Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis of Two Groups of Lymph Nodes, Being Intradermal Tuberculin or Interferon-Gamma Test Positive and Negative, Isolated from Swiss Cattle at Slaughter

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is an important zoonotic pathogen with raising global health concerns. In humans, MAH is one of the most widespread non-tuberculous mycobacterial species responsible for lung disease. In animals, MAH is frequently isolated from pigs; however, it is also an opportunistic pathogen for other mammals including cattle. To elucidate the genetic diversity of MAH in cattle, a molecular characterization of isolates (n = 26) derived from lymph nodes was performed. Fourteen isolates originated from slaughtered cattle with visible altered lymph nodes at meat inspection, whereas 12 isolates were from lymph nodes without any gross pathological changes of healthy slaughtered cattle. Variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis was performed at 20 loci to examine genetic differences of isolates and to compare to previously reported VNTR data of human isolates from different countries. Genetic elements IS901, IS1245, IS1311, LSPA17, ITS1 sequevar, and hsp65 code were determined. Interestingly, two bovine MAH isolates harbored ISMav6 and hsp65 code 15, which so far has only been observed in human isolates. We supposed that VNTR data of Swiss samples would show clustering with European samples. Minimum spanning tree and unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages analyses based on the VNTR data indicated a specific cluster of MAH isolates obtained from lymph nodes without any gross pathological changes of healthy slaughtered cattle. Comparing Swiss isolates with isolates from different other countries, no geographical clustering was observed; however, four Swiss isolates had an identical VNTR profile as human isolates from the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan. These findings indicate a possible public health issue.
Modeling and control of freeze-form extrusion fabrication

Freeze-form Extrusion Fabrication (FEF) is an additive manufacturing technique that extrudes ceramic loaded aqueous pastes layer by layer below the paste freezing temperature for component fabrication. As the FEF is aimed at being conducted at low environmental temperatures, down to -20 °C, it is necessary to investigate the effect of environmental temperature on the process. The advantages of fabrication at low temperature have been proved by experiments. Comparisons in terms of operation parameters, self-sustaining ability, and system dynamic response were performed at different environmental temperatures ranging from 20 °C to -20 °C. It is commonly known in paste extrusion processes that due to unmodeled effects such as air bubble release, non-uniform water content, unpredictable agglomerate breakdown, etc., the throughput (extrusion rate) is difficult to control. Moreover, during the extrusion, the rheological characteristics of the paste changes due to liquid migration, resulting in a processing challenge. Because of these difficulties, additional paste extrusion research is still in progress. Traditional PID controllers based on off-line empirical models are inadequate to control the ram extrusion processes. The Recursive Least Square algorithm is used in this research to identify the dynamic responses of the FEF process in real time. An adaptive controller with a novel general tracking control strategy is designed and implemented to regulate the extrusion force in real time. Experimental results demonstrated the robust performance of the controller, allowing the extrusion force to track various types of reference signals, while traditional controllers could only maintain the extrusion force (pressure) at a constant level (operation point).
Bacteriological assessment of river Jataganga, located in Indian Himalaya, with reference to physico-chemical and seasonal variations under anthropogenic pressure: a case study

Bacteriological water quality of the river Jataganga, located in Indian Himalaya, has been assessed along with the physico-chemical and seasonal variations under anthropogenic activities, in two consecutive years. While the bacteriological analysis included total viable counts (TVC), total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal streptococci (FS), the physicochemical factors included pH, temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The TVC and TC were estimated to be highest in rainy season and lowest in winter at the sampling points, in both the years. FC fluctuated with respect to the location, season and year. FS also developed higher population in rainy season in both the years. The pure bacterial isolates belonged to the families Enterobacteriaceae, Micrococcaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Bacillaceae, representing the indicators of water pollution, pathogens responsible for water borne diseases, and plant growth promoters as well. The pH and temperature of water at the sampling sites were about neutral to slightly alkaline and in psychrophilic range, respectively. The TDS was found to be within the minimum prescribed limits at all the study sites. The DO and BOD were assessed to be highest in winter followed by rainy and summer seasons, respectively, while COD was higher in rainy season followed by summer and winter, in both the years. Factorial analysis amongst years, locations and seasons, and their interaction with respect to the bacterial populations and the physico-chemical factors was statistically significant.
Structure-Activity Relationships of Thiazolyl Resorcinols, Potent and Selective Inhibitors of Human Tyrosinase

