Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Shiga Toxin Subtypes and Virulence Genes in Porcine Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

Similar to ruminants, swine have been shown to be a reservoir for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and pork products have been linked with outbreaks associated with STEC O157 and O111:H-. STEC strains, isolated in a previous study from fecal samples of late-finisher pigs, belonged to a total of 56 serotypes, including O15:H27, O91:H14, and other serogroups previously associated with human illness. The isolates were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a high-throughput real-time PCR system to determine the Shiga toxin (Stx) subtype and virulence-associated and putative virulence-associated genes they carried. Select STEC strains were further analyzed using a Minimal Signature E. coli Array Strip. As expected, stx2e (81%) was the most common Stx variant, followed by stx1a (14%), stx2d (3%), and stx1c (1%). The STEC serogroups that carried stx2d were O15:H27, O159:H16 and O159:H-. Similar to stx2a and stx2c, the stx2d variant is associated with development of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome, and reports on the presence of this variant in STEC strains isolated from swine are lacking. Moreover, the genes encoding heat stable toxin (estIa) and enteroaggregative E. coli heat stable enterotoxin-1 (astA) were commonly found in 50 and 44% of isolates, respectively. The hemolysin genes, hlyA and ehxA, were both detected in 7% of the swine STEC strains. Although the eae gene was not found, other genes involved in host cell adhesion, including lpfAO113 and paa were detected in more than 50% of swine STEC strains, and a number of strains also carried iha, lpfAO26, lpfAO157, fedA, orfA, and orfB. The present work provides new insights on the distribution of virulence factors among swine STEC strains and shows that swine may carry Stx1a-, Stx2e-, or Stx2d-producing E. coli with virulence gene profiles associated with human infections.
A computational model of the emergence of gaze following

We present a computational model of the emergence of gaze following in infant caregiver interactions. Using the model we explore the plausibility of the hypothesis that gaze following is a skill that infants acquire because they learn that monitoring their caregiver’s direction of gaze allows them to predict where interesting objects or events in their environment are. In particular, we demonstrate that a speciflc basic set of mechanisms is su‐cient for gaze following to emerge and we show how plausible alterations of model parameters motivated by flndings on developmental disorders lead to impairments in the learning of gaze following.
PIC18LF4620 based customizable wireless sensor node to detect hazardous gas pipeline leakage

The paper describes the performance and functional characteristics of PIC18LF4620 based wireless sensor node in monitoring the parameters such as CO2, Oxygen, temperature, humidity and light around the pipeline structure. The system is deployed to monitor any deviations in these parameters with the standard atmospheric values eventually alert the user even to a remote location. The proposed system is a battery operated wireless sensor node which is interfaced with the external sensors to measure the parameters listed above. The distance range between sensor node and coordinator node is also tested. The signal conditioning module associated with detailed calibration procedure for the individual sensor is also described. Zigbee protocol stack is implemented to enable wireless transmission and performance of the same is evaluated.
Geneaology of the Pharmacon: new conditions for the social management of the extraordinary

This article argues that the expectation of extraordinary medical effectiveness of pharmaceuticals is not a given with the pharmaceutical itself. Instead, the potentially extraordinary effectiveness and the potential danger of pharmaceuticals must be the object of social management. ‘Management’ here in the first place refers to the societal level instead of an organizational level, although regulation of professional roles (the pharmacist) and organizations (pharmaceutical industry) comes in on a second level. Drawing on an approach from conceptual history, the argument is that pharmaceuticals must be coherently embedded in both semantic and social structures to appear as legitimate medical means instead of dangerous poisons. In the course of this sociologically induced historical analysis, the article shows that organizations cannot easily replace professional role structures, but that this replacement depends on both semantic and social structural innovations – and that it incurs new challenges.
Impact of web portals on e-learning

The study examined the undergraduate students' satisfaction with their web portals, consider the benefits of using the portal and the problems they are encountering using the portal in order to identify levels for improvement. A pure quantitative method using descriptive survey approach was embarked upon. Questionnaire was used for data collection. A statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used to code the data while methods of analysis included: percentages and frequency count; multiple correlation and regression. The results revealed that students were generally satisfied with the e-portal system at the University. Overall, 89.3% were adequately satisfied, satisfied, and moderately satisfied; while on the other hand, 11.1% were less satisfied or not satisfied. Information/content quality, system quality, ease of use and other dimensions were indicated to have the capacity to determine users' satisfaction with e-portal system. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the entire user satisfaction dimension positively and significantly correlate with and adequately predicted satisfaction with e-portal.
An Autopsy Case of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with Diaphragm Pacing

