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Rathore, Geetanjali, Paul Larsen, Manish Parakh, and Cristina Fernandez. "Choking at Night: A Case of Opercular Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy." Case Reports in Pediatrics 2013 (2013): 1–3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/606385.
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Frontal lobe seizures have a tendency to occur in sleep and in most cases occur exclusively insleep; these individuals are said to have nocturnal frontal lobe (NFLE). NFLE can be difficult to distinguish clinically from various other sleep disorders, particularly parasomnias, which also present with paroxysmal motor activity in sleep. Interictal and ictal EEG findings are frequently unremarkable or nonspecific in both parasomnias and NFLE making the diagnosis even more difficult. Nocturnal epilepsy should be suspected in patients with paroxysmal events at night characterized by high frequency, repetition, extrapyramidal features, and marked stereotypy of attacks. Here we present a 13-year-old female who was extensively worked up for choking episodes at night. On repeat video EEG she was found to have frontal opercular seizures. Once on Carbamazepine, her seizures completely resolved.
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Halász, Péter. "Are Absence Epilepsy and Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy System Epilepsies of the Sleep/Wake System?" Behavioural Neurology 2015 (2015): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/231676.
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System epilepsy is an emerging concept interpreting major nonlesional epilepsies as epileptic dysfunctions of physiological systems. I extend here the concept of reflex epilepsy to epilepsies linked to input dependent physiological systems. Experimental and clinical reseach data were collected to create a coherent explanation of underlying pathomechanism in AE and NFLE. We propose that AE should be interpreted as epilepsy linked to the corticothalamic burst-firing mode of NREM sleep, released by evoked vigilance level oscillations characterized by reactive slow wave response. In the genetic variation of NFLE the ascending cholinergic arousal system plays an essential role being in strong relationship with a gain mutation of the nicotinic acethylcholin receptors, rendering the arousal system hyperexcitable. I try to provide a more unitary interpretation for the variable seizure manifestation integrating them as different degree of pathological arosuals and alarm reactions. As a supporting hypothesis the similarity between arousal parasomnias and FNLE is shown, underpinned by overlaping pathomechanism and shared familiarity, but without epileptic features. Lastly we propose that both AE and NFLE are system epilepsies of the sleep-wake system representing epileptic disorders of the antagonistic sleep/arousal network. This interpretation may throw new light on the pathomechanism of AE and NFLE.
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Alsabahi, Randa. "English Medium Publications: Opening or Closing Doors to Authors with Non-English Language Backgrounds." English Language Teaching 15, no. 10 (September 22, 2022): 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v15n10p18.
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This critical exploratory study aims to examine the role academic brokers play in opening (or not) the gates to non-first-language-English (NFLE) scholars to contribute to the global research conversation. For the study, a qualitative research approach was used to collect data; ten emergent and established researchers were interviewed, all of whom originated from non-Anglophone countries. Four academic brokers were also interviewed to further examine the topic from their viewpoints. The findings revealed that revisions recommended by journal editors and reviewers could perhaps diminish the richness of texts and ultimately affect the voices NFLE authors try to project in their papers. Findings also showed that academic brokers are cognizant of the problems NFLE authors face when writing for publication, especially those pertaining to the quality of their writing and to the ways they respond to reviewers’ suggestions and handle the review process.
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González, Jose S., Guadalupe Dorantes, Alfonso Alba, Martin O. Méndez, Sergio Camacho, Martin Luna-Rivera, Liborio Parrino, Silvia Riccardi, Mario G. Terzano, and Giulia Milioli. "Heart Rate Dynamics and their Relation with the Cyclic Alternating Pattern of Sleep in Normal Subjects and NFLE Patients." Fluctuation and Noise Letters 16, no. 02 (January 24, 2017): 1750012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/s0219477517500122.
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The aim of this work is to study the behavior of the autonomic system through variations in the heart rate (HR) during the Cyclic Alternating Pattern (CAP) which is formed by A-phases. The analysis was carried out in 10 healthy subjects and 10 patients with Nocturnal Front Lobe Epilepsy (NFLE) that underwent one whole night of polysomnographic recordings. In order to assess the relation of A-phases with the cardiovascular system, two time domain features were computed: the amplitude reduction and time delay of the minimum of the R-R intervals with respect to A-phases onset. In addition, the same process was performed over randomly chosen R-R interval segments during the NREM sleep for baseline comparisons. A non-parametric bootstrap procedure was used to test differences of the kurtosis values of two populations. The results suggest that the onset of the A-phases is correlated with a significant increase of the HR that peaks at around 4[Formula: see text]s after the A-phase onset, independently of the A-phase subtype and sleep time for both healthy subjects and NFLE patients. Furthermore, the behavior of the reduction in the R-R intervals during the A-phases was significantly different for NFLE patients with respect to control subjects.
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Halász, Péter, Anna Kelemen, and Anna Szűcs. "Physiopathogenetic Interrelationship between Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy and NREM Arousal Parasomnias." Epilepsy Research and Treatment 2012 (May 10, 2012): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/312693.
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Aims. To build up a coherent shared pathophysiology of NFLE and AP and discuss the underlying functional network. Methods. Reviewing relevant published data we point out common features in semiology of events, relations to macro- and microstructural dynamism of NREM sleep, to cholinergic arousal mechanism and genetic aspects. Results. We propose that pathological arousals accompanied by confused behavior with autonomic signs and/or hypermotor automatisms are expressions of the frontal cholinergic arousal function of different degree, during the condition of depressed cognition by frontodorsal functional loss in NREM sleep. This may happen either if the frontal cortical Ach receptors are mutated in ADNFLE (and probably also in genetically not proved nonlesional cases as well), or without epileptic disorder, in AP, assuming gain in receptor functions in both conditions. This hypothesis incorporates the previous “liberation theory” of Tassinari and the “state dissociation hypothesis” of Bassetti and Terzaghi). We propose that NFLE and IGE represent epileptic disorders of the two antagonistic twin systems in the frontal lobe. NFLE is the epileptic facilitation of the ergotropic frontal arousal system whereas absence epilepsy is the epileptic facilitation of burst-firing working mode of the spindle and delta producing frontal thalamocortical throphotropic sleep system. Significance. The proposed physiopathogenesis conceptualize epilepsies in physiologically meaningful networks.
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Pisano, Fabio, Giuliana Sias, Alessandra Fanni, Barbara Cannas, António Dourado, Barbara Pisano, and Cesar A. Teixeira. "Convolutional Neural Network for Seizure Detection of Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy." Complexity 2020 (March 31, 2020): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/4825767.
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The Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (NFLE) is a form of epilepsy in which seizures occur predominantly during sleep. In other forms of epilepsy, the commonly used clinical approach mainly involves manual inspection of encephalography (EEG) signals, a laborious and time-consuming process which often requires the contribution of more than one experienced neurologist. In the last decades, numerous approaches to automate this detection have been proposed and, more recently, machine learning has shown very promising performance. In this paper, an original Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture is proposed to develop patient-specific seizure detection models for three patients affected by NFLE. The performances, in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, exceed by several percentage points those in the most recent literature. The capability of the patient-specific models has been also tested to compare the obtained seizure onset times with those provided by the neurologists, with encouraging results. Moreover, the same CNN architecture has been used to develop a cross-patient seizure detection system, resorting to the transfer-learning paradigm. Starting from a patient-specific model, few data from a new patient are enough to customize his model. This contribution aims to alleviate the task of neurologists, who may have a robust indication to corroborate their clinical conclusions.
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De Paolis, Fernando, Giulia Milioli, Andrea Grassi, Silvia Riccardi, Elena Colizzi, Liborio Parrino, and Mario Giovanni Terzano. "ANTIEPILEPTIC THERAPY IN NFLE PATIENTS: EFFECTS ON MACROSTRUCTURAL AND MICROSTRUCTURAL PSG PARAMETERS." Sleep Medicine 12 (September 2011): S8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1389-9457(11)70026-0.
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Chen, Ying-Nong, Cheng-Ta Hsieh, Ming-Gang Wen, Chin-Chuan Han, and Kuo-Chin Fan. "A Dimension Reduction Framework for HSI Classification Using Fuzzy and Kernel NFLE Transformation." Remote Sensing 7, no. 11 (October 29, 2015): 14292–326. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs71114292.
