Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Standardized versus Individualized Parenteral Nutrition in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Comparative Study

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) improves the growth and outcome of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Optimal PN composition, standard (STD-PN) or individualized (IND-PN), is still controversial. Aim: To compare IND-PN and STD-PN as to nutritional and growth parameters, complications and cost. Patients and Methods: 140 VLBW infants were studied. Each of the 70 neonates from the IND-PN group was matched with a neonate of similar gestational age (GA; ±4 days) on STD-PN. Data collection included demographic, maternal, intrapartum, neonatal, interventional, growth and nutritional data. Results: Compared to STD-PN infants, IND-PN infants had a significantly lower mean birth weight, greater need for resuscitation at birth and interventions thereafter. Nevertheless, IND-PN infants showed significantly greater weight gain SDS during the 1st week (p = 0.036) and the 1st month of life (p = 0.0004), and higher discharge weight SDS (p = 0.012) and head circumference SDS (p = 0.006). IND-PN infants received higher mean daily caloric intakes. They also had significantly shorter durations of exclusive PN and needed less electrolyte corrections. Conclusions: Compared to STD-PN infants, IND-PN infants achieved significantly better growth without added clinical or laboratory complications, had a shorter period of exclusive PN and less electrolyte corrections. IND-PN, in accordance with the current more aggressive nutritional approach, appears optimal for PN of VLBW infants. Yet, STD-PN with adequate composition is an appropriate alternative.
Development of a conductive photoresist with a mixture of SU-8 and HCl doped polyaniline

A novel electrically conductive photoresist has been formulated to fabricate microcomponents. The developed conductive photoresist is based upon SU-8 photopolymer, an insulating negative-tone epoxy, in which protonically doped polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticles have been dispersed to enhance the electrical properties. The characteristics of this new conductive photoresist have been studied via electrical measurements. The process for preparing the conductive films from the combination of EB (Emeraldine base) PANI, SU-8 and NMP (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone) will be presented. Different weight percentages (wt%) of SU-8 in the above combination have been prepared and spin coated to form thin-films which have been protonated with HCl. The conductivities of the thin- films were measured using a four point probe. The highest conductivity achieved was approximately 1.6 S/cm for the mixture of 10 wt% of SU-8 25 with EB-PANI mixed with NMP. The morphology of the thin-films was studied using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Experimental demonstration of 1.45-Tb/s single channel coherent optical DFT-Spread OFDM transmissions

Coherent optical DFT-Spread OFDM is a promising technology, which not only includes the advantage of coherent optical OFDM, but also presents low PAPR value. We experimentally demonstrate 1.45-Tb/s single channel coherent optical DFT-Spread OFDM over 480-km SSMF transmission.
Emotional responses of mothers of late-preterm and term infants.

OBJECTIVE To compare the emotional responses of mothers of late-preterm infants (34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks gestation) with those of mothers of full-term infants. DESIGN A mixed method comparative study. SETTING A southeastern tertiary academic medical center postpartum unit. PARTICIPANTS Sixty mothers: 29 mothers of late-preterm infants and 31 mothers of full-term infants. METHODS Measures of maternal emotional distress (four standardized measures of anxiety, postpartum depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and worry about infant health) and open-ended semistructured maternal interviews were conducted in the hospital following birth and by phone at one month postpartum. RESULTS Mothers of late-preterm infants experienced significantly greater emotional distress immediately following delivery, and their distress levels continued to be higher at one month postpartum on each of the standardized measures. Mothers of late-preterm infants also discussed the altered trajectories in their birth and postpartum experiences and feeling unprepared for these unexpected events as a source of ongoing emotional distress. CONCLUSION Mothers of late-preterm infants have greater emotional distress than mothers of term infants for at least one month after delivery. Our findings suggest that it may not be a single event that leads to different distress levels in mothers of late-preterm and full-term infants but rather the interaction of multiple alterations in the labor and delivery process and the poorer-than-expected infant health outcomes. In the future, researchers need to examine how and when mothers' emotional responses change over time and how their responses relate to parenting and infant health and development.
Development of plasma device integrated electrospinning system for biofabrication

