Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whole blood folate values in pernicious anaemia: Relation to treatment

27 patients with pernicious anaemia, followed for a long period, were consecutively treated with three different vitamin B12 preparations, while during intervening period no therapy was given until signs of B12 deficiency developed. After vitamin B12 treatment, a peak whole blood folate value some 70% higher than the starting value was noted after about 75 d in patients treated with B12 injections and after about 165 d in perorally treated patients. During the same time significantly increased whole blood folate/plasma folate ratio was noted. In most of the patients, whole blood folate declined from peak to plateau level in about 150 d and thereafter remained almost unchanged until signs of cobalamin deficiency developed. The mean time from peak to plateau values was significantly longer in “long‐reactors” than in “short‐reactors”. Higher peak and plateau values were noted in patients with neuropathy and mucosal symptoms, as compared to patients with hypersegmentation.
The acquisition of language by children

Imagine that you are faced with the following challenge. You must discover the internal structure of a system that contains tens of thousands of units, all generated from a small set of materials. These units, in turn, can be assembled into an infinite number of combinations. Although only a subset of those combinations is correct, the subset itself is for all practical purposes infinite. Somehow you must converge on the structure of this system to use it to communicate. And you are a very young child.
The role of protein-polysaccharides in hydration of the arterial wall.

There is a statistically significant positive correlation between the total water content of the arterial wall and the concentration of sodium bound to negatively charged groups of the protein–polysaccharide gel. The fraction of water associated with the protein–polysaccharide gel is located almost exclusively in the inulin space, and is significantly increased in hypertension. The size of this fraction can be reduced by exchanging sodium—the main counterion under physiological conditions—for a divalent ion. There is no difference between calcium and magnesium in this regard. The configuration of the gel, which is given primarily by the relative concentration of the charged groups and the valency of the counterion, determines the size of the inulin space.
The NMDA receptor subunit NR2B of neonatal rat brain: complex formation and enrichment in axonal growth cones

The N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors comprises a family of highly homologous subunits which assemble into oligomeric protein complexes. Alterations in subunit composition are developmentally regulated, leading to functionally distinct receptor populations. Here, the contribution of the subunit NR2B to NMDA receptor complex formation was analysed in neonatal rat brain, employing polyclonal antibodies raised against NR2B‐specific synthetic peptides. By hydrodynamic size fractionation of the solubilized receptor protein and chemical cross‐linking, NR2B antigen was found to be associated with several protein species of up to 690 kDa molecular weight. These observations show NR2B to be part of a multimeric receptor complex. Fractionation of cortex homogenates from E18 rat embryos on sucrose density gradients revealed NR2B polypeptide to be highly enriched in axonal growth cones. A similar distribution was found by fluorescence microscopy of immature hippocampal neurons, showing a preferential accumulation of NR2B antigen in axonal growth cones and varicosities. In mature cells, NR2B antigen displayed a punctated distribution pattern with redistribution to somato‐dendritic spheres. The association of NR2B with axonal growth cones and processes of immature neurons suggests a role of NMDA receptors in the regulation of neurite outgrowth and migration.
STAT3 Regulates Cytokine-mediated Generation of Inflammatory Helper T Cells*

Interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing helper T (TH) cells, named as THIL-17, TH17, or inflammatory TH (THi), have been recently identified as a novel effector lineage. However, how cytokine signals mediate THi differentiation is unclear. We found that IL-6 functioned to up-regulate IL-23R and that IL-23 synergized with IL-6 in promoting THi generation. STAT3, activated by both IL-6 and IL-23, plays a critical role in THi development. A hyperactive form of STAT3 promoted THi development, whereas this differentiation process was greatly impaired in STAT3-deficient T cells. Moreover, STAT3 regulated the expression of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ-T (RORγt), a THi-specific transcriptional regulator; STAT3 deficiency impaired RORγt expression and led to elevated expression of T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet) and Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3). Our data thus demonstrate a pathway whereby cytokines regulate THi differentiation through a selective STAT transcription factor that functions to regulate lineage-specific gene expression.
A survey on routing protocol for dynamic activity of primary user

