Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnesium intervention and blood pressure—A study on risk groups

Hypothesis: Although mineral deficiency in particular magnesium is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease intervention experiments with magnesium show only modest results. Previously published data suggest that there may be particular risk groups in the population. The study was undertaken to investigate if such risk groups could be identified. Experimental design: Subjects (n = 31) were 50 - 79 years old with no disease. The 24 hour urinary excretion of urea (proxy for acidity), magnesium, calcium, and potassium was measured at two week intervals, with and without intervention with mineral water. Intervention with mineral water comprised 75 mL daily, supplying 3.1 mmol Mg, 2.3 Ca, and 0.02 K. Major results: There was a significant relation between acidity and excretion of magnesium, calcium, and potassium, both at one occasion and regarding changes over time. Among subjects with a high secretion of urea there was an inverse relation between the excretion of magnesium and systolic blood pressure. After intervention with mineral water, there was a strong tendency to a decrease in the systolic blood pressure among those with an initial high excretion of urea and a low excretion of magnesium. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the importance of acid-base conditions for mineral homeostasis and suggest the presence of risk groups in the population, related either to a low intake or to a disorder in the reabsorbtion mechanisms. Mineral water decreased the systolic blood pressure in that particular risk group.
Prevalence, diagnosis, management and control of important diseases of ruminants with special reference to Indian scenario.

India possess huge livestock population, which is endangered by different endemic infectious diseases (bacterial, viral, protozoan and parasitic), which collectively causes significant economic losses to the landless poor farming community. Infectious diseases impose economic losses by causing morbidity, mortality, decreased production (milk, meat, wool etc.), decreased feed conversion ratio which results in reduced weight gain, decreased draught power and fertility. Furthermore, economic burden is also due to the cost of treatment, abortion, consequences on internal livestock movement, germplasm and international trade. In addition, some of the diseases are zoonotic and inflicts considerable impact on public health. Uncertain agrarian climate, unpredictable weather, drought, floods, migration of livestock, scarcity of fodders, and unhygienic zoo-sanitary and healthcare practices together resulted in endemicity of diseases ultimately leads to more incidence and prevalence of livestock and poultry diseases throughout the year. Synchronized monitoring and surveillance of disease throughout the country is a fundamental requirement for sustainable livestock production. With fairly developed telecommunication in India, following technologies like interactive voice response system, SMS through mobile/cell phones and toll-free landline phones (voice mail) are required for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of
High Genetic Diversity among Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Isolates from Single Hospital: Nosocomial Outbreaks or Genotypic Profile Changes during Subcultures

Background Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a non-fermentative gram-negative bacillus which is widely recognised as an important nosocomial pathogen causing pneumonia, blood-stream, wound and urinary tract infections, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate a nosocomial outbreak of by S. maltophilia in an intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital and evaluate unexpected multiclonality. Methods A total of 11 isolates from respiratory cultures in intensive care unit of a 24 bed tertiary hospital obtained over a one months period and one isolate obtained from the nebuliser during environmental screening were investigated. The bacteria were identified by Phoenix 100 system. The clonal relatedness was evaluated by PFGE and semi-automated repetitive sequence-based PCR. Genotyping tests were repeated for 10 serial subcultures. Results PFGE and DiversiLab yielded 10 genotypic profiles for 12 isolates. Four to eight different genotypes were observed from 10 subcultures of the same isolate. Conclusion We conclude that, high genetic diversity and supposed multiclonal appearance of the outbreak isolates may be due to changing profiles during subcultures most probably depending on hypermutation.
How Much do Agreements Matter for Services Trade?

With an increasing number of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) covering trade in services, we explore the impact of PTAs on services trade. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper in this literature that endogenizes the impact of preferentialism in estimating the trade effect. We also add to this literature by distilling the trade effect of PTAs into that emanating from services and “goods only” agreements and further confirm complementarities between the two. Moreover, we study these relationships disaggregated by the economic status of the partner countries and by the reciprocity of commitments. Our results suggest trade effects of 11.6 – 12.7% from having a services accord alone. They also reveal that the underlying services trade between countries has been driven as much by IRS as by factor differences and that asymmetric trade alliance between North-South partners has been successful in fostering inter-industry trade.
Improving Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Leadership

