Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbial Responses to Microgravity and Other Low-Shear Environments

SUMMARY Microbial adaptation to environmental stimuli is essential for survival. While several of these stimuli have been studied in detail, recent studies have demonstrated an important role for a novel environmental parameter in which microgravity and the low fluid shear dynamics associated with microgravity globally regulate microbial gene expression, physiology, and pathogenesis. In addition to analyzing fundamental questions about microbial responses to spaceflight, these studies have demonstrated important applications for microbial responses to a ground-based, low-shear stress environment similar to that encountered during spaceflight. Moreover, the low-shear growth environment sensed by microbes during microgravity of spaceflight and during ground-based microgravity analogue culture is relevant to those encountered during their natural life cycles on Earth. While no mechanism has been clearly defined to explain how the mechanical force of fluid shear transmits intracellular signals to microbial cells at the molecular level, the fact that cross talk exists between microbial signal transduction systems holds intriguing possibilities that future studies might reveal common mechanotransduction themes between these systems and those used to sense and respond to low-shear stress and changes in gravitation forces. The study of microbial mechanotransduction may identify common conserved mechanisms used by cells to perceive changes in mechanical and/or physical forces, and it has the potential to provide valuable insight for understanding mechanosensing mechanisms in higher organisms. This review summarizes recent and future research trends aimed at understanding the dynamic effects of changes in the mechanical forces that occur in microgravity and other low-shear environments on a wide variety of important microbial parameters.
Bolus dose remifentanil and sufentanil blunting cardiovascular intubation responses in children: a randomized, double-blind comparison

Background and objective The present randomized controlled study was designed to compare the efficacy of remifentanil 2 μg kg−1 and sufentanil 0.2 μg kg−1 by bolus injection on the cardiovascular response to intubation in healthy children. Methods One hundred and five children, ASA 1–2 and scheduled for elective plastic surgery under general anaesthesia, were randomly divided into one of two study groups to receive the following treatments in a double-blind manner: remifentanil 2 μg kg−1 (group R) and sufentanil 0.2 μg kg−1 (group S). Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were recorded before anaesthesia induction (baseline values), immediately before intubation (postinduction values), at intubation and every minute for 5 min after intubation. The percentage changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HR relative to baseline values were calculated. The incidences of SBP and HR percentage changes of more than 30% of baseline values during the observation were recorded. Results As compared with baseline values, blood pressure and HR at intubation and their maximum values during the observation increased significantly in group S, but decreased significantly in group R. Blood pressure and HR at intubation and their maximum values during the observation were significantly different between the groups. There were significant differences between the groups in the percentage changes of SBP and HR relative to baseline values and their maximum percentage changes during the observation. The incidences of SBP and HR percentage increases of more than 30% of baseline values were not significantly different between the groups, but the incidences of SBP and HR percentage decreases of more than 30% of baseline values were significantly higher in group R than in group S. Conclusion In combination with propofol for anaesthesia induction in children, sufentanil 0.2 μg kg−1 by bolus injection fails to depress the cardiovascular intubation response. Remifentanil 2 μg kg−1 by bolus injection can completely abolish the cardiovascular intubation response, but causes more adverse cardiovascular depression.
carcinoma Discovery of recurrent structural variants in nasopharyngeal Material

Material Supplemental http://genome.cshlp. org/content/suppl/2013/11/21/gr.156224. 113.DC1. html P<P Published online November 8, 2013 in advance of the print journal. License Commons Creative . http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ described at a Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported), as ). After six months, it is available under http://genome.cshlp. org/site/misc/terms.xhtml first six months after the full-issue publication date (see This article is distributed exclusively by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the
Rest masses of elementary particles as effective masses at zero temperature