Cognitive radio technology uses under utilized frequency bands as secondary users. Cognitive Radio technology solves the problem of limited available spectrum and the inefficiency in the spectrum usage by exploiting the existing wireless spectrum opportunistically. Since the activity of primary users varies both in space and frequency domain, diversity techniques can represent an efficient way to address this issue. In this paper a new direction of jointly exploiting path and spectrum diversity is explained for efficient use of spectrum in Cognitive Radio Ad hoc Networks. By jointly exploiting both the diversities, Cognitive Users (CUs) can switch dynamically to different paths and spectrum bands for communicating with each other in presence of space and frequency-varying primary user activity.
Improved antifungal activity of itraconazole-loaded PEG/PLA nanoparticles

Poly(ethylene glycol)/polylactic acid (PEG/PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) containing the hydrophobic antifungal itraconazole (ITZ) were developed to provide a controlled release pattern of ITZ as well as to improve its aqueous dispersibility and hence enhance its antifungal action. Two PEG/PLA copolymers (PEGylated PLA polymers) were used in this study; branched PEGylated polymer in which PEG was grafted on PLA backbone at 7% (mol/mol of lactic acid monomer), PEG7%-g-PLA, and multiblock copolymer of PLA and PEG, (PLA–PEG–PLA)n with nearly similar PEG insertion ratio and similar PEG chain length. ITZ-loaded PLA NPs were also prepared and included in this study as a control. ITZ-NPs were prepared from a 1 : 1 w/w blend of PLA and each PEGylated polymer either PEG7%-g-PLA or (PLA–PEG–PLA)n using an oil-in-water emulsion evaporation method. The NPs morphology, size and size distribution, zeta potential, loading efficiency, release profile and antifungal activity were characterized. All ITZ-NPs were nearly spherical with smooth surface and showed less aggregating tendency with a size range of 185–285 nm. All ITZ-NPs measured nearly neutral zeta potential values close to 0 mV. The % LE of ITZ was ∼94% for PEG7%-g-PLA NPs and ∼83% for (PLA–PEG–PLA)n at 15.3% w/w theoretical loading. PEG/PLA NPs were stable over time regarding size and size distribution and % ITZ loading efficiency (% LE). ITZ release showed an initial burst followed by a gradual release profile for ITZ-NPs over 5 days. (PLA–PEG–PLA)n NPs exhibited faster release rates than PEG7%-g-PLA NPs particularly at the last 2 days. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffractometry data confirmed that ITZ exists in an amorphous state or a solid solution state into the NPs matrix. Fourier transform infrared revealed the possibility of chemical interaction between ITZ and the NPs matrix polymer indicating the successful entrapment of ITZ inside the particles. In haemolysis test, ITZ-NPs caused mild haemolysis over the concentration range (5–20 µg/mL) compared to free ITZ, indicating better safety profile of ITZ-NPs. ITZ-loaded PEG/PLA NPs inhibited fungal growth more efficiently than either free ITZ or ITZ-loaded PLA NPs. Our results suggest that PEG/PLA–ITZ could be used efficiently as a nanocarrier to improve the aqueous dispersibility of ITZ, control its release over time and, thereby, enhance its antifungal efficacy.
Industrial Policy-Making in the Auto, Textile and Clothing Sectors: labour's strategic ambivalence1

