Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Combined Amendments on Growthand Heavy Metal Uptake by Pakchoi( Brassica chinensis L.) Plantedin Contaminated Soil

Remediating soils with heavy metals contamination is a significant challenge. This study investigated the co-remediation effect when paired soil amendment mixtures were used to treat soil contaminated by Pb, Cd, and Zn. The three mixed amendments are: 1) micro particle hydroxyapatite (mHAP) and humic acid 2) nano particle hydroxyapatite (nHAP) and humic acid 3) sepiolite and humic acid. Co-remediation with these amendment pairs was compared with remediation using mHAP, nHAP, sepiolite, and humic acid on their own. Using pot experiments, the Pb, Cd, and Zn fractions of sequential extraction in the contaminated soil and the concentration of Pb, Cd, and Zn in shoots and roots of pakchoi were measured by the use of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Mixed and single treatments were applied to investigate the differences in remediation effects for the three metals. Study results showed that the co-application of amendments more effectively reduced Pb, Cd, and Zn in pakchoi shoots and roots than with single amendments alone. Co-remediation with the amendment mixtures reduced non-residual fractions of Pb, Cd, and Zn in the contaminated soil more than single amendment supplements. Furthermore, the co-application of 30 g·kg micro particle hydroxyapatite with 20 g·kg humic acid was most effective in reducing the amount of Pb, Cd, and Zn absorbed by the pakchoi and the non-residual fraction of Pb, Cd, and Zn in the contaminated soil. Results suggest that co-remediation using 30 g·kg micro particle hydroxyapatite with 20 g·kg humic acid may be an efficient method to remediate Pb, Cd, and Zn in heavy metals-contami-
Nitric Oxide and Collagen Expression in Allergic Upper-Airway Disease

Background The presence of nitric oxide (NO) in high concentrations has been described in the nasal mucosa of patients with untreated allergic rhinitis. We sought to examine the role of exogenous, as well as endogenous, NO in the production of collagen type I and type III by human nasal fibroblasts. Methods Primary cultured fibroblasts derived from eosinophilic nasal polyps were exposed to NO donors (500 μM of S-nitroso-N-acetyl-d,l-penicillamine (SNAP) 1000 μM of 3,3-bis(aminoethyl)-1-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-triazene (DETA-NONOate)) and various other compounds over a 24-hour incubation period. Collagen production was evaluated qualitatively by immunocytochemistry and quantitatively by Western blot analysis. Results Maximally stimulated fibroblasts established a 2.2-fold increase in the production of type III collagen relative type I, as compared with baseline. Oxyhemoglobin, an NO scavenger, abolished this effect. SNAP (500 μM) caused a 15.68 ± 0.68% increase in collagen type I synthesis as compared with unstimulated controls (p < 0.05). In contrast, incubation with SNAP caused an increase in collagen type III production by a factor of 34.68 ± 0.32% (p < 0.05). Conclusion NO stimulates collagen expression in human nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts. This stimulation appeared to favor the up-regulation of collagen type III, leading to a shift in the ratio of collagen type I to type III production.
Frequency of variable measurement in 16 pediatric intensive care units: influence on accuracy and potential for bias in severity of illness assessment.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated: a) whether the frequency of variable measurement could influence the performance of the Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score; b) whether measurement frequency of physiologic variables varied between individual pediatric intensive care units (ICUs), and c) if so, how much of this variability could be attributed to institution-level and patient-level factors. DESIGN Prospective cohort. SETTING Sixteen pediatric ICUs, chosen for their diversity. PATIENTS Consecutive admissions (n = 5,415). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS First, the measurement frequency of the 14 physiologic variables in the PRISM score was included in the logistic regression model predicting mortality risk. Measurement frequency was not significant, alone or in its interaction with the PRISM score. Second, the presence or absence of measurement of each physiologic variable was included in the logistic model using indicator variables; none was significant. Finally, the contribution of the individual pediatric ICUs and patient factors in explaining the variability in the frequency of physiologic variable measurement were investigated with linear regression analysis. In this analysis, the separation of severity of illness from measurement frequency was accomplished by computing the PRISM score from the first 4 hrs and measurement frequencies from hours 5 through 24. Overall, 70.22% (r2) of the variability of measurement frequency could be explained by the factors included in the linear regression model. The individual ICUs accounted for a total of only 6.23% of the explained variability and no individual hospital accounted for > 1.44% of the variability. Other variables positively correlated with measurement frequency included the presence or absence of a pediatric intensivist, and whether the institution was a children's hospital or not. Variables negatively correlated with measurement frequency included larger ICUs and house officers assigned to the ICU. CONCLUSIONS Although measurement frequency is associated with unit-level factors, their contribution to the overall variability is small and unlikely to influence the accuracy or reliability of the PRISM score. It is unlikely that there are routine biases associated with differences in measurement frequency of PRISM variables within the spectrum of care practices that now exist.
Inhibition of Quorum Sensing Activity by Ethanol Extract of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

