Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Composition and antimicrobial activities of the leaf essential oil of Machilus zuihoensis from Taiwan

This study investigated the chemical composition, and antimicrobial and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the essential oil isolated from the leaf of endemic Machilus zuihoensis Hayata, Lauraceae, of Taiwan. The essential oil from the fresh leaves of M. zuihoensis was isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 104 compounds were identified, representing 100% of the oil. The main components identified were n-dodecanal (23.8%) and (E)-nerolidol (10.5%). The antimicrobial activity of the oil was tested by the disc diffusion method and micro-broth dilution method against ten microbial species (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aspergillus niger, and Candida albicans), respectively. The oil exhibited strong growth suppression against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast with inhibition zones of 35~43 mm to MIC values of 125 µg mL-1, respectively. The anti-wood-decay fungal activity of the oil was also evaluated. Results showed that the oil demonstrated excellent activity against four wood-decay-fungi species (Trametes versicolor, Phaneochaete chrysosporium, Phaeolus schweintizii, and Lenzites sulphureu). For the antimicrobial and anti-wooddecay fungal activities of the oil, the active source compounds were determined to be τ-cadinol, β-eudesmol, and n-dodecanal.
The profile of wounding in civilian public mass shooting fatalities

BACKGROUND The incidence and severity of civilian public mass shootings (CPMS) continue to rise. Initiatives predicated on lessons learned from military woundings have placed strong emphasis on hemorrhage control, especially via use of tourniquets, as means to improve survival. We hypothesize that both the overall wounding pattern and the specific fatal wounds in CPMS events are different from those in military combat fatalities and thus may require a new management strategy. METHODS A retrospective study of autopsy reports for all victims involved in 12 CPMS events was performed. Civilian public mass shootings was defined using the FBI and the Congressional Research Service definition. The site of injury, probable site of fatal injury, and presence of potentially survivable injury (defined as survival if prehospital care is provided within 10 minutes and trauma center care within 60 minutes of injury) was determined independently by each author. RESULTS A total 139 fatalities consisting of 371 wounds from 12 CPMS events were reviewed. All wounds were due to gunshots. Victims had an average of 2.7 gunshots. Relative to military reports, the case fatality rate was significantly higher, and incidence of potentially survivable injuries was significantly lower. Overall, 58% of victims had gunshots to the head and chest, and only 20% had extremity wounds. The probable site of fatal wounding was the head or chest in 77% of cases. Only 7% of victims had potentially survivable wounds. The most common site of potentially survivable injury was the chest (89%). No head injury was potentially survivable. There were no deaths due to exsanguination from an extremity. CONCLUSION The overall and fatal wounding patterns following CPMS are different from those resulting from combat operations. Given that no deaths were due to extremity hemorrhage, a treatment strategy that goes beyond use of tourniquets is needed to rescue the few victims with potentially survivable injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level IV; therapeutic/care management study, level V.
Social network contingency, symbolic management, and boundary stretching

A firm’s structural position within corporate networks may affect the extent to which it engages in boundary stretching practices. Since social norms support low CEO compensation, offering high CEO compensation in China can be seen as a boundary stretching practice. Setting up a compensation committee (CC) may be viewed as a form of symbolic management in China. We argue that firms operating within central corporate network positions opt to pay higher CEO compensation without engaging in symbolic management. On the other hand, firms operating in structural hole positions tend to either pay lower CEO compensation or use CCs as a symbolic management tool in order to pay higher CEO compensation. Our hypotheses are largely supported based on 7,618 firm-year observations in China.
Symbolic Analyses of Dataflow Graphs

The synchronous dataflow model of computation is widely used to design embedded stream-processing applications under strict quality-of-service requirements (e.g., buffering size, throughput, input-output latency). The required analyses can either be performed at compile time (for design space exploration) or at runtime (for resource management and reconfigurable systems). However, these analyses have an exponential time complexity, which may cause a huge runtime overhead or make design space exploration unacceptably slow. In this article, we argue that symbolic analyses are more appropriate since they express the system performance as a function of parameters (i.e., input and output rates, execution times). Such functions can be quickly evaluated for each different configuration or checked with respect to different quality-of-service requirements. We provide symbolic analyses for computing the maximal throughput of acyclic synchronous dataflow graphs, the minimum required buffers for which as soon as possible (ASAP) scheduling achieves this throughput, and finally, the corresponding input-output latency of the graph. The article first investigates these problems for a single parametric edge. The results are extended to general acyclic graphs using linear approximation techniques. We assess the proposed analyses experimentally on both synthetic and real benchmarks.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features of Pituicytomas: Analysis of 10 Cases