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Terzaghi, Michele, Ivana Sartori, Roberto Mai, Laura Tassi, Stefano Francione, Francesco Cardinale, Laura Castana, et al. "Coupling of minor motor events and epileptiform discharges with arousal fluctuations in NFLE." Epilepsia 49, no. 4 (April 2008): 670–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2007.01419.x.
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Terzaghi, Michele, Ivana Sartori, Riccardo Cremascoli, Valter Rustioni, and Raffaele Manni. "Choking in the Night Due to NFLE Seizures in a Patient with Comorbid OSA." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 10, no. 10 (October 15, 2014): 1149–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.4122.
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Derry, Christopher P., Simon Harvey, John Duncan, Matthew Walker, and Samuel F. Berkovic. "627: Diagnosing bumps in the night: Distinguishing parasomnias from NFLE using video EEG monitoring." Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 14, no. 10 (October 2007): 1027. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2007.02.058.
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Sharma, Manish, Jainendra Tiwari, Virendra Patel, and U. Rajendra Acharya. "Automated Identification of Sleep Disorder Types Using Triplet Half-Band Filter and Ensemble Machine Learning Techniques with EEG Signals." Electronics 10, no. 13 (June 25, 2021): 1531. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/electronics10131531.
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A sleep disorder is a medical condition that affects an individual’s regular sleeping pattern and routine, hence negatively affecting the individual’s health. The traditional procedures of identifying sleep disorders by clinicians involve questionnaires and polysomnography (PSG), which are subjective, time-consuming, and inconvenient. Hence, an automated sleep disorder identification is required to overcome these limitations. In the proposed study, we have proposed a method using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals for the automated identification of six sleep disorders, namely insomnia, nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE), narcolepsy, rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD), periodic leg movement disorder (PLM), and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). To the best of our belief, this is one of the first studies ever undertaken to identify sleep disorders using EEG signals employing cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) sleep database. After sleep-scoring EEG epochs, we have created eight different data subsets of EEG epochs to develop the proposed model. A novel optimal triplet half-band filter bank (THFB) is used to obtain the subbands of EEG signals. We have extracted Hjorth parameters from subbands of EEG epochs. The selected features are fed to various supervised machine learning algorithms for the automated classification of sleep disorders. Our proposed system has obtained the highest accuracy of 99.2%, 98.2%, 96.2%, 98.3%, 98.8%, and 98.8% for insomnia, narcolepsy, NFLE, PLM, RBD, and SDB classes against normal healthy subjects, respectively, applying ensemble boosted trees classifier. As a result, we have attained the highest accuracy of 91.3% to identify the type of sleep disorder. The proposed method is simple, fast, efficient, and may reduce the challenges faced by medical practitioners during the diagnosis of various sleep disorders accurately in less time at sleep clinics and homes.
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Terzaghi, Michele, and Raffaele Manni. "Arousal gating motor events in NFLE – A window on the boundary between physiology and pathology." Sleep Medicine 13, no. 3 (March 2012): 215–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2012.01.007.
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Combi, Romina, Luigi Ferini-Strambi, and Maria Luisa Tenchini. "CHRNA2 mutations are rare in the NFLE population: Evaluation of a large cohort of Italian patients." Sleep Medicine 10, no. 1 (January 2009): 139–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2007.11.010.
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Bisulli, Francesca, Luca Vignatelli, Federica Provini, Chiara Leta, Elio Lugaresi, and Paolo Tinuper. "Parasomnias and nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE): Lights and shadows – Controversial points in the differential diagnosis." Sleep Medicine 12 (December 2011): S27—S32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2011.10.008.
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Sharma, Manish, Virendra Patel, Jainendra Tiwari, and U. Rajendra Acharya. "Automated Characterization of Cyclic Alternating Pattern Using Wavelet-Based Features and Ensemble Learning Techniques with EEG Signals." Diagnostics 11, no. 8 (July 30, 2021): 1380. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11081380.
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Sleep is highly essential for maintaining metabolism of the body and mental balance for increased productivity and concentration. Often, sleep is analyzed using macrostructure sleep stages which alone cannot provide information about the functional structure and stability of sleep. The cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) is a physiological recurring electroencephalogram (EEG) activity occurring in the brain during sleep and captures microstructure of the sleep and can be used to identify sleep instability. The CAP can also be associated with various sleep-related pathologies, and can be useful in identifying various sleep disorders. Conventionally, sleep is analyzed using polysomnogram (PSG) in various sleep laboratories by trained physicians and medical practitioners. However, PSG-based manual sleep analysis by trained medical practitioners is onerous, tedious and unfavourable for patients. Hence, a computerized, simple and patient convenient system is highly desirable for monitoring and analysis of sleep. In this study, we have proposed a system for automated identification of CAP phase-A and phase-B. To accomplish the task, we have utilized the openly accessible CAP sleep database. The study is performed using two single-channel EEG modalities and their combination. The model is developed using EEG signals of healthy subjects as well as patients suffering from six different sleep disorders namely nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE), sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), narcolepsy, periodic leg movement disorder (PLM), insomnia and rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD) subjects. An optimal orthogonal wavelet filter bank is used to perform the wavelet decomposition and subsequently, entropy and Hjorth parameters are extracted from the decomposed coefficients. The extracted features have been applied to different machine learning algorithms. The best performance is obtained using ensemble of bagged tress (EBagT) classifier. The proposed method has obtained the average classification accuracy of 84%, 83%, 81%, 78%, 77%, 76% and 72% for NFLE, healthy, SDB, narcolepsy, PLM, insomnia and RBD subjects, respectively in discriminating phases A and B using a balanced database. Our developed model yielded an average accuracy of 78% when all 77 subjects including healthy and sleep disordered patients are considered. Our proposed system can assist the sleep specialists in an automated and efficient analysis of sleep using sleep microstructure.
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Staples, Christopher R., Surobhi Lahiri, Jason Raymond, Lindsay Von Herbulis, Biswarup Mukhophadhyay, and Robert E. Blankenship. "Expression and Association of Group IV Nitrogenase NifD and NifH Homologs in the Non-Nitrogen-Fixing Archaeon Methanocaldococcus jannaschii." Journal of Bacteriology 189, no. 20 (July 27, 2007): 7392–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jb.00876-07.
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ABSTRACT Using genomic analysis, researchers previously identified genes coding for proteins homologous to the structural proteins of nitrogenase (J. Raymond, J. L. Siefert, C. R. Staples, and R. E. Blankenship, Mol. Biol. Evol. 21:541-554, 2004). The expression and association of NifD and NifH nitrogenase homologs (named NflD and NflH for “Nif-like” D and H, respectively) have been detected in a non-nitrogen-fixing hyperthermophilic methanogen, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. These homologs are expressed constitutively and do not appear to be directly involved with nitrogen metabolism or detoxification of compounds such as cyanide or azide. The NflH and NflD proteins were found to interact with each other, as determined by bacterial two-hybrid studies. Upon immunoisolation, NflD and NflH copurified, along with three other proteins whose functions are as yet uncharacterized. The apparent presence of genes coding for NflH and NflD in all known methanogens, their constitutive expression, and their high sequence similarity to the NifH and NifD proteins or the BchL and BchN/BchB proteins suggest that NflH and NflD participate in an indispensable and fundamental function(s) in methanogens.
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Kanner, Andres M. "Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy: There is Bad, Good, and Very Good News!" Epilepsy Currents 7, no. 5 (September 2007): 131–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1535-7511.2007.00200.x.
