Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High flow nasal cannula versus NCPAP, duration to full oral feeds in preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial

Objective To compare the time taken by preterm infants with evolving chronic lung disease to achieve full oral feeding when supported with humidified high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) or nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP). Design Single centre randomised controlled trial. Setting Level III neonatal intensive care unit at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Patients Very low birthweight (birth weight <1500 g) infants born before 30 weeks' gestation who were NCPAP-dependent at 32 weeks corrected gestational age were eligible to participate. Interventions Enrolled infants were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive HFNC or NCPAP. Participants were monitored daily until full oral feeding was established and the baby was off respiratory support. Main outcome measures Our primary outcome was the number of days taken to establish full oral feeds (defined as oral intake ≥120 mL/kg/day) from the time of randomisation. We estimated that enrolling 44 subjects (22 in each group) would allow us demonstrate a 7-day difference in our primary outcome with 80% power and α of 5%. Results Forty-four infants were randomised (22 to HFNC vs 22 to NCPAP). The mean time to achieve full oral feeding was not different between the groups (HFNC 36.5 (±18.2) days vs NCPAP 34.1 (±11.2) days, p=0.61). Conclusions Preterm infants treated with HFNC did not achieve full oral feeding more quickly than infants treated with NCPAP. Trial registration number ISRCTN66716753.
Effects of the α2-Adrenergic/DA2-Dopaminergic Agonist CHF-1024 in Preventing Ventricular Arrhythmogenesis and Myocyte Electrical Remodeling, in a Rat Model of Pressure-Overload Cardiac Hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy induces morpho-functional myocardial alterations favoring arrhythmogenesis, especially under specific conditions such as sympathetic stimulation. We analyzed whether the dopaminergic agent CHF-1024, given its effect in decreasing adrenergic drive and collagen deposition in hypertrophied hearts, can also reduce arrhythmia vulnerability. Eighty-one male Wistar rats with intrarenal aortic coarctation and 18 control animals were studied. Fifty-eight banded animals were treated with CHF-1024 at four different doses (6, 2, 0.67, or 0.067 mg/Kg/die). One month after aortic ligature, spontaneous and sympathetic-induced ventricular arrhythmic events (VAEs) were telemetrically recorded in conscious animals. After sacrifice, membrane capacitance (Cm) and action potential duration (APD) were measured in isolated left ventricular myocytes (patch-clamp). In all groups, spontaneous VAEs were negligible whereas they significantly increased during sympathetic activation (stress exposure). Banded untreated animals showed a higher number of stress-induced VAEs, longer action potentials, and larger values of Cm and cell width as compared with control group. The treatment with CHF-1024 exhibited an antiarrhythmic effect, abolished APD prolongation, and reduced cell width at all doses. The lowest dose also prevented Cm increase. In conclusion, we demonstrated that in this model of pressure-overload hypertrophy CHF-1024 reduces arrhythmogenesis and causes a recovery of cell excitable properties toward a normal phenotype.
Intracellular Events in the “Selective” Transport of Lipoprotein-derived Cholesteryl Esters*

The current study utilizes human, apoE-free high density lipoprotein reconstituted with a highly specific fluorescent-cholesteryl ester probe to define the initial steps and regulatory sites associated with the “selective” uptake and intracellular itinerary of lipoprotein-derived cholesteryl esters. Bt2cAMP-stimulated ovarian granulosa cells were used as the experimental model, and both morphological and biochemical fluorescence data were obtained. The data show that cholesteryl ester provided through the selective pathway is a process which begins with a temperature-independent transfer of cholesteryl ester to the cell's plasma membrane. Thereafter transfer of the lipid proceeds rapidly and accumulates prominently in a perinuclear region (presumed to be the Golgi/membrane sorting compartment) and in lipid storage droplets of the cells. The data suggest that lipid transfer proteins (or other small soluble proteins) are not required for the intracellular transport of the cholesteryl esters, nor is an intact Golgi complex or an intact cell cytoskeleton (although the transfer is less efficient in the presence of certain microtubule-disrupting agents). The intracellular transfer of the cholesteryl esters is also somewhat dependent on an energy source in that a glucose-deficient culture medium or a combination of metabolic inhibitors reduces the efficiency of the transfer. A protein-mediated event may be required for cholesteryl ester internalization from the plasma membrane, in that N-ethylmaleimide dramatically blocks the internalization phase of the selective uptake process. Taken together these data suggest that the selective pathway is a factor-dependent, energy-requiring cholesteryl ester transport system, in which lipoprotein-donated cholesteryl esters probably flow through vesicles or intracellular membrane sheets and their connections, rather than through the cell cytosol.
Pulse wave velocity and flow in the carotid artery versus the aortic arch: Effects of aging