Objective: To describe the magnetic resonance imaging features of pituicytomas and identify any specific features that could differentiate this tumor from other sellar/suprasellar masses. Methods: Magnetic resonance images, clinical histories, and pathological findings of 10 patients with pituicytoma were retrospectively reviewed. Reports of clinical history, pathology, and magnetic resonance imaging findings were reviewed for 28 additional histologically proven pituicytoma cases, previously reported in the literature. Results: Pituicytomas were mostly round or oval, sharply defined, and located in the sellar and/or suprasellar region. Tumors were generally isointense to gray matter on T1-weighted images and isointense to slightly hyperintense on T2-weighted images, and they enhanced intensely. Conclusions: Magnetic resonance imaging features of pituicytomas overlap with those of other, more common lesions that occur in the region. With the exception of a purely suprasellar-enhancing mass or a clearly defined neurohypophyseal mass separate from the anterior pituitary, the similarity to common tumors such as macroadenomas and meningiomas probably precludes effective prospective diagnosis of pituicytomas.
Sequence-discriminative training of deep neural networks

Sequence-discriminative training of deep neural networks (DNNs) is investigated on a standard 300 hour American En- glish conversational telephone speech task. Different sequence- discriminative criteria — maximum mutual information (MMI), minimum phone error (MPE), state-level minimum Bayes risk (sMBR), and boosted MMI — are compared. Two different heuristics are investigated to improve the performance of the DNNs trained using sequence-based criteria — lattices are re- generated after the first iteration of training; and, for MMI and BMMI, the frames where the numerator and denominator hy- potheses are disjoint are removed from the gradient compu- tation. Starting from a competitive DNN baseline trained us- ing cross-entropy, different sequence-discriminative criteria are shown to lower word error rates by 7-9% relative, on aver- age. Little difference is noticed between the different sequence- based criteria that are investigated. The experiments are done using the open-source Kaldi toolkit, which makes it possible for the wider community to reproduce these results. Index Terms: speech recognition, deep learning, sequence- criterion training, neural networks, reproducible research
Analysis of surface hardness of artificially aged resin composites

This study evaluated the effect of artificially accelerated aging (AAA) on the surface hardness of eight composite resins: Filtek Z250, Filtek Supreme, 4 Seasons, Herculite, P60, Tetric Ceram, Charisma, and Filtek Z100. Sixteen specimens were made from the test piece of each material, using an 8.0 × 2.0 mm teflon matrix. After 24 hours, eight specimens from each material were submitted to three surface hardness readings using a Shimadzu Microhardness Tester for 5 seconds at a load of 50 gf. The other eight specimens remained in the artificially accelerated aging machine for 382 hours and were submitted to the same surface hardness analysis. The means of each test specimen were submitted to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (p > 0.05), ANOVA and Tukey test (p < 0.05). With regard to hardness (F = 86.74, p < 0.0001) the analysis showed significant differences among the resin composite brands. But aging did not influence the hardness of any of the resin composites (F = 0.39, p = 0.53). In this study, there was interaction between the resin composite brand and the aging factors (F = 4.51, p < 0.0002). It was concluded that notwithstanding the type of resin, AAA did not influence surface hardness. However, with regard to hardness there was a significant difference among the resin brands.
When Death is Good for Life

Research derived from terror management theory (TMT) has shown that people’s efforts to manage the awareness of death often have deleterious consequences for the individual and society. The present article takes a closer look at the conceptual foundations of TMT and considers some of the more beneficial trajectories of the terror management process. The awareness of mortality can motivate people to enhance their physical health and prioritize growth-oriented goals; live up to positive standards and beliefs; build supportive relationships and encourage the development of peaceful, charitable communities; and foster open-minded and growth-oriented behaviors. The article also tentatively explores the potential enriching impact of direct encounters with death. Overall, the present analysis suggests that although death awareness can, at times, generate negative outcomes, it can also function to move people along more positive trajectories and contribute to the good life.
Laser vaporization of cirrus-like ice particles with secondary ice multiplication

Intense laser illumination of cirrus-like ice particles increases the amount of condensed water and modifies the particles’ albedo. We investigate the interaction of ultrashort laser filaments with individual 90-μm ice particles, representative of cirrus particles. The ice particles fragment under laser illumination. By monitoring the evolution of the corresponding ice/vapor system at up to 140,000 frames per second over 30 ms, we conclude that a shockwave vaporization supersaturates the neighboring region relative to ice, allowing the nucleation and growth of new ice particles, supported by laser-induced plasma photochemistry. This process constitutes the first direct observation of filament-induced secondary ice multiplication, a process that strongly modifies the particle size distribution and, thus, the albedo of typical cirrus clouds.
A Distribution Law for CCS and a New Congruence Result for the p-calculus

We give an axiomatisation of strong bisimilarity on a small fragment of CCS that does not feature the sum operator. This axiomatisation is then used to derive congruence of strong bisimilarity in the finite π-calculus in absence of sum. To our knowledge, this is the only nontrivial subcalculus of the π-calculus that includes the full output prefix and for which strong bisimilarity is a congruence.
Comparison of Salivary and Serum Glucose Levels in Diabetic Patients