Electrospinning is a bio-fabrication method, which helps to produce highly interconnected nano-porous structure with a high surface to volume ratio by using polymer solutions. In tissue engineering applications, scaffolds composed of electrospun nanofibers are produced from synthetic polymers to resemble specific tissue. Most of synthetic polymers has high hydrophobicity since the nonpolar groups located along their backbone. Thus, it effects cell-scaffold surface interactions and cellular responses Different surface modification techniques are used for nanofiber functionalization. Plasma discharge is used an effective method for the modification of the polymer surface. In this study, plasma integrated systems were set up. Conventional electrospinning system was used as control. The parameters, such as needle-to-syringe distance, plasma application spot, type of plasma electrode, were changed and the effect of different types of setup on nanofiber alignment and diameter and wettability were analyzed.
Effect of the addition of ground rosemary on the quality and shelf-life of turkey meatballs during refrigerated storage

1. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the addition of ground rosemary on the quality and shelf-life of turkey meatballs. Heat-treated vacuum-packed turkey meatballs were stored at 3 ± 1°C. 2. The rate of oxidative and hydrolytic changes during refrigerated storage was slower in meatballs containing 1% of rosemary. The samples with rosemary were characterised by significantly lower values of pH and water activity than control samples. The addition of rosemary inhibited the growth of psychrotrophic, coliform and Clostridium sp. bacteria. 3. The sensory quality of meatballs decreased over storage, first in control samples and later also in those containing rosemary. Warmed-over flavour was detected after 12 d of storage in meatballs spiced with rosemary and after 3 d in control samples. A sour flavour was not perceptible in meatballs containing rosemary. The obtained results confirm the beneficial effect of rosemary added to poultry meat products.
Doubly Fed Induction Machine Drive Hardware Laboratory for Distance Learning Education

This paper presents the technology and user interface developed to create a doubly fed induction machine (DFIM) remotely controlled hardware laboratory for DL education. The new laboratory is designed to reinforce the theory learned in class and to verify that modeling and simulations of the laboratory machine are accurate. The power conversion system is controlled by two field-programmable gate array-based controllers which communicate with a web server PC through a USB interface so that the laboratory can be executed on campus as well as remotely. The remote students only need access to a PC with Internet connection and a standard browser, without the need to install any software or modify its security settings. The pedagogical value of this laboratory is reinforced by positive student's feedback.
Mitochondrial DNA evidence for admixed origins of central Siberian populations.

The Yakuts of northeastern Siberia are a Turkic-speaking population of horse- and cattle-breeders surrounded by Tungusic-speaking reindeer-herders and hunter-gatherers. Archaeological and ethnohistorical data suggest that Yakuts stem from a common ancestral population with the Buryats living near Lake Baikal. To address this hypothesis, we obtained sequences of the first hypervariable segment (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA control region from Yakuts and Buryats and compared these with sequences from other Eurasian populations. The mtDNA results show that the Buryats have close affinities with both Central Asian Turkic groups and Mongols, while the Yakuts have close affinities with northeastern Siberian, Tungusic-speaking Evenks and south Siberian, Turkic-speaking Tuvans. This different ancestry of the Yakuts and the Tuvans (compared with other Turkic-speaking groups) most likely reflects extensive admixture that occurred between Turkic-speaking steppe groups and Evenks as the former migrated into Siberia. Moreover, the Yakuts are unique among Siberian populations in having a high number of haplotypes shared exclusively with Europeans, suggesting, contrary to the historical record, that occasionally Yakut men took Russian women as wives.
"Building Workload Characterization Tools with Valgrind"