Respiratory insufficiency is a critical problem in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We herein present the case of an autopsied patient with sporadic ALS who underwent diaphragm pacing (DP). The pathology showed several localized adhesions with a markedly atrophied diaphragm. A marked loss of motor neurons with Bunina bodies and phosphorylated TDP-43 positive inclusions was found in the spinal cord and primary motor cortex. Mild hyalinization and a few multinucleated giant cells were present around the electrode tracks in the diaphragm. However, no infiltration of inflammatory cells was detected. Our findings suggest that full-time DP might not cause severe damage to adjacent diaphragm tissue.
Antibacterial and Antimetastatic Potential of Diospyros lycioides Extract on Cervical Cancer Cells and Associated Pathogens

Cervical cancer is among the most prevalent forms of cancer in women worldwide. Diospyros lycioides was extracted using hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol and finger print profiles were determined. The leaf material was tested for the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides using standard chemical methods and the presence of flavonoids and phenolics using thin layer chromatography. The total phenolic content was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu procedure. The four extracts were tested for antibacterial activity using bioautography against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The acetone extract with the highest number of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds was assessed for its cytotoxicity on BUD-8 cells using the real-time xCELLigence system and its potential effects on metastatic cervical cancer (HeLa) cell migration and invasion were assessed using wound healing migration and invasion assays. The leaf extract tested positive for flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids while the four different extracts tested in the antimicrobial assay contained constituents active against one or more of the organisms tested, except E. coli. The cytotoxicity of the acetone extract in real-time was concentration-dependent with potent ability to suppress the migration and invasion of HeLa cells. The finding demonstrates the acetone extract to contain constituents with antibacterial and antimetastatic effects on cervical cancer cells.
Uneven Sampling and the Analysis of Vocal Performance Constraints

Studies of trilled vocalizations provide a premiere illustration of how performance constraints shape the evolution of mating displays. In trill production, vocal tract mechanics impose a trade-off between syllable repetition rate and frequency bandwidth, with the trade-off most pronounced at higher values of both parameters. Available evidence suggests that trills that simultaneously maximize both traits are more threatening to males or more attractive to females, consistent with a history of sexual selection favoring high-performance trills. Here, we identify a sampling limitation that confounds the detection and description of performance trade-offs. We reassess 70 data sets (from 26 published studies) and show that sampling limitations afflict 63 of these to some degree. Traditional upper-bound regression, which does not control for sampling limitations, detects performance trade-offs in 33 data sets; yet when sampling limitations are controlled, performance trade-offs are detected in only 15. Sampling limitations therefore confound more than half of all performance trade-offs reported using the traditional method. An alternative method that circumvents this sampling limitation, which we explore here, is quantile regression. Our goal is not to question the presence of mechanical trade-offs on trill production but rather to reconsider how these trade-offs can be detected and characterized from acoustic data.
Patients' priorities for health research: focus group study of patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND The inclusion of consumer preferences in prioritizing research topics is widely advocated, but prioritization is driven largely by professional agendas. METHODS Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were purposively sampled from four kidney dialysis and transplant centres in Australia to participate in nine focus groups (three each for pre-dialysis, dialysis and transplant patients), which were conducted from July 2006 to September 2006. Each involved 6-8 participants. Transcripts were coded and thematically analysed to identify recurrent research topics and the participants' reasons for their choices. RESULTS Participants suggested eight research priorities: prevention of kidney disease, better access to and improvement in kidney transplantation, reduction of symptoms of CKD and complications associated with treatment, new technological therapies, psychosocial aspects of living with CKD, whole body not organ-specialized care, and improvement in dialysis and caregiver support. Five major reasons for the selections were identified: normalization of life (developing therapies and regimens that fit into daily living), altruism (considering the welfare of others before personal needs), economic efficiency (channelling resources for maximum economic gain), personal needs (preferences based on feelings, values, personal needs) and clinical outcomes (improving health states and the physiological condition of patients with CKD). CONCLUSIONS A patient-focused research agenda is possible to elicit for CKD, and by inference for other healthcare issues. Unlike researchers who focus on specific interventions and questions, consumers think in terms of broad themes and quality of life outcomes. Effective methods for translating a patient-focused agenda into research priority setting and resource allocation are now needed.
Long term examination of intra-session and inter-session speaker variability