To explore differences in arterial stiffness of the aorta and carotid artery, assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV), to evaluate the blood flow volume distribution towards the carotid circulation and to assess the effect of aging on the coupling between aortic and carotid PWV using velocity‐encoded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
A comparison of multimodal therapy and surgery for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND Uncontrolled studies suggest that a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy improves the survival of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. We conducted a prospective, randomized trial comparing surgery alone with combined chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. METHODS Patients assigned to multimodal therapy received two courses of chemotherapy in weeks 1 and 6 (fluorouracil, 15 mg per kilogram of body weight daily for five days, and cisplatin, 75 mg per square meter of body-surface area on day 7) and a course of radiotherapy (40 Gy, administered in 15 fractions over a three-week period, beginning concurrently with the first course of chemotherapy), followed by surgery. The patients assigned to surgery had no preoperative therapy. RESULTS Of the 58 patients assigned to multimodal therapy and the 55 assigned to surgery, 10 and 1, respectively, were withdrawn for protocol violations. At the time of surgery, 23 of 55 patients (42 percent) treated with preoperative multimodal therapy who could be evaluated had positive nodes or metastases, as compared with 45 of the 55 patients (82 percent) who underwent surgery alone (P<0.001). Thirteen of the 52 patients (25 percent) who underwent surgery after multimodal therapy had complete responses as determined pathologically. The median survival of patients assigned to multimodal therapy was 16 months, as compared with 11 months for those assigned to surgery alone (P=0.01). At one, two, and three years, 52, 37, and 32 percent, respectively, of patients assigned to multimodal therapy were alive, as compared with 44, 26, and 6 percent of those assigned to surgery, with the survival advantage favoring multimodal therapy reaching significance at three years (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS Multimodal treatment is superior to surgery alone for patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
Real‐time measurement of nitric oxide in single mature mouse skeletal muscle fibres during contractions

Nitric oxide (NO) is thought to play multiple roles in skeletal muscle including regulation of some adaptations to contractile activity, but appropriate methods for the analysis of intracellular NO activity are lacking. In this study we have examined the intracellular generation of NO in isolated single mature mouse skeletal muscle fibres at rest and following a period of contractile activity. Muscle fibres were isolated from the flexor digitorum brevis muscle of mice and intracellular NO production was visualized in real‐time using the fluorescent NO probe 4‐amino‐5‐methylamino‐2′,7′‐difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF‐FM DA). Some leakage of DAF‐FM was apparent from fibres loaded with the probe, but they retained sufficient probe to respond to changes in intracellular NO following addition of the NO donor 3‐(2‐hydroxy‐1‐methyl‐2‐nitrosohydrazino)‐N‐methyl‐1‐propanamine (NOC‐7) up to 30 min after loading. Electrically stimulated contractions in isolated fibres increased the rate of change in DAF‐FM fluorescence by ∼48% compared to non‐stimulated fibres (P < 0.05) and the rate of change in DAF‐FM fluorescence in the stimulated fibres returned to control values by 5 min after contractions. Treatment of isolated fibres with the NO synthase inhibitors NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l‐NAME) or NG‐monomethyl‐l‐arginine (l‐NMMA) reduced the increase in DAF‐FM fluorescence observed in response to contractions of untreated fibres. Treatment of fibres with the cell‐permeable superoxide scavenger 4,5‐dihydroxy‐1,3‐benzenedisulphonic acid (Tiron) also reduced the increase in fluorescence observed during contractions suggesting that superoxide, or more probably peroxynitrite, contributes to the fluorescence observed. Thus this technique can be used to examine NO generation in quiescent and contracting skeletal muscle fibres in real time, although peroxynitrite and other reactive nitrogen species may potentially contribute to the fluorescence values observed.
Antimalarial evaluation of the leaf latex of Aloe citrina and its major constituent