Summary form only given. Workload characterization relies heavily on robust and powerful tools to quickly and accurately gather and analyse large amounts of data about program executions. Valgrind is a dynamic binary instrumentation framework for building program analysis tools. Valgrind is best known for a tool, Memcheck, that finds memory errors common in C and C++ programs, but its ability to instrument every instruction and system call a program executes, and inspect every value a program manipulates, without slowing down program execution excessively, makes it an excellent platform for buildings tools suitable for workload characterization. In this tutorial, we introduce Valgrind, describing how you can use it to create powerful tools for doing profiling and trace collection, and to help characterize how workloads affect different machine aspects such as instruction set architecture, the memory hierarchy, and I/O. Valgrind provides powerful analysis tools without excessive slow-down, which allows very large workloads to be analysed easily. Valgrind is open-source (GPL) software, available on x86/Linux, AMD64/Linux, PPC32/Linux, PPC64/Linux, and work is underway to support other platforms. Valgrind tools are regularly used by the developers of many software packages, such as Firefox, OpenOffice, KDE, GNOME, MySQL, Perl, Python, PHP, Samba, RenderMan, SAS, The GIMP, Unreal Tournament, Squid, plus many scientific applications
Typical Household Vacuum Cleaners: The Collection Efficiency and Emissions Characteristics for Fine Particles.

The issue of fine particle (PM25) exposures and their potential health effects is a focus of scientific research because of the recently promulgated National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2 5. Before final implementation, the health and exposure basis for the standard will be reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency within the next five years. As part of this process, it is necessary to understand total particle exposure issues and to determine the relative importance of the origin of PM2 5 exposure in various micro-environments. The results presented in this study examine emissions of fine particles from a previously uncharacterized indoor source: the residential vacuum cleaner. Eleven standard vacuum cleaners were tested for the emission rate of fine particles by their individual motors and for their efficiency in collecting laboratory-generated fine particles. An aerosol generator was used to introduce fine potassium chloride (KC1) particles into the vacuum cleaner inlet for the collection efficiency tests. Measurements of the motor emissions, which include carbon, and the KCl aerosol were made using a continuous HIAC/Royco 5130A light-scattering particle detector. All tests were conducted in a metal chamber specifically designed to completely contain the vacuum cleaner and operate it in a stationary position. For the tested vacuum cleaners, fine particle motor emissions ranged from 9.6 x 104 to 3.34 x 108 particles/min, which were estimated to be 0.028 to 176 mg/min for mass emissions, respectively. The vast majority of particles released were in the range of 0.3-0.5 mm in diameter. The lowest particle emission rate was obtained for a vacuum cleaner that had a high efficiency (HEPA) filter placed after the vacuum cleaner bag and the motor within a sealed exhaust system. This vacuum cleaner removed the KC1particles that escaped the vacuum cleaner bag and the particles emitted by the motor. Results obtained for the KC1 collection efficiency tests show >99% of the fine particles were captured by the two vacuum cleaners that used a HEPA filter. A series of tests conducted on two vacuum cleaners found that the motors also emitted ultra-fine particles above 0.01 mm in diameter at rates of greater than 108 ultra-fine particles/CF of air. The model that had the best collection efficiency for fine particles also reduced the ultra-fine particle emissions by a factor of 1 x 103.
Wright Meets Markowitz: How Standard Portfolio Theory Changes When Assets Are Technologies Following Experience Curves

We consider how to optimally allocate investments in a portfolio of competing technologies using the standard mean-variance framework of portfolio theory. We assume that technologies follow the empirically observed relationship known as Wright's law, also called a "learning curve" or "experience curve", which postulates that costs drop as cumulative production increases. This introduces a positive feedback between cost and investment that complicates the portfolio problem, leading to multiple local optima, and causing a trade-off between concentrating investments in one project to spur rapid progress vs. diversifying over many projects to hedge against failure. We study the two-technology case and characterize the optimal diversification in terms of progress rates, variability, initial costs, initial experience, risk aversion, discount rate and total demand. The efficient frontier framework is used to visualize technology portfolios and show how feedback results in nonlinear distortions of the feasible set. For the two-period case, in which learning and uncertainty interact with discounting, we compare different scenarios and find that the discount rate plays a critical role.
Mechanisms of Azole Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Candida glabrata Collected during a Hospital Survey of Antifungal Resistance