Over a 30-year period, it has become apparent that a diversity of bacterial species commonly control expression of gene circuits in a population-dependent manner via a regulatory mechanism known as quorum sensing (QS). In QS, small diffusible molecules called autoinducers mediate the ability to monitor the size of a bacterial population [1-3]. Autoinducers produced by bacteria diffuse out and accumulate in the surrounding environment, and once a threshold concentration has been reached, they diffuse back into the bacteria and regulate the transcription of specific genes. Increasing evidence indicates that bacterial QS is involved in the regulation of diverse biological processes including exopolysaccharide synthesis, virulence factor gene expression, sporulation, biofilm formation, motility, bioluminescence and antibiotic biosynthesis [4-7]. In Gram-negative bacteria, N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL) are most commonly used as signal molecules, and the AHL-mediated QS plays an important role in regulating virulence factors, for example extracellular enzyme production in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum (P.c.c.), conjugation in Agrobacterium tumefaciens and toxin production in Burkholderia glumae [8,9].
Apport des études expérimentales en conduite automobile dans la mise en place d’une formation à la sécurité routière lors d’interactions avec les systèmes d’aide

La conduite automobile est l’une des rares tâches necessitant un apprentissage et le passage d’un examen initial, qui ne prevoit pas de mise en situation critique ni l’obligation de recyclages reguliers. En consequence, les conducteurs ne connaissent pas les nouveaux systemes d’aide et de securite proposes par les constructeurs automobiles et risquent de ne pas ou de mal s’en servir en conduite nominale. L’objectif de ce travail a ete de verifier, aupres de conducteurs novices et experimentes, leur reelle capacite a utiliser les systemes d’aide et de securite impliques dans la regulation longitudinale du vehicule, en situation nominale et en situation d’urgence. Des essais ont ete menes sur route, piste et simulateur de conduite. L’originalite de l’etude a porte sur la mesure du comportement du conducteur et de ses performances, pour approcher au mieux leur etat fonctionnel (eveil physiologique, attention) induit par la charge mentale lorsqu’ils etaient confrontes a ces situations. On a privilegie l’utilisation de mesures physiologiques en continu et, en particulier, celles de l’activite electrodermale. Les resultats obtenus ont permis de conclure que les conducteurs -soumis a une situation critique, et en consequence a une charge mentale elevee - utilisaient ces systemes d’aide de maniere inappropriee. Decoulent de ces conclusions, deux offres de formations pour pallier la meconnaissance et la mauvaise utilisation des systemes d’aide et de securite
Survey on coexistence of heterogeneous wireless networks in 2.4 GHz and TV white spaces

Given the unprecedentedly dense deployment of wireless networks due to the proliferation of inexpensive, widely available wireless devices in the limited spectrum bands, many of these wireless networks should operate at least partially overlapped or even on the same spectrum band. Incompatible communication pattern of different networks with different applications (e.g. Internet of Things, wireless sensor networks and individual wireless communication) would cause serious wireless networks coexistence problem. For the representative, two bands, 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific and medical band and the TV white spaces, effective signalling protocols, as well as radio resource allocation mechanisms could achieve an efficient and fair utilization of spectrum. In this survey, we report and analyse the recent technical advance and development of coexistence protocols. Aiming at tracing the latest developments in this field, we attempt to deliver a comprehensive coverage on existing literatures with a proper technical depth to introduce the design idea and philosophy and analyse the pros and cons of each surveyed coexistence solution. We also discuss a number of important and relevant research challenges that have not been addressed in the existing literatures and that deserve further research attention and investigation.
The neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease and the prion protein