Purpose: The purpose of this articles discussion is to describe the application of ethical decision-making and the three primary relationships within health care leadership. Healthcare change occurs rapidly and increases tension and mistrust between payers, providers, and patients. Application of ethical standards to decision-making and change decreases healthcare cost and improves trust in change processes. Approach: Health care challenges occur among three primary relationships. These relationships include the patient and provider, patient and payer, and provider and payer. A plethora of leadership models exist with regard to leading change; however, these models do not consider that leaders are not always concerned with the ethical decision-making process. Evaluation of the ethical principles, healthcare relationships, and recent healthcare changes found in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act guide the articles discussion. Findings: Application of ethical principles to transformational leadership improves healthcare relationships and alleviates stress and tension produced by change. Healthcare leaders have an expectation to provide ethical considerations during change management and the decision-making process which influences the various relationships found in healthcare. Value: Healthcare leaders are in the unique position to improve healthcare using ethical principles. Because health care reform requires ethical decision-making from leaders, the application of ethical principles to the various relationships health care leaders’ influence creates fundamental and successful change in health care.
Cloud Simulations in Response to Turbulence Parameterizations in the GISS Model E GCM

The response of cloud simulations to turbulence parameterizations is studied systematically using the GISS general circulation model (GCM) E2 employed in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). Without the turbulence parameterization, the relative humidity (RH) and the low cloud cover peak unrealistically close to the surface; with the dry convection or with only the local turbulence parameterization, these two quantities improve their vertical structures, but the vertical transport of water vapor is still weak in the planetary boundary layers (PBLs); with both local and nonlocal turbulence parameterizations, the RH and low cloud cover have better vertical structures in all latitudes due to more significant vertical transport of water vapor in the PBL. The study also compares the cloud and radiation climatologies obtained from an experiment using a newer version of turbulence parameterization being developed at GISS with those obtained from the AR5 version. This newer scheme differs from the AR5 version in computing nonlocal transports, turbulent length scale, and PBL height and shows significant improvements in cloud and radiation simulations, especially over the subtropical eastern oceans and the southern oceans. The diagnosed PBL heights appear to correlate well with the low cloud distribution over oceans. This suggests that a cloudproducing scheme needs to be constructed in a framework that also takes the turbulence into consideration.
Cyclostationary Analysis for Heart Rate Variability

Received: May 30, 2018 Revised: June 24, 2018 Accepted: June 26, 2018 Abstract: Background: During the last years, cyclostationarity has emerged as a new approach for the analysis of a certain type of non-stationary signals. This theoretical tool allows us to identify periodicity in signals which cannot be identified easily but also to separate useful signals for other interfering contributions that overlap in the spectral support.
Different PVA-Hydroxypropyl Guar Gum Irradiated Nanosilica Composite Membranes for Model Drug Delivery Device

High strength and elastic biodegradable membranes are of great demand in modern technology. Similar membranes have been developed by irradiating different weight poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) – hydroxypropyl guar gum (HPG) blends and followed by combining with ex situ nanosilica. Polarized light microscopic (PLM) study indicates that electron beam irradiation produced crosslinks and developed crystallinity in PVA-HPG matrix. Atomic force microscopic analysis shows that 1 wt. % nanosilica produced finer dispersion in both high and low molecular weight PVA-HPG matrix resulting nearly 4.5 times higher mechanical strength and controlled swelling-deswelling property e.g., low molecular weight PVA with 1wt% nanosilica content show swelling ratio 3.5. Greater nanosilica and PVA-HPG interaction was observed in low molecular PVA-HPG composite membranes than high molecular weight PVA-HPG composite membranes which finally showed better efficacy towards drug retention and elution under physiological condition.
The Discontinuous Galerkin Method Applied to BOR Maxwell ’ s Equations

The electromagnetic characterization of rotationally symmetric systems (bodies of revolution, BOR) plays an important role for a large number of technical applications. In numerical calculations, this symmetry can often be exploited to lower the effective dimensionality of the system which reduces the computational effort significantly. Here, we present an implementation of the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain (DGTD) method for the efficient solution of Maxwell’s equations in BOR structures. In particular, we derive an appropriate upwind flux and demonstrate how to calculate the local differentiation matrices efficiently from a set of pre-calculated global template matrices. In addition, we also discuss the implementation of suitable perfectly matched layers (PMLs) which allow to accurately simulate open systems. In a set of numerical experiments we find that our method is stable and shows optimal convergence properties.
Retrieve Instruction from Manual for Strategy Games

In this project, we study the task of helping an automated player win a computer game by reading a strategic user’s guide designed for human players. In complex computer games such as Star Craft, War Craft, and Civilization, finding a winning strategy is challenging even for humans. Therefore, human players typically rely on manuals and guides. Recently, researchers have tried to using such textual information to train an automated player(Branavan, Silver, and Barzilay 2011). Our goal, is to better understand the retrieval model used in their paper in terms of algorithms and metrics from the field of information retrieval. Our results provide some evidence that inverse document frequency out performs recurrent neural networks at assisting human players, and could be used as a baseline for evaluating retrieval models used in playing games like this.
MicroRNA-652 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer A 549 cells