Session variability in speaker recognition is a well recognized phenomena, but poorly understood largely due to a dearth of robust longitudinal data. The current study uses a large, longterm speaker database to quantify both speaker variability changes within a conversation and the impact of speaker variability changes over the long term (3 years). Results demonstrate that 1) change in accuracy over the course of a conversation is statistically very robust and 2) that the aging effect over three years is statistically negligible. Finally we demonstrate that voice change during the course of a conversation is, in large part, comparable across sessions. Index Terms: session variability, speaker recognition, speaker variability analysis, conversation analysis
Intervention in the Foreign Exchange Market and Exchange Rates in Japan

This paper employed the GARCH model to examine the effect on exchange rate of the Bank of Japan’ s (BOJ’ s) daily foreign exchange market intervention in Japan. BOJ’s foreign exchange market interventions influence the exchange rate level. These interventions are effective in changing the level of exchange. The purchase (or sale) of the US dollar results in depreciation (or appreciation) of the Japanese yen. Also, there is no evidence of statistically significant day-of-the-week effects.
Cost‐Performance Analysis of Perovskite Solar Modules

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising candidates for the next generation of solar cells because they are easy to fabricate and have high power conversion efficiencies. However, there has been no detailed analysis of the cost of PSC modules. We selected two representative examples of PSCs and performed a cost analysis of their productions: one was a moderate‐efficiency module produced from cheap materials, and the other was a high‐efficiency module produced from expensive materials. The costs of both modules were found to be lower than those of other photovoltaic technologies. We used the calculated module costs to estimate the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of PSCs. The LCOE was calculated to be 3.5–4.9 US cents/kWh with an efficiency and lifetime of greater than 12% and 15 years respectively, below the cost of traditional energy sources.
Internal lean practices and operational performance: The contingency perspective of industry clockspeed

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of internal lean practices on multiple operational performance dimensions, and assess the contingency perspective of these relationships with respect to industry clockspeed.Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on empirical data gathered from 228 manufacturing companies in the Republic of Ireland. The relationships between the constructs are analyzed through regression analysis.Findings – The results indicate that the relationships between internal lean practices and quality, delivery, flexibility and cost were found to be positive and significant. Further, industry clockspeed was found to moderate the relationship between internal lean practices and quality, delivery and flexibility, but not cost.Practical implications – While internal lean practices can improve operational performance, managers should be aware that internal lean practices are not universally applicable, and the rate of change within an industry should be consider.
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli virulence markers: positive association with distinct clinical characteristics and segregation into 3 enteropathogenic E. coli serogroups.

BACKGROUND Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) are a heterogeneous category of emerging pathogens associated with acute and persistent diarrhea. METHODS We performed a case-control study to evaluate the association of EAEC strains and their virulence markers with infantile diarrhea in Brasilia, Brazil. RESULTS Of the EAEC markers that were tested, only EAEC heat-stable toxin (EAST1), protein involved in colonization (Pic), and the CVD432 sequence showed positive correlation with diarrhea; however, these virulence traits presented associations with distinct clinical characteristics. Although CVD432-positive strains were associated with persistent diarrhea, EAST1-positive strains were statistically correlated with acute diarrhea only in children >6 months of age. Typical EAEC strains were found with equal frequency in case patients and control subjects. O antigens of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) were also sought, and the data showed that the EAEC markers are frequently segregated into 3 EPEC serogroups: O126, O128, and O158. CONCLUSIONS The presence of EPEC O antigens along with EAEC markers influenced the positive association of E. coli strains with diarrhea. Concerning the detection of the AA phenotype, the CVD432 sequence presented a low positive predictive value, regardless of its high specificity as a marker.
A diameter bound for Sasaki manifolds with application to uniqueness for Sasaki-Einstein structure

In this paper we give a diameter bound for Sasaki manifolds with positive transverse Ricci curvature. As an application, we obtain the uniqueness of Sasaki-Einstein metrics on compact Sasaki manifolds modulo the action of the identity component of the automorphism group for the transverse holomorphic structure.
Pattern of Regional Cortical Thinning Associated with Cognitive Deterioration in Parkinson’s Disease

