Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cotton wool filtration of platelet concentrates obtained by automated and manual apheresis

The effect of cotton wool filtration of apheresis platelet concentrates (PCs) on platelet viability and complement activation was evaluated by two laboratories. PCs were prepared by automated (Lab A, n = 5) or manual (Lab B, n = 5) apheresis. After storage for 1 day, the PC was filtered through cotton wool before transfusion on one occasion and, on the other occasion, filtered through a standard screen filter before transfusion to the same donor. Five paired studies were performed by each laboratory. Except for a small, but significant reduction in mean platelet size, from 7.3 +/− 1.1 to 6.6 +/− 0.9 microns 3, after cotton wool filtration, no effect of filtration on various tests of in vitro platelet function and morphologic integrity was found. As demonstrated by autologous radiolabeled studies, no effect of cotton wool filtration on platelet viability was found by Laboratory B, while Laboratory A found a slight increase in the percentage of recovery from 59 +/− 4 to 68 +/− 13 percent, and a small reduction in survival, from 8.2 +/− 0.9 to 7.7 +/− 0.5 days after cotton wool filtration (p less than 0.05). Cotton wool filtration was associated with a slight increase in C3a levels found in manual apheresis PCs. Neither laboratory found any effect of cotton wool filtration per se on the recipients' white cell (WBC) counts or C3a and C5a levels after transfusion. However, it was observed that the transfusion of automated PCs (whether filtered through cotton wool or not filtered) caused a small, but significant (p<0.05; F<0.05) drop of 13 percent i recipient WBC count after transfusion, which is indicative of some in vivo effect from the automated apheresis procedure. These studies show that WBC reduction by the cotton wool filtration of apheresis PCs does not cause any significant damage to the platelets or activate the recipient complement reaction, as measured by recipient posttransfusion levels of WBCs, C3a, or C5a.
An algorithm which can obtain the global walking direction

This paper proposes an algorithm to obtain the global walking direction despite magnetic field interferences indoor. This algorithm can be applied to the phone's compass. If the user is walking in the opposite direction of the phone's compass (North). The user's global walking direction would be “South”. The phone's compass equipped a magnetometer collects data. This algorithm treats these data as signals and eliminates some high frequency components by passing them through a low pass filter. This algorithm opportunistically selects three consecutive vectors which are not parallel. Then it decomposes the three vectors into two directions. One is the earth's magnetic field vector. The other is the interference vector. It subtracts the earth's magnetic field vector from the compass reading vector and offers the interference vector. Then this algorithm calculates the coordinates of the pairwise intersections of the three interference vectors. Experiments show that the right geomagnetic north vector makes the locus of intersection points forms likes an oval or a closed loop. The accuracy of this algorithm is higher than the traditional compass. The global walking direction can be outputted by comparing the walking direction against this geomagnetic north vector.
Pluripotent stem cells and reprogramming in human and farm animals

The importance of pluripotent cells, which can differentiate in to different cell lineages and form an entire organism, is fundamental for understanding developmental biology including emerging diseases and offers potential for numerous applications in medicine and biotechnology. However, molecular mechanisms behind differentiation and de-differentiation (reprogramming) remain largely unknown. Until recently it was possible to obtain stem cells only from embryos in the early stages of development (embryonic stem cells – ESCs) or by using very inefficient and technically difficult method of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) that requires use of egg cells (oocytes). Both methods raised ethical concerns, especially when using human biological material. On the other hand, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated by direct reprogramming of differentiated adult somatic cells. iPSCs show similarities to ESCs and represent ethically acceptable and almost unlimited source of individuum-specific pluripotent cells. iPSCs are particularly important for development of regenerative medicine, disease modelling, drug development and testing, basic research, generation of transgenic animals, and for conservation of endangered species. However, before it is possible to exploit their potential in full, reprogramming processes should be investigated and understood in details and safe methods developed – that will enable production of genetically and epigenetically stable cells without tumorigenic potential. This article provides an overview of the field of iPSCs and addresses some of the latest achievements and applications of pluripotent cells in human and farm animals.
The nutritional value of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.:Fr.) kumm cultivated on different lignocellulosic agrowastes.