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Surgical Treatment of Drug-Resistant Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy. Nobili L, Francione S, Mai R, Cardinale F, Castana L, Tassi L, Sartori I, Didato G, Citterio A, Colombo N, Galli C, Lo Russo G, Cossu M. Brain 2007;130(Pt 2):561–573. Of the cases with nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) 30% are refractory to antiepileptic medication, with several patients suffering from the effects of both ongoing seizures and disrupted sleep. From a consecutive series of 522 patients operated on for drug-resistant focal epilepsy, 21 cases (4%), whose frontal lobe seizures occurred almost exclusively (>90%) during sleep, were selected. All patients underwent a comprehensive pre-surgical evaluation, which included history, interictal EEG, scalp video-EEG monitoring, high-resolution MRI and, when indicated, invasive recording by stereo-EEG (SEEG). There were 11 males and 10 females, whose mean age at seizure onset was 6.2 years, mean age at surgery was 24.7 years and seizure frequency ranged from <20/month to >300/month. Nine patients reported excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Prevalent ictal clinical signs were represented by asymmetric posturing (6 cases), hyperkinetic automatisms (10 cases), combined tonic posturing and hyperkinetic automatisms (4 cases) and mimetic automatisms (1 case). All patients reported some kind of subjective manifestations. Interictal and ictal EEG provided lateralizing or localizing information in most patients. MRI was unrevealing in 10 cases and it showed a focal anatomical abnormality in one frontal lobe in 11 cases. Eighteen patients underwent a SEEG evaluation to better define the epileptogenic zone (EZ). All patients received a microsurgical resection in one frontal lobe, tailored according to pre-surgical evaluations. Two patients were operated on twice owing to poor results after the first resection. Histology demonstrated a Taylor-type focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in 16 patients and an architectural FCD in 4. In one case no histological change was found. After a post-operative follow-up of at least 12 months (mean 42.5 months) all the 16 patients with a Taylor's FCD were in Engel's Class Ia and the other 5 patients were in Engel's Classes II or III. After 6 months post-surgery EDS had disappeared in the 9 patients who presented this complaint pre-operatively. It is concluded that patients with drug-resistant, disabling sleep-related seizures of frontal lobe origin should be considered for resective surgery, which may provide excellent results both on seizures and on epilepsy-related sleep disturbances. An accurate pre-surgical evaluation, which often requires invasive EEG recording, is mandatory to define the EZ. Further investigation is needed to explain the possible causal relationships between FCD, particularly Taylor-type, and sleep-related seizures, as observed in this cohort of NFLE patients.
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SIDDIQUI, MOHD, GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA, and HASAN SAEED. "Diagnosis of Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (NFLE) Sleep Disorder Using Short Time Frequency Analysis of PSD Approach Applied on EEG Signal." Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal 9, no. 1 (April 28, 2016): 393–403. http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/951.
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Ali, Hamed, and Suzanne Stevens. "1219 A CASE OF A NIGHT TIME AFFAIR." Sleep 43, Supplement_1 (April 2020): A466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa056.1213.
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Abstract Introduction Sleep associated seizures especially Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy (NFLE) represents a spectrum of challenging clinical manifestations presenting as complex nocturnal movements/behaviors, making the diagnosis often difficult. Report of Case A 64 y/o male, with history of ongoing complex movements occurring during his sleep, with no history of strokes or neurological deficits. Had extensive neurologic workup (all negative) including routine electroencephalogram (EEG), prolonged inpatient EEG (12 hours), and MRI of the brain. Home sleep study showing moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) AHI 24/hour successfully treated with CPAP therapy (residual AHI 1.7/hour) with improved nighttime symptoms initially. Wife recalls events as happening only at night while sleep, as patient often confused upon waking up in the morning, at times appear to sit up and smack his lips. No nighttime hallucinations, sleep paralysis, or acting out dreams were reported. Had two episodes associated with tongue biting and loss of bladder control. Another episode happened after a daytime nap, patient went outside and was mowing his lawn, went “completely blank “, appeared confused. No daytime or nighttime seizures were ever noticed. Patient do not recall any of the above events. Repeat EEG was normal. MRI/MRA of the head /neck showed small tiny focus in left frontoparietal lobe, suggesting remote cortical ischemic injury. Polysomnography (PSG) with seizure montage showed Interictal epileptic discharges (IEDs) foci recorded in the frontal/frontopolar leads without accompanying body movements. Interictal spike and wave activity seen during stage N2. Initially treated with carbamazepine (had skin reaction) switched to levetiracetam with complete resolution of his symptoms. Conclusion This case illustrates the importance of reviewing the clinical history, behavior semiology, and diagnostic ancillary testing such as polysomnography with EEG monitoring in distinguishing nocturnal epileptic seizures from other nocturnal complex behavior disorders and parasomnias.
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Chiang, Li-Chi, Yi-Ting Chuang, and Chin-Chuan Han. "Integrating Landscape Metrics and Hydrologic Modeling to Assess the Impact of Natural Disturbances on Ecohydrological Processes in the Chenyulan Watershed, Taiwan." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 2 (January 18, 2019): 266. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020266.
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The Chenyulan watershed, located in the central mountain area of Taiwan, has been suffering from earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rainfalls in recent decades. These sequential natural disturbances have a cumulative impact on the watershed, leading to more fragile and fragmented land cover and loss of capacity of soil water conservation. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a landscape metrics tool (FRAGSTATS) were used to assess the direct impact (e.g., by annual rainfall) and indirect impact (e.g., by landscape configuration and composition) of natural disturbances on the ecohydrological processes of the Chenyulan watershed. Six SPOT satellite images from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed by using the nearest feature line embedding (NFLE) approach and reclassified into six land cover types: forest, cultivated land, grassland, river, landslide, and built-up. Forest was found to have the largest patch size, indicating that it is more resilient to disturbances, while agricultural land tended to expand from the river side toward the hill. Two land cover change scenarios were compared in the SWAT model. The results showed that there was no significant difference in simulated streamflow during 2004–2015 and sediment loading during 2004–2009; however, the model performed better for sediment loading during 2010–2015 with dynamic land cover change (coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.66, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) = 0.62, percent bias (PBIAS) = 10.5%, root mean square error observation standard deviation ratio (RSR) = 0.62) than with constant land cover (R2 = 0.61, NSE = 0.54, PBIAS = −17.3%, RSR = 0.68), indicating that long-term land cover change should be considered in hydrologic modeling. Changes in landslides during 2008–2013 were found to significantly affect ecohydrological processes, especially after 2011. In general, annual precipitation plays a dominant role, and landscape composition had by far the strongest influence on water yield and sediment yield compared to landscape configuration. The results can be useful for understanding the effects of land cover change on ecohydrological processes in the Chenyulan watershed and the potential impact of ecohydrological changes on the environment and public health.
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Ullah, Samee, Faheem Ul Hassan, and Taj Muhammad. "The Role & Strategies of Non Formal Education for Education Access to Marginalized Community." Review of Education, Administration & LAW 4, no. 3 (July 30, 2021): 563–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.47067/real.v4i3.172.
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In Pakistan, about 22.8 million children of school going age are out of school which is very alarming situation and second highest number in the World. Major portion of these OOSCs belong to deprived, marginalized community of Pakistan. Although Pakistan has promised under article 25A to educate all the boys and girls age of school going children but this yet not to be meet due to financial constraints. So to fill this gap an alternative comprehensive system is needed. Non Formal Education is recognized and understood as cost effective and flexible system to fill this gap. In context of Pakistan, despite of recognition of NFE, it has not received due attention due to lack political interest. However, in last few years it is seen progress in this sector and a Non Formal Education Policies are developed at province level e.g. Punjab Non Formal Education Policy and Sindh Non Formal Education Policy. The aim of study was to explore the strategies of Non Formal Education for education access to underprivileged community and its effectiveness in Punjab. The research was conducted in 100 NFBE schools in three districts of Punjab. It was a Quantitative survey research to explore the strategies, and impact of NFBE schools on community. Random sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data was collected from officers, teachers, students and their parents. Data was collected through Questionnaires. It was found that NFE system was imparting cost effective, affordable, flexible, inclusive education at door step of deprived and marginalized community. It was recommended to allocate the more funds to scale up NFE system to cater the all OOSC. It was also recommended to amend and implement the Literacy Act 1987.
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Sharma, Manish, Jainendra Tiwari, and U. Rajendra Acharya. "Automatic Sleep-Stage Scoring in Healthy and Sleep Disorder Patients Using Optimal Wavelet Filter Bank Technique with EEG Signals." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 6 (March 17, 2021): 3087. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063087.