Background: Malaria is one of the major obstacles to the socioeconomic development of several developing countries. Adequate treatment of the disease is becoming increasingly difficult due to the worsening problems of drug resistance in many parts of the world. Therefore, increased efforts in antimalarial drug discovery are urgently needed. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the antimalarial activity of the leaf latex of Aloe citrina Carter and Brandham and its major constituent. Materials and Methods: The leaf latex of A. citrina was dissolved in methanol and subjected to preparative thin layer chromatography. Structure of the isolated compound was determined on the basis of its electrospray-ionization tandem mass spectrometry, 1 H, 13 C NMR and DEPT spectral data. The latex and its isolated compound were tested for their in vivo antimalarial activity using a 4-day suppressive test against chloroquine sensitive ANKA strain of Plasmodium berghei in mice. Results: Homonataloin A/B was isolated as a major component of the latex. Both the latex and isolated compound exhibited significant (P < 0.001) antimalarial activity at a dose of 400 mg/kg with parasite suppression of 60.59% and 67.52%, respectively. No significant adverse signs of toxicity were observed in mice treated with the leaf latex up to the highest dose (5000 mg/kg). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the antimalarial activity of the plant is attributed in part or in full to the presence of homonataloin A/B in the latex. It also validates the traditional use of the plant as an antimalarial agent.
An evaluation model of curriculum teaching base on complex network theory

Under the perspectives of network science and modern educational science, the complex network model is a better tool for teaching evaluation then the context of traditional evaluation methods, whose potential mainly unexplored yet. In this work, we propose a new method to construct teaching evaluation network model based on complex network theory. Furthermore, the proposed method is evaluated on the “VC++ program design” course. We present an exhaustive topological analysis of the teaching evaluation network of “VC++ program design” course, focusing on the statistical characterization of degree and closeness centrality. The results demonstrate that the vast majority of students received similar learning outcomes, while there is a small received excellent learning outcomes. These results are the same as the practical situation. We believe that the newly assembled model, which is a weight complex network, can provide valuable hints of teaching evaluation.
Inspired Oxygen Fraction of 0.8 Does Not Attenuate Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting after Strabismus Surgery

Background:Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a distressing problem after strabismus surgery. An inspired oxygen fraction has been reported to decrease PONV in patients after colon resection and to be more effective than ondansetron after gynecologic laparoscopy. Therefore, in a randomized, prospective, placebo-controlled study, the authors tested whether an inspired oxygen fraction of 0.8 decreases PONV in patients undergoing strabismus surgery and whether oxygen is more effective than ondansetron. Methods:With approval of the authors’ institutional review board, 210 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: (1) 30% inspired oxygen in air plus intravenous administration of saline, (2) 80% inspired oxygen in air plus intravenous administration of saline, or (3) 30% inspired oxygen in air plus 75 &mgr;g/kg ondansetron intravenously during induction. General anesthesia was standardized and included etomidate, alfentanil, and mivacurium for induction and sevoflurane for maintenance. PONV was evaluated 6 and 24 h postoperatively by an investigator unaware of treatment assignment. Results:Overall postoperative incidence of nausea and vomiting was 41% for inspired oxygen fraction of 0.3 plus placebo, 38% for inspired oxygen fraction of 0.8 plus placebo, and 28% for inspired oxygen fraction of 0.3 plus ondansetron, respectively (P = 0.279). Therefore, there was no statistically significant difference of PONV incidence among groups. Conclusions:An inspired oxygen fraction of 0.8 during general anesthesia with sevoflurane does not decrease PONV in patients undergoing strabismus repair. Ondansetron also did not significantly decrease PONV in our study setting.
Functional and morphologic studies of the adrenal cortex and kidney in ovine toxaemia of pregnancy

