Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term treatment with sub-antimicrobial dose doxycycline has no antibacterial effect on intestinal flora.

AIM The purpose of this study was to determine if a 9-month regimen of sub-antimicrobial doxycycline (20 mg, bid) had an effect on either the intestinal or the vaginal microflora. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 69 periodontally diseased subjects were randomized to receive drug or placebo control for a 9-month period. Stool specimens and vaginal swabs were collected at baseline and after 3 and 9 months of therapy. Samples were examined for total anaerobic counts, opportunistic pathogens, and doxycycline-resistant (>or=4 microg/ml) bacteria. All isolates that survived sub-culture were identified and their susceptibilities determined to six antibiotics. Analyses were performed to determine if treatment differences were present. RESULTS The only statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between the two treatment groups occurred in the doxycycline-resistant counts at the baseline sample period for the faecal samples. This imbalance was before treatment initiation and the administration of the study drug. No between-treatment differences were detected at either the 3- or 9-month sample period either in the predominant bacterial taxa present or in their antibiotic susceptibilities. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence that sub-antimicrobial doxycycline treatment exerted an effect on the composition or doxycycline resistance level of either the faecal or the vaginal microflora.
Evaluation of creep deformation behaviour of different microstuctural zones of 316LN SS weld joint using impression creep testing technique

Abstract Impression creep technique, which uses flat ended cylindrical indenter, is an attractive material non-invasive technique for evaluating creep properties as it enables probing small volume of material and requires short time for testing. The present investigation discusses the application of impression creep technique for characterising the creep behaviour of different microstructural regions in a high nitrogen grade of 316LN SS weld joint. Impression creep tests were carried out at 923 K on the weld metal, the base metal and the heat-affected zone in 316LN SS weld joint. The impression creep curves exhibited the first two characteristic stages of the creep processes, namely, a primary creep stage and a secondary creep stage. The rate at which the cylindrical flat punch penetrated into the test specimen was controlled by the time dependence of the movement of the material underneath the punch. The weld metal, the base metal and the heat affected zone exhibited distinct creep behaviour. The difference in creep behaviour of each zone was correlated with the difference in microstructure and morphology of the weld joint. A comparison was made between the data obtained from impression creep tests and from independent uniaxial creep tests on the weld metal and the base metal. A good correlation was established between impression creep and uniaxial creep results.
Performance Analysis of Dense Small Cell Networks With Practical Antenna Heights Under Rician Fading

In this paper, we examine the combined impacts of distance-dependent Rician fading channel model and the absolute difference between the heights of base station (BS) and user equipment (UE) antennas on the coverage probability and the area spectral efficiency in an interference-limited ultra-dense (UD) small cell network (SCN). Exploiting distance dependent models for both path loss and multi-path fading, we show that in interference-limited UD-SCNs, Rician fading with variant Rician $K$ factor aggravates the performance loss caused by the difference between the heights of the BS and UE antennas in comparison to Rayleigh fading. In particular, we demonstrate that due to presence of the specular line-of-sight component in the Rician fading, both the coverage probability and the area spectral efficiency experience a steeper decline towards zero as the BS density increases. Our performance analysis has a prominent impact on the deployment of UD-SCNs in the 5th-generation of mobile networks, as it indicates that the right modeling of multi-path fading makes a significant difference when assessing the performance of UD-SCNs with non-identical UE-BS antenna heights.
How Do Disaster Characteristics Influence Risk Perception?

The main purpose of this study is to examine how risk perception is influenced by the type of disaster (flood or landslide) and victim characteristics. The data reported here are based on the National Risk Perception Survey (NRPS) that was administered for the victims and the general public in Taiwan in 2004. In that year, many towns in Taiwan were seriously affected by floods and landslides, resulting in huge economic losses and fatalities. The primary findings are: (1) the victims and the general public are concerned about the different potential hazards that might affect their residential area, (2) the negative associations between the sense of controllability and the perceived impact is high for landslide victims, but not for flood victims, and (3) disaster type, gender, and previously experienced disasters are good predictors of victims' attitudes toward natural disasters.
Extending the A-patch single sheet conditions to enable the tessellation of algebraics

