Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Two Alternative Procedures to Obtain Packed Red Blood Cells for β-Thalassemia Major Transfusion Therapy

β-thalassemia major (βTM) patients require frequent blood transfusions, with consequences that span from allogenic reactions to iron overload. To minimize these effects, βTM patients periodically receive leucodepleted packed red blood cells (P-RBCs) stored for maximum 14 days. The aim of this study was to compare two alternative routine procedures to prepare the optimal P-RBCs product, in order to identify differences in their content that may somehow affect patients’ health and quality of life (QoL). In method 1, blood was leucodepleted and then separated to obtain P-RBCs, while in method 2 blood was separated and leucodepleted after removal of plasma and buffycoat. Forty blood donors were enrolled in two independent centers; couples of phenotypically matched whole blood units were pooled, divided in two identical bags and processed in parallel following the two methods. Biochemical properties, electrolytes and metabolic composition were tested after 2, 7 and 14 days of storage. Units prepared with both methods were confirmed to have all the requirements necessary for βTM transfusion therapy. Nevertheless, RBCs count and Hb content were found to be higher in method-1, while P-RBCs obtained with method 2 contained less K+, iron and storage lesions markers. Based on these results, both methods should be tested in a clinical perspective study to determine a possible reduction of transfusion-related complications, improving the QoL of βTM patients, which often need transfusions for the entire lifespan.
Flow-based dynamic routing in uncertain network environments

In this dissertation we study flow-based dynamic routing schemes. We propose routing schemes to achieve good network level performance such as flow blocking rate, and user level performance such as flow throughput. The design principle is to route a flow so that we can satisfy its Quality of Service (QoS) requirement, and minimize the negative impact of the routing on the performance of current and future flows of the network. To this end we identify a number of operating regimes in which user demands, network states, and routing decisions interact. We propose different routing mechanisms based on the unique properties of the operating regimes. For the networks operating in a regime in which link states are highly dynamic and traffic demands are bursty, we propose a dynamic multi-path routing scheme to disperse traffic between a source and a destination. We investigate the critical issue of how to select the set of least congested paths over which to disperse traffic, and examine the performance of this routing scheme in a mesh network. The performance of our dynamic multi-path routing scheme is quite robust with respect to various operating parameters and it offers consistent performance improvement over the baseline single path routing scheme. We then study dynamic routing schemes in the networks where network states evolve on a modest timescale which allows a user to predict its performance during its sojourn in the network. We model the link load dynamics and propose a routing scheme that jointly consider the current link load, the flow holding time, the average link load and mean reversion for the load dynamics. This routing scheme is beneficial for a range of applications where efficient fair-sharing of the excess network resources can improve network and user performance. We show our routing scheme, designed to improve users' average performance during their sojourn in the network, indeed leads to an efficient fair use of network resources. We also investigate routing algorithms for providing failure protection. The objective is to efficiently provision network resources so that when certain failures occur we can re-route the affected traffic with minimal service disruption. We observe that while a protection path for a given failure is constrained since it has to select its detours around the failure, it can nonetheless share the protection resources with protection paths for other failures. We identify a routing metric which effectively captures the sharing potential in the network. This routing metric and the associated routing algorithms, are shown to provide failure protection with significantly reduced resource redundancy.
The Application Value of Lipoprotein Particle Numbers in the Diagnosis of HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma with BCLC Stage 0-A

Early diagnosis is essential for improving the prognosis and survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to explore the clinical value of lipoprotein subfractions in the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. Lipoprotein subfractions were detected by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, and the pattern-recognition method and binary logistic regression were performed to classify distinct serum profiles and construct prediction models for HCC diagnosis. Differentially expressed proteins associated with lipid metabolism were detected by LC-MS/MS, and the potential prognostic significance of the mRNA expression was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. The diagnostic panel constructed from the serum particle number of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-1~LDL-6) achieved higher accuracy for the diagnosis of HBV-related HCC and HBV-related benign liver disease (LD) than that constructed from serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) alone in the training set (AUC: 0.850 vs. AUC: 0.831) and validation set (AUC: 0.926 vs. AUC: 0.833). Furthermore, the panel achieved good diagnostic performance in distinguishing AFP-negative HCC from AFP-negative LD (AUC: 0.773). We also found that lipoprotein lipase (LPL) transcript levels showed a significant increase in cancerous tissue and that high expression was significantly positively correlated with the poor prognosis of patients. Our research provides new insight for the development of diagnostic biomarkers for HCC, and abnormal lipid metabolism and LPL-mediated abnormal serum lipoprotein metabolism may be important factors in promoting HCC development.
The Transition Period Updated: A Review of the New Insights into the Adaptation of Dairy Cows to the New Lactation