Tyrosinase inhibitors are of great clinical interest as agents for the treatment of hyperpigmentary disorders; however, most compounds described in the literature lack clinical efficiency due to insufficient inhibitory activity against human tyrosinase (hTyr). Recently, we reported that thiazolyl resorcinols (4-resorcinylthiazol-2-amines and -amides) are both selective and efficacious inhibitors of hTyr in vitro and in vivo. Here, we measured dose-activity profiles of a large number of thiazolyl resorcinols and analogous compounds to better understand the molecular basis of their interaction with hTyr. We show that both the resorcinyl moiety and the thiazole ring must be intact to allow efficient inhibition of hTyr, while the substituents at the thiazole 2-amino group confer additional inhibitory activity, depending on their size and polarity. The results of molecular docking simulations were in excellent agreement with the experimental data, affording a rationale for the structural importance of either ring. We further propose that a special type of interaction between the thiazole sulfur and a conserved asparagine residue is partially responsible for the superior inhibitory activity of thiazolyl resorcinols against hTyr.
The obesity supine death syndrome (OSDS)

The obesity supine death syndrome refers to a catastrophic cascade of cardiorespiratory complications resulting from the supine positioning of a morbidly obese subject which can ultimately lead to death. It was first described in 1977 in two massively obese patients who were forced to lie down for medical procedures. But surprisingly, despite the current worldwide epidemic of obesity, very few cases have been reported yet. It can be assumed that the syndrome is poorly recognized in clinical practice and may participate in the high rate of unexplained death in morbidly obese patients. Based on the previously published cases and on those we met, this review aims at helping clinicians to early detect at‐risk patients, to correctly diagnose this dramatic syndrome and to understand the underlying pathophysiology. More importantly, the main objective is to convince the attending clinicians that they have to do everything in their power to prevent obesity supine death syndrome occurrence by maintaining morbidly obese patients in the sitting or upright position whenever possible. When the syndrome unfortunately occurs, the best therapeutic approach is based on the immediate return to sitting position.
Impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on platelet tissue factor expression in stroke-prone rats

Objective: Hypertension is a well known risk factor for thrombotic events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Platelets express tissue factor (TF), the key activator of blood coagulation and thrombus formation. The number of TF-positive platelets increases in pathological conditions characterized by thrombotic complications but whether this occurs in hypertension is unknown. Here we investigated whether platelet TF expression is increased in a hypertensive status through a mechanism acting on megakaryocytes; the phenomenon could be modulated by antihypertensive drug as captopril; angiotensin (AngII) influences platelet TF expression. Methods: Spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone (SHRSP) rats received standard diet (StD) or a Japanese high-salt permissive diet (JpD). After 3 weeks, JpD animals were randomized to receive captopril or vehicle. Normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as controls. Cell-associated TF expression and activity were analyzed by flow cytometry and calibrated automated thrombogram, respectively. Results: Hypertensive StD-SHRSP showed an increased number of TF-positive platelets compared with normotensive WKY. After JpD administration, SHRSP developed severe hypertension and renal damage; the number of TF-positive megakaryocytes significantly increased compared with StD-SHRSP resulting in a higher number of TF-positive platelets with a faster kinetic of thrombin generation. These effects were reverted by captopril. Ex-vivo stimulation of platelets, isolated from normotensive WKY and from healthy individuals, with AngII induced a concentration-dependent increase of surface-associated TF expression. Conclusion: The current study shows for the first time that in hypertension the number of TF-positive megakaryocytes increases thus releasing in the circulation more platelets carrying a functionally active TF. AngII stimulates platelets to express TF.
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Mutagenesis of Four Putative Symbiosis Genes of the Tropical Tree Parasponia andersonii Reveals Novel Phenotypes

Parasponia represents five fast-growing tropical tree species in the Cannabaceae and is the only plant lineage besides legumes that can establish nitrogen-fixing nodules with rhizobium. Comparative analyses between legumes and Parasponia allows identification of conserved genetic networks controlling this symbiosis. However, such studies are hampered due to the absence of powerful reverse genetic tools for Parasponia. Here, we present a fast and efficient protocol for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of Parasponia andersonii. Using this protocol, knockout mutants are obtained within 3 months. Due to efficient micro-propagation, bi-allelic mutants can be studied in the T0 generation, allowing phenotypic evaluation within 6 months after transformation. We mutated four genes – PanHK4, PanEIN2, PanNSP1, and PanNSP2 – that control cytokinin, ethylene, or strigolactone hormonal networks and that in legumes commit essential symbiotic functions. Knockout mutants in Panhk4 and Panein2 displayed developmental phenotypes, namely reduced procambium activity in Panhk4 and disturbed sex differentiation in Panein2 mutants. The symbiotic phenotypes of Panhk4 and Panein2 mutant lines differ from those in legumes. In contrast, PanNSP1 and PanNSP2 are essential for nodule formation, a phenotype similar as reported for legumes. This indicates a conserved role for these GRAS-type transcriptional regulators in rhizobium symbiosis, illustrating the value of Parasponia trees as a research model for reverse genetic studies.
Conditional velocity statistics in the double scalar mixing layer – A mapping closure approach