Pleurotus ostreatus was cultivated on different agro wastes viz soybean straw, paddy straw, wheat straw alone or in combination of 1:1 ratio. Maximum yield of P. ostreatus was recorded on soybean straw. Maximum protein, fat, ash, P, K and Na content was recorded when P. ostreatus was cultivated on soybean straw alone whereas maximum Ca and Fe content was recorded when P. ostreatus was cultivated on combination of soybean and paddy straw. Amino acid profile showed P. ostreatus proteins are rich in glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine content whereas vitamin C and folic acid were also recorded. Biochemical changes take place in the substrates because of the mushroom growth. A decrease in cellulose, hemicellulose, crude fibre, carbohydrate lignin and tannin content was observed, while an increase in protein, ash and mineral content in spent straw was recorded.
Asymmetry of basal ganglia glucose metabolism and dopa responsiveness in parkinsonism

We investigated, by positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (FDG) (FDG‐PET), brain glucose metabolism in 19 patients with parkinsonian features. We compared local pattern of FDG uptake and asymmetry indexes in patients with therapeutic response to levodopa (L‐dopa) (group 1, presumed Parkinson's disease, n = 9) and patients without L‐dopa therapeutic response (group 2, presumed striatonigral degeneration, n = 10). Limb dystonia was present in 11% of patients in group 1 and in 40% of patients in group 2. Asymmetry in basal ganglia metabolism was distributed differently in the two groups (analysis of variance, p < 0.04). In superior and inferior putamen, superior and middle caudate, ventral striatum, and inferior thalamus, relative reduction in metabolism on the side contralateral to predominant parkinsonian signs was associated with L‐dopa unresponsiveness. On the contrary, in middle caudate, ventral striatum, and inferior thalamus, a relative increase in metabolism on the side contralateral to the predominant side, parkinsonian signs were found in L‐dopa‐responsive patients. Our FDG‐PET study using simple statistical procedures demonstrates inverse asymmetry of basal ganglia glucose metabolism in parkinsonian patients grouped on the sole basis of L‐dopa responsiveness.
Science Credit for Agriculture: Perceived Support, Preferred Implementation Methods and Teacher Science Course Work.

Arkansas agriculture teachers (N=259) were surveyed to obtain information needed by a planning committee studying the issue of science credit for agriculture. Objectives were to determine: (a) the level of support for granting science credit for agriculture; (b) teachers' support for methods of granting science credit for agriculture for agriculture; (c) teachers' support for methods of certifying teachers to offe r science credit; (d) the extent to which science objectives were being taught in agriculture; and, (e) teachers' undergraduate preparation in science. A majority (88.8%) of respondents supported granting science credit for agriculture. The respondents also perceived that parents (87.4%), administrators (76%), guidance counselors (75%) and science teachers (64.5%) in their school districts would support granting science credit for agriculture. The largest percentage of teachers (65.6%) supported granting science credit for a limited number of existing agriculture courses, with changes made to enhance the science content of the courses. The two methods of certifying teachers to teach agriculture for science credit receiving the most support were: (a) granting a blanket endorsement to all certified agriculture teachers (71.5%) and (b) granting an endorsement to only certified agriculture teachers completing an in-service workshop (56.6%). The respondents reported teaching a majority (55.1%) of the state science objectives studied. As a group, the respondents reported earning the undergraduate credits and grades required for science certification. Hammonds (1950) provided a compelling teaching one or more agriculture courses tha t argument for teaching agriculture as a science . received science credit. According to Hammonds:
Third-Party Testing and the Quality of Software Components

One of the greatest fears of emerging professional disciplines is that governmental actions-court decisions and third-party standards-will preempt the profession's active participation in legislative and regulatory processes. Indeed, software engineering standards, such as the Underwriters Laboratories' Standard for Safety-Related Software (UL 1998, first and second editions), have preceded the development of practices, legislation, and regulation.
An overview and perspective on social network monitoring