A-patches are a form of representation of an algebraic curve or surface over a simplex. The A-patch conditions can be used as the basis for an adaptive subdivision style marching tetrahedra algorithm whose advantage is that it guarantees that we do not miss features of the algebraic: singularities are localized, and in regions around nearby multiple sheets, the subdivision process continues until the sheets are separated. Unfortunately, the A-patch single sheet conditions are too strict: for some algebraics, the subdivision process converges slowly or fails to converge. In this paper, I give an additional single sheet condition for curves that allows for convergence of this process. I also give additional conditions for surfaces that trades off some of the single sheet guarantees for improved convergence.
Development of Bioactive Titanium-Apatite Nuclei Composite

Apatite nuclei were precipitated in the pores of titanium in simulated body fluid (SBF) and titanium-apatite nuclei composite was obtained. Apatite was induced by the apatite nuclei inside the pores of the composite and apatite layer was formed on the composite surface by soaking in SBF. The apatite layer showed high adhesive strength to the composite due to a mechanical interlocking effect between the composite and the apatite.
Bivariate Penalized Splines for Regression

In this paper the asymptotic behavior of penalized spline estimators is studied using bivariate splines over triangulations and an energy functional as the penalty. The rate of L2 convergence is derived, which achieves the optimal nonparametric convergence rate established by Stone (1982). The asymptotic normality of the penalized spline estimators is established, which is shown to hold uniformly over the points where the regression function is estimated. The size of the asymptotic conditional variance is also evaluated and a simple expression for the asymptotic variance is given. Simulation experiments have provided strong evidence that corroborates with the asymptotic theory.
Genome Sequences of Nine Bordetella holmesii Strains Isolated in the United States

ABSTRACT An increasing number of pertussis-like cases are attributed to the emergent pathogen Bordetella holmesii. The genomes of 9 clinical isolates show that they are clonal, lack the virulence factors encoded by B. pertussis, and are more similar to nonpertussis bordetellae. New markers for B. holmesii can be developed using these sequences.
Microbiological evaluation of yoghurt products in Qena city, Egypt -

Aim: To examined Large and small scale yoghurts for presence of microorganisms of sanitary importance. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 random samples from various dairy shops, street vendors and supermarkets located in Qena city were collected within 2008 - 2010. Results: The recorded results show that (92%) and (70%) of the examined small and large scale yoghurt samples had 4 3 Psychrotrophic count with an average of 3.9 x 10 and 6.8 x10 respectively. It was found that Enterococci were detected in 4 3 (58%) and (40%) with an average count of 1.72 x10 and 2.0 x 10 for the examined small and large scale yoghourt samples. S. 3 2 aureus were detected in (72%) and (36%) with an average of 8.5 x 10 and 9.41 x10 for both small and large scale yoghurt 4 samples. Regarding yeast and moulds they were found in (94%) and (40%) with an average counts of 1.4 x 10 for small scale 2 and 3.9 x 10 of large scale yoghurt samples. Most probable number (MPN) technique showed that [(38), (20)], [(35), (17)] and [(30), (6)] out of the total examined small and large scale yoghurt samples were contaminated with coliform, Fecal coliform and E. coli respectively. The incidence of E. coli biotype I and II for examined small scale yoghurt samples were (63.4%) and (36.6%), while for the examined large scale yoghurt samples were (16.7) and (83.3) respectively.
Mexico’s Northern Border Conflict: Collateral Damage to Health and Human Rights of Vulnerable Groups