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Sleep stage classification plays a pivotal role in effective diagnosis and treatment of sleep related disorders. Traditionally, sleep scoring is done manually by trained sleep scorers. The analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded during sleep by clinicians is tedious, time-consuming and prone to human errors. Therefore, it is clinically important to score sleep stages using machine learning techniques to get accurate diagnosis. Several studies have been proposed for automated detection of sleep stages. However, these studies have employed only healthy normal subjects (good sleepers). The proposed study focuses on the automated sleep-stage scoring of subjects suffering from seven different kind of sleep disorders such as insomnia, bruxism, narcolepsy, nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE), periodic leg movement (PLM), rapid eye movement (REM) behavioural disorder and sleep-disordered breathing as well as normal subjects. The open source physionet’s cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) sleep database is used for this study. The EEG epochs are decomposed into sub-bands using a new class of optimized wavelet filters. Two EEG channels, namely F4-C4 and C4-A1, combined are used for this work as they can provide more insights into the changes in EEG signals during sleep. The norm features are computed from six sub-bands coefficients of optimal wavelet filter bank and fed to various supervised machine learning classifiers. We have obtained the highest classification performance using an ensemble of bagged tree (EBT) classifier with 10-fold cross validation. The CAP database comprising of 80 subjects is divided into ten different subsets and then ten different sleep-stage scoring tasks are performed. Since, the CAP database is unbalanced with different duration of sleep stages, the balanced dataset also has been created using over-sampling and under-sampling techniques. The highest average accuracy of 85.3% and Cohen’s Kappa coefficient of 0.786 and accuracy of 92.8% and Cohen’s Kappa coefficient of 0.915 are obtained for unbalanced and balanced databases, respectively. The proposed method can reliably classify the sleep stages using single or dual channel EEG epochs of 30 s duration instead of using multimodal polysomnography (PSG) which are generally used for sleep-stage scoring. Our developed automated system is ready to be tested with more sleep EEG data and can be employed in various sleep laboratories to evaluate the quality of sleep in various sleep disorder patients and normal subjects.
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Wu, Shangyu, Yufei Cui, Jinghuan Yu, Xuan Sun, Tei-Wei Kuo, and Chun Jason Xue. "NFL." Proceedings of the VLDB Endowment 15, no. 10 (June 2022): 2188–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.14778/3547305.3547322.
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Recent works on learned index open a new direction for the indexing field. The key insight of the learned index is to approximate the mapping between keys and positions with piece-wise linear functions. Such methods require partitioning key space for a better approximation. Although lots of heuristics are proposed to improve the approximation quality, the bottleneck is that the segmentation overheads could hinder the overall performance. This paper tackles the approximation problem by applying a distribution transformation to the keys before constructing the learned index. A two-stage Normalizing-Flow-based Learned index framework (NFL) is proposed, which first transforms the original complex key distribution into a near-uniform distribution, then builds a learned index leveraging the transformed keys. For effective distribution transformation, we propose a Numerical Normalizing Flow (Numerical NF). Based on the characteristics of the transformed keys, we propose a robust After-Flow Learned Index (AFLI). To validate the performance, comprehensive evaluations are conducted on both synthetic and real-world workloads, which shows that the proposed NFL produces the highest throughput and the lowest tail latency compared to the state-of-the-art learned indexes.
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Lim, Cassandra, Rebecca Brody, Joachim D. Sackey, Riva E. Touger-Decker, Winnie SS Chee, Seong-Ting Chen, and Jennifer Tomesko. "Changes in Nutrition Focused Physical Examination Knowledge and Practices of Dietitians Who Completed an In-Person Workshop With 1-Year Online Follow-Up in Malaysia." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 480. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab040_004.
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Abstract Objectives Nutrition-focused physical examination (NFPE) is a component of nutrition assessment performed by dietitians. There is limited research globally on NFPE practices of dietitians. This study explored changes in NFPE knowledge and practices over 1-year among clinical dietitians in Malaysia who completed a hybrid NFPE training program. Methods This was a secondary analysis of data from a pilot study. Participants attended a 2-day in-person workshop in Malaysia with quarterly online follow-up over 1-year. A 50-item multiple-choice knowledge test was completed by participants before and immediately, 6- and 12-months post-training. They completed data collection forms with self-reported performance of 43 NFPE practice tasks conducted during patient assessments before and 6- and 12-months post-training. Descriptive statistics, one-way repeated-measures ANOVA for knowledge assessment scores and Chi-square tests for changes in frequencies of NFPE performance were used for analyses; statistical significance was P ≤ 0.05. Results Of the 16 clinical dietitian participants who enrolled, 81.3% (n = 13) completed the study. Participants had a mean of 9.3 ± 6.4 years ofclinical practice; 81.3% (n = 13) had no prior NFPE training. Mean NFPE knowledge scores increased significantly from before (33.8 ± 3.9) to immediately post-training (44.0 ± 3.2; P < 0.001); this increase was sustained to 12-months post-training (43.3 ± 2.9; P < 0.001). Performance of all 43 NFPE practice tasks increased significantly from before to 12-months post-training (P < 0.001). Conclusions Clinical dietitian participants in this study increased their knowledge and practice of NFPE from before to 12-months post-training. In-person NFPE training with 1-year online follow-up is feasible for training clinical dietitians in Malaysia. Future research should explore using a control group to examine the effectiveness of a hybrid NFPE training program in this population. Funding Sources Rutgers Global Grant.
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Lutz, Lorren, Rebecca Brody, Joachim D. Sackey, Riva E. Touger-Decker, Seong-Ting Chen, Winnie SS Chee, and Jennifer Tomesko. "Changes in Nutrition Focused Physical Exam Knowledge and Curriculum Integration of Dietetic Educators in Malaysia Who Have Completed an NFPE Hybrid Training Program." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 981. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab051_025.
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Abstract Objectives There is limited research on the integration of Nutrition Focused Physical Examination (NFPE) into dietetic educators’ curricula practices globally. The primary objectives of this study were to assess changes in dietetic educators’ NFPE knowledge and curricula practices over 12-months after completing a hybrid training program in NFPE. Methods This was a secondary analysis of data from the study A Two-phase International Approach to Teaching Nutrition Focused Physical Examination, a prospective cohort pilot study. Dietetic educators in Malaysia completed an NFPE hybrid training program consisting of in-person training and follow-up computer-assisted instruction over 12 months. Participants reported the extent to which they integrated 32 NFPE tasks into their curricula at 3 timepoints (baseline, 6- and 12-months post-training) and completed a 50-item multiple-choice knowledge test at 4 timepoints (baseline and immediately, 6- and 12-months post-training). Descriptive statistics were used for curricula data; one-way repeated measures ANOVA test was used to analyze the change in knowledge scores over time. Results Data were analyzed from those who completed knowledge tests (n = 14) and NFPE curricula data collection forms (n = 13) at all timepoints. Mean knowledge scores out of 50 possible points) increased significantly from baseline to immediately post-training and 6- and 12-months post-training (P < 0.001 for all) from 34.1 ± 5.4 at baseline to 43.7 ± 3.1 immediately post-training, 43.5 ± 2.9 at 6-months post-training, and 43.1 ± 3.0 at 12-months post-training. Changes in knowledge test scores were maintained from immediately post-training to 6- and 12-months post-training. At baseline, all of the participants reported that they “teach student NFPE tasks,” for three of the 32 NFPE tasks (examination of orbital fat pads, gastrocnemius muscle, and clavicle). At 12-months post-training,100% of the participants reported teaching all 32 NFPE tasks. Conclusions Dietetic educators in Malaysia who participated in the study significantly increased their NFPE knowledge and the integration of NFPE tasks in their nutrition and dietetics curricula from baseline to 12-months post-training. An NFPE hybrid training program is feasible to train dietetic educators in Malaysia. Funding Sources Rutgers Global Grant
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Vásquez, Sebastián I., María Belén de la Torre, Gonzalo S. Saldías, and Aldo Montecinos. "Meridional Changes in Satellite Chlorophyll and Fluorescence in Optically-Complex Coastal Waters of Northern Patagonia." Remote Sensing 13, no. 5 (March 9, 2021): 1026. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs13051026.