ABSTRACT In this expository article we give an overview of some statistical methods for the monitoring of social networks. We discuss the advantages and limitations of various methods as well as some relevant issues. One of our primary contributions is to give the relationships between network monitoring methods and monitoring methods in engineering statistics and public health surveillance. We encourage researchers in the industrial process monitoring area to work on developing and comparing the performance of social network monitoring methods. We also discuss some of the issues in social network monitoring and give a number of research ideas.
Upper limb EMG artifact rejection in motor sensitive BCIs

Motor imagery-based brain computer interface (BCI) technologh has mototor rehabilitation as one of its main fields of application. The use of a BCI as a neuroprosthetic for paralyzed limb motor restoration implies normally absence of muscle activity. It is still an open question whether residual motor activity in healthy individuals or in patients causes a bias in the modulation of a motor imagery-based BCI control signal. Although the influence of electromyographical (EMG) activity in necka nd cranial muscles upon BCI has been studied, not much has been said concerning the revelance of EMG activity arising from arm muscles. We therefore used a hand motor imagery-based BCI system paradigm designed for motor rehabilitation coupling a BCI with an online driven robotic orthosis to compare different EMG activity detection methods regarding their influence in the resulting analysis of neurophysiological signals. Fourteen healthy subjects underwent four sessions in which they were asked to perform motor imagery task alone (receiving no feedback), motor imagery with (visual and proprioceptive)feedback, active movement, passive movement and rest. Six different EMG feature extraction methods were calculated and three different data time windows were used for muscle activity threshold definition. Three different electrode spatial distributions were utilized for removing the EMG artifacts: a) coming from all the electrodes on the arms, b) just the ones placed on the imagery side and c) just the ones on the healthy arm. We compared the different EMG rejection methods by calculating the number of trials deemed artifact-free by each method. In this paper we demonstrate that different EMG artifact removal methods lead to distinct partitions of the total available data, thus yielding different influence of the method used to remove EMG artifacts on task related artifacts regarding number of trials contaminated and the differences in trials rejected using the different methods.
Bioactivities from Marine Algae of the Genus Gracilaria

Seaweeds are an important source of bioactive metabolites for the pharmaceutical industry in drug development. Many of these compounds are used to treat diseases like cancer, acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), inflammation, pain, arthritis, as well as viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. This paper offers a survey of the literature for Gracilaria algae extracts with biological activity, and identifies avenues for future research. Nineteen species of this genus that were tested for antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antihypertensive, cytotoxic, spermicidal, embriotoxic, and anti-inflammatory activities are cited from the 121 references consulted.
Competitive repopulation of retrovirally transduced haemopoietic stem cells

Gene transfer into haemopoietic stem cells (HSC) may be useful in gene therapy for a variety of inherited and acquired human diseases. Cell division is required for retroviral transduction, and cytokine stimulation is often used to increase mitosis of quiescent HSC. Exposure to cytokines has been shown to have an unfavourable effect on the engraftment of these cells when competed with unmanipulated HSC. We now show that a similar engraftment defect is present when HSC are manipulated and transduced with the human multiple drug resistance (MDR) gene. The extent of the unfavourable competition depended on the relative numbers of cytokine‐treated and fresh cells when the two populations of cells were administered simultaneously into marrow‐ablated isogenic mice. When the manipulated transduced cells were given 2 or 4 d before the unmanipulated cells there was a much greater engraftment of the manipulated cells. The data suggested that the manipulated cells were at a relative disadvantage for marrow engraftment as compared to fresh cells, presumably due to the more efficient homing and engraftment properties of these latter unmanipulated cells. However, the manipulated cells had no intrinsic inability to engraft when they were the predominant donor cell population. In all cases the percent of MDR transduced cells in the engrafting manipulated cells remained relatively constant at about 25–30%. These results have implications for the use of manipulated transduced stem cells in gene therapy, suggesting that administering them before adding fresh cells can overcome their engraftment defect.
Low-leakage 9-CN-MOSFET SRAM cell with enhanced read and write voltage margins

