Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Automated Phoenix System for Potential Routine Use in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

ABSTRACT A comparative study was designed to evaluate the identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) performances of the BD Phoenix Automated Microbiology System (Becton Dickinson Diagnostic Systems [BD], Pont de Claix, France). A total of 305 single clinical isolates were collected, and comparisons were made with routine manual methods in use in our microbiology laboratories. The percentages of correct IDs were 93.3, 89.4, 91.8, and 85.7% for enterobacteria, nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli, staphylococci, and streptococci-enterococci, respectively. The median ID time was 3 h, and the median time for AST was 10 h 30 min. AST results showed variable percentages of errors for the different antibiotics. None of the enterobacteria and 0.3% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates showed a very major error (VME). Only one strain of Staphylococcus aureus showed a VME with oxacillin. We demonstrate here the efficiency of the Phoenix system, which can be used for the majority of strains encountered in a university-based laboratory, for ID and AST.
Some aspects of the mechanics of arching in backfilled stopes

In current underground mining using “open stoping” methods, it is common to backfill mined-out voids (“stopes”) using hydraulically placed backfill, which is commonly composed of tailings, to which cement is often added. Knowledge of the stress state within a backfilled stope is required for safe design of drawpoint barricades and for other operational reasons. This stress state depends, inter alia, on the degree of “arching” that occurs, resulting from the development of shear stress between the fill and the stope walls. This paper presents a numerical modelling study of aspects of the arching phenomenon, carried using the computer code Plaxis. The backfill is characterized using the Mohr–Coulomb soil model, and both dry backfill and saturated backfill are considered to completely cover the full spectrum of backfill types that are used in practice. It is shown that even with dry backfill, the behaviour is governed by a complex interaction between the soil parameters. The behaviour is more complex with sa.
Suppression of plasma testosterone levels and psychological stress. A longitudinal study of young men in Officer Candidate School.

Plasma testosterone levels were determined in 18 young men in Officer Candidate School. Plasma testosterone levels were significantly lower during the early, stressful part of the course as contrasted with levels during the senior phase. This finding represents the first evidence in humans supporting the hypothesis that psychological stress suppresses levels of circulating plasma testosterone.
Interpreting Developmental Stress in Archaeological Pigs: the Chronology of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia

Abstract By recording abnormal incremental lines, known as linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), visible on the tooth crowns of numerous archaeological pigs' teeth, it has been possible to construct a chronology of physiological stress for five different archaeological assemblages. The results confirm that LEH is a common occurrence in all the populations investigated. Given the geographical and temporal differences between the sites studied, LEH in pigs is thus likely to be a frequently observable phenomenon. Analysis of the frequency distribution of the height of each LEH lesion on the lingual surface of each cusp of each molar shows that the occurrences of LEH follow clear patterns. Taking into account the published data on tooth crown growth in the modern domestic pig, it is proposed that birth and weaning are the direct causal agents of the two discrete peaks noted on the first permanent molar (M 1 ), whilst a period of under-nutrition encountered during the first winter of the animals' life is thought to be the main causal factor for the occurrence of the single distinct LEH peak noted on the second permanent molar (M 2 ). A broad peak on the third permanent molar (M 3 ) is similarly interpreted. These links between patterns of LEH and the normal developmental physiology of the animal open a number of possibilities for interpretation.
Structures in Bacillus subtilis Are Recognized by CD14 in a Lipopolysaccharide Binding Protein-Dependent Reaction

ABSTRACT The CD14 molecule expressed on monocytes and macrophages is a high-affinity receptor for bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hence an important component of the innate immune system. LPS binding protein (LBP) is required to facilitate the binding of LPS to CD14 in vitro and is necessary for the induction of an inflammatory response to LPS in vivo. Here we show that CD14 and LBP can also bind to lipoteichoic acid from the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Although CD14 does not interact with intact B. subtilisorganisms, a brief exposure of the bacteria to serum converts them into a form which can bind to CD14 in an LBP-dependent reaction. When serum-pretreated B. subtilis organisms are incubated with the myelomonocytic cell line U937, which expresses CD14, the bacteria are rapidly phagocytosed. The phagocytosis is strictly dependent both on LBP and on CD14. These in vitro results suggest that LBP plays a role in the innate response not only to gram-negative but also to gram-positive infections.
High-quality surface passivation of low-resistivity p-type C-Si by hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride deposited by industrial-scale microwave PECVD