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a noncommunicable disease with a rising prevalence worldwide and in developing countries. The most commonly used diagnostic biofluid for detection of glucose levels is blood, but sample collection is an invasive and painful procedure. Thus, there arises a need for a noninvasive and painless technique to detect glucose levels. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to estimate the glucose levels of saliva, to assess if any significant correlation existed between the serum and salivary glucose levels, and to correlate salivary glucose levels with regard to duration of diabetes, age, and gender. In the present study, serum and salivary glucose levels of 200 subjects (100 diabetic subjects and 100 nondiabetic subjects) were estimated by glucose oxidase method. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels were also measured in randomly selected 40 diabetic subjects. Results: The findings of present study revealed a significant correlation between salivary and serum glucose levels in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. No significant relationship was observed between salivary glucose levels and gender or age in both diabetics and nondiabetics and between salivary glucose levels and duration of diabetes in diabetics. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that salivary glucose levels could serve as a potentially noninvasive adjunct to monitor glycemic control in diabetic patients.
Central administration of [Phe1psi(CH2-NH)Gly2]nociceptin(1-13)-NH2 and orphanin FQ/nociceptin (OFQ/N) produce similar cardiovascular and renal responses in conscious rats.

In vitro studies have shown that [Phe1Psi(CH2-NH)Gly2]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 (referred to as [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2) is the first selective antagonist to prevent the binding of the endogenous ligand orphanin FQ/Nociceptin (OFQ/N) at the orphan opioid-like receptor. In the present study, we examined the potential changes in cardiovascular and renal function produced by the i.c. v. injection of [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 in conscious Sprague-Dawley rats. In conscious rats, i.c. v. injection of [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 produced a marked and sustained decrease in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and urinary sodium excretion and a profound increase in urine flow rate (i.e., a water diuresis). The cardiovascular and renal excretory responses produced by i.c. v. [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 were dose dependent and were similar in pattern but of longer duration than responses evoked by i.c. v. OFQ/N. In other animals, the i.c. v. injection of OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2, a potential metabolite of [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2, produced changes in cardiovascular and renal function that were comparable to those evoked by i.c. v. [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2. In contrast, OFQ/N(2-17), a fragment of OFQ/N [OFQ/N(1-17)], was inactive when administered centrally. Finally, studies were performed to determine whether [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 may be an antagonist at the orphan opioid-like receptor receptor when administered centrally at a dose that alone was inactive. In these studies, i.c. v. pretreatment of animals with low-dose [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 failed to prevent the cardiovascular and renal excretory response to i.c. v. OFQ/N. Although [FG]OFQ/N(1-13)-NH2 is reported to be an antagonist of the OFQ/N receptor in vitro, these findings indicate that this compound has agonist activity similar to that of the endogenous ligand OFQ/N when administered centrally in vivo.
Oropharyngeal cancer: current understanding and management

Purpose of reviewThe goals of this article are: to briefly review oropharyngeal anatomy; to provide a review of the epidemiology of oropharyngeal cancer in the Western Hemisphere; to review the literature on the association of human papilloma virus with oropharyngeal cancer; to review the recent literature on evolving diagnostic techniques for oropharyngeal cancer; and to summarize accepted management strategies for oropharyngeal cancer by subsite. Recent findingsThe incidence of oropharyngeal cancer may be increasing among younger age groups in the Western Hemisphere, and this may be related to an increased association with human papillomavirus 16. The implications of this viral association with regard to outcomes and management strategies remain under investigation. Screening with toluidine blue, autofluorescence, or both may be useful adjuncts to physical examination and panendoscopy in assessing potentially invasive or dysplastic lesions of the oropharynx. These techniques remain under study. MRI and PET scan are proving to be useful techniques for assessing local extension, regional metastases, and recurrences of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx in selected cases. However, serial computed tomography scanning remains the imaging modality of choice in the United States. Early SCCs of the oropharynx (T1–2), in general, may be managed effectively with either surgery or primary irradiation, though, with either technique, clinicians must have a management plan for the neck. Advanced SCCs of the oropharynx (T3–4, nodally aggressive, or both) require multimodal approaches consisting of either surgery along with adjuvant irradiation or concurrent chemoradiation along with salvage surgery (as necessary). SummaryManagement of SCC of the oropharynx is in a period of transition because of evolving changes in our understanding of the oncogenic process; evolving diagnostic techniques; and evolving combinations of therapies, both surgical and nonsurgical. For the time being, we propose using local subsite and disease stage to guide therapeutic decision-making.
Bayesian Optimal Designs for Phase I Clinical Trials