Introduction Globalisation and the drive for international competitiveness have become the defining characteristics of the forces for change in manufacturing sectors worldwide. Governments appear to be increasingly unable to protect national markets from international competition and neo-liberal forces demanding trade liberalisation in the interests of economic freedom, organisational efficiency and competitive rationality. After decades of protectionism and a policy favouring import substitution industrialisation, South Africa's manufacturing industries are progressively being exposed to foreign competition as a result of a major shift in state policy to open markets, export orientation and international competitiveness. The automobile and clothing/textile industries are no exception to this general pattern. In accordance with the country's commitments under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), tariff reductions are being phased in over a number of years. As intended, the South African government's policy is precipitating industrial restructuring in both industries and competition between domestic producers is being replaced by 'real' competition as imported products, particularly from low-wage Asian economies, challenge two long-protected andrelatively uncompetitive South African manufacturing sectors. The state's approach has been framed, in the absence of an alternate politically acceptable policy paradigm, to facilitate the country's reintegration into the world economy and to re-establish the attractiveness of South Africa as a destination for foreign investment. As an approach to industrial policy, trade liberalisation and limited generic supply-side support
Intraoperative endoscopic augmented reality in third ventriculostomy

In neurosurgery, as a result of the brain-shift, the preoperative patient models used as a intraoperative reference change. A meaningful use of the preoperative virtual models during the operation requires for a model update. The NEAR project, Neuroendoscopy towards Augmented Reality, describes a new camera calibration model for high distorted lenses and introduces the concept of active endoscopes endowed with with navigation, camera calibration, augmented reality and triangulation modules.
The epidemiology of chronic fatigue in the Swedish Twin Registry

Background. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remains an idiopathic and controversial entity. Method. We screened 31405 individual members of the Swedish Twin Registry (aged 42–64 years) for the symptoms of fatiguing illness via a telephone questionnaire. We refined self-reported symptoms via data from several national registries and from physician review of all available medical records in order to approximate closely the dominant case definition of CFS. Findings. The 6-month prevalence of CFS-like illness was 2·36% (95% CI 2·19–2·53) and was markedly higher in women than men, odds ratio 3.92 (95% CI 3·24–4·72) with no significant association with age or years of education. There was a highly significant association with occupation that disappeared after accounting for gender. Interpretation. CFS-like illness may be more common that previously acknowledged. There is a marked increase in risk by gender. Previous reports that CFS is more prevalent in individuals in certain occupational categories were not confirmed and may have been due to confounding by gender.
The pathology of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is devastating at any age, but even more so when the individual affected is young and asymptomatic, and the death is entirely unexpected. SCD is a catastrophic complication of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and may be the first manifestation of this disease. HCM is an inherited intrinsic disease of the myocardium characterized by left ventricular hypertophy without chamber dilatation, in the absence of either a systemic or other cardiac disease, which may cause a similar magnitude of hypertrophy. HCM may be a clinically silent disease. Indeed, the pathologist may be the first to encounter a case of HCM at autopsy. HCM has wide‐ranging implications for affected families, who will require cardiac screening and genetic counselling even if mutations are not known. Therefore, prompt and accurate diagnosis of HCM is vital. This review article will focus on the pathological diagnosis of HCM, recent advances in the genetics of this disease, and common pitfalls which may arise, leading to diagnostic uncertainty.
Convergence of the penalty method applied to a constrained curve straightening flow

We apply the penalty method to the curve straightening flow of inextensible planar open curves generated by the Kirchhoff bending energy. Thus we consider the curve straightening flow of extensible planar open curves generated by a combination of the Kirchhoff bending energy and a functional penalizing deviations from unit arc-length. We start with the governing equations of the explicit parametrization of the curve and derive an equivalent system for the two quantities indicatrix and arc-length. We prove existence and regularity of solutions and use the indicatrix/arc-length representation to compute the energy dissipation. We prove its coercivity and conclude exponential decay of the energy. Finally, by an application of the Lions-Aubin Lemma, we prove convergence of solutions to a limit curve which is the solution of an analogous gradient flow on the manifold of inextensible open curves. This procedure also allows us to characterize the Lagrange multiplier in the limit model as a weak limit of force terms present in the relaxed model.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and Psychopathy:Clinical and Criminal Justice Considerations