High-quality surface passivation is realized with plasma silicon nitride films deposited dynamically in an industrial microwave-powered plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. For low-resistivity p-Si wafers symmetrically passivated by as-deposited nearly-stoichiometric (n = 2.05) nitride films, we reach effective carrier lifetimes of up to 800 μs, increasing to up to 1800 μs for samples passivated by silicon-rich nitride films (n = 2.5). This corresponds to excellent surface recombination velocities of less than 14 and 4 cm/s, respectively, assuming a bulk carrier lifetime of 3.38 ms. Such levels of silicon surface passivation with plasma silicon nitride have previously only been possible with static laboratory systems.
Clarification of the Properties of Fluctuation of Bottom Sediment Based on Long-Term Monitoring Around the Mouth of the Tama River in Tokyo Bay

With the focus on the characteristics of temporal and spatial fluctuations of the bottomsediment properties and their vertical distributions around the mouth of the Tama River in Tokyo Bay, the properties of surface sediments, such as grain-size distributions and water contents, had been monitored by taking bottom-sediment core samples from several sampling stations around the river mouth with the intervals of 3 month for a period of five years from 2006 through 2010. Based on the monitored data, the impact of flood events which occurred during the survey period on bottom sediment properties and the recovery processes after the flood event were evaluated. This study clarified that seasonal fluctuations of surface bottom sediment qualities clearly appear on river mouth shoals and tidal wetlands and the impact of the river flood was relatively slight and the damages were restored over relatively short period of time after the flood event. On the other hand, the flood event remarkably caused rapid decline of the water content of bottom sediments at offshore of the river mouth, and it took about three years for their bottom sediments to return to its normal as before the flood event. This paper also discusses the recovery process of the sediment properties at the offshore region and shows that the long-term evolution of the sediment properties was caused by the constant settling of new deposition of suspended particles from the water column and accumulation rate was estimated at 2.5 cm per year.
Determination of central aortic systolic and pulse pressure from the radial artery pressure waveform

ObjectiveMeasurements of central aortic systolic and pulse pressure, either gauged directly or estimated indirectly, have been shown to be superior to brachial pressure in outcome studies. While the radial pressure convolution method has proved to satisfy the criteria for ‘substantial equivalence’ to measure central pressure non-invasively, this study sought simpler methods to generate central systolic and pulse pressure directly from the radial artery waveform. MethodsTwo sets of data were used, in which radial artery pressure waves were measured by applanation tonometry and ascending aortic pressure was generated by the SphygmoCor® process. Different approaches were applied to each dataset: firstly, using the time period from wave foot to systolic peak in central arteries; secondly, through identifying the pressure surge from the reflected wave in the radial artery; and thirdly from extrapolation and calibration of carotid systolic pressure when mean and diastolic pressure considered to be equal with radial values. ResultsBoth datasets showed good correspondence between the central systolic and pulse pressure obtained with each of the three approaches and respective pressures generated by SphygmoCor® process; all were within AAMI SP10 criteria and grade A for BSH criteria. ConclusionAll three approaches gave results similar substantially equivalent to those obtained with the SphygmoCor® system for aortic, systolic and pulse pressure. Hence, simple inspection of the radial waveform has the potential to improve the estimation of aortic systolic and pulse pressure.
Walk with me: interactions in emotional walking situations, a pilot study

This paper is about interactions between real and virtual humans. We are interested in whole body and emotionally tinted situations of interactions. We focus on the daily situation of walking together. We propose two experiments. In a first experiment, we measure the effect of emotions on the kinematics and metrics of interactions between two walkers. Then, in a second experiment, we reproduce a similar situation of interaction between a real subject and a virtual walker expressing emotions. We perform comparisons between real-real interactions and real-virtual ones. We show promising results: similar effects are observed on the kinematics of interactions in both experiments. We implicitly demonstrate the ability of real subjects to perceive emotions expressed by a virtual character through whole body motion. We show that real subjects' reaction to the behavior of an expressive virtual character complies with their reaction to the behavior of an expressive real human walker. This result is one step toward the use of such virtual reality platform to study social interactions through fully controlled experiments.
Impact of convection over the equatorial trough on summer monsoon activity over India

Causes of disruption of rainfall (break in monsoon conditions) over the Indian subcontinent during the monsoon months for the period 1979–1998 are investigated using pentad rainfall data from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). Most (about 73%) of the break in monsoon (BM) events were associated with convective activity (rainfall more than 30 mm/pentad) over the equatorial trough (ET) region. The association between these events and the convective activity over the western (WET) and eastern equatorial trough (EET) regions of the tropical Indian Ocean were further explored. These relationships were tested for different (deficit, normal and excess) monsoon conditions over the Indian subcontinent and the El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean. There appears to be a negative and significant correlation between the Central Indian Region (CIR) rainfall and EET during deficit and non‐El Niño years. During deficit and El Niño years (1982 and 1987), both CIR and all India rainfall (AIR) exhibited a negative correlation with WET. In the case of years with no breaks, EET was negatively (positively) correlated during the years 1982 and 1992 (1994 and 1997) with AIR. The convective activity was more intense over EET than WET during prolonged BM and also in a deficit and non‐El Niño year (1979).
Middle–late holocene paleoclimate and weathering history in the norra storfjället mountains, sweden: deglacial record and soil stratigraphy applied to neoglaciation in lower latitudes