Functional and morphologic studies of the adrenal cortex and kidney have been carried out in pregnant sheep with spontaneous or dietary restriction‐induced ovine toxaemia. It was found that proteinuria was an inconstant feature and no animal showed glomerular lesions analogous to those found in human preeclampsia; thus ovine toxaemia cannot be regarded as a precise experimental model for human toxaemia of pregnancy. The elevation of blood cortisol levels and the morphologic appearance of the adrenal zona fasciculata found in such animals suggest an adrenal response comparable to that caused by adrenocorticotrophic hormone. In addition, animals with severe disease showed evidence of stimulation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system as reflected by elevated blood renin and aldosterone concentrations and raised renal juxtaglomerular indices. Ultrastructural changes in the adrenal zona glomerulosa and renal juxtaglomerular myoepithelioid cells in toxaemic animals resembled those described in non‐pregnant sodium‐depleted sheep. The finding of juxtaglomerular peripolar cell mitoses and granule exocytosis, the latter only being previously observed in sodium depleted sheep, together with the ultrastructural changes in the adrenal zona glomerulosa and juxtaglomerular myoepithelioid cells, suggest that sodium depletion may play a role in this disease.
Clinical evaluation of a single‐wavelength fractional laser and a novel multi‐wavelength fractional laser in the treatment of photodamaged skin

Nonablative fractional lasers are well recognized for rejuvenating photoaged skin. We previously reported favorable outcomes with short follow‐up after the use of 1,440‐nm Nd:YAG laser energy used alone or in combination with a 1,320‐nm laser to effect rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction. We now report longer follow‐up data.
Differences in the Relationship Between Sensory Adaptation of Antennae and Concentration of Aerial Pheromone in the Oriental Fruit Moth and Obliquebanded Leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Implications for the Role of Adaptation in Sex Pheromone—Mediated Mating Disruption of These Species

ABSTRACT The antennae of Grapholita molesta (Busck) are more susceptible to sex pheromone—induced sensory adaptation than the antennae of Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris). Adaptation is detectable in G. molesta at 1/1,000th the aerial concentration of pheromone (i.e., 5.0 × 10-7 ng Z8-12:OAc/ml air) that is required to induce detectable adaptation in C. rosaceana (i.e., 5.0 × 10-4 ng Z11–14:OAc/ml air). In addition, the predicted concentration of pheromone required to induce 50% adaptation in G. molesta (i.e., 1.2 × 10-3 ng Z8–12:OAc/ml air) after 15 min of exposure is only one sixth the estimated aerial concentration required to induce the same level of adaptation in C. rosaceana (i.e., 7.5 × 10-3 ng Z11–14:OAc/ml air) after 15 min of exposure. Sixteen percent and 28% adaptation of G. molesta antennae is predicted after 15 and 30 min of exposure to the equivalent of 1 ng Z8–12:OAc/m3 air (i.e., 1 × 10-6 ng Z8–12:OAc/ml air). The predicted level of adaptation in C. rosaceana antennae, however, is only 1.5 and 9.9% after 15 and 30 min of exposure, respectively, to the equivalent of 1 ng Z11–14:OAc/m3 air (i.e., 1 × 10-6 ng Z11–14:OAc/ml air). The approximately three-fold greater level of sensory adaptation in G. molesta antennae after 30 min of exposure to a pheromone concentration measured in pheromone-treated orchards (i.e., 1 ng/m3) may be one reason why this species is more readily controlled than C. rosaceana using mating disruption.
Color Trademarks: Protection under U.S. Law

LINDA B. SAMUELS is Professorof BusinessLegal Studies, George Mason University. JEFFREY M. SAMUELS is a practicing attorney and Professorial Lecturer in Law, George Washington University Law School. © Copyright 1996, Linda B. Samuels, Jeffrey M. Samuels, and AmericanMarketing Association. on a product, might be protected as a trademark. The authors familiarize the reader with the background and current status of U.S. trademark law regarding the protection of color.
Magnetism Versus LiFePO4 Battery’s State of Charge: A Feasibility Study for Magnetic-Based Charge Monitoring