OBJECTIVE To compare distributions of human rights violations and disease risk; to juxtapose these patterns against demographic and structural environmental variables, and to formulate implications for structural interventions. METHODS Female sex workers who inject drugs were surveyed in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Structured interviews and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were conducted (October 2008 to October 2009). Frequencies of individual and environmental factors, including police abuse, risk of HIV infection, and protective behaviors, were compared between sites using univariate logistic regression. RESULTS Of 624 women, almost half reported police syringe confiscation despite syringes being legal; 55.6% reported extortion (past 6 months), with significantly higher proportions in Ciudad Juarez (P < 0.001). Reports of recent solicitation of sexual favors (28.5% in Tijuana, 36.5% in Ciudad Juarez, P = 0.04) and sexual abuse (15.7% in Tijuana, 18.3% in Ciudad Juarez) by police were commonplace. Prevalence of STIs was significantly lower in Tijuana than in Ciudad Juarez (64.2% and 83.4%, P < 0.001), paralleling the lower prevalence of sexual risk behaviors there. Ciudad Juarez respondents reported significantly higher median number of monthly clients (6.8 versus 1.5, P < 0.001) and lower median pay per sex act (US$ 10 versus US$ 20, P < 0.001) (in the past month). Relative to Tijuana, security deployment, especially the army's presence, was perceived to have increased more in Ciudad Juarez in the past year (72.1% versus 59.2%, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Collateral damage from police practices in the context of Mexico's drug conflict may affect public health in the Northern Border Region. Itinerant officers may facilitate disease spread beyond the region. The urgency for mounting structural interventions is discussed.
Projected drought risk in 1.5°C and 2°C warmer climates

The large socioeconomic costs of droughts make them a crucial target for impact assessments of climate change scenarios. Using multiple drought metrics and a set of simulations with the Community Earth System Model targeting 1.5°C and 2°C above preindustrial global mean temperatures, we investigate changes in aridity and the risk of consecutive drought years. If warming is limited to 2°C, these simulations suggest little change in drought risk for the U.S. Southwest and Central Plains compared to present day. In the Mediterranean and central Europe, however, drought risk increases significantly for both 1.5°C and 2°C warming targets, and the additional 0.5°C of the 2°C climate leads to significantly higher drought risk. Our study suggests that limiting anthropogenic warming to 1.5°C rather than 2°C, as aspired to by the Paris Climate Agreement, may have benefits for future drought risk but that such benefits may be regional and in some cases highly uncertain.
Socially Compliant Navigation Through Raw Depth Inputs with Generative Adversarial Imitation Learning

We present an approach for mobile robots to learn to navigate in dynamic environments with pedestrians via raw depth inputs, in a socially compliant manner. To achieve this, we adopt a generative adversarial imitation learning (GAIL) strategy, which improves upon a pre-trained behavior cloning policy. Our approach overcomes the disadvantages of previous methods, as they heavily depend on the full knowledge of the location and velocity information of nearby pedestrians, which not only requires specific sensors, but also the extraction of such state information from raw sensory input could consume much computation time. In this paper, our proposed GAIL-based model performs directly on raw depth inputs and plans in real-time. Experiments show that our GAIL-based approach greatly improves the safety and efficiency of the behavior of mobile robots from pure behavior cloning. The real-world deployment also shows that our method is capable of guiding autonomous vehicles to navigate in a socially compliant manner directly through raw depth inputs. In addition, we release a simulation plugin for modeling pedestrian behaviors based on the social force model.
Electro-thermal modeling for junction temperature cycling-based lifetime prediction of a press-pack IGBT 3L-NPC-VSC applied to large wind turbines

Reliability is a critical criterion for multi-MW wind turbines, which are being employed with increasing numbers in wind power plants, since they operate under harsh conditions and have high maintenance cost due to their remote locations. In this study, the wind turbine grid-side converter reliability is investigated regarding IGBT lifetime based on junction temperature cycling for the grid-side press-pack IGBT 3L-NPC-VSC, which is a state-of-the art high reliability solution. In order to acquire IGBT junction temperatures for given wind power profiles and to use them in IGBT lifetime prediction, the converter electro-thermal model including electrical, power loss, and dynamical thermal models is developed with the main focus on the thermal modeling regarding converter topology, switch technology, and physical structure. Moreover, these models are simplified for their practical implementation in computation platforms. Finally, the converter lifetimes for wind power profiles are predicted using the IGBT lifetime model available. Hence, the developed electro-thermal model's suitability for the lifetime predictions is shown.
Lost highway(s): barriers to postnatal cortical neurogenesis and implications for brain repair