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Northern Patagonia is one of the largest estuarine systems worldwide. It is characterized by complex geography, including islands, peninsulas, channels, and fjords. Here, the Inner Sea of Chiloé (ISC) is the largest estuarine system extending about 230 km in the meridional direction. Phytoplankton’s long-term dynamics and the main physical drivers of their variability are not well understood yet. Time-space fluctuations of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Chlorophyll fluorescence (nFLH) within the ISC and their association with meteorological and oceanographic processes were analyzed using high resolution (1000 m) satellite data (2003–2019). Our results revealed a meridional Chl-a and nFLH gradient along the ISC, with higher concentrations north of the Desertores islands where the topography promotes a semi-closed system with estuarine characteristics yearlong. Satellite Chl-a and nFLH were characterized by asynchronous seasonal cycles (nFLH peaks in fall) that differed from the southern ISC where the maximum Chl-a and nFLH occurs in spring-summer. The adjacent coastal ocean influences the southern ISC, and thus, the Chl-a and nFLH variability correlated well with the seasonal variation of meridional winds. The northern ISC was clearly influenced by river discharges, which can bias the Chl-a retrievals, decoupling the annual cycles of Chl-a and nFLH. In situ data from a buoy in Seno Reloncaví reaffirmed this bias in satellite Chl-a and a higher correlation with nFLH, by which the construction of a local Chl-a algorithm for northern Patagonia is essential.
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El-Nobi, Gamal, Mohammed Hassanin, Alshimaa A. Khalil, Alaa Y. Mohammed, Shimaa A. Amer, Metwally M. Montaser, and Mohamed E. El-sharnouby. "Synbiotic Effects of Saccharomycescerevisiae, Mannan Oligosaccharides, and β-Glucan on Innate Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Disease Resistance of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus." Antibiotics 10, no. 5 (May 12, 2021): 567. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10050567.
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Synbiotic (SYN) additives were assessed as an antibiotic alternative on the effects on the nonspecific immune response and disease resistance of O. niloticus to P. aeruginosa. Healthy fish (n = 120, average initial weight 18 ± 2 g) were allotted randomly into four experimental groups (3 replicates for each); 1) a control group with no additives (CON), 2) basal diet complemented with 0.1 g kg–1 diets of norfloxacin, NFLX, 3) basal diet fortified with 1 mL kg–1 diet of SYN, and 4) basal diet complemented with a mixture of NFLX and SYN, which was carried out for eight weeks. Results showed a significant increase (p < 0.01) in the serum immune parameters (total protein, globulin and albumin, nitric oxide (NO), and lysozyme activity) in the SYN group and the NFLX+SYN group compared with the CON and NFLX groups. The serum glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides were higher in NFLX and NFLX+SYN groups than the CON and SYN groups. The catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities were significantly augmented in the NFLX+SYN group, followed by the SYN group compared with CON and NFLX groups. The cumulative mortality rate (CMR) of O. niloticus following the P. aeruginosa challenge was decreased in the SYN group compared to other groups. The results emphasize that synbiotic could be used as a norfloxacin alternative to enhance the related immunological parameters, including antioxidant activity and disease resistance against P. aeruginosa infection of O. niloticus.
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Lin, Chin-Hsien, Cheng-Hsuan Li, Kai-Chien Yang, Fang-Ju Lin, Chau-Chung Wu, Jen-Jie Chieh, and Ming-Jang Chiu. "Blood NfL." Neurology 93, no. 11 (August 16, 2019): e1104-e1111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000008088.
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ObjectiveTo examine whether plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were associated with motor and cognitive progression in Parkinson disease (PD).MethodsThis prospective follow-up study enrolled 178 participants, including 116 with PD, 22 with multiple system atrophy (MSA), and 40 healthy controls. We measured plasma NfL levels with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Patients with PD received evaluations of motor and cognition at baseline and at a mean follow-up interval of 3 years. Changes in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III motor score and Mini-Mental State Examination score were used to assess motor and cognition progression.ResultsPlasma NfL levels were significantly higher in the MSA group than in the PD and healthy groups (35.8 ± 6.2, 17.6 ± 2.8, and 10.6 ± 2.3 pg/mL, respectively, p < 0.001). In the PD group, NfL levels were significantly elevated in patients with advanced Hoehn-Yahr stage and patients with dementia (p < 0.001). NfL levels were modestly correlated with UPDRS part III scores (r = 0.42, 95% confidence interval 0.46–0.56, p < 0.001). After a mean follow-up of 3.4 ± 1.2 years, a Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, disease duration, and baseline motor or cognitive status showed that higher baseline NfL levels were associated with higher risks for either motor or cognition progression (p = 0.029 and p = 0.015, respectively).ConclusionsPlasma NfL levels correlated with disease severity and progression in terms of both motor and cognitive functions in PD.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class III evidence that plasma NfL level distinguishes PD from MSA and is a surrogate biomarker for PD progression.
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Rogers, Rob. "NFL Meds." Chest 146, no. 1 (July 2014): 16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1378/chest.146.1.16.
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Wang, Zhichao, Weiqing Zhang, Ping Jiang, and Cuihong Li. "The Elastic Modulus and Damage Stress–Strain Model of Polypropylene Fiber and Nano Clay Modified Lime Treated Soil under Axial Load." Polymers 14, no. 13 (June 27, 2022): 2606. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym14132606.
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Using polypropylene fiber (PPF) and nano clay modified lime treated soil (LS), the static and dynamic properties of fiber modified lime treated soil (FLS), nano clay modified lime treated soil (NLS), and fiber nano clay composite modified lime treated soil (NFLS) were studied. Through the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test and dynamic triaxial test of FLS, NLS, and NFLS, the static and dynamic elastic modulus characteristics at 7 day curing age were explored, and the damage stress–strain model was established. The results show that: (1) Polypropylene fiber and nano clay can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of NFLS. Nano clay can promote the reaction between lime and soil to produce calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and calcium aluminate hydrate (C-A-H), thus improving the strength of NFLS, and UCS can be increased by up to 103%. Polypropylene fiber can enhance the ductility of NFLS and increase the residual ductility strength, and the residual strength can be increased by 827%. (2) Nano clay can enhance the static and dynamic elastic modulus of modified lime treated soil. The static and dynamic elastic modulus of NLS, FLS, and NFLS are linear with the change of polypropylene fiber and nano clay content. The static and dynamic elastic modulus of NLS, FLS, and NFLS are linear, exponential, and logarithmic, respectively. (3) The mesoscopic random damage model can characterize the stress–strain relationship of NFLS. Polypropylene fiber and nano clay can improve the ductility and strength of modified LS, and the composite addition of polypropylene fiber and nano clay can improve the ability of modified LS to resist damage.
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Moezzipour, Bita, Sahab Hedjazi, Hossein Yousefi, and Mohammad Ahmadi. "The Influence of Pulping Process and Energy Consumption on Properties of Nanofibrillated Lignocellulose (NFLC) Films Isolated from Wheat Straw." Drvna industrija 72, no. 4 (November 24, 2021): 327–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.5552/drvind.2021.2025.
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The present research has primarily focused on the production of nanofibrillated lignocellulose (NFLC) instead of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), which could be produced with less energy and is expected to have similar uses as NFC, especially in the sectors where the transparency is not important. Furthermore, the effect of energy consumption needed for NFLC production and also the influence of pulping methods on the produced NFLC properties has been surveyed. Through mechanical refining and different passes in microfluidizer, the results showed the average diameter of NFLC declined from around 19000 nm to 36 nm. Soda-NFLC films had higher calliper and lower roughness, compared to those of MEA at given energy consumption in refiner and microfluidizer. For both kinds of pulps, the optimum level of energy consumption to reach the best tensile index of NFLC films was 258 kWh/t, with three passes through microfluidizer. More increase in the number of passes and pressure only resulted in increasing of energy consumption without any positive effect on improving the tensile index. The maximum tensile indices of NFLC films obtained from soda and MEA pulping processes were 113.5 and 119.86 N·m/g, respectively. The burst index of 8.5 kP·m2/g and the energy consumption of 458 kWh/t were obtained for five passes through microfluidizer. With the increase of the number of passes of soda and MEA samples through microfluidizer, the opacity decreased but transparency increased.