ABSTRACT The increasing use of azole antifungals for the treatment of mucosal and systemic Candida glabrata infections has resulted in the selection and/or emergence of resistant strains. The main mechanisms of azole resistance include alterations in the C. glabrata ERG11 gene (CgERG11), which encodes the azole target enzyme, and upregulation of the CgCDR1 and CgCDR2 genes, which encode efflux pumps. In the present study, we evaluated these molecular mechanisms in 29 unmatched clinical isolates of C. glabrata, of which 20 isolates were resistant and 9 were susceptible dose dependent (S-DD) to fluconazole. These isolates were recovered from separate patients during a 3-year hospital survey for antifungal resistance. Four of the 20 fluconazole-resistant isolates were analyzed together with matched susceptible isolates previously taken from the same patients. Twenty other azole-susceptible clinical C. glabrata isolates were included as controls. MIC data for all the fluconazole-resistant isolates revealed extensive cross-resistance to the other azoles tested, i.e., itraconazole, ketoconazole, and voriconazole. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed that CgCDR1 and CgCDR2, alone or in combination, were upregulated at high levels in all but two fluconazole-resistant isolates and, to a lesser extent, in the fluconazole-S-DD isolates. In addition, slight increases in the relative level of expression of CgSNQ2 (which encodes an ATP-binding cassette [ABC] transporter and which has not yet been shown to be associated with azole resistance) were seen in some of the 29 isolates studied. Interestingly, the two fluconazole-resistant isolates expressing normal levels of CgCDR1 and CgCDR2 exhibited increased levels of expression of CgSNQ2. Conversely, sequencing of CgERG11 and analysis of its expression showed no mutation or upregulation in any C. glabrata isolate, suggesting that CgERG11 is not involved in azole resistance. When the isolates were grown in the presence of fluconazole, the profiles of expression of all genes, including CgERG11, were not changed or were only minimally changed in the resistant isolates, whereas marked increases in the levels of gene expression, particularly for CgCDR1 and CgCDR2, were observed in either the fluconazole-susceptible or the fluconazole-S-DD isolates. Finally, known ABC transporter inhibitors, such as FK506, were able to reverse the azole resistance of all the isolates. Together, these results provide evidence that the upregulation of the CgCDR1-, CgCDR2-, and CgSNQ2-encoded efflux pumps might explain the azole resistance in our set of isolates.
Acute Effects of Moderate Exercise on Plasma Lipoprotein Parameters

The acute, transient effects of moderate exercise on plasma lipoprotein parameters were assessed in 12 healthy, normolipidemic male volunteers subjected to a 5.5-km run at a comfortable pace. The course was completed in 31.5 min (range 23-43 min) and elicited a significant increase in pulse rate and plasma lactate levels and a fall in diastolic blood pressure. Of the plasma lipid parameters, total phospholipid, apo B-associated phospholipid, plasma triglyceride, and free fatty acid levels increased substantially immediately after the run and, except for triglyceride, were still raised 2 h later. Lesser but also significant increases were also noted in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), HDL3-C, and HDL-phospholipid concentrations after the run. The increase in HDL-phospholipid persisted for 2 h but the others returned to basal levels. Apolipoprotein Al, lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase activity, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and the free cholesterol:cholesterol ester ratio remained essentially unaltered by exercise. The results were compatible with an increased secretion of triglyceride and phospholipid-rich VLDL, followed by the rapid clearance of the triglyceride moiety from the plasma and some redistribution of surface components to the HDL fraction.
Accelerated epidermal regeneration and improved dermal reconstruction achieved by polyethersulfone nanofibers.

