Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of an Autotrophic Sulfide-Oxidizing Marine Arcobacter sp. That Produces Filamentous Sulfur

ABSTRACT A coastal marine sulfide-oxidizing autotrophic bacterium produces hydrophilic filamentous sulfur as a novel metabolic end product. Phylogenetic analysis placed the organism in the genus Arcobacter in the epsilon subdivision of the Proteobacteria. This motile vibrioid organism can be considered difficult to grow, preferring to grow under microaerophilic conditions in flowing systems in which a sulfide-oxygen gradient has been established. Purified cell cultures were maintained by using this approach. Essentially all 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride-stained cells in a flowing reactor system hybridized with Arcobacter-specific probes as well as with a probe specific for the sequence obtained from reactor-grown cells. The proposed provisional name for the coastal isolate is “Candidatus Arcobacter sulfidicus. ” For cells cultured in a flowing reactor system, the sulfide optimum was higher than and the CO2 fixation activity was as high as or higher than those reported for other sulfur oxidizers, such as Thiomicrospira spp. Cells associated with filamentous sulfur material demonstrated nitrogen fixation capability. No ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase could be detected on the basis of radioisotopic activity or by Western blotting techniques, suggesting an alternative pathway of CO2 fixation. The process of microbial filamentous sulfur formation has been documented in a number of marine environments where both sulfide and oxygen are available. Filamentous sulfur formation by “Candidatus Arcobacter sulfidicus” or similar strains may be an ecologically important process, contributing significantly to primary production in such environments.
Comments on "Application of the Conditional Population-Mixture Model to Image Segmentation"

In the above correspondence1 a maximum likelihood method is proposed for ``estimating'' class memberships and underlying statistical parameters, within the context of distribution mixtures. In the present comment it is pointed out that biases are incurred in parameter estimation, that the class memberships and parameters are conceptually different, and therefore that the so-called standard mixture likelihood is to be preferred. Also in the correspondence,1 Akaike's information criterion (AIC) is used to choose the number of classes in the mixture. Here a brief theoretical caveat is issued.
Pyrosequencing Reveals the Influence of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems on Bacterial Communities

It has been debated how different farming systems influence the composition of soil bacterial communities, which are crucial for maintaining soil health. In this research, we applied high-throughput pyrosequencing of V1 to V3 regions of bacterial 16S rRNA genes to gain further insight into how organic and conventional farming systems and crop rotation influence bulk soil bacterial communities. A 2×2 factorial experiment consisted of two agriculture management systems (organic versus conventional) and two crop rotations (flax-oat-fababean-wheat versus flax-alfalfa-alfalfa-wheat) was conducted at the Glenlea Long-Term Crop Rotation and Management Station, which is Canada’s oldest organic-conventional management study field. Results revealed that there is a significant difference in the composition of bacterial genera between organic and conventional management systems but crop rotation was not a discriminator factor. Organic farming was associated with higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria, while Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi were more abundant in conventional farming. The dominant genera including Blastococcus, Microlunatus, Pseudonocardia, Solirubrobacter, Brevundimonas, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas exhibited significant variation between the organic and conventional farming systems. The relative abundance of bacterial communities at the phylum and class level was correlated to soil pH rather than other edaphic properties. In addition, it was found that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were more sensitive to pH variation.
Augment browsing and standard profiling for enhancing web accessibility

The opportunity of effectively tailoring Web resources presentation - depending on each single user needs and preferences - represents a challenge and a necessity for accessibility and inclusion. On the Web, customizing means transcoding content according to some user and/or device (contextual) settings. Such a profiling refers to devices constraints, user habits, skills, different needs (or tastes) about interaction, in order to drive all the necessary procedures for content (re)shaping. The usual set up that users provide for assistive tools such as screen readers or speech-to-text applications, is a common practice (and a typical example) for a subjective, better enjoyment of resources. This work describes an augment browsing system, which allows users to set up their needs and preferences about Web pages presentation from the browser interface and is capable to automatically modify (transcode) content, according to such settings at client-side. The system is based on a widespread Web browser extension (GreaseMonkey) and well-known standards have been utilized to represent user's settings. Finally a case-study of the system has been assessed on a widespread social network, also taking into account some evaluations about accessibility by a group of blind persons.
S2-Glass/Epoxy Polymer Nanocomposites: Manufacturing, Structures, Thermal and Mechanical Properties