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Mielke, Michelle M., Jeremy A. Syrjanen, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Prashanthi Vemuri, Ingmar Skoog, Mary M. Machulda, et al. "Plasma and CSF neurofilament light." Neurology 93, no. 3 (June 10, 2019): e252-e260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000007767.
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ObjectiveWe aimed to (1) assess and compare baseline plasma and CSF neurofilament light (NfL) for cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with neuroimaging or cognition and (2) determine whether change in plasma NfL corresponded with change in these outcomes.MethodsSeventy-nine participants without dementia, median age 76 years, had plasma and CSF NfL, neuropsychological testing, and neuroimaging (MRI, amyloid PET, FDG-PET) at the same study visit, and a repeat visit (15 or 30 months later) with both plasma NfL and neuroimaging. Plasma NfL was measured on the Simoa-HD1 Platform and CSF NfL with an in-house ELISA. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the associations between baseline plasma or CSF NfL and cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes adjusting for age, sex, and education. The relationship between change in plasma NfL and change in the outcomes was assessed using linear regression.ResultsThere were no cross-sectional associations between CSF or plasma NfL and any neuroimaging or cognitive measure. Longitudinally, higher baseline plasma NfL was associated with worsening in all neuroimaging measures, except amyloid PET, and global cognition. Higher baseline CSF NfL was associated with worsening in cortical thickness and diffusion MRI. The beta estimates for CSF NfL were similar to those for plasma NfL. Change in plasma NfL was associated with change in global cognition, attention, and amyloid PET.ConclusionElevated baseline plasma NfL is a prognostic marker of cognitive decline and neuroimaging measures of neurodegeneration, and has similar effect sizes to baseline CSF NfL. Change in plasma NfL also tracked with short-term cognitive change.
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El Chaar, Dayana, Cosette Fakih El Khoury, Krystel Ouaijan, and Lama Mattar. "The Use of Different Muscle Assessment Techniques to Assess Validity of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM)." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 1273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab057_003.
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Abstract Objectives To assess which combination of indicators in the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) diagnostic tool better predicts malnutrition. Additionally, to compare the validity of GLIM upon the use of different muscle assessment techniques for the assessment of muscle loss. Methods Nutritional screening was performed through the Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002) or the Mini-Nutrition Assessment-Full Form (MNA-FF). Nutritionally at-risk patients were assessed for malnutrition using the GLIM criterion. Fat free muscle index (FFMI), nutrition focused physical examination (NFPE) and handgrip strength (HG) were used to identify muscle loss. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for GLIM with each of the three muscle assessment tools. Results 579 patients were screened for malnutrition and 121(20.90%) patients were considered nutritionally at risk. GLIM criterion showed close percentages of malnourished patients: 117(20.21%), 110(19.0%) and 110 (19.0%) when using NFPE, FFMI, and HG respectively. With three different muscle assessment techniques, 10 different combinations of indicators in GLIM were retrieved. The combination of muscle loss, assessed through NFPE, with either one of the two etiologic criteria yielded the highest numbers of malnourished patients among all three techniques [NFPE + reduced food intake/assimilation: 113(19.52%) and NFPE + Inflammation: 117(20.21%)], while the use of FFMI resulted in the lowest [FFMI + reduced food intake/assimilation: 37(6.39%) and FFMI + Inflammation: 40(6.91%)]. All three tools, GLIM + NFPE, GLIM + FFMI, and GLIM + HG reported high specificity [98.9% (97.45–99.64), 99.1% (97.76–99.76) and 99.1% (97.78–99.76) respectively]. However, results revealed moderate sensitivity for GLIM + FFMI [89.8% (82.91–94.63)]and GLIM + HG [89.1% (82.04–94.05)] yet a high sensitivity for GLIM + NFPE [93.3% (87.29–97.08)]. Conclusions The combination of NFPE with either of the etiologic criteria identified more malnourished patients than the combinations including FFMI or HG. A high degree of validity was reported for all three muscle assessment tools in GLIM criterion. Funding Sources None.
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Okubo, Y., H. Yamaguchi, T. Seno, S. Egashira, C. A. Green, and H. Kaita. "The NFLD Antigen in Japan." Human Heredity 38, no. 2 (1988): 122–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000153770.
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Jiang, Ping, Lin Zhou, Weiqing Zhang, Wei Wang, and Na Li. "Unconfined Compressive Strength and Splitting Tensile Strength of Lime Soil Modified by Nano Clay and Polypropylene Fiber." Crystals 12, no. 2 (February 18, 2022): 285. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cryst12020285.
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Here we study the effects of nano clay and polypropylene fiber on the unconfined compression and splitting properties of lime soil. Through a series of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests and splitting strength (STS) tests, the mechanical properties of lime soil (LS), nano clay modified lime soil (NLS), fiber modified lime soil (FLS), nano clay and fiber composite modified lime soil (NFLS) are analyzed, and the volume calculation formula of each phase in NFLS is deduced. Nano clay content αn, porosity volume η and lime volume LVi as independent variables, and the prediction models of UCS and STS of NFLS were established. Furthermore, the microstructure of LS, NLS, FLS and NFLS was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It can be concluded that (1) with the increase in nano clay content, the UCS and STS of LS and FLS gradually increase. With the increase in fiber content, the UCS of LS first increases and then decreases, while the UCS and STS of NLS and STS of LS increase with the increase in fiber content, and the optimal fiber content is 0.75%. (2) UCS and STS of NFLS and η/LVi meet the linear relationship. The empirical formulas of UCS and STS established in this paper have a prediction accuracy of less than 10%. The strength of NFLS can be predicted according to the dry density of the sample and the content of each component material. (3) Nano clay can fill the pores of LS and promote the pozzolanic reaction between lime and soil, while fiber mainly plays a reinforcing role in LS, so as to improve the UCS and STS of LS. In NFLS, nano clay can improve the interfacial properties between fiber and LS, so as to improve its UCS and STS. This study can provide a reference for the modification technology of lime soil.
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Liu, Xukui, Xuanhao Zhao, Yumei Li, Kangdi Zheng, Qiong Wu, and Wenjie Mei. "Microwave-Assisted Synthesis, Characterisation, and DNA-Binding Properties of RuII Complexes Coordinated by Norfloxacin as Potential Tumour Inhibitors." Australian Journal of Chemistry 72, no. 5 (2019): 400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ch18637.
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Three novel norfloxacin-based ruthenium(ii) complexes, [Ru(bpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (1), [Ru(phen)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (2), and [Ru(dmbpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (3) (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, phen=1,10-phenanthroline, dmbpy=4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine, and NFLX=norfloxacin), were synthesised and characterised with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The antitumour properties were evaluated by MTT assay, and the data revealed that 2 can inhibit the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 efficiently. Furthermore, the DNA-binding behaviours of these complexes were investigated by a multiple spectroscopy assay and viscosity study. The results indicated that these complexes interact with calf thymus DNA through electrostatic interactions with a strong binding affinity in the order 2>3>1. Therefore, these results suggested that 2 might be a suitable anticancer agent due to its excellent DNA-binding abilities.
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TANASKOVIK, Vjekoslav, Ordan CUKALIEV, Rameshwar S. KANWAR, Lee K. HENG, Mile MARKOSKI, and Velibor SPALEVIC. "Nitrogen Fertilizer Use Efficiency of Pepper as Affected by Irrigation and Fertilization Regime." Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 44, no. 2 (December 14, 2016): 525–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/nbha44210415.
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The pepper producers in the Republic of Macedonia have used drip irrigation systems to increase yield in recent years, but more research is still needed, related to irrigation scheduling and precise requirement of nitrogen fertilizer to maximise pepper yield. Therefore, a two year experiment was conducted in a plastic house to determine the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) and yield potential of pruned pepper as affected by irrigation and fertilization regime. Four experimental treatments were applied in this study. Three of the treatments were drip fertigated (DF1, DF2, DF3), while the fourth treatment was furrow irrigated with conventional fertilization (ØB). The labelled urea with 1% concentration of a stable isotope of nitrogen (15N) was applied for determination of NFUE. The results of this study clearly showed that increased NFUE and pepper yield depend on irrigation and fertilization regime. Namely, NFUE was significantly increased with the application of nitrogen fertilizer through drip irrigation system as compared to conventional fertilization with furrow irrigation. Also, drip fertigation frequency positively affects percentage increase of NFUE. Furthermore, our results showed that drip fertigation treatments resulted in significantly higher pepper yields in comparison to conventional fertilization. Also, drip fertigation frequency at four and two days (DF2 and DF1) resulted in higher yields when compared with drip fertigation scheduled by using tensiometers (DF3). Generally, to reach acceptable pepper yield with high NFUE, we recommend drip fertigation with a frequency of two to four days combined with two main shoots of pruned pepper in order to increase farmer’s income and to minimize the environmental impact.