We introduce a new approach to generate dinamically the masses of elementary particles in the SU(3)C × SU(2)L × U(1)Y Standard Model without Higgs Sector (SMWHS). We start from the assumption that rest masses correspond to the effective masses of particles in an elementary quantum fluid at zero temperature. These effective masses are obtained through radiative corrections, at one-loop order, in the context of the real time formalism of quantum field theory at finite temperature and density. The quantum fluid is described in structure and dynamics by the SMWHS and it is characterized by non-vanishing chemical potentials associated to the different fermion flavour species. Starting from the experimental mass values for quarks and leptons, taking the top quark mass as mt = 172.916 GeV, we can compute, as an evidence of the consistency of our approach, the experimental central mass values for the W ± and Z 0 gauge bosons. Subsequently we introduce in the SMWHS a massless scalar field leading to Yukawa coupling terms in the Lagrangian density. For this case we can also compute the experimental mass central values of the W ± and Z 0 gauge bosons using a top quark mass value in the range 169.2 GeV < mt < 178.6 GeV; this range for the top quark mass implies that the scalar boson mass must be in the range 0 < MH < 152 GeV.
Management of obesity in primary care: nurses' practices, beliefs and attitudes.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to investigate patterns of clinical practice, beliefs and attitudes of primary care nurses with respect to obesity management. BACKGROUND Nurses in primary care potentially play a key role in managing obesity, which has become a priority issue. There have been few studies of either the extent of clinical practice of nurses, or their attitudes and beliefs in this setting. METHODS A correlational survey design was employed. Structured questionnaires were posted to 564 nurses and health visitors in primary care organizations in England. The response rate was 72.3%. The survey was conducted in April and May 2006. FINDINGS Very few respondents reported training in obesity management, and most did not believe that organizational support was in place. Only practice nurses reported substantial clinical activity in obesity management, accounting for almost 5% of their contracted hours. This activity, comprised of assessment, lifestyle change support and referral, occurred in one-to-one consultations. Other nurses and health visitors reported much less activity, although they believed obesity to be an important health issue and its management an appropriate part of their role. Whilst outright negative stereotypes were rare, there were nevertheless a range of potentially negative beliefs and attitudes relating to obesity and obese patients. These views were related to the respondent's own body mass index but not to gender, age, experience and occupation. CONCLUSION Training and organizational support for obesity management are required by primary care nurses. Training should also address beliefs and attitudes about obesity and obese persons.
A New Implicit Integration Method for Low Damped Cloth Simulation

This paper discusses a new technique that reproduces a stable cloth without introducing excessive damping artifacts. Semi-implicit integration methods have been widely used in cloth simulations for their high stability and speed. Artificial internal damping forces are derived from the linearization process of semi-implicit integration. This makes the system highly stable. However, the artificial internal damping forces are generated with respect to not only internal deformations but also rotational rigid motions. This damping artifact significantly degrades the realism of the cloth simulation. Hence, we propose a new implicit integration method to decrease this artifact. The artificial internal damping forces are computed by considering the pure internal deformations alone, and are stably incorporated into the dynamical system. As a result, our simulator could reproduce a wide range of cloth materials without the excessive damping artifacts in realtime.
Investigating customer adoption behaviours in Mobile Financial Services

With the increasing usage of mobile applications, the issue of instant financial reports has received considerable attention. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a user behavioural model that explains what influences users' adoption of Mobile Financial Services (MFS). This study applied the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which incorporates perceived security, perceived cost and subjective norms as additional belief-related constructs to accurately explain users' acceptance of MFS. An empirical study involving 275 subjects was conducted to test the model. The findings indicated that Perceived Usefulness (PU), attitude and subjective norms explain about 74% of MFS usage. Interestingly, perceived cost had no effect on intention to use MFS. The implications of this study for both researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Introduction to computational plasticity

1. Microplasticity 2. Continuum Plasticity 3. Kinematics of Large Deformations and Continuum Mechanics 4. The Finite Element Method for Static and Dynamic Plasticity 5. Implicit and Explicit Integration of von Mises Plasticity 6. Implementation of Plasticity Models in to Finite Element Code 7. Superplasticity 8. Porous Plasticity: the Duva and Crow Model 9. Creep in an Aero-Engine Combustor Material 10. Cyclic Plasticity, Creep and TMF A. Elements of Tensor Algebra B. Fortran Coding available via the OUP web site
Effect of anoxia on energy charge and protein synthesis in rice embryo.