Background Dementia is a frequent and devastating complication in Parkinson’s disease (PD). There is an intensive search for biomarkers that may predict the progression from normal cognition (PD-NC) to dementia (PDD) in PD. Mild cognitive impairment in PD (PD-MCI) seems to represent a transitional state between PD-NC and PDD. Few studies have explored the structural changes that differentiate PD-NC from PD-MCI and PDD patients. Objectives and Methods We aimed to analyze changes in cortical thickness on 3.0T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) across stages of cognitive decline in a prospective sample of PD-NC (n = 26), PD-MCI (n = 26) and PDD (n = 20) patients, compared to a group of healthy subjects (HC) (n = 18). Cortical thickness measurements were made using the automatic software Freesurfer. Results In a sample of 72 PD patients, a pattern of linear and progressive cortical thinning was observed between cognitive groups in cortical areas functionally specialized in declarative memory (entorhinal cortex, anterior temporal pole), semantic knowledge (parahippocampus, fusiform gyrus), and visuoperceptive integration (banks of the superior temporal sulcus, lingual gyrus, cuneus and precuneus). Positive correlation was observed between confrontation naming and thinning in the fusiform gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and anterior temporal pole; clock copy with thinning of the precuneus, parahippocampal and lingual gyrus; and delayed memory with thinning of the bilateral anteromedial temporal cortex. Conclusions The pattern of regional decreased cortical thickness that relates to cognitive deterioration is present in PD-MCI patients, involving areas that play a central role in the storage of prior experiences, integration of external perceptions, and semantic processing.
Sexual behavior in Japanese quail as a test end point for endocrine disruption: effects of in ovo exposure to ethinylestradiol and diethylstilbestrol.

Chemicals having a capacity to disturb the endocrine system have attracted considerable interest during recent years. There is a shortage of well-characterized in vivo tests with which to study such disturbances in different classes of vertebrates. In the present study, test end points related to reproduction in the Japanese quail were used to examine the estrogenic activity of chemicals. The synthetic estrogens ethinylestradiol (EE(2)) and diethylstilbestrol (DES), used as model compounds, were injected into the yolk of embryonated eggs. After the birds had been raised to sexual maturity, we examined sexual behavior, plasma testosterone concentrations, and testis morphology in adult males. The lowest doses resulting in a significantly depressed male sexual behavior were 6 ng/g egg for EE(2) and 19 ng/g egg for DES. Testis weight asymmetry was increased at 6 ng EE(2)/g egg, but DES had no effect at any treatment level. The area of the androgen-dependent cloacal gland was significantly reduced at 57 ng DES/g egg. No effects on plasma testosterone concentration or body weight following exposure to EE(2) or DES were observed at any dose level. Depressed male sexual behavior was the most sensitive of the end points studied, and we suggest that this ecologically relevant end point be included in avian in vivo testing for neuroendocrine disruptors. ImagesFigure 1Figure 2
HIV-1 Infection of T Lymphocytes and Macrophages Affects Their Migration via Nef

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) disseminates in the body and is found in several organs and tissues. Although HIV-1 mainly targets both CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages, it has contrasting effects between these cell populations. HIV-1 infection namely reduces the viability of CD4+ T cells, whereas infected macrophages are long-lived. In addition, the migration of T cells is reduced by the infection, whereas HIV-1 differentially modulates the migration modes of macrophages. In 2-dimensions (2D) assays, infected macrophages are less motile compared to the control counterparts. In 3D environments, macrophages use two migration modes that are dependent on the matrix architecture: amoeboid and mesenchymal migration. HIV-1-infected macrophages exhibit a reduced amoeboid migration but an enhanced mesenchymal migration, via the viral protein Nef. Indeed, the mesenchymal migration involves podosomes, and Nef stabilizes these cell structures through the activation of the tyrosine kinase Hck, which in turn phosphorylates the Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP). WASP is a key player in actin remodeling and cell migration. The reprogramed motility of infected macrophages observed in vitro correlates in vivo with enhanced macrophage infiltration in experimental tumors in Nef-transgenic mice compared to control mice. In conclusion, HIV infection of host target cells modifies their migration capacity; we infer that HIV-1 enhances virus spreading in confined environments by reducing T cells migration, and facilitates virus dissemination into different organs and tissues of the human body by enhancing macrophage mesenchymal migration.
The Common Factor in Idiosyncratic Volatility

We show that firms' idiosyncratic volatility in returns and cash flows obeys a strong factor structure. We find that the stocks of firms with large, negative common idiosyncratic volatility (CIV) factor betas earn high average returns. The CIV beta quintile spread is 6.4% per year. To explain this spread, we develop a heterogeneous investor model with incomplete markets in which the idiosyncratic volatility of investor consumption growth inherits the factor structure of firm cash flow growth. In our model, the CIV factor is a priced state variable, because an increase in volatility represents a worsening of the investment opportunity set for the average investor. The calibrated model is able to match the high degree of comovement in idiosyncratic volatilities, the CIV beta spread, along with a host of asset price moments.