The genesis of the cerebral cortex is a highly complex and tightly-orchestrated process of cell division, migration, maturation, and integration. Developmental missteps often have catastrophic consequences on cortical function. Further, the cerebral cortex, in which neurogenesis takes place almost exclusively prenatally, has a very poor capacity for replacement of neurons lost to injury or disease. A multitude of factors underlie this deficit, including the depletion of radial glia, the gliogenic switch which mitigates continued neurogenesis, diminished neuronal migratory streams, and inflammatory processes associated with disease. Despite this, there are glimmers of hope that new approaches may allow for more significant cortical repair. Herein, we review corticogenesis from the context of regeneration and detail the strategies to promote neurogenesis, including interneuron transplants and glial reprogramming. Such strategies circumvent the “lost highways” which are critical for cortical development but are absent in the adult. These new approaches may provide for the possibility of meaningful clinical regeneration of elements of cortical circuitry lost to trauma and disease.
Acute Hepatic Failure-Derived Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Express Hepatic Progenitor Cell Genes

Hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) transplantation is a promising alternative to liver transplantation for patients with end-stage liver disease. However, the precise origin of HPCs is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) isolated from rats in acute hepatic failure (AHF) possess hepatic potential and/or characteristics. BMSCs were isolated from normal rats as well as rats in which AHF was induced by D-galactosamine. HPCs and primary hepatocytes were isolated from normal rats for comparison. The Affymetrix GeneChip Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array was used to perform transcriptome profiling of the AHF-derived BMSCs and HPCs. The results showed that AHF-derived BMSCs had a gene expression profile significantly different from that of control BMSCs. More than 87.7% of the genes/probe sets that were upregulated more than 2-fold in AHF-derived BMSCs were expressed by HPCs, including 12 genes involved in liver development, early hepatocyte differentiation and hepatocyte metabolism. Confirmatory quantitative RT-PCR analysis yielded similar results. In addition, 940 probe sets/genes were expressed in both AHF-derived BMSCs and HPCs but were absent in control cells. Compared to the control cells, AHF-derived BMSCs shared more commonly expressed genes with HPCs. AHF-derived BMSCs have a hepatic transcriptional profile and express many of the same genes expressed by HPCs, strongly suggesting that BMSCs may be a resource for hepatocyte regeneration, and further confirming their potential as a strong source of hepatocyte regeneration during severe hepatic damage.
ResponsesRNA To Mediate Cellular Inflammatory Receptor for Extracellular Double-Stranded CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) Is a Novel Surface

During viral infection, extracellular dsRNA is a potent signaling molecule that activates many innate immune cells, including macrophages. TLR3 is a well-known receptor for extracellular dsRNA, and internalization of extracellular dsRNA is required for endosomal TLR3 activation. Preserved inﬂammatory responses of TLR3-deﬁcient macrophages to extracellular dsRNA strongly support a TLR3-independent mechanism in dsRNA-mediated immune responses. The present study demonstrated that CD11b/ CD18 (Mac-1 [macrophage-1 Ag]), a surface integrin receptor, recognized extracellular dsRNA and induced macrophage immune responses. CD11b deﬁciency reduced inﬂammatory cytokine induction elicited by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C; a synthetic dsRNA) in mouse sera and livers, as well as in cultured peritoneal macrophages. dsRNA-binding assay and confocal immunoﬂuorescence showed that Mac-1, especially the CD11b subunit, interacted and colocalized with poly I:C on the surface of macrophages. Further mechanistic studies revealed two distinct signaling events following dsRNA recognition by Mac-1. First, Mac-1 facilitated poly I:C internalization through the activation of PI3K signaling and enhanced TLR3-dependent activation of IRF3 in macrophages. Second, poly I:C induced activation of phagocyte NADPH oxidase in a TLR3-independent, but Mac-1– dependent, manner. Subsequently, phagocyte NADPH oxidase–derived intracellular reactive oxygen species activated MAPK and NF- k B pathways. Our results indicate that extracellular dsRNA activates Mac-1 to enhance TLR3-dependent signaling and to trigger TLR3-independent, but Mac-1–dependent, inﬂammatory oxidative signaling, identifying a novel mechanistic basis for macrophages to recognize extracellular dsRNA to regulate innate immune responses. This study identiﬁes Mac-1 as a novel surface receptor for extracellular dsRNA and implicates it as a potential therapeutic target for virus-related inﬂammatory diseases. The Journal of Immunology , 2013, 190: 000–000.
Identification of Pax6-Dependent Gene Regulatory Networks in the Mouse Lens