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Puentes, Fabiola, Pascal Benkert, Sandra Amor, Jens Kuhle, and Gavin Giovannoni. "Antibodies to neurofilament light as potential biomarkers in multiple sclerosis." BMJ Neurology Open 3, no. 2 (November 2021): e000192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjno-2021-000192.
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Background and objectiveThe concentration of neurofilament light (NfL) protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood is widely considered as a quantitative measure of neuro-axonal injury. Immune reactivity to NfL released into extracellular fluids induces specific autoantibody response. We investigated the levels and avidity of antibodies to NfL in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and their correlation with disease worsening and NfL protein concentration.MethodsWe conducted a prospective longitudinal study in 246 patients with MS (125 DMT-treated and 121 untreated at baseline). Serum levels of NfL antibodies, antibody avidity and immune complexes were determined by ELISA. NfL protein was measured using the Simoa platform. Clinical variables were tested for their association with the measured parameters in multivariate generalised estimating equation models.ResultsMultivariate analysis showed that levels of NfL antibodies were higher in progressive MS compared with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)/relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) (p=0.010). Anti-NfL levels drop with increasing disability score (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)) (p=0.002), although conversely, were significantly elevated in CIS/RRMS after a recent EDSS increase (p=0.012). Patients receiving DMTs showed decreased levels of anti-NfL (p=0.008), high-avidity antibodies (p=0.017) and immune-complexes compared with untreated CIS/RRMS. Patients with MS switching to natalizumab showed lower levels of anti-NfL but higher immune complexes compared with healthy controls (p=0.0071). A weak association was observed between the levels of NfL protein and NfL antibodies.ConclusionsThese results support the potential usefulness of quantifying antibody response to NfL as potential markers of progression and treatment response in MS and need to be considered when interpreting peripheral blood NfL levels.
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Johnson, Roger. "Ranking NFL Teams." Math Horizons 9, no. 1 (September 2001): 29–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10724117.2001.12021851.
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Hansson, Oskar, Shorena Janelidze, Sara Hall, Nadia Magdalinou, Andrew J. Lees, Ulf Andreasson, Niklas Norgren, et al. "Blood-based NfL." Neurology 88, no. 10 (February 8, 2017): 930–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000003680.
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Objective:To determine if blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein can discriminate between Parkinson disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonian disorders (APD) with equally high diagnostic accuracy as CSF NfL, and can therefore improve the diagnostic workup of parkinsonian disorders.Methods:The study included 3 independent prospective cohorts: the Lund (n = 278) and London (n = 117) cohorts, comprising healthy controls and patients with PD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), as well as an early disease cohort (n = 109) of patients with PD, PSP, MSA, or CBS with disease duration ≤3 years. Blood NfL concentration was measured using an ultrasensitive single molecule array (Simoa) method, and the diagnostic accuracy to distinguish PD from APD was investigated.Results:We found strong correlations between blood and CSF concentrations of NfL (ρ ≥ 0.73–0.84, p ≤ 0.001). Blood NfL was increased in patients with MSA, PSP, and CBS (i.e., all APD groups) when compared to patients with PD as well as healthy controls in all cohorts (p < 0.001). Furthermore, in the Lund cohort, blood NfL could accurately distinguish PD from APD (area under the curve [AUC] 0.91) with similar results in both the London cohort (AUC 0.85) and the early disease cohort (AUC 0.81).Conclusions:Quantification of blood NfL concentration can be used to distinguish PD from APD. Blood-based NfL might consequently be included in the diagnostic workup of patients with parkinsonian symptoms in both primary care and specialized clinics.Classification of evidence:This study provides Class III evidence that blood NfL levels discriminate between PD and APD.
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Rodeo, Scott A., and Asheesh Bedi. "2019-2020 NFL and NFL Physician Society Orthobiologics Consensus Statement." Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach 12, no. 1 (November 18, 2019): 58–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1941738119889013.
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Pekny, Milos, Ulrika Wilhelmsson, Anna Stokowska, Turgut Tatlisumak, Katarina Jood, and Marcela Pekna. "Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) in Blood—A Biomarker Predicting Unfavourable Outcome in the Acute Phase and Improvement in the Late Phase after Stroke." Cells 10, no. 6 (June 18, 2021): 1537. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10061537.
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Increased sensitivity of methods assessing the levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuron-specific intermediate filament protein, in human plasma or serum, has in recent years led to a number of studies addressing the utility of monitoring NfL in the blood of stroke patients. In this review, we discuss that elevated blood NfL levels after stroke may reflect several different neurobiological processes. In the acute and post-acute phase after stroke, high blood levels of NfL are associated with poor clinical outcome, and later on, the blood levels of NfL positively correlate with secondary neurodegeneration as assessed by MRI. Interestingly, increased blood levels of NfL in individuals who survived stroke for more than 10 months were shown to predict functional improvement in the late phase after stroke. Whereas in the acute phase after stroke the injured axons are assumed to be the main source of blood NfL, synaptic turnover and secondary neurodegeneration could be major contributors to blood NfL levels in the late phase after stroke. Elevated blood NfL levels after stroke should therefore be interpreted with caution. More studies addressing the clinical utility of blood NfL assessment in stroke patients are needed before the inclusion of NfL in the clinical workout as a useful biomarker in both the acute and the chronic phase after stroke.
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Rusmevichientong, Pimbucha, Ryan Ebrahim, Jessica Nila, Ivana Cheng, and Jie Weiss. "The Unintended Effect of Attention to the New Nutrition Facts Label Formats on Consumer Purchase Intentions." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 726. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa051_023.
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Abstract Objectives To assess the effect of new Nutrition Facts Label (NFL) formats on consumer purchase intentions. Methods The study conducted a within-subject design experiment. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups (newly designed NFL formats proposed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the control group as follows: 1) a new standard NFL format, which is displayed in a newly designed single-column format, in which the number of calories and nutrients of a multiple-serving product are presented based upon one serving, 2) a dual-column NFL format, which is displayed in a two-column format, in which the number of calories and nutrients are presented based on “per serving” and “per container/package” basis, 3) a single-serving container NFL format, which is displayed in a single-column format in which only the number of calories and nutrients per package/container are presented, and 4) an original NFL format, which had been previously used before. Total 673 college students in the U.S. completed an online experiment survey. An ordered probit regression model was used in the analysis. Results The single-serving container NFL had the largest effect. Subjects who were presented with this format were 26.2% more likely to decrease their purchase intentions. The dual-column NFL (22.1%) and the new standard NFL (15.1%) had the smaller effect. The 27% of the effect of the single-serving container NFL on decreasing purchase intentions was associated with the increase in the anticipated guilt of consumption, followed by the dual-column NFL (24.74%) and the new standard NFL (9.29%), respectively. Conclusions The newly designed NFL formats attract more consumer attention. The formats significantly decreased consumer purchase intentions in which the effect was mediated by the significant increase in the anticipated guilt of consumption.They are more effective than the original NFL format in improving mindful consumption. Funding Sources Junior/Senior Intramural Research Award 2016/2017, California State University Fullerton.
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Tyrberg, Tobias, Staffan Nilsson, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, and Anna Grahn. "Serum and cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light chain in patients with central nervous system infections caused by varicella-zoster virus." Journal of NeuroVirology 26, no. 5 (August 20, 2020): 719–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13365-020-00889-2.