This paper is primarily focused in studying the effects of nanoclay particles such as montmorillonite on improving mechanical and thermal properties of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite materials. Basic correlations between polymer morphology, strength, modulus, toughness, and thermal stability of thermoset nanocomposites were investigated as a function of layered silicate content. S2-glass/epoxy-clay nanocomposites were manufactured through an affordable vacuum assisted resin infusion method (VARIM). The nanocomposites are formed during polymerization when the adsorbing monomer separates the clay particles into nanometer scales. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD) were used to characterize the morphology of the dispersed clay particles. The thermal properties such as onset of decomposition and glass transition temperatures were determined by Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Dynamic Modulus Analyzer (DMA). Mechanical properties such as interlaminar shear strength, flexural properties and fracture toughness are also determined for both conventional S2-glass/epoxy composites and S2-glass fiber reinforced nanocomposites. The results show significant improvements in mechanical and thermal properties of conventional fiber reinforced composites with low loading of organo silicate nanoparticles. By dispersing 1% by weight nanosilicates, S2-glass/epoxy-clay nanocomposites attributed to almost 44, 24 and 23% improvement in interlaminar shear strength, flexural strength and fracture toughness in comparison to conventional S2-glass/epoxy composites. Similarly, the nanocomposites exhibit approximately 26 C higher decomposition temperatures than that of conventional composites. This improved properties of fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites are achieved mostly due to increased interfacial surface areas, improved bond characteristics and intercalated/exfoliated morphology of the epoxy-clay nanocomposites. The TEM observations provide evidence of detailed morphology of the polymer layered-clay nanocomposites.
Contract Enforcement , Fairness , and Involuntary Unemployment

We analyze the impact of contract enforcement problems on the emergence of (involuntary) unemployment. In an experimental labor market where the trading parties can form long-term relationships, we compare a work environment where contracts are implicit in the sense that effort is observable, but not verifiable to a situation where contracts are “complete” and effort is enforced exogenously. In both treatments, firms can employ no, one or two workers. Efficiency is maximized when all firms employ two workers and all employees provide full effort. Our findings are as follows: unemployment is much higher in the treatment without third-party contract enforcement. More importantly, unemployment in this treatment is involuntary, being caused by the firms’ employment and contracting policy. Firms pay high wages but offer fewer vacancies than possible and (technologically) efficient. This policy, however, succeeds in eliciting high efforts from the employed workers. When complete contracts can be written, wages are close to the market clearing level, firms do not ration jobs, and unemployment is mostly voluntary. Our findings lend support to theories of efficiency wages based on gift exchange as well as models of unemployment as a worker disciplining device.
Long‐term outcome in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis can be reliably determined using an in vitro measure of steroid sensitivity

Severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) has an overall mortality of 40% and is widely treated with steroids. However, a proportion of patients are steroid resistant and ultimately die from liver failure. Currently, the only existing model to predict response to steroids relies on laboratory parameters at baseline and after 7 days of steroid treatment and has 75% sensitivity in predicting death at 6 months. We have previously reported on a 48-hour in vitro measure of steroid sensitivity (known as the dexamethasone inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation assay [DILPA]) that predicts 6-month survival with 78% sensitivity. Here, we present results of a validation study performed in an independent cohort of 26 patients with SAH. Consecutive patients with SAH (defined as recent-onset jaundice with a bilirubin level >80 mmol/L and coagulopathy in patients heavily consuming alcohol with a Maddrey discriminant function [DF] >32) were recruited. All patients were treated with 4 weeks of prednisolone 40 mg daily (other therapies, including pentoxifylline and N-acetylcisteine, were not used). The DILPA was performed as previously described as soon as possible after admission and before prednisolone treatment. The maximum suppression of proliferation (Imax) was determined and a threshold of less than 60% was set to define steroid resistance, as previously described. Twenty-six patients were recruited between February 2010 and September 2012 (median age: 46; 23% female; median baseline DF: 49.7; 72% had ascites and 23% had overt hepatic encephalopathy) and followed up for at least 1 year (median time: 889 days). The accuracy of the DILPA in predicting 6-month survival, assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), was 0.86. Combining this recent cohort with our previously published data set resulted in an AUROC of 0.84 for prediction of both 6and 12-month survival, which exceeds the AUROC for the Lille score of 0.73 and 0.71 at 6 months and 1 year, respectively. An Imax >60% had a 91% sensitivity in predicting 6-month survival (Fig. 1). Six-month and 1-year mortality in patients with Imax <60% was 74% versus 9% in those with Imax >60% (hazard ratio: 6.5). Overall 6-month mortality was 43% (14% at 28 days). The few subjects with outlying DILPA values did not have any specific clinical characteristics to explain their results and should be considered false positives and negatives. These results confirm that in vitro steroid sensitivity is a good measure of clinical steroid responsiveness and demonstrate the potential value of the DILPA as a rapid bioassay that can be performed at an early stage to accurately determine long-term outcome of patients with SAH, in particular to identify patients with a poor prognosis where alternative treatment strategies may be indicated.
Clinical decision support systems: Potential with pitfalls

Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), an important part of clinical practice, are comprised of a: knowledge base; program for integrating patient‐specific information with the knowledge‐base; and, user‐interface to allow clinicians to interact with the system and get the right information needed to make the right decision for the right patient at the right time. We review the common approaches to CDSS, their strengths and weaknesses and how they are evaluated and developed for clinical use. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 105:502–510. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microneutralization tests for serological typing and subtyping of foot-and-mouth disease virus strains

SUMMARY A microneutralization test for serotyping of FMD viruses is described. It is based on earlier observations by Booth, Rweyemamu & Pay (1978) that dose-response relationships in quantal microneutralizations often deviated from linearity. The typing test described therefore utilizes undiluted virus preparations. In about 90% of samples a positive typing was obtained in contrast with about 50% for the complement fixation test. The test was also found to be susceptible to minimal quantities of heterotypic viral contamination. For strain differentiation the microneutralization test was carried out as a checkerboard test. When compared with the complement fixation test it was found to be more specific. The necessity to utilize virus-neutralization test systems for comparing (FMD) virus strains particularly for the purpose of vaccine selection is emphasized. The two dimensional microneutralization test has been applied to a study of comparing FMDV vaccine strains for Europe, South America, the Middle East and East Africa.
CD28/B7 Regulation of Anti-CD3-Mediated Immunosuppression In Vivo1

FcR-binding “classical” anti-CD3 mAb is a potent immunosuppressive drug that alters CD4+ and CD8+ T cell function in vivo via anergy induction and programmed cell death (PCD). Anti-CD3-mediated PCD was Fas independent but was mediated by the mitochondria-initiated apoptosis that was abrogated in Bcl-xL-transgenic T cells. The PCD was more pronounced in CD28-deficient mice consistent with defective Bcl-xL up-regulation. Residual T cells isolated from anti-CD3-treated wild-type, CD28−/−, and Bcl-xL-transgenic mice were hyporesponsive. The hyporesponsiveness was more pronounced in CD28−/− and wild-type mice treated with anti-B7-2, suggesting that CD28 interaction with B7-2 regulates T cell responsiveness in anti-CD3-treated animals. Finally, anti-CD3 treatment led to indefinite cardiac allograft survival in wild-type but not Bcl-xL animals. Together these results implicate CD28/B7 signaling in the regulation of both anti-CD3-induced T cell depletion and hyporesponsiveness in vivo, but T cell depletion, not hyporesponsiveness, appears to be critical for anti-CD3 mAb-mediated long-term immune regulation.
Prevalence of Hyposalivation in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Brazilian Subpopulation

Background. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory, multisystem, and autoimmune disease. Objective. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of hyposalivation in SLE patients and evaluate factors associated. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study developed at the Cuiaba University General Hospital (UNIC-HGU), Mato Grosso, Brazil. The study population consisted of female SLE patients treated at this hospital from 06/2010 to 12/2012. Unstimulated salivary flow rates (SFRs) were measured. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed in all cases using a significance level P < 0.05. Results. The results showed that 79% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus suffered from hyposalivation and that the disease activity and age in years were the factors that resulted in statistically significant differences. Conclusion. The activity of the disease, age >27 years, and the drugs used were factors associated with hyposalivation, resulting in a statistically significant decrease in saliva production.
Defective NOD2 peptidoglycan sensing promotes diet-induced inflammation, dysbiosis, and insulin resistance

Pattern recognition receptors link metabolite and bacteria‐derived inflammation to insulin resistance during obesity. We demonstrate that NOD2 detection of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN) regulates metabolic inflammation and insulin sensitivity. An obesity‐promoting high‐fat diet (HFD) increased NOD2 in hepatocytes and adipocytes, and NOD2−/− mice have increased adipose tissue and liver inflammation and exacerbated insulin resistance during a HFD. This effect is independent of altered adiposity or NOD2 in hematopoietic‐derived immune cells. Instead, increased metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance in NOD2−/− mice is associated with increased commensal bacterial translocation from the gut into adipose tissue and liver. An intact PGN‐NOD2 sensing system regulated gut mucosal bacterial colonization and a metabolic tissue dysbiosis that is a potential trigger for increased metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Gut dysbiosis in HFD‐fed NOD2−/− mice is an independent and transmissible factor that contributes to metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance when transferred to WT, germ‐free mice. These findings warrant scrutiny of bacterial component detection, dysbiosis, and protective immune responses in the links between inflammatory gut and metabolic diseases, including diabetes.
THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE IMAGE AND REPUTATION ON SERVICE QUALITY, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY: TESTING THE MEDIATING ROLE (CASE ANALYSIS IN AN INTERNATIONAL SERVICE COMPANY)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship among corporate image and reputation, service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty through a case analysis on one of the biggest Egyptian company. A structured questionnaire was developed. The hypotheses were simultaneously tested on a sample of 650 customers out of 800 distributed, giving a response rate of 81.25 per cent. Several analytical techniques were used to assess the relationships among the variables under investigation such as Pearson correlation, chi-square, and multiple linear regressions. Hierarchical regression was used to assess the mediating role. The findings of this study have shown significant relationships among the variables under investigation. It is imperative to explore how an international company can effectively and efficiently work in the Egyptian culture gaining their customers satisfaction and loyalty. The research was limited to one of the biggest international company that is working in Egypt. Also the use of cross-sectional design restricts inferences being drawn regarding casualty.
Efficacy of four enrofloxacin treatment regimens against experimental infection in turkey poults with avian pneumovirus and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale

Drinking-water treatment with enrofloxacin is widely used to cure respiratory infections in turkeys. The current treatment regimen advises a 5-day treatment at 10 mg/kg body weight. Since enrofloxacin exerts a concentration-dependent activity it might be useful to provide the total treatment dose of 50 mg/kg total dose in a single-day treatment regimen. We therefore assessed whether single-day treatment regimens with 50 mg/kg body weight were clinically equivalent to the advised multiple-day treatment regimen with 10 mg/kg body weight for 5 days. For this purpose, five groups of 16 turkeys, 22 days old, were experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus (APV) and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale and subsequently treated in the drinking water with enrofloxacin, using either a single-day treatment regimen at 50 mg/kg body weight during a 5-h, 10-h or 20-h period or a standard 5-day treatment regimen at 10 mg/kg body weight/ day for 20 h. Although initially all dosage regimens cleared O. rhinotracheale from the trachea, 4 days after onset of treatment O. rhinotracheale bacteria were re-excreted in the single-day regimens but without worsening of the clinical symptoms. The 5-day treatment with 10 mg enrofloxacin/kg in turkeys provided the best results for the treatment of an O. rhinotracheale infection in turkeys by shortening the course and reducing the severity of clinical disease and by eliminating O. rhinotracheale from the respiratory tract without re-emergence. None of the used treatment regimens promoted the selection of bacterial clones with reduced susceptibility or resistance.
Perceived Hindrances Experienced by Sport Coaches in South Africa

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine perceived hindrances encountered by sport coaches in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. A total of 224 sport coaches (122 males and 102 females) were purposively recruited to participate in this study. An exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the Perceived Hindrance Scale. The results of this study indicated the following as major hindrances encountered by sport coaches: “Lack of support systems for women players”, “Lack of support for women coaches from superiors”, “Low salary”, “Lack of opportunities for promotion”, “Difficulties with parents/spectators” and “Lack of job security”. Recommendations on strategies to overcome these perceived hindrances are discussed.
On the oblivious transfer capacity of the degraded wiretapped binary erasure channel

We study oblivious transfer (OT) between Alice and Bob in the presence of an eavesdropper Eve over a degraded wiretapped binary erasure channel from Alice to Bob and Eve. In addition to the privacy goals of oblivious transfer between Alice and Bob, we require privacy of Alice and Bob's private data from Eve. In previous work we derived the OT capacity (in the honest-but-curious model) of the wiretapped binary independent erasure channel where the erasure processes of Bob and Eve are independent. Here we derive a lower bound on the OT capacity in the same secrecy model when the wiretapped binary erasure channel is degraded in favour of Bob.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH VARIABILITY OF BROWN COAL FLY ASH GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE

The use of Fly Ash (FA) as an alternative binder material to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is well established, with class F FA the most commonly used in the synthesis of this alkali-activated binder at present. ASTM C618 classifies FA as class F produced from anthracite and bituminous and class C from lignite and sub-bituminous coals. In Australia, Victoria FA is produced from lignite known as Brown Coal (BC), but due to the chemical composition cannot categorize as class C. Recent studies have shown the viability of using 100% BC FA as the binder to create alkali activated geopolymer concrete. A previous study using Victoria BC FA for geopolymer concrete provided strength of more than 40MPa which is comparable to class F geopolymer and OPC specimens. The activation process of geopolymer concrete varies remarkably from PC concrete, due to the activation of the aluminosilicate by high concentration alkali. Therefore, the durability of geopolymer concrete may possibly be different to OPC concrete. This paper reports on a research project investigating compressive strength variability that could, in turn, affect the durability characteristic of the BC FA geopolymer concrete for use in the construction industry.