Energy charge, adenine nucleotide levels, and protein synthesis were studied during the transfer of rice seedlings from air to anoxia. Within minutes, the energy charge value dropped from 0.90 in air to 0.50 in the seed and 0.60 in the coleoptile after the transfer to a nitrogen atmosphere, and then increased to a value of 0.80 during the subsequent hours. The sum of nucleotides also dropped to 60% of the value in air in the seeds and to 30% in the coleoptiles. However, during the anaerobic growth of coleoptiles, a considerable increase in the nucleotide pool occurred.The incorporation of amino acids into proteins was measured at different stages in anoxic treatment. In rice embryo, we observed a considerable protein synthesis correlated with a high value of energy charge under anoxia. The analysis of labeled proteins by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a modified pattern of polypeptides synthesized during anoxic treatment. Some of these proteins were intensively labeled and appeared to be induced by anaerobic treatment.Our data indicate that high metabolic activity occurs in rice embryo under anoxia, which can be correlated with a high energy charge value. These phenomena may be part of the mechanisms which permit the adaptation of rice embryos to anaerobiosis.
Permeant Ion Effects on External Mg2+ Block of NR1/2D NMDA Receptors

Voltage-dependent channel block by external Mg2+ (Mgo2+) of NMDA receptors is an essential determinant of synaptic function. The resulting Mgo2+ inhibition of NMDA responses depends strongly on receptor subunit composition: NR1/2A and NR1/2B receptors are more strongly inhibited by Mgo2+ than are NR1/2C or NR1/2D receptors. Previous work showed that permeant ions have profound effects on Mgo2+ block of NMDA receptors composed of NR1, NR2A, and NR2B subunits. Whether permeant ions affect Mgo2+ inhibition of NR1/2C or NR1/2D receptors is unknown. We investigated the effects of permeant ions on Mgo2+ block of NR1/2D receptors by integrating results from whole-cell recordings, single-channel recordings, and kinetic modeling. Lowering internal [Cs+] caused a voltage-dependent decrease in the Mgo2+ IC50 and in the apparent Mgo2+ unblocking rate, and increase in the apparent Mgo2+ blocking rate (k+,app) of NR1/2D receptors. Lowering external [Na+] caused modest voltage-dependent changes in the Mgo2+ IC50 and k+,app. These data can be explained by a kinetic model in which occupation of either of two external permeant ion binding sites prevents Mgo2+ entry into the channel. Occupation of an internal permeant ion binding site prevents Mgo2+ permeation and accelerates Mgo2+ unblock to the external solution. We conclude that variations in permeant ion site properties shape the NR2 subunit dependence of Mgo2+ block. Furthermore, the external channel entrance varies little among NMDA receptor subtypes. Differences in the Mgo2+ blocking site, and particularly in the selectivity filter and internal channel entrance, are principally responsible for the subunit dependence of Mgo2+ block.
Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Germinated Legumes

Bioactive compounds, which are naturally produced in plants, have been concerned with the food and pharmaceutical industries because of the pharmacological effects on humans. In this study, the individual phenolics of six legumes during germination and antioxidant capacity from sprout extracts were determined. It was found that the phenolic content significantly increased during germination in all legumes. Peanuts showed the strongest antioxidant capacity in both the DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method and the reducing power assay (32.51% and 84.48%, respectively). A total of 13 phenolic acids were detected and quantified. There were 11 phenolic constituents identified in adzuki beans; 10 in soybeans; 9 in black beans, mung beans, and white cowpeas; and 7 compounds in peanuts. Sinapic acid and cinnamic acid were detected in all six legume sprouts, and their quantities in germinated peanuts were the highest (247.9 µg·g−1 and 62.9 µg·g−1, respectively). The study reveals that, among the investigated legumes, germinated peanuts and soybeans obtained maximum phenolics and antioxidant capacity.
Survival for ethmoid sinus adenocarcinoma in European populations