In recent years, lithium ion batteries have become wide-spread energy sources for various battery-powered applications. In particular, LiFePO4 batteries are increasingly used for high-power automotive and storage applications. Unfortunately, the state of charge (SOC) is not uniquely determined by measuring just the LiFePO4 battery's open-circuit voltage. However, an alternative approach for SOC determination is introduced by investigating the battery's magnetic susceptibility. This is motivated by the iron atom's magnetic state in the LiFePO4 cathode material, which changes during charging and discharging. The magnetic susceptibility of differently charged battery samples will be investigated to correlate the magnetic moment with the SOC in view of a new sensor concept.
Basal urinary nitrogen excretion and growth response to supplemental protein by lambs close to energy equilibrium

1. Two experiments are reported. In Expt 1, five male lambs of 26–33 kg were used to measure basal nitrogen excretion when the lambs were entirely sustained by an intraruminal infusion of 450 kJ/kg body-weight0·75 per d of volatile fatty acid (VFA) and were receiving no protein. In Expt 2, which was a conventional growth trial, the response to fish meal (66 or 132 g dry matter/d) of lambs given a control diet of sodium-hydroxide-treated barley straw was measured. 2. In Expt 1 the mean basal N excretion of the lambs was 429 (SE 21) mg N/kg body-weight0·75 per d. This exceeds current UK standards for the amino acid N of microbial origin which would be made available to the normally-fed host animal at a maintenance level of metabolizable energy intake. 3. In Expt 2 there was a clear growth response to the fish meal, which was greater (P < 0·05, single-tailed test) than that to be predicted from the energy content of the fish meal. There was no effect of fish meal on the voluntary intake of the basal diet, but there was a suggestion that the digestibility of the basal diet was improved. 4. It is concluded from Expt 1 that the basal requirement for amino acid N by lambs is three- to fourfold that currently recommended in the UK. This higher basal requirement should have resulted in a marked response to supplemental protein in Expt 2. The fact that the growth response in Expt 2 was less than anticipated may have been due to a combination of a slightly lower basal N excretion than that found in Expt 1, a higher yield of amino acids of microbial origin than current UK standards predict, and possibly to a change in the body composition of the lambs.
Ramipril enhances the endogenous hydrogen sulfide tissue concentration in mouse heart and brain.

BACKGROUND Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) participates in regulation of different physiological and pathological processes of cardiovascular system and nervous system. The effect of ramipril - tissue specific angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) - exceeds renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade. The influence of ACEI on the metabolism of H2S remains obscure. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of ramipril administration on the tissue concentration of H2S in mouse heart and brain. METHOD Thirty mice (CBA) of both sexes were given intraperitoneal injections of ramipril solution - 0.125 mg (5 mg/kg - group D1) and 0.25 mg (10 mg/kg - group D2) for 5 consecutive days at the same time of the day (10:30 am). Control group received physiological saline in portions of the same volume - 0.2 ml. The measurements of the concentration of H2S were performed using spectrophotometric modified method of Siegel. RESULTS There has been a significance rise in the tissue concentration of H2S [microg/g] in the heart in group D1 (4.91 +/- 0.07 vs 5.54 +/- 0.12; p = 0.005) and group D2 (4.91 +/- 0.07 vs 5.94 +/- 0.08; p < 0.001) and in the brain in group D1 (0.61 +/- 0.03 vs 0.69 +/- 0.02; p = 0.02) and non-significant increase in the brain D2 group (0.61 +/- 0.03 vs 0.65 +/- 0.03; p = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS Ramipril enhances the concentration of endogenous H2S in mouse heart and brain.
Assessing the Sentiment of Social Expectations of Robotic Technologies

Robotics market, both for service and industry, has been rapidly growing in the recent years and it is expected to continue in the same way. However, despite the positive forecast, some specific robotic technologies have not found a smooth path to society. In this paper, we investigate the relation between society and robotics by conducting a comprehensive analysis of papers and news articles from 1976 to 2015 with the purpose of elucidating the role of society's sentiment and attention towards robotics research and development. We could identify three peaks of inflated social attention, corresponding to industrial robots (1978-1990); and, a first (1999-2006), and second wave (2010-2015) of service robotics. Then, the sentiment analysis technique is applied on the corpus of news to discover patterns of negative or positive expectations, to finally link these expectations to specific technologies in the citation network of papers. This study points towards the development of a bibliometric indicator of social impact of technology.