The concept of “prion-like” has been proposed to explain the pathogenic mechanism of the principal neurodegenerative disorders associated with protein misfolding, including Alzheimer disease (AD). Other evidence relates prion protein with AD: the cellular prion protein (PrPC) binds β amyloid oligomers, allegedly responsible for the neurodegeneration in AD, mediating their toxic effects. We and others have confirmed the high-affinity binding between β amyloid oligomers and PrPC, but we were not able to assess the functional consequences of this interaction using behavioral investigations and in vitro tests. This discrepancy rather than being resolved with the classic explanations, differencies in methodological aspects, has been reinforced by new data from different sources. Here we present data obtained with PrP antibody that not interfere with the neurotoxic activity of β amyloid oligomers. Since the potential role of the PrPC in the neuronal dysfunction induced by β amyloid oligomers is an important issue, find reasonable explanation of the inconsistent results is needed. Even more important however is the relevance of this interaction in the context of the disease, so as to develop valid therapeutic strategies.
Asymptotic Stability of a Class of Impulsive Delay Differential Equations

This paper is concerned with a class of linear impulsive delay differential equations. Asymptotic stability of analytic solutions of this kind of equations is studied by the property of delay differential equations without impulsive perturbations. New numerical methods for this kind of equations are constructed. The convergence and asymptotic stability of the methods for this kind of equations are studied.
Clinical Effects of Intravenous Nifedipine on Renal Function

Summary Nifedipine, a calcium antagonist, was administered intravenously (13.3 μg/min) for 45 min, and the changes in blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow (RBF), total renal resistance, urinary volume, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, plasma renin activity, and plasma aldosterone concentration were studied. GFR and RBF were measured by intravenous infusion of sodium thiosulfate and sodium para-aminohippurate, respectively. The subjects included 12 cases of essential hypertension, nine of chronic glomerular nephritis with hypertension, 14 of chronic glomerular nephritis without hypertension, and 12 normotensive controls. In patients with essential hypertension, GFR and RBF increased markedly (by 45.6% and 44.8%, respectively), but in normotensive and hypertensive patients with chronic glomerular nephritis, these indices did not change significantly. The urinary volume and urinary sodium excretion increased in all groups. The natriuresis induced by nifedipine is probably due to the increase of GFR and RBF. The results of this study suggest a difference in renal vascular pathophysiology between essential hypertension and chronic glomerular nephritis. The results also suggest a functional change of the renal vascular system in essential hypertension, i.e., the increased vascular tone and the particular sensitivity of renal arterioles to nifedipine.
Stable Ramsey's Theorem and Measure

The stable Ramsey's theorem for pairs has been the subject of numerous investigations in mathematical logic. We introduce a weaker form of it by restricting from the class of all stable colorings to subclasses of it that are non-null in a certain effective measure-theoretic sense. We show that the sets that can compute infinite homogeneous sets for non-null many computable stable colorings and the sets that can compute infinite homogeneous sets for all computable stable colorings agree below $\emp'$ but not in general. We also answer the analogs of two well known questions about the stable Ramsey's theorem by showing that our weaker principle does not imply $\mathsf{COH}$ or $\mathsf{WKL}_0$ in the context of reverse mathematics.
Awake fibreoptic intubation in the semi‐prone position following facial trauma

A fit 27‐year‐old man presented with severe facial trauma following an industrial accident. Initial assessment showed severe swelling around the lower jaw and haemorrhage from the mouth, nose, scalp and left ear. The patient was conscious with a Glasgow Coma Score of 13 but in respiratory distress. Following adoption of the prone position his airway improved. Relief of the patient's airway obstruction was a priority and the patient underwent awake fibreoptic intubation in the prone position prior to induction of anaesthesia. Computed tomography scans of his head and neck were unremarkable and after fixation of a bilateral mandibular fracture he made an uneventful recovery. Intubation in the semi‐prone position may be a useful technique in injuries of this type.
Unchanged long‐term rural‐to‐urban incidence ratio of Parkinson's disease

