Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Comply with Post-Exposure Management Among Health Care Workers Instrument for Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To validate the Comply with post-exposure management among healthcare workersinstrument for Nursing in Brazil. METHOD A methodological study carried out with 137 nursing professionals exposed to biological material. The existence of floor and ceiling effects was analyzed, evaluating reliability by the internal consistency of the items and test-retest reproducibility. The construct validity was analyzed by the multitrait-multi method analysis. RESULTS Ceiling effects were found in two subscales. The result of the internal consistency of four subscales varied between 0.81 and 0.91. The results were considered satisfactory, while two subscales presented an unsatisfactory result (0.50 and 0.37). An evaluation of the measurement stability obtained positive results in relation to the statistical significance, with Intraclass Correlation Coefficient values between the two measurements ranging from 0.301 to 0.727; the validity of a convergent and divergent construct was confirmed by multitrait-multi method analysis, except for the Attitude subscale, which presented unsatisfactory values. CONCLUSION The instrument presents satisfactory results for validity and reliability, except for the Attitude dimension. OBJETIVO Validar para o Brasil o instrumento Comply with post-exposure management among health care workers para a enfermagem. MÉTODO Estudo metodológico realizado com 137 profissionais de enfermagem expostos a material biológico. Analisou-se a existência dos efeitos floor e ceiling e avaliou-se a fidedignidade pela consistência interna dos itens e estabilidade da medida (teste-reteste). Analisou-se a validade de construto por meio da análise multitraço-multimétodo. RESULTADOS Verificaram-se efeitos ceiling em duas subescalas. O resultado da consistência interna, de quatro subescalas, variou entre 0,81 e 0,91, resultados considerados satisfatórios, e duas subescalas apresentaram resultado insatisfatório (0,50 e 0,37). A avaliação da estabilidade da medida obteve resultados positivos em relação à significância estatística, com valores do Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse, entre as duas medidas, variando de 0,301 a 0,727; confirmou-se a validade de construto convergente e divergente por meio da análise multitraço-multimétodo, exceto a subescala Atitude, que apresentou valores insatisfatórios. CONCLUSÃO O instrumento apresenta resultados satisfatórios de validade e fidedignidade, excluindo-se a dimensão Atitude.
Comparative Phenotypical and Molecular Analyses of Arabidopsis Grown under Fluorescent and LED Light

Comparative analyses of phenotypic and molecular traits of Arabidopsis thaliana grown under standardised conditions is still a challenge using climatic devices supplied with common light sources. These are in most cases fluorescent lights, which have several disadvantages such as heat production at higher light intensities, an invariable spectral output, and relatively rapid “ageing”. This results in non-desired variations of growth conditions and lowers the comparability of data acquired over extended time periods. In this study, we investigated the growth behaviour of Arabidopsis Col0 under different light conditions, applying fluorescent compared to LED lamps, and we conducted physiological as well as gene expression analyses. By changing the spectral composition and/or light intensity of LEDs we can clearly influence the growth behaviour of Arabidopsis and thereby study phenotypic attributes under very specific light conditions that are stable and reproducible, which is not necessarily given for fluorescent lamps. By using LED lights, we can also roughly mimic the sun light emission spectrum, enabling us to study plant growth in a more natural-like light set-up. We observed distinct growth behaviour under the different light regimes which was reflected by physiological properties of the plants. In conclusion, LEDs provide variable emission spectra for studying plant growth under defined, stable light conditions.
Assessment of Chlamydia psittaci Shedding and Environmental Contamination as Potential Sources of Worker Exposure throughout the Mule Duck Breeding Process

ABSTRACT Chlamydia psittaci is an obligate intracellular bacterium responsible for avian chlamydiosis, otherwise known as psittacosis, a zoonotic disease that may lead to severe atypical pneumonia. This study was conducted on seven mule duck flocks harboring asymptomatic birds to explore the circulation and persistence of C. psittaci during the entire breeding process and assess the potential sources of worker exposure. Cloacal swabs and air samples were taken on each occasion requiring humans to handle the birds. In parallel, environmental samples, including dust, water, and soil, were collected. Specific real-time PCR analyses revealed the presence of C. psittaci in all flocks but with three different shedding patterns involving ducks about the age of 4, 8, and 12 weeks with heavy, moderate, and low excretion levels, respectively. Air samples were only positive in flocks harboring heavy shedders. Dust in flocks with heavy or moderate shedders carried chlamydial loads strongly associated with the loads detected in avian and soil samples. Environmental contamination, significantly correlated with shedding dynamics, was considered to be the most probable source of exposure. The high prevalence of bacteriophage Chp1 in all flocks, mostly jointly present with chlamydia, suggests an important factor in C. psittaci persistence, thus creating a greater risk for humans. A survey conducted in these flocks regarding farming practices and activities showed that disinfection seems to be the most promising practice for reducing C. psittaci prevalence in ducks and that the place and the duration of action during operations seem to be potential risk factors. Strict adherence to good practices is strongly recommended.
Fault Analysis and Traveling-Wave-Based Protection Scheme for Double-Circuit LCC-HVDC Transmission Lines With Shared Towers