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Abstract Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a common cause of viral central nervous system (CNS) infection, and patients may suffer from severe neurological sequelae. The biomarker neurofilament light chain (NFL) is used for assessment of neuronal damage and is normally measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Novel methods have given the possibility to measure NFL in serum instead, which could be a convenient tool to estimate severity of disease and prognosis in VZV CNS infections. Here, we investigate the correlation of serum and CSF NFL in patients with VZV CNS infection and the association of NFL levels in serum and CSF with different VZV CNS entities. NFL in serum and CSF was measured in 61 patients who were retrospectively identified with neurological symptoms and VZV DNA in CSF detected by PCR. Thirty-three herpes zoster patients and 40 healthy blood donors served as control groups. NFL levels in serum and CSF correlated strongly in the patients with VZV CNS infection. Encephalitis was associated with significantly higher levels of NFL in both serum and CSF compared with meningitis and Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Surprisingly, herpes zoster controls had very high serum NFL levels, comparable with those shown in encephalitis patients. We show that analysis of serum NFL can be used instead of CSF NFL for estimation of neuronal injury in patients with VZV CNS infection. However, high levels of serum NFL also in patients with herpes zoster, without signs of CNS involvement, may complicate the interpretation.
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Hendricks, Robert, Dana Baker, Jochen Brumm, Teresa Davancaze, Chris Harp, Ann Herman, H.-Christian von Büdingen, Michael Townsend, and Saloumeh K. Fischer. "Establishment of neurofilament light chain Simoa assay in cerebrospinal fluid and blood." Bioanalysis 11, no. 15 (August 2019): 1405–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.4155/bio-2019-0163.
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Background: Neurofilament light (NfL) chain is an established cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker for neuroaxonal injury. The highly sensitive Quanterix Simoa™ platform is evaluated for NfL measurement in both CSF and blood. There is a need to link historical ELISA data that use bovine NfL to that of Simoa using a recombinant human (rhuman) NfL standard. Results/Methodology: The Simoa NF-light® Advantage Kit was validated for CSF and qualified for serum and plasma, using both rhuman and bovine NfL calibrators. Matched CSF, serum and plasma samples from 112 multiple sclerosis patients were analyzed using both calibrators. Conclusion: In multiple sclerosis, there is a good correlation between blood and CSF NfL levels. A conversion factor of approximately 5:1 was established between bovine and rhuman NfL calibrators.
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Lin, Yuguo, and Chao He. "Evaluation of Livelihood Sustainability in the Context of Natural Forest Land Degradation Vulnerability: A Case Study of Five Counties in China." Sustainability 13, no. 12 (June 9, 2021): 6580. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13126580.
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Land degradation, especially natural forest land degradation (NFLD), is a severe environmental concern in China. This natural disaster itself and its derivative control policies have caused some impacts on surrounding farmers’ livelihood level and strategies, but the literature on the sustainable livelihood of different households in NFLD vulnerability is limited, and there is an urgent need to bridge the gap and conduct studies on the sustainable livelihood of Changting, Libo, Lixian, Menghai and Wuxi, the typical NFLD-prone areas in China. A new livelihood sustainability index (LSI) including livelihood asset, livelihood strategy and sustainability engagement is constructed to assess the basic situation. The results showed that: (1) The overall LSI of five NFLD areas was not high, and the social, financial and natural assets, in particular, were relatively low. A disparity was found among the five areas, and the rank sequence of the LSI value was sorted in a descending order: Changting > Menghai > Libo > Lixian > Wuxi. (2) In detail, farmers in Changting had the relative highest LSI because of the inherent high value of livelihood assets, which constrain the scores of the livelihood strategy and sustainability engagement. (3) Households in Libo, Menghai and Lixian had middle level LSI scores. The relative low livelihood assets in Libo and Menghai drove parts of local farmers to carry out off-farm/forestry employment, leading to high scores of livelihood strategy, while farmers in Lixian had lower livelihood diversification scores and higher sustainability engagement due to their working content for the local forestry bureau. (4) The low scores of the livelihood asset and sustainability engagement restricted farmers in Wuxi. A discussion of LSI in the NFLD vulnerability was conducted to determine the characteristics and analyze the reasons. Accordingly, targeted policy recommendations were proposed to realize a sustainable livelihood in NFLD areas.
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Sakib, Shahenur Alam, Abu Montakim Tareq, Ameerul Islam, Ahmed Rakib, Mohammad Nazmul Islam, Mohammad Arafat Uddin, Md Masudur Rahman, Veronique Seidel, and Talha Bin Emran. "Anti-Inflammatory, Thrombolytic and Hair-Growth Promoting Activity of the n-Hexane Fraction of the Methanol Extract of Leea indica Leaves." Plants 10, no. 6 (May 27, 2021): 1081. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants10061081.
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The anti-inflammatory, thrombolytic, and hair growth-promoting activity of the n-hexane fraction from the methanol extract of Leea indica (NFLI) leaves was investigated. NFLI showed significant inhibition of hemolysis and protein denaturation, and exhibited a concentration-dependent thrombolytic activity. When applied topically to mice at concentrations of 10, 1, 0.1%, NFLI demonstrated a significant increase in average hair length (p < 0.001) compared with untreated animals. NFLI (1% concentration) exhibited the highest percentage of hair regrowth on day 7, 14 and 21 (81.24, 65.60, and 62.5%, respectively). An in silico study was further conducted to predict the binding affinity of phytochemicals previously reported in L. indica towards PGD2 synthase (PDB ID: 2VD1), an enzyme that catalyses the isomerisation of prostaglandin H2 to PGD2 which is involved in hair loss. Phthalic acid, farnesol, n-tricosane, n-tetracosane, and n-heptacosane showed the best ligand efficiencies towards PGD2 synthase and their intermolecular interactions were visualised using BIOVIA Discovery Studio Visualizer. Our results indicate that L. indica could represent a promising natural alternative to tackle alopecia.
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Egle, Marco, Laurence Loubiere, Aleksandra Maceski, Jens Kuhle, Nils Peters, and Hugh S. Markus. "Neurofilament light chain predicts future dementia risk in cerebral small vessel disease." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 92, no. 6 (February 8, 2021): 582–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2020-325681.
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ObjectivesSerum neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been proposed as prognostic markers in neurogenerative disease. A cross-sectional study in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) reported an association with cognition and disability. If NfL is to be used to predict outcome, studies are required to demonstrate baseline NfL predicts future dementia risk. Furthermore, if it is to be used as a surrogate marker in clinical trials, change in NfL over time periods typical of a clinical trial must be linked to clinical progression. In a longitudinal study of patients with lacunar stroke and confluent white matter hyperintensities, we determined whether both baseline, and change, in NfL levels were linked to changes in MRI markers, cognitive decline and dementia risk.MethodsPatients underwent MRI, cognitive testing and blood taking at baseline and annually for 3 years. Clinical and cognitive follow-up continued for 5 years.ResultsNfL data were available for 113 subjects for baseline analysis, and 90 patients for the longitudinal analysis. Baseline NfL predicted cognitive decline (global cognition β=−0.335, SE=0.094, p=0.001) and risk of converting to dementia (HR=1.676 (95% CI 1.183 to 2.373), p=0.004). In contrast to imaging, there was no change in NfL values over the follow-up period.ConclusionsBaseline NfL predicts changes in MRI markers, cognitive decline and dementia rate over a 5 years follow-up period in SVD, suggesting NfL may be a useful prognostic marker. However, change in NfL values was not detected, and therefore NfL may not be a useful surrogate marker in clinical trials in SVD.
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Kaufmann, Katrin. "Non-Formal Education in International Comparison: Patterns of Participation and Investment in Selected European Countries." International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training 2, no. 4 (December 27, 2015): 239–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.13152/ijrvet.2.4.1.
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This investigation focuses on participation and related investment patterns in job related non-formal education (NFE) in selected European countries. Broadening previous research formats of NFE are distinguished by investment including financial and time investments by employers, employees and public authorities. By this, company-sponsored and individual-financed NFE are distinguished sharply and cases with shared investment between employers and employees (co-financed NFE) and between employers, employees and public funding (co-financed pooled NFE) are accounted for, additionally. For explaining participation in NFE supply and demand models are referred to. Hypotheses on cross-country differences for investment in NFE refer to the Varieties-of-Capitalism approach and countries are selected representing different varieties of capitalism (Norway, Sweden, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Spain, France, UK). Analyses are based on data of the Adult Education Survey (AES) 2011/12.