This paper acts as a corrective to Fitzgerald (2011), which conflated autistic disorder with Asperger’s disorder when exploring the small portion of this population that engages in serious criminal activities. Fitzgerald suggested that autistic psychopathy and Asperger’s syndrome are one and the same and implied that individuals on the autism spectrum are likely to exhibit psychopathic behavior and commit antisocial criminal activities. We expand upon and modify Fitzgerald’s work, distinguishing between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and psychopathy. We assert that individuals with ASD do not perform acts with the same malice, intent, and deception as psychopaths. Our ultimate goal in the paper is to provide possible future direction for research in the issue of criminality in individuals diagnosed with ASD.
Legal Advisors: Popularity Versus Economic Performance in Acquisitions

Law firms provide extensive intermediation in corporate acquisitions, including negotiation, certification, and drafting of contracts and agreements. Using a broad sample of U.S. acquisition offers, we find that large-market-share law firms are regularly called upon to facilitate completion of large, legally-complex offers. Complex offers are often withdrawn but, controlling for complexity, large-share law firms are associated with enhanced deal completion. Further, we document that some law firms are consistently associated with deal completion over time, and that acquirers with good deal completion experience use fewer different law firms. Acquirers' risk-adjusted returns, though, are smaller around announcements of offers advised by large-share law firms. Post-offer long-run returns of the acquirers' are also lower and often negative following offers advised by large-share law firms. We find no evidence that particular law firms are consistently associated over time with strong returns. Our conclusion is that large law firms enhance deal completion in difficult situations, consistent with the aims of acquirer management. However, we find no systematic evidence that these popular law firms act as gatekeepers in the sense of not wanting to be associated with value-destroying deals.
Cost, Morbidity, and Control of Asthma in Hungary: The Hunair Study

Objective. To assess asthma-related morbidity, symptom control, and societal cost of asthmatic patients in Hungary. Secondary objective was to assess the relationship between asthma symptom control and costs incurred. Methods. Three hundred seventy-eight pediatric asthma patients (6–14 years of age) and 711 adult asthma patients (18–55 years of age) in 19 pulmonary clinics were interviewed by their physicians regarding asthma-related drug therapy and recent (past 2 weeks) asthma morbidity (daytime asthma symptoms, nocturnal symptoms, limitation in daily activities resulting from asthma and asthma exacerbation). Physicians estimated patients' level of asthma control based on the Global Initiative of Asthma guidelines. Direct and indirect costs for asthma-related resources were determined based on patient reported 6 months' data except for drug costs that were based on patient reported 2 weeks of data. All cost data were annualized. Results. Patients in the study were mostly prescribed inhaled controller medications for asthma symptom management (76.2% pediatric and 92.3% adult) during the 2 weeks preceding the survey. Asthma-related morbidity was experienced by 15% of pediatric patients and 30% of the adult patients at least once during the 2 weeks preceding the survey. Physician classified 69% of pediatric patients as having good control, 27.5% as having moderate control, and 2.8% as having poor control of their asthma. In the adult population, 50.7% were classified as having good control, 36.6% as having moderate control, and 12.7% as having poor control. The average total annual costs (direct and indirect costs) per patient were 833 EUR (897 USD) for pediatric patients and 632 EUR (681 USD) for adult patients. In both pediatric and adult patients the total costs were highest for patients with poor asthma control. The total cost per patient increased in the ratios of 1 to 1.4 to 2.4 for pediatric patients and 1 to 1.5 to 2.9 for adult patients with good, moderate, and poor control of asthma, respectively. Conclusion. Inhaled corticosteroids was the most frequent treatment prescribed for asthma patients in the study. However, patients reported substantial asthma-related morbidity. Children used more resources than adults, despite being classified as having better control. Patients with poor control of asthma symptoms incurred the highest societal cost, improving patient control may reduce cost to society by 40% or more.
Measurement of the stable isotope ratio of dissolved N2 in 15N tracer experiments