Living in rural regions increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) potentially as a result of agricultural pesticide exposure or other mechanisms. The global use of pesticides has markedly decreased in parallel with other relevant changes, such as increased access to piped clean water supply on premises instead of unimproved well water. We hypothesized that these changes may have decreased the rural-to-urban risk ratio of PD. We used annual national Finnish data of PD incidence from an 18-year period (1997-2014) using data from the Finnish National Prescription Register. All PD diagnoses were based on clinical examinations by certified neurologists. The 317 municipalities in Finland were categorized as rural or urban based on regional population size (urban 5 population> 30,000; rural 5<15,000) and distribution of labor force (production-based categorization; urban 5 proportion of workforce in the primary sector such as agriculture <5%, rural 5>5%; Statistics Finland, http://www. tilastokeskus.fi). Subjects were classified into 20 5-year age groups (ages 0-4, 5-9, etc., and 95 or more years). Data management and statistical analyses were performed using the SAS System for Windows, version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina). We used PROC STDRATE to obtain rural/urban-specific ageand gender-standardized annual incidence rates (IR) of PD and their 95% confidence
The National University of Ireland, 1908-2008: Centenary Essays

List of Illustrations Foreword: The Chancellor, Dr Garret FitzGerald Acknowledgements Contributors to this Volume Abbreviations EARLY HISTORY: From Royal University to National University, 1879-1908, John Coolahan Achieving Equality: Women and the Foundation of the University, Senia Paseta The Position of the Irish Language, Gearoid O Tuathaigh CONSTITUENT COLLEGES TO CONSTITUENT UNIVERSITIES: University College Cork, John A. Murphy National University of Ireland, Galway, Seamus Mac Mathuna University College Dublin, Donal McCartney National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Seamus Smyth THE CHANCELLORS: William J. Walsh, 1908-21, Daire Keogh Eamon de Valera, 1921-75, John Walsh T. K. Whitaker, 1976-96, Ronan Fanning Garret FitzGerald, 1997-, Maurice Manning THE FUNCTIONING OF THE NUI: The Senate and the Changing Role of the Registrar, Attracta Halpin The Recognised Colleges, John Nolan The Role of Convocation, Linda O'Shea Farren The Archives held in the National University of Ireland, Noirin Moynihan. THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE: The National University of Ireland and the Changing Structure of Irish Higher Education, 1967-2007, John Coolahan Coming to terms with the 1997 Act: The National University of Ireland Senate, 1997-2007, Tom Dunne APPENDICES: I NUI, 49 Merrion Square II Chancellors III Vice-Chancellors IV Pro-Vice Chancellors V Registrars VI Members of Senate VII Timeline of NUI Appointments VIII NUI Awards and Scholarships Index.
Immobilization can improve the stability of hybridoma antibody productivity in serum‐free media

Hybridoma cells (S3H5/γ2bA2) were cultivated in spinner flasks with 1% serum media and serum‐free media. Monoclonal antibody productivity was maintained in 1% serum media. However, cells in serum‐free media showed a decrease in antibody productivity, and it completely disappeared in IMDM‐based low protein medium. This loss of antibody productivity was not observed when the cells were immobilized in alginate beads. In fact, immobilization enhanced the specific MAb productivity.
Oogenesis in adult prosimians.