A novel static random-access memory (SRAM) cell with nine carbon nanotube MOSFETs (9-CN-MOSFETs) is proposed in this paper. With the new 9-CN-MOSFET SRAM cell, the read data stability is enhanced by 99.09% while providing similar read speed as compared to the conventional six-transistor (6T) SRAM cell in a 16nm carbon nanotube transistor technology. The worst-case write voltage margin is increased by 4.57x with the proposed 9-CN-MOSFET SRAM cell as compared to the conventional 6T SRAM cell. Furthermore, a 1Kibit SRAM array with the new memory cells consumes 34.18% lower leakage power as compared to the memory array with 6T SRAM cells in idle mode.
Successful umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation in a patient with Rothmund–Thomson syndrome and combined immunodeficiency

The ATP‐dependent DNA helicase Q4 (RECQL4) belongs to a family of conserved RECQ helicases that are felt to be important in maintaining chromosomal integrity (Kitao et al.,1998, Genomics: 54 (3): 443–452; (6)). Deletions in the RECQL4 gene located on chromosome 8 region q24.3 have been associated with Rothmund–Thomson syndrome (RTS, OMIM 268400), a condition characterized by poikiloderma, sparse hair, small stature, skeletal abnormalities, cataracts and an increased risk of malignancy (1–2, 5). We present a patient with a molecularly confirmed diagnosis of RTS with two unique genetic alterations in RECQL4 (IVS16‐2A>T and IVS2+27_51del25), who at the age of 7 months nearly succumbed to Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Evaluation of his immune system demonstrated a T–B+NK– phenotype with agammaglobulinemia consistent with combined immunodeficiency (CID). Studies to evaluate for known genetic causes of CID were not revealing. The patient received an umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplant with complete immune reconstitution. This report represents the first description of a CID phenotype and UCB transplantation in a patient with RTS.
MR Morphometry of Posterior Tibialis Muscle in Adult Acquired Flat Foot

We conducted magnetic resonance imaging of the posterior tibial (PT) and flexor digitorum longus (FDL) muscle bellies in 12 patients undergoing surgical treatment for unilateral posterior tibial tendon (PTT) dysfunction. All patients had atrophy of the PT muscle compared to the normal leg (mean 10.7%, p=0.008). In those patients with a complete rupture of PTT there was replacement of the PT muscle by fatty infiltration. Conversely, the FDL muscle showed a compensatory hypertrophy (mean 17.2%, p<0.002). We support the use of FDL as an appropriate tendon for augmentation of PTT in stage II disease. This study also demonstrates that in the presence of a complete rupture, excision of the PTT is a reasonable surgical procedure and pure tenodesis will be more likely to fail because the PT muscle belly undergoes fatty infiltration. In patients with a diseased but intact PTT there was no fatty infiltration and the muscle volume was at least 83% of the normal side in all cases. We therefore suggest that in the presence of an intact PTT the PT muscle belly may provide some useful function if used to augment the FDL transfer when the diseased tendon is excised.
Pathophysiology and management of chronic immune thrombocytopenia: focusing on what matters

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by low platelet counts and an increased risk of bleeding. Antibody‐mediated platelet destruction has been the prevailing hypothesis to explain ITP pathogenesis, supported by the efficacy of B‐cell depletion therapy; however, the recent success of thrombopoietin receptor agonists lends support to the notion that platelet production is also insufficient. Best practice for the management of chronic ITP has not yet been established because data from comparative trials are lacking. Despite renewed interest in novel drugs capable of increasing platelet counts, ultimate treatment goals for ITP patients must be kept in mind: to improve patients’ health and well‐being. In this article, the pathophysiology of ITP is reviewed and key remaining questions about mechanism are explored. A rational approach to the management of ITP in adults is outlined, acknowledging evidence and evidence gaps, and highlighting the need for clinically important endpoints in future clinical trials.
EFFECT OF INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE AFTER PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY FOR PRIMARY RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT

Purpose: To investigate the difference in the occurrence of postoperative epiretinal membranes (ERMs) in vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with and without peeling of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Methods: The medical records of the 135 patients, who underwent vitrectomy for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment from November 2007 to August 2011, were analyzed retrospectively. Of the subjects, 70 patients underwent ILM peeling during the surgery and 65 did not. The best-corrected visual acuity, fundus photograph, and optical coherence tomography were collected 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The relationship between ILM peeling and the preoperative findings of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and development of a postoperative ERM was analyzed. Results: No ERM occurred in the ILM peeling group, whereas an ERM occurred in 14 of 65 patients who underwent vitrectomy without ILM peeling (21.5%). This difference was significant (P < 0.001). The occurrence of a postoperative ERM was not significantly correlated with other preoperative factors. In the macular-on group, the overall mean best-corrected visual acuity was better in the ILM peeling group and was significantly higher 12 months postoperatively (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Internal limiting membrane peeling seems to prevent the occurrence of a postoperative ERM in patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.
Pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

Teicoplanin is a recently introduced long-acting glycopeptide antibiotic effective against Gram-positive aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The effects of hypothermic extracorporeal circulation on teicoplanin serum pharmacokinetics have been studied in 18 patients undergoing open-heart surgery for coronary artery bypass graft or prosthetic cardiac valve insertion. The patients received a single 600 mg dose of teicoplanin by intravenous (i.v.) bolus (five cases) or by i.v. infusion over 20 min (13 cases) approximately 1 h before the anticipated skin incision and 2 h before the anticipated extracorporeal circulation. Serum drug concentrations were measured by a microbiological method using Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 as the test organism. Following i.v. bolus injection and i.v. infusion, teicoplanin levels in serum (mean +/- s.d.) were respectively 13.9 +/- 6.8 and 11.4 +/- 2.4 mg/l at the beginning of extracorporeal circulation, 8.8 +/- 3.5 and 10.2 +/- 2.3 mg/l at the end of this procedure and 2.8 +/- 0.6 and 2.9 +/- 1.0 mg/l at 24 h after surgery. Mean AUCs were 378.1 +/- 52.5 and 328.9 +/- 88.0/l.h and mean elimination half-life values were 27.9 +/- 12.7 and 30.3 +/- 11.0 h, respectively under the same conditions. These differences in plasma pharmacokinetic parameters were not significant. Teicoplanin pharmacokinetics in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery were similar to those observed in non-surgical patients with normal renal and hepatic function, confirming experimental evidence for lack of effects of extracorporeal circulation.
The Dynamics of Referential Speaker Gaze: Order is Important, Synchronization, Not So Much

The use of artificial agents as speakers circumvents variation in speaker gaze, enabling greater uniformity and control of the gaze-speech synchronization, while the fallibility of such agents also makes the investigation of non-natural gaze behavior more plausible. Previous research has shown that artificial agents are valuable tools for investigating social behaviors [7] which cause reactions that are similar to those observed in human-human interaction [6]. In our experimental setting, an artificial agent uttered statements about objects in the visual context, while listeners were told to determine the validity of the agents statement as quickly as possible. Listener eye-movements and task performance were both analysed. In a series of studies, this setting was used to investigate: (a) the dynamics of concurrently processing speaker gaze (both gaze movement and fixation) and utterance (Experiment 1 [party published in 8]); (b) to determine the importance of temporal synchronization and linear order alignment between gaze cues and the corresponding referring expressions (Experiment 2 [9]); and (c) to determine the role of linear order in greater depth using a different agent (Experiment 3). Taken together, our findings point to the clear benefit of speaker gaze for listeners, but suggest that while the linear order of gaze and object mention must be maintained, close temporal synchronization of gaze and speech is less critical.