INTRODUCTION In this study, thick polyethersulfone (PES) nanofibrous scaffolds were prepared by fine tuning of electrospinning parameters and was evaluated for wound dressing applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS Scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller methods were used for PES nanofibers characterization. The interaction between fibroblasts and nanofibers was studied in vitro. Further, a mouse model was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the PES scaffold in wound healing. Vaseline gauze dressing and a conventional gas permeable bandage were used as a control. The wound repair process was evaluated by histological examination and immunohistochemistry staining using antibodies to cytokeratin 10 (CK10), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The characterization of nanofibers showed that the PES membrane has nanoscale, porous, high surface area structure. These properties conferred higher exudate absorption capacity for the PES scaffold which is essential for effective wound healing. In vitro results indicated that the PES scaffold can support fibroblast proliferation similar to that with tissue culture polystyrene. Epithelial regeneration was expeditiously accelerated under PES as compared with Vaseline gauze. Greater fibroblast maturation, improved collagen deposition and faster edema resolution were the superior properties of PES over the commercial dressing. Based on these results we conclude that the biocompatible PES nanofibers can effectively be used as a dressing to accelerate wound healing.
Walking with insects: molecular mechanisms behind parasitic manipulation of host behaviour

Parasitic infections are often followed by changes in host behaviour. Numerous and exquisite examples of such behavioural alterations are known, covering a broad spectrum of parasites and hosts. Most descriptions of such parasite‐induced changes in host behaviour are observational reports, while experimentally confirmed examples of parasite genes inducing these changes are limited. In this study, we review changes in invertebrate host behaviour observed upon infection by parasites and discuss such changes in an evolutionary context. We then explore possible mechanisms involved in parasite‐induced changes in host behaviour. Genes and pathways known to play a role in invertebrate behaviour are reviewed, and we hypothesize how parasites (may) affect these pathways. This review provides the state of the art in this exciting, interdisciplinary field by exploring possible pathways triggered in hosts, suggesting methodologies to unravel the molecular mechanisms that lead to changes in host behaviour.
Prospectively isolated CD133/CD24‐positive ependymal cells from the adult spinal cord and lateral ventricle wall differ in their long‐term in vitro self‐renewal and in vivo gene expression

In contrast to ependymal cells located above the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult lateral ventricle wall (LVW), adult spinal cord (SC) ependymal cells possess certain neural stem cell characteristics. The molecular basis of this difference is unknown. In this study, antibodies against multiple cell surface markers were applied to isolate pure populations of SC and LVW ependymal cells, which allowed a direct comparison of their in vitro behavior and in vivo gene expression profile. Isolated CD133+/CD24+/CD45−/CD34− ependymal cells from the SC displayed in vitro self‐renewal and differentiation capacity, whereas those from the LVW did not. SC ependymal cells showed a higher expression of several genes involved in cell division, cell cycle regulation, and chromosome stability, which is consistent with a long‐term self‐renewal capacity, and shared certain transcripts with neural stem cells of the embryonic forebrain. They also expressed several retinoic acid (RA)‐regulated genes and responded to RA exposure. LVW ependymal cells showed higher transcript levels of many genes regulated by transforming growth factor‐β family members. Among them were Dlx2, Id2, Hey1, which together with Foxg1 could explain their potential to turn into neuroblasts under certain environmental conditions. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[The influence of fibronectin on the formation of multi-cellular spheroid of ovarian cancer].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of Fibronectin in the formation of multi-cellular spheroid of ovarian cancer and the integrin receptor involved in the process. METHODS In vitro model of multi-cellular spheroid of SKOV3 was constructed by liguid overlay technique. The influence of fibronectin on the formation of the spheroid was observed. The gene expressions of potential integrin receptors were examined from the levels of mRNA and protein using real time reverse transcription PCR and Western-blot. RESULTS Fibronctin stimulated the formation of multi-cellular spheroid of ovarian cancer larger than 250 microm. fibronectin suppressed the expression of subtype of integrin receptor ITGA5. CONCLUSION Fibronectin can enhance the formation of multi-cellular spheroid of ovarian cancer. The subtype of integrin receptor ITGA5 is probably involved in the process.