It is widely accepted that oogenesis normally stops early in mammalian development (see Brambell, 1956; Franchi, Mandl & Zuckerman, 1962). Nevertheless, it has been claimed that mitotically active oogonia, and oocytes in early stages of meiotic prophase occur in mature specimens of Galago senegalensis (Gerard, 1920, 1932; Gerard & Herlant, 1953; Herlant, 1961; Petter-Rousseaux, 1962; Butler, 1964), G. crassicaudatus (Gerard & Herlant, 1953), G. demidoffi (Gerard, 1932; Gerard & Herlant, 1953; Petter-Rousseaux, 1962), Perodicticus potto (Gerard & Herlant, 1953), Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus (Rao, 1927; Brambell, 1930), and Daubentonia madagascariensis (Petter-Rousseaux & Bourliere, 1965). The latter is a lemuroid prosimian, while all the others are lorisoids (Hill, 1953). It has also been asserted that new germ cells are formed by direct transformation from the somatic cells of the ovarian germinal epithelium (Gerard, 1920, 1932; Rao, 1927; Gerard & Herlant, 1953).
The Research and Design of Web-based Intelligent Tutoring System

With the popularity of emerging intelligent tutoring system, combined computer assisted instruction with artificial intelligence, the artificial researches and designs webbased intelligent tutoring system, especially makes an analysis on the structural composition and key technology. Based on the intelligent technology, there are five models in the intelligent tutoring system. They are cognition student model, knowledge representation model, intelligence frame tutoring model and learning guidance reasoning model. By the five models, it can be a more intelligent college tutoring system. It not only can improve the efficiency, but also can build an intelligent management on tutoring and learning. Then it can bring much convenience for tutoring and has much practical significance.
Distributed Space-Frequency Coding in Broadband Ad Hoc Networks

A distributed space-frequency (SF) coded cooperative technique is proposed for broadband wireless ad-hoc networks. By employing an SF coding at the source node and a circular shift at each relay node, the proposed cooperative diversity technique can exploit the maximum relay diversity and multipath diversity. Pairwise error probability analysis shows that the achievable diversity gain is min (ML1, ML2), where M is the number of the relay nodes, and L1 and L2 are the number of taps of the multipath fading channels from the source node to the relay nodes and from the relay nodes to the destination node, respectively.
The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Channel Family in Colletotrichum graminicola: A Molecular and Physiological Analysis

Calcium (Ca2+) is a universal second messenger in all higher organisms and centrally involved in the launch of responses to environmental stimuli. Ca2+ signals in the cytosol are initiated by the activation of Ca2+ channels in the plasma membrane and/or in endomembranes. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) contains a Ca2+-permeable channel of the TRP family, TRPY1, which is localized in the vacuolar membrane and contributes to cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) elevations, for example in response to osmotic upshock. A TRPY1 homologue in the rice blast fungus is known to be important for growth and pathogenicity. To determine the role of the TRP channel family in the maize pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola, proteins homologous to TRPY1 were searched. This identified not one, but four genes in the C. graminicola genome, which had putative orthologs in other fungi, and which we named CgTRPF1 through 4. The topology of the CgTRPF proteins resembled that of TRPY1, albeit with a variable number of transmembrane (TM) domains additional to the six-TM-domain core and a diverse arrangement of putatively Ca2+-binding acidic motifs. All CgTRPF genes were expressed in axenic culture and throughout the infection of maize. Like TRPY1, all TRPF proteins of C. graminicola were localized intracellularly, albeit three of them were found not in large vacuoles, but co-localized in vesicular structures. Deletion strains for the CgTRPF genes were not altered in processes thought to involve Ca2+ release from internal stores, i.e. spore germination, the utilization of complex carbon sources, and the generation of tip-focussed [Ca2+]cyt spikes. Heterologous expression of CgTRPF1 through 4 in a tryp1Δ yeast mutant revealed that none of the channels mediated the release of Ca2+ in response to osmotic upshock. Accordingly, aequorin-based [Ca2+]cyt measurements of C. graminicola showed that in this fungus, osmotic upshock-triggered [Ca2+]cyt elevations were generated entirely by influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular space. Cgtrpf mutants did not show pathogenicity defects in leaf infection assays. In summary, our study reveals major differences between different fungi in the contribution of TRP channels to Ca2+-mediated signal transduction.
A 700 Volts Interface IC for Power Bridge Circuits

In this paper a 700 Volts integrated interface circuit is described, which provides the gate drive for the high-side and the ground-side power MOS transistor in an off-line half-bridge circuit. Ground separation for good inter-system EMC and a number of new provisions to alleviate control requirements towards the low power system control part are included.