Recent research on the transition period (TP) of dairy cows has highlighted the pivotal role of immune function in affecting the severity of metabolic challenges the animals face when approaching calving. This suggests that the immune system may play a role in the etiology of metabolic diseases occurring in early lactation. Several studies have indicated that the roots of immune dysfunctions could sink way before the “classical” TP (e.g., 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after calving), extending the time frame deemed as “risky” for the development of early lactation disorders at the period around the dry-off. Several distressing events occurring during the TP (i.e., dietary changes, heat stress) can boost the severity of pre-existing immune dysfunctions and metabolic changes that physiologically affect this phase of the lactation cycle, further increasing the likelihood of developing diseases. Based on this background, several operational and nutritional strategies could be adopted to minimize the detrimental effects of immune dysfunctions on the adaptation of dairy cows to the new lactation. A suitable environment (i.e., optimal welfare) and a balanced diet (which guarantees optimal nutrient partitioning to improve immune functions in cow and calf) are key aspects to consider when aiming to minimize TP challenges at the herd level. Furthermore, several prognostic behavioral and physiological indicators could help in identifying subjects that are more likely to undergo a “bad transition”, allowing prompt intervention through specific modulatory treatments. Recent genomic advances in understanding the linkage between metabolic disorders and the genotype of dairy cows suggest that genetic breeding programs aimed at improving dairy cows’ adaptation to the new lactation challenges (i.e., through increasing immune system efficiency or resilience against metabolic disorders) could be expected in the future. Despite these encouraging steps forward in understanding the physiological mechanisms driving metabolic responses of dairy cows during their transition to calving, it is evident that these processes still require further investigation, and that the TP—likely extended from dry-off—continues to be “the final frontier” for research in dairy sciences.
Estimating Mean Surface Backscatter from GPM Surface Backscatter Observations

The radar on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission observes precipitation at 13.6 GHz (Ku-band) and 35.6 GHz (Ka-band) and also receives echoes from the earth’s surface. Statistics of surface measurements for non-raining conditions are saved in a database for later use in estimating the precipitation path-integrated attenuation. Previous work by Meneghini and Jones (2011) showed that while averaging over larger latitude/longitude bins increase the number of samples, it can also increase sample variance due to spatial inhomogeneity in the data. As a result, Meneghini and Kim (2017) proposed a new, adaptive method of database construction, in which the number of measurements averaged depends on the spatial homogeneity. The purpose of this work is to re-visit previous, single-frequency results using dual-frequency data and optimal interpolation (kriging). Results include that (1) temporal inhomogeneity can create similar results as spatial, (2) Ka-band behavior is similar to Ku-band, (3) the Ku-/Ka-band difference has less spatial inhomogeneity than either band by itself, and (4) kriging and the adaptive method can reduce the sample variance. The author concludes that finer spatial and temporal resolution is necessary in constructing the database for single frequencies but less so for the Ku-/Ka-band difference. The adaptive approach reduces sample standard deviation with a relatively modest computational increase.
Att utmana stressen

Stress som begrepp har dessvarre kommit att sta for allt och inget. Samhallets reaktioner pa overbelastning och sjukskrivningar har till stor del kommit att resultera i dellosningar som inte racker sarskilt langt. Har diskuterar sju forskare vad som ar sj
Relationship between Spinal Anesthesia and Hypothermia Incidence among Post Operative Patients in the Operating Recovery Room "JIH" Hospital Yogyakarta

Introduction: Complications of surgery may lead the patient to experience ill and even death. One of the complications in the patient after surgery with spinal anesthesia is the incidence of hypothermia. Hypothermia can occur as a result of a combination of anesthesia and surgery that causes disturbance in body temperature regulation that can make decreasing body temperature. Method: This research uses a descriptive correlational method with a retrospective approach, with total sampling technique amount of 106 respondents, using a checklist sheet research instrument.Data analysis techniques spearman rank. Results: The characteristics of surgery patients with spinal anesthesia in the operating room of Yogyakarta "JIH" Hospital were mostly female, 87.9%, most of whom were adults 74.1%, the highest frequency of surgery with spinal anesthesia duration >2 hours 55.7% and had an incidence of hypothermia 54.7%. Correlational statistical analysis obtained a Cramer's value of 0.371, a correlation coefficient value of 0.348 with a probability value (p-value) of 0.000. Conclusion: There is a relationship between spinal anesthesia and hypothermia incidence among postoperative patients in the operating recovery room "JIH" Hospital Yogyakarta. The direction of the correlation is positive and closeness is sufficient.
Nucleomodulin BspJ as an effector promotes the colonization of Brucella abortus in the host