Lineage-specific DNA-binding transcription factors regulate development by activating and repressing particular set of genes required for the acquisition of a specific cell type. Pax6 is a paired domain and homeodomain-containing transcription factor essential for development of central nervous, olfactory and visual systems, as well as endocrine pancreas. Haploinsufficiency of Pax6 results in perturbed lens development and homeostasis. Loss-of-function of Pax6 is incompatible with lens lineage formation and results in abnormal telencephalic development. Using DNA microarrays, we have identified 559 genes expressed differentially between 1-day old mouse Pax6 heterozygous and wild type lenses. Of these, 178 (31.8%) were similarly increased and decreased in Pax6 homozygous embryonic telencephalon [Holm PC, Mader MT, Haubst N, Wizenmann A, Sigvardsson M, Götz M (2007) Loss- and gain-of-function analyses reveals targets of Pax6 in the developing mouse telencephalon. Mol Cell Neurosci 34: 99–119]. In contrast, 381 (68.2%) genes were differently regulated between the lens and embryonic telencephalon. Differential expression of nine genes implicated in lens development and homeostasis: Cspg2, Igfbp5, Mab21l2, Nrf2f, Olfm3, Spag5, Spock1, Spon1 and Tgfb2, was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR, with five of these genes: Cspg2, Mab21l2, Olfm3, Spag5 and Tgfb2, identified as candidate direct Pax6 target genes by quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation (qChIP). In Mab21l2 and Tgfb2 promoter regions, twelve putative individual Pax6-binding sites were tested by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) with recombinant Pax6 proteins. This led to the identification of two and three sites in the respective Mab21l2 and Tgfb2 promoter regions identified by qChIPs. Collectively, the present studies represent an integrative genome-wide approach to identify downstream networks controlled by Pax6 that control mouse lens and forebrain development.
Development and validation of a survey instrument for measuring organisational renewal capability

Mastering continuous change has become an important issue for an increasing number of organisations. However, the management of innovative performance is hindered by the lack of measures that could enable the reliable assessment and effective development of organisational capabilities for continuous renewal, learning and innovation. The objective of this paper is to describe the development of a survey instrument, the Organisational Renewal Capability Inventory, for measuring organisational renewal capability, and to assess its validity and reliability. This paper contributes to the literature on innovation by providing a systematic technique for collecting, analysing and interpreting data about organisational capability for continuous renewal.
Pertussis Toxin Reduces the Number of Splenic Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells1

Pertussis toxin (PTx) is a bacterial toxin used to enhance the severity of experimental autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. It is known to promote permeabilization of the blood-brain barrier, maturation of APC, activation of autoreactive lymphocytes and alteration of lymphocyte migration. In this study, we show that i.v. injection of PTx in mice induces a decrease in the number of splenic CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells). Furthermore, PTx not only induces a depletion of the dominant CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ subpopulation of splenic Treg cells, but also reduces to a similar extent the CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ subpopulation. On a per cell basis, the suppressive properties of the remaining Treg cells are not modified by PTx treatment. The reduction in splenic Treg cells is associated with preferential migration of these cells to the liver. Additionally, Treg cells exhibit a high sensitivity to PTx-mediated apoptosis in vitro. Finally, in vivo depletion of Treg cells by injection of an anti-CD25 Ab, and PTx treatment, present synergistic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis exacerbating effects. Therefore, we identify a new effect of PTx and provide an additional illustration of the influence of microbial components on the immune system affecting the balance between tolerance, inflammation and autoimmunity.