In this work we use 3D direct numerical simulations (DNS) to investigate the average velocity conditioned on a conserved scalar in a double scalar mixing layer (DSML). The DSML is a canonical multistream flow designed as a model problem for the extensively studied piloted diffusion flames. The conditional mean velocity appears as an unclosed term in advanced Eulerian models of turbulent non-premixed combustion, like the conditional moment closure and transported probability density function (PDF) methods. Here it accounts for inhomogeneous effects that have been found significant in flames with relatively low Damköhler numbers. Today there are only a few simple models available for the conditional mean velocity and these are discussed with reference to the DNS results. We find that both the linear model of Kutznetzov and the Li and Bilger model are unsuitable for multi stream flows, whereas the gradient diffusion model of Pope shows very close agreement with DNS over the whole range of the DSML. The gradient diffusion model relies on a model for the conserved scalar PDF and here we have used a presumed mapping function PDF, that is known to give an excellent representation of the DNS. A new model for the conditional mean velocity is suggested by arguing that the Gaussian reference field represents the velocity field, a statement that is evidenced by a near perfect agreement with DNS. The model still suffers from an inconsistency with the unconditional flux of conserved scalar variance, though, and a strategy for developing fully consistent models is suggested.
Maternal smoking very early in pregnancy is related to child overweight at age 5-7 y.

BACKGROUND Despite being associated with lower birth weight, maternal smoking in the last 2 trimesters of pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of offspring overweight in several studies. To date, only one study has examined whether smoking in the first trimester only, which is not associated with birth weight, is also associated with childhood overweight. OBJECTIVE This study uses prospective data to examine associations between maternal smoking in the first compared with later trimesters of pregnancy and child overweight at age 5-7 y. DESIGN Data from a prospective cohort of 369 Spanish children born in 1997-1998 were used. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations between maternal smoking during different time periods and odds of child overweight later in life. RESULTS Maternal smoking during the first trimester was more strongly associated with overweight (adjusted odds ratio: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.26, 5.54) than smoking later in pregnancy (1.88, 0.85, 4.15). Smoking limited to the first month of pregnancy was also associated with child overweight. Neither paternal smoking nor maternal smoking before or after pregnancy was associated with child overweight. Significant interactions with breastfeeding duration indicated that first-trimester smoking was associated with overweight only among children breastfed for <6 mo, suggesting prolonged breastfeeding may help to counter adverse effects of smoking in early pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest maternal smoking very early in pregnancy may increase risk of later overweight in children and provide further support for promoting smoking cessation before rather than during early pregnancy. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Explaining adolescent exercise behavior change: A longitudinal application of the transtheoretical model

The developmental decline and benefits of exercise are documented; however, relatively little is known about the mechanisms and motivations underlying adolescent exercise behavior. This project investigates which variables drive exercise or are a consequence thereof, within the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). Baseline questionnaires (N = 819) were collected through 5 Canadian high schools. For this longitudinal investigation, all baseline participants were approached for a 3-year follow up. Follow-up questionnaire completers (n = 400; mean baseline age = 14.89, SD = 1.15; mean follow-up age = 17.62 years, SD = 1.18) were not different from noncompleters (n = 419) on all baseline variables, except for sex (54.75% and 43.68% females, respectively;p < .003). Stages, processes, self-efficacy, pros and cons of exercise from the TTM, and self-reported exercise were assessed. Panel analyses revealed that although the directions of the relations were as hypothesized, the processes did not significantly lead to exercise or vice versa. As hypothesized, exercise leads to self-efficacy and pros and cons, showing that the TTM can serve as a framework to understand adolescent exercise behavior. Future research needs to incorporate shorter assessment intervals and use larger samples to be able to look at adjacent stage transitions.
Wayfinding without Visual Cues: Evaluation of an Interactive Audio Map System