Background Brucella infection induces brucellosis, a zoonotic disease. The intracellular circulation process and virulence of Brucella mainly depend on its type IV secretion system (T4SS) expressing secretory effectors. Secreted protein BspJ is a nucleomodulin of Brucella that invades the host cell nucleus. BspJ mediates host energy synthesis and apoptosis through interaction with proteins. However, the mechanism of BspJ as it affects the intracellular survival of Brucella remains to be clarified. Objectives To verify the functions of nucleomodulin BspJ in Brucella's intracellular infection cycles. Methods Constructed Brucella abortus BspJ gene deletion strain (B. abortus ΔBspJ) and complement strain (B. abortus pBspJ) and studied their roles in the proliferation of Brucella both in vivo and in vitro. Results BspJ gene deletion reduced the survival and intracellular proliferation of Brucella at the replicating Brucella-containing vacuoles (rBCV) stage. Compared with the parent strain, the colonization ability of the bacteria in mice was significantly reduced, causing less inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage. We also found that the knockout of BspJ altered the secretion of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ) in host cells and in mice to affect the intracellular survival of Brucella. Conclusions BspJ is extremely important for the circulatory proliferation of Brucella in the host, and it may be involved in a previously unknown mechanism of Brucella's intracellular survival.
Influence of characteristics of work-life balance on teachers levels of job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Nairobi, Kenya

Work-life balance has always been concerned with those interested in the quality of working life and its relation to broader quality of life. This study sought to establish the influence of characteristics of work-life balance on teachers’ levels of job satisfaction in public secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of supervisor support and gender on the teachers’ levels of job satisfaction. The study used Stacy Adams’ equity theory of which holds that individuals compare their ratio of inputs and outcomes to the input-outcomes of other individuals. This study was a descriptive survey design. The target population was 83 public secondary schools and 1759 public secondary school teachers’ with 67 principals and 670 teachers sampled. Data were collected using an interview schedule and questionnaires. Descriptive statistics was performed to analyze quantitative data. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the linear correlation between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Using null hypotheses, multiple regression analysis was done. The key findings were that the principals were supportive to their teachers especially in terms of readily giving them permission to attend to their personal needs and training opportunities. There was no statistically significant difference in teachers’ levels of job satisfaction between male and female teachers. The study recommends that the Teachers Service Commission should formulate policies that are specifically geared towards enhancing teachers’ work-life balance. Comparative studies should be carried out in the rural areas.
Perspectives on preparation of two-dimensional MXenes

ABSTRACT The excellent intrinsic properties of two-dimensional MXenes, such as hydrophilic, good electrical and thermal conductivity, excellent film forming ability, render them potential candidates for many innovations in different areas. High-quality MXene plays an important role in enhancing the devices’ performances in various applications. However, the synthesis of high-quality MXenes has not been well documented. Herein, we summarize the up-to-date preparation strategies of MXene and compare their respective advantages and disadvantages. We particularly outline the criteria of high-quality MXenes, and focus on the influence of different synthetic methods on the surface functional groups, morphology (size and defect), layer spacing of MXene, etc. The challenges on MXenes’ preparation and their future perspectives are also provided. We anticipate this perspective will provide prospective guidance for synthesizing desirable high-quality MXenes. Graphical Abstract
Investigations of the operation reliability increase of the alternating current electric machines in diamond extractive industries

At present at concentration plants of diamond extractive industries one of the most important characteristics of the electric drive operation of powerful crusher, grinding machines, heavy transporters, fans are their reliability as well as quantitative estimation of its indexes. The given estimation is carried out based on the information formed either during testing specially organized or during exploiting engines by the user when the observations are registered into log books for the operation modes and the engine operation conditions. Analysis of the information obtained according to this procedure allows one to reveal the factors acting on operation reliability, to work out the method of their minimization. Such information, finally, allows one to reduce expenses for the electric machines operation.
A Neural Network Model for Evaluating Gravel Liquefaction Using Dynamic Penetration Test

Evaluation of liquefaction potential of soils is important in geotechnical earthquake engineering. Significant phenomena of gravelly soil liquefaction were reported in 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Thus, further studies on the liquefaction potential of gravelly soil are needed. This paper investigates the potential of artificial neural networks-based approach to assess the liquefaction potential of gravelly soils form field data of dynamic penetration test. The success rates for occurrence and non-occurrence of liquefaction cases both are 100%. The study suggests that neural networks can successfully model the complex relationship between seismic parameters, soil parameters, and the liquefaction potential of gravelly soils.
Justification of the Topical Use of Pharmacological Agents on Reduce of Tendon Adhesion after Surgical Repair