Abstract The retreat record of the tabre lacier into the orra torfjället mountains, after separation from the massive ärnaån lacier at some undetermined time in the tlantic hron, is documented by recessional moraines in the foreland. While poorly constrained by radiometric dating, the age of the middle group of moraines averages out to less than 4000 cal 14 yr , the older moraine group probably of ate tlantic age, with the youngest deposits of ittle ce ge. Soils/paleosols range from ntisols (youngest) and nceptisols (middle group) to mature podosols (outer group), existing either as single‐story profiles or within pedostratigraphic columns, buried pedons either surfaced with weathered glacial or mass wasted deposits. Some profiles exhibit convoluted properties which could place them in the ryosolic order. The physico‐mineral‐chemical properties of soils/paleosols in recessional deposits across this sequence provide weathering indices over the mid to ate olocene in the wedish sub‐rctic climate. It is likely the middle group of deposits represents stillstand of the retreating glacier offset by climatic deterioration with the onset of Early eoglacial climate which altered the glacial mass balance, at least until termination of the . Correlation to other alpine areas in the middle and tropical latitudes with similar records is attempted and discussed. While the tabre lacier disappeared after the , the nearby ärna lacier remains extant on the land surface, a presumed result of slight elevation differences between the two cirques which affects storm tracks and resultant variations in glacial mass balances.
A New Species of Laccognathus (Sarcopterygii, Porolepiformes) from the Late Devonian of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

ABSTRACT Recent work in the Late Devonian (Frasnian) Fram Formation of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, has produced the first North American record of Laccognathus (Sarcopterygii, Porolepiformes), a taxon previously known only from Latvia and Russia. Represented by a large sample that includes cranial material from 22 individuals, Laccognathus embryi, sp. nov., is uniquely diagnosed by features including the absence of marginal teeth on coronoids 1 and 2, and the lack of a fifth posthyal branchial arch. The large sample allows detailed morphological description of many parts of the cranial skeleton, including the dermal skull, braincase, palatoquadrate, and branchial skeleton. Comparison of the faunas from the Fram Formation in Nunavut, the Escuminac Formation in Quebec, and the Lode and Gauja formations of Latvia confirms a Laurussian (Euramerican) biogeographic province in the late Middle/early Late Devonian and may indicate tolerance of some forms to varied salinities. A cranial reconstruction of the new taxon reveals a wide head with a width-to-length ratio of approximately 2:1, a large spiracular opening, a small orbit, and a lower jaw in which much of the labial surface faced ventrally. The cranial morphology suggests a benthic animal reliant on sit-and-wait predation.
Early Miocene Mollusca from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (ANDRILL 2A drill core), with a review of Antarctic Oligocene and Neogene Pectinidae (Bivalvia)

Retrotapes andrillorum sp. nov., Hiatella cf. arctica (Linnaeus, 1767), ? Yoldia sp. (internal mould) and six taxa of Pectinidae are reported from the Burdigalian section of the ANDRILL 2A core, drilled in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea. The pectinids are Adamussium cf. jonkersi Quaglio et al., 2010, Antarctipecten gen. nov. alanbeui (Jonkers, 2003), Austrochlamys forticosta sp. nov., Austrochlamys cf. marisrossensis Jonkers, 2003, Ruthipecten gen. nov., sp. nov. (not named) and a fragmentary specimen representing an unnamed genus and species. In a revision of Antarctic Pectinidae, Austrochlamys Jonkers, 2003, Ruthipecten gen. nov. (proposed for Chlamys (Zygochlamys) tuftsensis Turner, 1967, reported only from Wright Valley and the Vestfold Hills, not present in ANDRILL 2A), Leoclunipecten gen. nov. (proposed for Austrochlamys gazdzickii Jonkers, 2003, reported only from Oligocene rocks of King George Island, not present in ANDRILL 2A) and the unnamed genus in ANDRILL 2A are assigned to subfamily Chlamydinae, tribe Chlamydini, whereas Adamussium Thiele, 1934 and Antarctipecten gen. nov. are assigned to subfamily Palliolinae, tribe Adamussiini. The diverse Pectinidae in ANDRILL 2A suggest sea temperatures roughly 5°C warmer than at present in the Ross Sea during Early Miocene time.
On the Interpretation of EOF Analysis of ENSO, Atmospheric Kelvin Waves, and the MJO

AbstractEmpirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis is frequently applied to derive patterns and indexes used to identify and track weather and climate modes as expressed in state variables or proxies of convection. Individual EOFs or pairs of EOFs are often taken to be a complete description of the phenomenon they are intended to index. At the same time, in the absence of projection of the phenomenon onto multiple EOFs yielding multiple similar eigenvalues, each EOF is often assumed to represent a physically independent phenomenon. This project analyzed the leading EOFs of the earth’s skin temperature on the equator and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) anomalies filtered for atmospheric equatorial Kelvin waves. Results show that the leading two EOFs of the skin temperature data—including east Pacific El Nino and El Nino Modoki—frequently evolve as a quadrature pair during El Nino events, even though the first EOF explains roughly 6 times as much variance as the second. They together diagnose the longit.
Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis

Purpose of ReviewWhen a patient presents with symptoms or imaging suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS), making the correct diagnosis may at times be straightforward but in many cases is quite challenging. Symptoms may be difficult for patients to characterize and for clinicians to interpret; findings on examination may be subtle; imaging is not always specific; and the differential diagnosis of possible demyelinating disease is quite broad. Making a correct diagnosis of MS early in the disease course is likely to become even more important over time as new disease-modifying therapies, particularly those with potential neuroprotective benefits, are introduced. This article reviews the current diagnostic criteria for MS and illustrates their application as well as reviews the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with symptoms or imaging suggestive of demyelinating disease. Recent FindingsThe diagnostic criteria for MS were revised by the International Panel on Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2010. SummaryThe diagnostic criteria for MS have been revised several times over the years, most recently giving rise to the McDonald 2010 criteria. The diagnosis of MS begins with a patient who presents with symptoms typical for the disease, termed the “clinically isolated syndrome,” which most commonly affects the optic nerves, brainstem, or spinal cord. If the patient’s symptoms and imaging are typical for MS, the clinician can then apply the appropriate diagnostic criteria. If atypical clinical or imaging findings are present, alternative etiologies must be pursued as appropriate.
Objective estimation of the probability density function for climate sensitivity

The size and impacts of anthropogenically induced climate change (AICC) strongly depend on the climate sensitivity, ΔT2x. If ΔT2x is less than the lower bound given by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 1.5°C, then AICC may not be a serious problem for humanity. If ΔT2x is greater than the upper bound given by the IPCC, 4.5°C, then AICC may be one of the most severe problems of the 21st century. Here we use a simple climate/ocean model, the observed near-surface temperature record, and a bootstrap technique to objectively estimate the probability density function for ΔT2x. We find that as a result of natural variability and uncertainty in the climatic radiative forcing, the 90% confidence interval for ΔT2x is 1.0°C to 9.3°C. Consequently, there is a 54% likelihood that ΔT2x lies outside the IPCC range.
Feasibility of Parent-to-Parent Support in Recently Diagnosed Childhood Diabetes

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a parent-to-parent support intervention for parents whose child has recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the United Kingdom. Methods The research team conducted a formative evaluation, working with parents to design an individual-level parent-to-parent support intervention. Issues of recruitment, uptake, attrition, pattern of contact, and intervention acceptability were assessed. Results A US program was adapted in collaboration with a parents’ advisory group. Of 19 parents nominated as potential mentors by their pediatric diabetes specialist nurses, 12 (63%) volunteered and 11 continued for the 12-month intervention period. Thirty-three children were diagnosed with diabetes in the study period, with 25 families eligible to participate as recipients of the intervention; 9 parents from 7 of those families participated, representing 28% of those eligible. Feedback from parents and clinic staff identified peer support as a welcome service. Lessons were learned about the nature of the supporting relationship (eg, proximity, connectedness, and managing endings) that will enhance the design of future peer support programs. Conclusions Parent-to-parent support in the context of newly diagnosed childhood diabetes in the United Kingdom is feasible to deliver, with good engagement of mentors and clinic staff. The program was acceptable to parents who chose to participate, although uptake by parents whose child had been recently diagnosed was lower than expected. The results merit further investigation, including exploration of parent preference in relation to peer support.
Dynamics of the Siple Coast ice streams, west Antarctica: Results from a thermomechanical ice sheet model

Most of the ice leaving the Antarctic Ice Sheet is discharged to the sea by ice streams. An understanding of the dynamics of these ice streams is therefore crucial if we are to predict the future evolution of the ice sheet and its effect on global sea level. The behavior of Ice Streams A to E of the Siple Coast, West Antarctica has attracted much attention with evidence of recent stagnation and numerous relict ice‐flow features. Here I present results from a three‐dimensional, thermodynamic ice sheet model of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). The model generates variability in the flow of the Siple Coast ice streams reminiscent of that mentioned above. This is caused by competition between several preferred ice flow pathways in the area. Individual ice streams interact through changes in catchment‐area size: a reduction in catchment area reduces the flow of ice entering a stream and can cause stagnation through the associated reduction in deformational heating.