Double-circuit transmission lines, with bipolar transmission lines of two different line-commutated-converter-based high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) systems constructed on the same towers, are a new technology emerging in China to increase the power transmission capacity. Double-circuit HVDC transmission lines sharing the same towers will lead to an electromagnetic coupling effect between the two circuits. According to the geometry configuration of same-tower double-circuit transmission lines in HVDC transmission projects, double-circuit transmission lines are unbalanced without transposition. Therefore, the coupling effects on the healthy circuit cannot be completely eliminated. These coupling components will affect the sensitivity of conventional traveling-wave-based protection criteria. This work first develops a fault analysis for double-circuit HVDC transmission lines with various internal fault conditions, and then, the linear combinations of four independent modal components based only on each single circuit are obtained and investigated. Finally, an integrated traveling-wave-based protection scheme for double-circuit HVDC transmission lines is presented. Numerous simulation results verify that the proposed protection scheme can operate correctly in double-circuit HVDC transmission lines even for a fault with high resistance up to the maximum of 300 Ω.
Genetic variants in RORA and DNMT1 associated with cutaneous melanoma survival

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is considered as a steroid hormone‐related malignancy. However, few studies have evaluated the roles of genetic variants encoding steroid hormone receptor genes and their related regulators (SHR‐related genes) in CM‐specific survival (CMSS). Here, we performed a pathway‐based analysis to evaluate genetic variants of 191 SHR‐related genes in 858 CMSS patients using a dataset from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), and then validated the results in an additional dataset of 409 patients from the Harvard GWAS. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, we identified three‐independent SNPs (RORA rs782917 G > A, RORA rs17204952 C > T and DNMT1 rs7253062 G > A) as predictors of CMSS, with a variant‐allele attributed hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval of 1.62 (1.25–2.09), 1.60 (1.20–2.13) and 1.52 (1.20–1.94), respectively. Combined analysis of risk genotypes of these three SNPs revealed a decreased CMSS in a dose–response manner as the number of risk genotypes increased (ptrend < 0.001); however, no improvement in the prediction model was observed (area under the curve [AUC] = 79.6–80.8%, p = 0.656), when these risk genotypes were added to the model containing clinical variables. Our findings suggest that genetic variants of RORA and DNMT1 may be promising biomarkers for CMSS, but these results needed to be validated in future larger studies.
Correlation among periodontal health status, maternal age and pre-term low birth weight.

PURPOSE To assess correlations between periodontal status, maternal age and adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as pre-term and low birth weight in a sample of pregnant women. METHODS Study population was represented by outpatient pregnant women, gestational age > 26 weeks. Medical history questionnaires were administered to all participants who underwent clinical evaluation; clinical obstetric outcome records were collected after delivery. A questionnaire was administered regarding personal information, socio-economic status, oral hygiene habits, and oral health conditions. A clinical oral examination was performed to collect Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Pregnancy outcome records included: delivery week, kind and causes of delivery, any relevant complications, and birth weight. Descriptive statistics were used to depict the data from the questionnaire while the relationship between delivery week, birth weight, maternal age and periodontal status was evaluated through multivariate tests of significance. RESULTS 88 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. The results showed a statistically significant correlation (P< 0.001) among participants older than 40 years of age, between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. No statistical correlation was found among pre-term and low birth weight, smoking, ethnicity and educational level of mothers. The results highlight the importance of including a routine oral and periodontal health examination in pregnant women older than 40 years of age. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The correlation between periodontal status and adverse pregnancy outcomes in older mothers indicates the need for routine oral health examination and periodontal status assessment and care in pregnant women older than 40 years of age.
Binding of CFA/I Pili of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to Asialo-GM1 Is Mediated by the Minor Pilin CfaE

ABSTRACT CFA/I pili are representatives of a large family of related pili that mediate the adherence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to intestinal epithelial cells. They are assembled via the alternate chaperone-usher pathway and consist of two subunits, CfaB, which makes up the pilus shaft and a single pilus tip-associated subunit, CfaE. The current model of pilus-mediated adherence proposes that CFA/I has two distinct binding activities; the CfaE subunit is responsible for binding to receptors of unknown structure on erythrocyte and intestinal epithelial cell surfaces, while CfaB binds to various glycosphingolipids, including asialo-GM1. In this report, we present two independent lines of evidence that, contrary to the existing model, CfaB does not bind to asialo-GM1 independently of CfaE. Neither purified CfaB subunits nor CfaB assembled into pili bind to asialo-GM1. Instead, we demonstrate that binding activity toward asialo-GM1 resides in CfaE and this is essential for pilus binding to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. We conclude that the binding activities of CFA/I pili for asialo-GM1, erythrocytes, and intestinal cells are inseparable, require the same amino acid residues in CfaE, and therefore depend on the same or very similar binding mechanisms.
Medicaid and Uninsured Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Have More Advanced Tumor Stage and Are Less Likely to Receive Treatment

