosal and tumour ODC and ras-p21 activities.