Background. Adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinus is rare. EUROCARE data provide a good opportunity to study the survival of this rare disease in a population of continental size. Patients and methods. A total of 204 cases, age 15 to 99 years, diagnosed with primary ethmoid sinus adenocarcinoma between 1983 and 1994, were analyzed. The data were contributed by 22 population-based cancer registries from the nine countries participating in EUROCARE. Relative survival by sex, age, period of diagnosis, region and stage, and adjusted relative excess risk (RER) of death, were estimated. Results. Survival was 83%, 58% and 46%, 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively after diagnosis. Five-year survival was best (60%) in patients of 55–64 years and worst (33%) in the oldest age group (≥65 years). Five-year survival differ between European population: in Norway (55%, 95% confidence interval 26.4–80.9) and western Europe that includes populations from Eindhoven, Saarland, Geneva, Italy and France (56%, 95%CI 41.3–68.9) was higher than in the UK (41%, 95% CI 30.8–51.8) and eastern Europe which includes Slovakia and Slovenia, (22%, 95% CI 3.5–54.4). Five-year survival did not improve over time. Due to the rarity of the disease, all the survival differences did not reach the statistical significance. Conclusions. Since no survival improvement with time was evident from this study, efforts should be made to improve early diagnosis. GPs and ENT specialists should be alerted to the disease and encouraged to take occupational histories in people with persistent nasal symptoms, which may lead to a reasonable suspicion of malignancy. Monitoring of exposed workers may also improve early diagnosis. Patients with suspected ethmoid cancer should be referred immediately a specialized diagnosis and treatment centre.
REPORTS : CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND RISK FACTORS DIFFERENCES IN MITRAL VALVE DISEASE PRESENTATION AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OUTCOME BETWEEN HISPANIC AND NON-HISPANIC PATIENTS

Paul L. DiGiorgi, MD; F. Gregory Baumann, PhD; Anne M. O’Leary, MSN; Charles F. Schwartz, MD; Eugene A. Grossi, MD; Greg H. Ribakove, MD; Stephen B. Colvin, MD; Aubrey C. Galloway, MD; Juan B. Grau, MD Objectives: This study analyzed the differences in clinical presentation, etiology, and hospital outcome between Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients who underwent surgical correction of mitral valve disease at a large urban medical center.
Impact of Young Age on the Prognosis for Oral Cancer: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Background Oral cancer leads to a considerable use of health care resources. Wide resection of the tumor and reconstruction with a pedicle flap/ free flap is widely used. This study was conducted to investigate if young age at the time of diagnosis of oral cancer requiring this treatment confers a worse prognosis. Methods A total of 2339 patients who underwent resections for oral cancer from 2004 to 2005 were identified from The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Survival analysis, Cox proportional regression model, propensity scores, and sensitivity test were used to evaluate the association between 5-year survival rates and age. Results In the Cox proportional regression model, the older age group (>65 years) had the worst survival rate (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-2.22; P<0.001). When analyzed using the propensity scores, the adjusted 5-year survival rates were also poorer for oral cancer patients with older age (>65 years), compared to those with younger age (<45 years) (P<0.001). In sensitivity test, the adjusted hazard ratio remained no statistically elevated in the younger age group (<45 years). Conclusions For those oral cancer patients who underwent wide excision and reconstruction, young age did not confer a worse prognosis using a Cox proportional regression model, propensity scores or sensitivity test. Young oral cancer patients may be treated using general guidelines and do not require more aggressive treatment.
Factors influencing asthma control: results of a real-life prospective observational asthma inhaler treatment (ASIT) study