Goals: To evaluate the impact of insurance status on tumor stage at diagnosis, treatment received, and overall survival among adults with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Background: Insurance status affects access to care, which impacts timely access to cancer screening for early detection and treatment. Study: Using the 2007 to 2012 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we retrospectively evaluated US adults with HCC. Insurance status included Medicare/commercial insurance (MC), Medicaid (MA), and no insurance (NI). HCC tumor stage was evaluated using SEER staging system and Milan criteria. HCC treatment and survival were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Among 32,388 HCC patients (71.2% MC, 23.9% MA, and 4.9% NI), patients with MA or NI were significantly less likely to have localized tumor stage at time of diagnosis compared with MC [NI vs. MC; odds ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78-0.92; P<0.001]. MA and NI patients were less likely to receive treatment, and specifically less likely to receive surgical resection or liver transplantation compared with MC patients, even after correcting for tumor stage at diagnosis (odds of surgical resection or liver transplant in NI vs. MC: odds ratio, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.21-0.33; P<0.001). NI patients (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.29-1.50; P<0.001) had significantly lower survival compared with MC patients. Conclusions: Among US adults with HCC, MA, or NI patients had more advanced tumor stage at diagnosis, lower rates treatment, and significantly lower overall survival. Ensuring equal insurance coverage may improve access to care and mitigate some disparities in HCC outcomes.
Effect of the Interfacial SiO 2 Layer in High-k HfO 2 Gate Stacks on NBTI

(Invited Paper) Abstract—A relative contribution of the interface and bulk dielectric defects to negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) in the metal/HfO2/SiO2 gate stacks was investigated. Interface trap generation was assessed by the direct-current current-voltage (DCIV) technique, which independently measures the interface defect density from bulk oxide charges and delineates the contri- bution of the interface defect generation to the overall NBTI mea- sured by the threshold voltage shift (∆VTH). The metal/high-k induced traps in the interfacial SiO2 layer were found to con- trol the fast transient trap charging/generation processes, which affect the power-law exponents of ∆VTH and the stress-generated interface trap density ∆DIT stress time dependencies. Similar kinetics of the long-term ∆VTH(t) and ∆DIT(t) dependencies in the high-k and SiO2 gate stacks suggests that the degradation is governed by the same mechanism of trap charging/generation in the SiO2 film. The investigation leads to a novel methodology for the time-to-failure (TTF) extrapolation, in which the measured ∆VTH and ∆DIT values are adjusted for the contributions from the fast transient defect charging/generation processes. It is shown that the conventional TTF analysis might greatly overesti- mate TTF. Post-NBTI stress recovery at zero relaxation voltage measured by the DCIV method showed that oxide charges and interface traps relax at the same rate indicating that the interface processes may dominate ∆VTH relaxation. At positive relaxation voltages, however, the oxide charge relaxation exhibits a fast tran- sient component. Relaxation at positive bias also shows an as yet unexplained fast component in the interface trap recovery.
Performance analysis and design optimization of LDPC coded MIMO OFDM systems

The performance analysis and design optimization of low density parity check (LDPC) coded multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems for high speed wireless transmission is considered. The tool of density evolution with mixture Gaussian approximations is used to optimize irregular LDPC codes and to compute minimum operational signal-to-noise ratios for ergodic MIMO OFDM channels. In particular, the optimization is done for various MIMO OFDM system configurations which include different number of antennas, different channel models and different demodulation schemes; and the optimized performance is compared to the corresponding channel capacity.
Brassinosteroids Are Master Regulators of Gibberellin Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