Increasing evidence suggests the down-regulation of microRNA-652 (miR-652) in various diseases, addressing its involvement in tumorigenesis, but its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is largely unexplored. This study therefore aims to uncover the function of miR-652 in regulating lung cancer cells. Human NSCLC A549 cells were transfected with the mimic or inhibitor of miR-652 to change miR-652 levels. MTT, 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU), flow cytometry assays were performed to assess viability, proliferation and apoptosis of the transfected cells. Expression of p27, p21 and apoptotic factors including B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BCL2 associated X protein (BAX) and caspase 3 were examined by Western blot. Result showed that, miR-652 mimic inhibited, while miR-652 inhibitor increased A549 cell viability on the second and third days post transfection (P < 0.05). BrdU staining suggested that cell proliferative ability was suppressed by miR-652 mimic (P < 0.001) and induced by the inhibitor (P < 0.05). Expression of p21 appeared to be unaffected, whereas p27 was increased by miR-652, which was consistent with cell proliferative changes. Percent of apoptotic cells was increased by miR-652 mimic and reduced by the inhibitor (P < 0.01). Western blot further showed that miR-652 mimic decreased BCL2/BAX but elevated the proportion of cleaved caspase 3, and miR-652 inhibitor induced the opposite changes (P < 0.001). In conclusion, these results addressed the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic functions of miR-652 in A549 cells, providing a promising strategy for the molecular therapy of NSCLC.
Genetic considerations for interpreting molecular microbial forensic evidence

Genetic analyses of microbial evidence will be employed to assist in attribution of perpetrators of bioterrorism and biocrimes. There are some similarities and differences between human forensic and microbial forensic DNA analysis practices to consider. These population genetic and statistical interpretation issues center on the different genetic make-up, different inheritance mechanisms, different regulation mechanisms, and lineage-based analyses. In some cases, a quantitative assessment of the results of analysis may be possible; in other cases, it may be more appropriate to provide only a qualitative statement. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Adaptive Fault–Tolerant Position Control of a Hexacopter Subject to an Unknown Motor Failure

Abstract This paper presents a fault tolerant position tracking controller for a hexarotor system. The proposed controller has a cascaded structure composed of a position and an attitude control loop. The nominal controller is augmented by an adaptive control allocation which compensates for faults and failures within the propulsion system without reconfiguration of the controller. Simultaneously, it is able to implement a degraded control strategy which prioritizes specific control directions in the case of extreme degradation. The main contribution is a controller that is a step closer to application scenarios by including outdoor GPS-based flight tests, onboard computation and the handling of unknown degradation and failure of any rotor.
The Effect of Music Therapy on the Length of Life of Extubated Hospice Patients: A Post-Hoc Analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of music therapy on the process of terminal extubation. Subjects were selected from patients who had previously undergone removal from mechanical ventilation and had died under the care of Hospice of Palm Beach County, Inc. in Palm Beach County, Florida. Subjects were assigned to either the control group (N=10) or an experimental group (N=10), made up of patients who received music therapy during the process of extubation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated for age, number of doctor’s orders and number of medications given to each patient, and length of life in minutes from time of extubation until time of death. Analysis by Mann-Whitney U test indicated that there was no significant difference between the control group and experimental group for the factors of age, number of orders for each patient and number of medications given. Length of life was also not statistically significant between the control and experimental groups; although comparisons of mean length of life following removal of mechanical ventilation between the groups did indicate that patients receiving music therapy lived longer than those in the control group. As there is little research examining the effects of music therapy on the extubation process, additional studies are necessary, particularly using a larger sample of patients.
Strategic Planning in Family Business: A Powerful Developmental Tool for the Next Generation

This article addresses the issue of training next-generation family members once they have joined the management team in their family firm. The qualitative analysis of strategic planning processes of 18 Italian family firms shows that involving next-generation family members in the planning process benefits their developmental process. The findings indicate that this involvement provides the next generation with crucial tacit business knowledge and skills, facilitating interpersonal work relationships between incumbents and next-generation leaders and building credibility and legitimacy for the next generation. The comparative analysis of the cases allowed us to identify the five variables that seem to combine in explaining much of the observed differences in the amount and composition of benefits experienced in the 18 firms. Our findings extend current understanding of two understudied topics in family business: the postentryphase training of the next generation and strategic management in family firms.
Expression and purification of recombinant phenylalanine 2,3-aminomutase from Pantoea agglomerans