Summary. A broad approach to the design of Phase I clinical trials for the efficient estimation of the maximum tolerated dose is presented. The method is rooted in formal optimal design theory and involves the construction of constrained Bayesian c‐ and D‐optimal designs. The imposed constraint incorporates the optimal design points and their weights and ensures that the probability that an administered dose exceeds the maximum acceptable dose is low. Results relating to these constrained designs for log doses on the real line are described and the associated equivalence theorem is given. The ideas are extended to more practical situations, specifically to those involving discrete doses. In particular, a Bayesian sequential optimal design scheme comprising a pilot study on a small number of patients followed by the allocation of patients to doses one at a time is developed and its properties explored by simulation.
Predicting the Size of Benign Thyroid Nodules and Analysis of Associated Factors That Affect Nodule Size

This study aimed to identify factors that affect the size of benign thyroid nodules and to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Because most thyroid nodules are benign, they are commonly only monitored. Only a few studies have evaluated the natural progression or regression of benign thyroid nodules. Large-scale studies on the subject are nonexistent. Between January 2001 and December 2011, our study subjects were selected from among 1,564 patients with benign thyroid nodules (2,469 nodules) in a retrospective analysis. We measured nodule size and volume and attempted to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Nodules were considered to have increased in size if the total volume increased by >15%. Nodules that increased in size over time required a longer follow-up period than nodules that decreased in size. The proportion of females and the cystic proportion of the nodules were relatively high in our study sample. For thyroid nodules that increased in size, we analyzed potential predictive factors. Larger nodule volume, extended follow-up period, and high cystic proportion were positively associated with increased nodule size. According to the model we developed in our study, the nodules in the group with an increase in size grew at an approximate rate of 0.034 cm3 per year when controlled for other factors. Percutaneous ethanol injection or radiofrequency ablation is performed for cosmetic purposes and proper functioning if or when nodules reach a certain size. The model used in our study may offer helpful insight in determining an optimal treatment schedule for benign thyroid nodules.
Gentamicin differentially alters cellular metabolism of cochlear hair cells as revealed by NAD(P)H fluorescence lifetime imaging

Abstract. Aminoglycoside antibiotics are implicated as culprits of hearing loss in more than 120,000 individuals annually. Research has shown that the sensory cells, but not supporting cells, of the cochlea are readily damaged and/or lost after use of such antibiotics. High-frequency outer hair cells (OHCs) show a greater sensitivity to antibiotics than high- and low-frequency inner hair cells (IHCs). We hypothesize that variations in mitochondrial metabolism account for differences in susceptibility. Fluorescence lifetime microscopy was used to quantify changes in NAD(P)H in sensory and supporting cells from explanted murine cochleae exposed to mitochondrial uncouplers, inhibitors, and an ototoxic antibiotic, gentamicin (GM). Changes in metabolic state resulted in a redistribution of NAD(P)H between subcellular fluorescence lifetime pools. Supporting cells had a significantly longer lifetime than sensory cells. Pretreatment with GM increased NAD(P)H intensity in high-frequency sensory cells, as well as the NAD(P)H lifetime within IHCs. GM specifically increased NAD(P)H concentration in high-frequency OHCs, but not in IHCs or pillar cells. Variations in NAD(P)H intensity in response to mitochondrial toxins and GM were greatest in high-frequency OHCs. These results demonstrate that GM rapidly alters mitochondrial metabolism, differentially modulates cell metabolism, and provides evidence that GM-induced changes in metabolism are significant and greatest in high-frequency OHCs.
HIV-related risk behaviors among kathoey (male-to-female transgender) sex workers in Bangkok, Thailand

Based on combined methods, this study investigated substance use and HIV risk behaviors among kathoey sex workers (KSWs) in Bangkok, Thailand. The study found that only half of the KSW participants reported having been tested for HIV, and that except for one participant, all others had not seen health care providers in the past 12 months. About one third of the participants reported having engaged in unprotected anal sex with customers in the past six months. Almost all participants reported alcohol use, as well as having had sex with customers under the influence of alcohol. The prevalence of marijuana and ecstasy use in the past 12 months was high (32 and 36%, respectively); as was for ketamine (20%) and non-injecting methamphetamine (yaba) use (10%). A multiple regression analysis showed that the participants who were post-operative status, had used illicit drugs, or had been abused by their father and brothers were less likely to use condoms for anal sex with customers. Three quarters of the participants sent money to their families and 35% of the participants expressed their willingness to engage in unsafe sex when customers offer extra money. The qualitative interviews revealed that many identified as girl or kathoey in early age and had been exposed to transphobia and violence from father and brothers. Some reported support for gender transition from their mothers. More than half of the participants currently had difficulties in living as kathoey, such as challenges in the job market and relationship with family members. Family obligation for sending money and the Buddhist concept of karma were discussed in relation to risk behaviors among KSWs. The study provided implications for facilitating HIV testing and developing future HIV prevention intervention programs for KSWs in Thailand.