In Arabidopsis thaliana, brassinosteroids regulate the biosynthesis of gibberellins and thereby regulate plant growth and development. Plant growth and development are highly regulated processes that are coordinated by hormones including the brassinosteroids (BRs), a group of steroids with structural similarity to steroid hormones of mammals. Although it is well understood how BRs are produced and how their signals are transduced, BR targets, which directly confer the hormone’s growth-promoting effects, have remained largely elusive. Here, we show that BRs regulate the biosynthesis of gibberellins (GAs), another class of growth-promoting hormones, in Arabidopsis thaliana. We reveal that Arabidopsis mutants deficient in BR signaling are severely impaired in the production of bioactive GA, which is correlated with defective GA biosynthetic gene expression. Expression of the key GA biosynthesis gene GA20ox1 in the BR signaling mutant bri1-301 rescues many of its developmental defects. We provide evidence that supports a model in which the BR-regulated transcription factor BES1 binds to a regulatory element in promoters of GA biosynthesis genes in a BR-induced manner to control their expression. In summary, our study underscores a role of BRs as master regulators of GA biosynthesis and shows that this function is of major relevance for the growth and development of vascular plants.
The Relationship Between Continuous Identity Disturbances, Negative Mood, and Suicidal Ideation.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between continuous identity and a measure of depression, anxiety, and stress as well as suicidal ideation using 2 validated measures of continuous identity. METHOD A total of 246 subjects recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk subject pool who completed a full survey in November 2014 were included in the analyses. Stress, anxiety, and depression severity were measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Continuous identity was measured with the Venn continuous identity task and the me/not me continuous identity task. RESULTS Multiple regression analyses revealed continuous identity disturbances were significantly associated with depressed mood (R (2) = 0.37, P < . 01). Continuous identity also predicted suicide severity, even after controlling for demographic factors, negative life events, and depressed mood. Additionally, predictive discriminant analysis revealed continuous identity, depression severity, and negative life events correctly classified 74.1% of participants into high and low suicide risk groups. CONCLUSION Lack of continuous identity predicted both depression and suicidality severity. Integration of perceived identities may be a worthwhile goal for behavioral interventions aimed at reducing depressed mood and suicidality.
Domain Organization of Vaccinia Virus Helicase-Primase D5

ABSTRACT Poxviridae are viruses with a large linear double-stranded DNA genome coding for up to 250 open reading frames and a fully cytoplasmic replication. The double-stranded DNA genome is covalently circularized at both ends. Similar structures of covalently linked extremities of the linear DNA genome are found in the African swine fever virus (asfarvirus) and in the Phycodnaviridae. We are studying the machinery which replicates this peculiar genome structure. From our work with vaccinia virus, we give first insights into the overall structure and function of the essential poxvirus virus helicase-primase D5 and show that the active helicase domain of D5 builds a hexameric ring structure. This hexamer has ATPase and, more generally, nucleoside triphosphatase activities that are indistinguishable from the activities of full-length D5 and that are independent of the nature of the base. In addition, hexameric helicase domains bind tightly to single- and double-stranded DNA. Still, the monomeric D5 helicase construct truncated within the D5N domain leads to a well-defined structure, but it does not have ATPase or DNA-binding activity. This shows that the full D5N domain has to be present for hexamerization. This allowed us to assign a function to the D5N domain which is present not only in D5 but also in other viruses of the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV) clade. The primase domain and the helicase domain were structurally analyzed via a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering and, when appropriate, electron microscopy, leading to consistent low-resolution models of the different proteins. IMPORTANCE Since the beginning of the 1980s, research on the vaccinia virus replication mechanism has basically stalled due to the absence of structural information. As a result, this important class of pathogens is less well understood than most other viruses. This lack of information concerns in general viruses of the NCLDV clade, which use a superfamily 3 helicase for replication, as do poxviruses. Here we provide for the first time information about the domain structure and DNA-binding activity of D5, the poxvirus helicase-primase. This result not only refines the current model of the poxvirus replication fork but also will lead in the long run to a structural basis for antiviral drug design.
Levan-Producing Leuconostoc citreum Strain BD1707 and Its Growth in Tomato Juice Supplemented with Sucrose

ABSTRACT A levan-producing strain, BD1707, was isolated from Tibetan kefir and identified as Leuconostoc citreum. The effects of carbon sources on the growth of L. citreum BD1707 and levan production in tomato juice were measured. The changes in pH, viable cell count, sugar content, and levan yield in the cultured tomato juice supplemented with 15% (wt/vol) sucrose were also assayed. L. citreum BD1707 could synthesize more than 28 g/liter of levan in the tomato juice-sucrose medium when cultured at 30°C for 96 h. Based on the monosaccharide composition, molecular mass distribution, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, the levan synthesized by L. citreum BD1707 was composed of a linear backbone consisting of consecutive β-(2→6) linked d-fructofuranosyl units, with an estimated average molecular mass of 4.3 × 106 Da.
First Principles Calculations of the Electronic Structure of Fe Co Pt

The L1 alloys CoPt and FePt have strong uniaxial magneto-crystalline anisotropy as a consequence of the layering of Co or Fe and Pt planes. This makes these compounds of interest in permanent magnet applications. In this work we present the results of a study of the magnetic properties of the L1 alloys Fe Co Pt for the range of compositions from FePt to CoPt. Local spin den- sity calculations using the coherent potential approximation are used to follow trends in the magneto-crystalline anisotropy and magnetic moments across the composition range. Total energy cal- culations of ordered and disordered alloys are used to develop a pseudo-binary phase diagram of the Fe/Co layer predicting regions of phase separation in this layer at temperatures below 650 C.