Stable isotope addition experiments seeking to trace the denitrification of combined forms of nitrogen (N) to gaseous N2 in aquatic environments typically need to measure the stable isotope ratio of dissolved nitrogen gas. This measurement presents challenges because of the potential for contamination of samples by N in air, and because field experiments conducted in situ often do not produce a marked enrichment in the isotope ratio of the N2 pool. Field experiments also require numerous samples, sometimes processed under arduous conditions, and thus methods have to be convenient and low in cost. This paper describes the methods for sampling and measurement of the N isotope ratio of dissolved nitrogen that were developed for the isotope addition experiments in the Lotic Intersite Nitrogen Experiment (LINX), a cross‐site study examining N biogeochemistry in headwater streams. Headspace equilibration was performed in the field and gas samples were stored in re‐evacuated glass vials (Exetainers). Samples were processed and stored underwater to minimize the potential for contamination of samples by air. Isotope ratios were measured using a gas chromatograph interfaced to the isotope ratio mass spectrometer and equipped with a custom sample entry system.
Environmental Burdens and Benefits in Hall County , Georgia , USA Smokestacks , Parkland , and Community Composition : Examining

This case study addresses environmental equity, in terms of African American, Latino, White, and poor communities’ proximity to both industrial facilities and parkland in Hall County, Georgia, USA. The project’s two primary goals are to (a) expand environmental justice analyses to account for both environmental burdens (industrial sites) and benefits (parkland acreage), and (b) extend this broader investigation to the county’s emergent Latino populations. Results show that both Blacks and Latinos are overrepresented in census block groups (CBGs) within 1 mile of industrial facilities, while Whites are underrepresented. Conversely, Latinos and those near or below poverty are, on average, underrepresented in communities within one-quarter mile of parkland, but Whites are overrepresented. This article discusses the environmental justice and planning implications of these findings in terms of converting existing land uses to urban green space and fuller participation of minorities in such decision making.
Simulation study of multi-robot for Intelligent Transportation System

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is one of the key focus areas of research and further development nationally and internationally. Technological advancements in the past decades have helped us by leaps and bound in making road transportation safer. According to the graph released by Transport Research Wing of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Government of India, there is an alarming rise in the number of accidents happing in India and the number of people killed in such mishaps. In this paper, we investigate through simulation study using multi-robots, which can assist authorities to monitor and detect erratic driving and help prevent accidents from occurring beforehand. The simulation study is quite relevant to Indian Highway road conditions and can be very useful for monitoring buses, trucks and other public utility vehicles for road safety in India.
Evaluating Public Programs Implementation: An Exploratory Case Study

This paper discusses the importance of evaluating the implementation of public programs as an integral component of organizational actions performed by public administrations. Drawing on contributions from policy studies and organization theory, the authors assign a dual role to evaluation: valuable cognitive resource and accountability tool for the policymakers. This exploratory case study contributes to the literature on implementation evaluation by providing an encompassing theory-grounded perspective on a recent e-government project by the City of Milan. The authors' preliminary findings confirm the heuristic potential of an evaluation approach where interdisciplinary inputs can enlighten not only the results, but also the process of design, adoption and the use of e-services.
Data Acquisition Glove for Hand Movement Impairment Rehabilitation

The present paper describes a data acquisition wearable device for hand rehabilitation. The main goal of this glove is to be used by patients with hand movement impairment. It has position sensors to measure the bending of synovial joints and sensors to measure the fingertip contact pressure. There is a coin motor and a LED placed on each finger to produce a vibratory and visual stimulus. The glove also tracks the hand rotation and translation using a MPU (Motion Processing Unit) that contains an accelerometer and a gyroscope. A graphical application for an HMI module was developed in order to create rehabilitation game like exercises where sensor data can be logged for further analysis by a therapist. The wearable device electronic hardware comprises a Glove module and an HMI module that communicate through SPI protocol (Serial Peripheral Interface). The wearable device supports USB connection to send data to a computer or to be used as a peripheral device in virtual or augmented reality applications.