We present the evaluation of an interactive audio map system that enables blind and partially sighted users to explore and navigate city maps from the safety of their home using 3D audio and synthetic speech alone. We begin with a review of existing literature in the areas of spatial knowledge and wayﬁnding, auditory displays, and auditory map systems, before describing how this research builds on and diﬀerentiates itself from this body of work. One key requirement was the ability to quantify the eﬀectiveness of the audio map, so we describe the design and implementation of the evaluation, which took the form of a game downloaded by participants to their own computers. The results demonstrate that participants (blind, partially sighted and sighted) have acquired detailed spatial knowledge and also that the availability of 3D audio cues signiﬁcantly improves wayﬁnding performance.
Influence of incisional vitreous incarceration in sclerotomy closure competency after transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the influence that vitreous incarceration may exert on the presence of postoperative conjunctival blebs over sclerotomies after transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy (TSV). Blebs are formed by incisional leakage due to incompetent closure. METHODS Experimental study in which 23-gauge TSV was performed in 146 cadaveric pig eyes. Once the vitrectomy was finished, triamcinolone was injected inside the vitreous cavity for staining residual vitreous, one of the superior cannulas was extracted over the light probe, and the other cannula was removed with the plug inserted. Postoperative conjunctival blebs in superior sclerotomies were assessed by anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in a masked fashion; nondetectable blebs were classified as grade 0 (B0), thin bleb (≤half scleral thickness) as grade 1 (B1), and thick bleb (>half scleral thickness) as grade 2 (B2). Postoperative incisional vitreous entrapment was evaluated by slit-lamp photographs in a masked way; no incarceration was classified as grade 0 (V0), thin incarceration as grade 1 (V1), and thick incarceration as grade 2 (V2). RESULTS Conjunctival blebs were found in 13.7% of the sclerotomies (11.3% bleb-B1, 2.4% bleb-B2). Vitreous incarceration was found in 96.5% of the sclerotomies without bleb (B0), 81.8% of the incisions with bleb-B1, and 14.3% of the wounds with bleb-B2. Vitreous incarceration was significantly associated with the absence of conjunctival bleb (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Vitreous incarceration in sclerotomies is related to less incisional leakage in our experimental model. Maneuvers that reduce vitreous entrapment, such as the interposition of a nonhollow probe during the cannula extraction, could decrease the sclerotomy closure competency.
Can I believe you?: Establishing Trust in Computer Mediated Introductions

The problem of trust is one of the more prominent security issue in online communications. This paper critically analyses and discusses the issue of trust in computer mediated introduction (CMI) where individuals are introduced for the purpose of interacting offline. One of the most popular forms of CMI today is online dating. We evaluate and compare the attempts made to solve the problem of trust in various computer mediated communications. We further specifically analyze three online dating platforms, Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder, and compare how they attempt to establish trust between potential matches. We find that existing mechanisms are not sufficient to establish meaningful trust in online dating. While we propose some potential alternative mechanisms for establishing trust in CMIs, the key contribution of this work is to identify the security challenges that arise in computer mediated introductions as a previously unrecognized class of security problems.
Applications of the MLPG Method in Engineering &Sciences: A Review

A review is presented for analysis of problems in engineering & the sciences, with the use of the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method. The success of the meshless methods lie in the local nature, as well as higher order continuity, of the trial function approximations, high adaptivity and a low cost to prepare input data for numerical analyses, since the creation of a finite element mesh is not required. There is a broad variety of meshless methods available today; however the focus is placed on the MLPG method, in this paper. The MLPG method is a fundamental base for the derivation of many meshless formulations, since the trial and test functions can be chosen from different functional spaces. In the last decade, a broad community of researchers and scientists contributed to the development and implementation of the MLPG method in a wide range of scientific disciplines. This paper first presents the basics and principles of the MLPG method, the meshless local approximation techniques for trial and test functions, applications to elasticity and elastodynamics, plasticity, fracture and crack analysis, heat transfer and fluid flow, coupled problems involving multiphase materials, and techniques for increasing the accuracy and computational effectiveness. Various applications to 2-D planar problems, axisymmetric problems, plates and shells or 3-D problems are included. An increased number of published papers in literature in the recent years can be considered as a measure of the growing research activity in the general scope of the MLPG method, and thus, several trends and ideas for future research interest are also outlined.
Genetic polymorphisms in human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene polymorphisms do not associated with breast cancer in patients in a turkish population: hospital-based case-control study.

Breast cancer (BC) is encountered most frequently in developed or developing countries. It is the most common cancer in humans following lung cancer, and it is the most common cancer type resulting in mortality in women. Genetic polymorphisms are among the genetic factors that play an important role in the development of the breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of five functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of hTERT (rs2736109 G>A, rs2735940 T>C, rs2853669 A>G, rs2736098 G>A, and rs2736100 T>G) on susceptibility to BC in Turkish population. The genotype frequency of hTERT rs2736109 G>A, rs2735940 T>C, rs2853669 A>G, rs2736098 G>A, and rs2736100 T>G polymorphisms were determined by using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and TaqMan methods in 123 subjects with GC and 122 healthy control subjects. The mean age value of the BC patients was 51.58±11.28 (among them 8 subjects ≤35 and 115 subjects >35). In this study, it was found that there was no statistical difference between hTERT rs2736109 G>A, rs2735940 T>C, rs2853669 A>G, rs2736098 G>A, and rs2736100 T>G polymorphisms that can be associated with risk of BC.