In the present study, the gene of phenylalanine 2,3-aminomutase from Pantoea agglomerans ( Pa PAM) was cloned into pET-19b vector and used for its expression in competent Escherichia coli cells. The recombinant plasmid, Pa PAM-pET-19b, was transformed into competent E. coli strain BL21(DE3)pLysS cells. Overnight culture of the transformed bacteria was induced by the addition of isopropylthio- β -D-galactoside (IPTG) to the final concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM. Also, the effects of different temperatures (18, 25 and 30°C) and the incubation time of Pa PAM were examined. The fermentation process was scaled up to 10 L fermentor. Affinity purification conditions were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The T m and the activity of the purified enzyme was also investigated.
Relative contribution of temperature and salinity to ocean acoustic reflectivity

Marine seismic data display laterally coherent reflectivity from the water column that is attributed to fine‐scale oceanic layering. The amplitude of the different reflections is the expression of acoustic impedance contrasts between neighbouring water masses, and therefore water reflectivity maps the ocean's vertical sound speed and density (i.e., temperature and salinity) variations. Here we determine the relative contribution of each parameter by computing the temperature and salinity partial derivatives of sound speed and density, and using them to estimate reflection coefficients from a real oceanographic dataset. The results show that the mean contribution of density variations is 5–10%, while 90–95% is due to sound speed variations. On average, 80% of reflectivity comes from temperature contrasts. Salinity contribution averages 20%, but it is highly variable and reaches up to 40% in regions prone to diffusive convection such as the top of the Mediterranean Undercurrent in the Gulf of Cadiz.
In-Room Treatment Verification Using Film and CBCT

Purpose: To compare intracavitary brachytherapy dose estimation for organs at risk (bladder and rectum) based on semi-orthogonal reconstruction of radiographs on non-isocentric X-ray unit and Computed Tomography (CT) – based volumetric planning in cervical cancer. Material and methods: Bladder and rectal points as per International Commission on Radiation Units and Measu rements (ICRU) report 38, were retrospectively evaluated on 15 high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy applications for cervical cancer cases. With the same source configuration as obtained during planning on radiographs performed on a non-isocentric X-ray unit, the mean doses to 2cc of most irradiated part of bladder and rectum were computed by CT planning and these estimates were compared with the doses at ICRU bladder and rectal points. Results: The mean ICRU point dose for bladder was 3.08 Gy (1.9-5.9 Gy) and mean dose to 2 cc (D2cc) bladder was 6.91 Gy (2.9-12.2 Gy). ICRU rectal dose was 3.8 Gy (2.4-4.45 Gy) and was comparable with D2cc rectum dose 4.2 Gy (2.85.9 Gy). Comparison of mean total dose (ICRU point vs. D2cc) for each patient was found to be significantly different for bladder (p = 0.000), but not for rectum (p = 0.08). Conclusions: On comparison of ICRU point based planning with volumetric planning on CT, it was found that bladder doses were underestimated by the film based method. However, the rectal doses were found to be similar to the D2cc doses. The results with non isocentric film based treatment planning were similar to the existing literature on orthogonal film based simulator planning. J Contemp Brachyther 2012; 4, 3: 129-134 DOI: 10.5114/jcb.2012. 30678
Movie Animation: A Continuum Approach for Frictional Contact

Introduction Scientific computing and numerical methods have many new and exciting applications in modern movie visual effects. Studios such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Industrial Light & Magic, and Pixar increasingly require expertise in the numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs). Such PDEs describe the dynamics of materials encountered in the world of the movie: water, dirt, sand, mud, air, clothing, hair, and skin. They also describe sensational phenomena such as fire and explosions. They are derived from classical continuum
Stochastic Assessment of Voltage Unbalance Mitigation by Battery System in case of Single-Phase Solar Generation

The electric power system face big challenges today. Environmental concerns and political decisions that follows, are up to reshape electrical energy industry and change the way how energy is managed. One of the key ideas of forthcoming changes is to utilise renewable energy sources, such as solar. However, solar generation, as any other distributed generation, sets strain on the power system and power quality properties can be negatively affected. In this paper, the voltage unbalance (VU) caused by single-phase connected photovoltaics (PV) in residential low voltage grid are assessed by Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). The voltage unbalance mitigation possibilities by battery energy storage system (BESS) are evaluated, by connecting the battery in a three different phase connection strategies. Two different stochastic assessment models will be tested: time independent and time series models. The results of the two models are presented and discussed in depth.