Background Despite the availability of new pharmacological options and novel combinations of existing drug therapies, the rate of suboptimal asthma control is still high. Therefore, early identification of the clinical and behavioral factors responsible for poor asthma control, and interventions during routine outpatient visits to improve asthma trigger management, are strongly recommended. This study was designed to evaluate the profiles of asthmatic patients and their inhaler treatment devices in relation to asthma control in Turkey. Methods A total of 572 patients with persistent asthma (mean [standard deviation] age: 42.7 [12.1] years; 76% female) were included in this prospective observational study. A baseline visit (0 month, visit 1) and three follow-up visits (1, 3 and 6 months after enrolment) were conducted to collect data on demographics, past medical and asthma history, and inhaler device use. Results Asthma control was identified in 61.5% of patients at visit 1 and increased to 87.3% at visit 4 (P < 0.001), regardless of sociodemographics, asthma duration, body mass index or smoking status. The presence of asthma-related comorbidity had a significantly negative effect on asthma control (P = 0.004). A significant decrease was determined, in the rate of uncontrolled asthma, upon follow-up among patients who were using a variety of fixed dose combination inhalers (P < 0.001 for each). Logistic regression analysis was used to show that the presence of asthma-related comorbidity (odds ratio [OR], 0.602; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.419; 0.863, P = 0.006) and active smoking (OR, 0.522; 95% CI, 0.330; 0.825, P = 0.005) were significant predictors of asthma control. Conclusion Our findings indicate that, despite ongoing treatment, asthma control rate was 61.5% at visit 1 in adult outpatients with persistent asthma. However, by the final follow-up 6 months later, this had increased to 87.3%, independent of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Poor asthma control was associated with asthma-related comorbid diseases, while the efficacy of fixed dose combinations was evident in the achievement of asthma control.
Influence of habitual physical activity on the symptoms of climacterium/menopause and the quality of life of middle-aged women

Aim: To analyze the influence of the duration of habitual physical activity (PA) on the symptoms of climacterium/menopause and on several domains of the health-related quality of life (QOL) in middle-aged women. Methods: One hundred and four 45- to 59-year-old women were placed into three groups: group A, subjects who maintained PA less than 30 minutes/day; group B, subjects who maintained or began to perform PA 30–60 minutes/day; and group C, subjects who maintained or increased PA to more than 60 minutes/day. Symptoms of menopause, QOL (physical, psychological, and social), and PA were assessed through the Kupperman Menopausal Index, World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Results: The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) results, adjusted for age, initial body mass index, schooling years, hormonal replacement therapy, and the number of diseases, indicated that the women who maintained or increased their total habitual PA to more than 60 minutes/day had reduced symptoms of climacterium/menopause (–5.4 ± 0.5; P = 0.001) and improved QOL in the psychological (4.4% ± 0.8%; P = 0.001) and social domains (2.0% ± 0.9%; P = 0.035). ANCOVA revealed a further improvement of approximately 5% in the psychological domain of QOL in group C, who also experienced decreased menopause symptoms (P = 0.001) and lost weight (P = 0.009). Conclusion: The habitual practice of at least moderate-intensity PA for 60 minutes/day has a favorable effect on climacterium/menopause symptoms and on QOL, particularly on its psychological and social domains. The influence of habitual PA at the psychological level seems to be at least partially associated with a decrease in menopause symptoms and/or weight loss.
Rare event simulation in immune biology: Models of negative selection in T-cell maturation

We present a probabilistic T-cell model that includes negative selection and takes contrasting models of tissue-restricted antigen (TRA) expression in the thymus into account. We start from the basic model of van den Berg, Rand, and Burroughs (2001) and include negative selection via individual-based T-cell modelling, in which each T-cell is defined by its stimulation rates to all relevant self antigens. We present a simulation approach based on partial tilting of the stimulation rates recognized by a single T-cell. We investigate the effects of negative selection for diverging modes of thymic antigen presentation, namely arbitrary TRA presentation, and more or less strict emulation of tissue-specific cell lines. We observe that negative selection leads to truncation of the tail of the distribution of the stimulation rates mature T-cells receive from self antigens, i.e., the self background is reduced. This increases the activation probabilities of single T-cells in the presence of non-self antigens.