Tendon injuries are the second most common hand injuries in orthopedic patients. Tendon adhesions are one of the most concerning complications after surgical repair of the flexor tendon injury, particularly in zone II, which extends from the A1 pulley to the distal insertion of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS) tendon in the finger [1,2].
The effects of asymmetry on capacitive angular sensors

Ratiometric measurement schemes are widely used where sensors can be segmented so that the quantity of interest can be determined from the relative differences of the signals captured at each segment. This idea relies on the basic assumptions that the individual segments are measured simultaneously and that these signals obey certain symmetry rules with respect to the quantity to be measured. Unfortunately, both assumptions cannot fully be met in practice. This paper investigates the influence of asymmetry on a segmented capacitive angular sensor. Particular emphasis is placed on the noise introduced by a sequential rather than simultaneous measurement of the segments and by asymmetries due to the sensor geometry and fabrication tolerances. We find the measurement algorithm to be relatively robust provided that only one type of asymmetry dominates.
‘Why Are You Not Crying?’

This article analyses the ways in which young people with a migration background develop their own transnational engagement with their or their parents’ country of origin. Drawing on 17-months of multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork in the Netherlands and Ghana, we add to the emerging literature on ‘return’ mobilities by analysing young people of Ghanaian background, irrespective of whether they or their parents migrated, and by looking at an under-researched form of mobility that they engage in: that of attending funerals in Ghana. Funerals occupy a central role in Ghanaian society, and thus allow young people to gain knowledge about cultural practices, both by observing and embodying them, and develop their relationships with people in Ghana. Rather than reproducing their parents’ transnational attachments, young people recreate these according to their own needs, which involves dealing with tensions. Peer relationships—which have largely gone unnoticed in transnational migration studies—play a significant role in this process.
On the reduction of magnetic pull in induction motors with off-centre rotor

The behavior of an induction motor with off-center rotor is investigated. The Maxwell stress between rotor and stator of an induction machine with static and dynamic eccentricity of the rotor is calculated for two types of connection between stator coils. Theoretical and laboratory results show that connections of coils of the stator winding in parallel, with equalizing branches, lead to drastic reduction in unbalanced magnetic pull. This reduction prevents problems of magnetic pull in machines with imperfectly centered rotors. A secondary effect of minor importance is the appearance of a vibrational component in the magnetic pull, with an amplitude less than 26% of that of the fundamental force component. <<ETX>>
Balancing reality in embedded research and evaluation: Low vs high embeddedness

Embedding research and evaluation into organizations is one way to generate “practice‐based” evidence needed to accelerate implementation of evidence‐based innovations within learning health systems. Organizations and researchers/evaluators vary greatly in how they structure and operationalize these collaborations. One key aspect is the degree of embeddedness: from low embeddedness where researchers/evaluators are located outside organizations (eg, outside evaluation consultants) to high embeddedness where researchers/evaluators are employed by organizations and thus more deeply involved in program evolution and operations. Pros and cons related to the degree of embeddedness (low vs high) must be balanced when developing these relationships. We reflect on this process within the context of an embedded, mixed‐methods evaluation of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Diffusion of Excellence (DoE) program. Considerations that must be balanced include: (a) low vs high alignment of goals; (b) low vs high involvement in strategic planning; (c) observing what is happening vs being integrally involved with programmatic activities; (d) reporting findings at the project's end vs providing iterative findings and recommendations that contribute to program evolution; and (e) adhering to predetermined aims vs adapting aims in response to evolving partner needs.
Wideband substrate integrated waveguide power splitter with high isolation

Design and realisation of a novel substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) power splitter with high isolation is presented. The configuration of the proposed splitter is similar to a conventional four-port waveguide magic Tee whose E -plane arm is matched. To implement the matched E-plane arm in the SIW technology, a slot on the upper conductor of the SIW along with a number of terminating resistors is used. The designed SIW splitter is then fabricated and measured on the coaxial ports of three coaxial-to-SIW transitions. Measured results on the coaxial ports indicate that the fabricated power splitter features more than 10 dB of input and output return loss across a 42 bandwidth from 9.6 to 14.8 GHz. The isolation between output ports is better than 10 dB within a wider frequency range from 8.7 to 15.5 GHz.