Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diameter and rigidity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes are critical factors in mesothelial injury and carcinogenesis

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have the potential for widespread applications in engineering and materials science. However, because of their needle-like shape and high durability, concerns have been raised that MWCNTs may induce asbestos-like pathogenicity. Although recent studies have demonstrated that MWCNTs induce various types of reactivities, the physicochemical features of MWCNTs that determine their cytotoxicity and carcinogenicity in mesothelial cells remain unclear. Here, we showed that the deleterious effects of nonfunctionalized MWCNTs on human mesothelial cells were associated with their diameter-dependent piercing of the cell membrane. Thin MWCNTs (diameter ∼ 50 nm) with high crystallinity showed mesothelial cell membrane piercing and cytotoxicity in vitro and subsequent inflammogenicity and mesotheliomagenicity in vivo. In contrast, thick (diameter ∼ 150 nm) or tangled (diameter ∼ 2–20 nm) MWCNTs were less toxic, inflammogenic, and carcinogenic. Thin and thick MWCNTs similarly affected macrophages. Mesotheliomas induced by MWCNTs shared homozygous deletion of Cdkn2a/2b tumor suppressor genes, similar to mesotheliomas induced by asbestos. Thus, we propose that different degrees of direct mesothelial injury by thin and thick MWCNTs are responsible for the extent of inflammogenicity and carcinogenicity. This work suggests that control of the diameter of MWCNTs could reduce the potential hazard to human health.
Assessing Health Literacy in Deaf American Sign Language Users

Communication and language barriers isolate Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users from mass media, health care messages, and health care communication, which, when coupled with social marginalization, places them at a high risk for inadequate health literacy. Our objectives were to translate, adapt, and develop an accessible health literacy instrument in ASL and to assess the prevalence and correlates of inadequate health literacy among Deaf ASL users and hearing English speakers using a cross-sectional design. A total of 405 participants (166 Deaf and 239 hearing) were enrolled in the study. The Newest Vital Sign was adapted, translated, and developed into an ASL version (ASL-NVS). We found that 48% of Deaf participants had inadequate health literacy, and Deaf individuals were 6.9 times more likely than hearing participants to have inadequate health literacy. The new ASL-NVS, available on a self-administered computer platform, demonstrated good correlation with reading literacy. The prevalence of Deaf ASL users with inadequate health literacy is substantial, warranting further interventions and research.
Factors influencing the decision to choose information technology preparatory studies in secondary schools: an exploratory study in regional/rural Australia

[Abstract]: The career paths of students are influenced and shaped by the subject choices that are made in the final years of secondary schooling. This paper presents the findings of an empirical study that identified the key factors influencing the decision of rural / regional Australian students to choose or not choose to study Information Processing and Technology. The findings revealed that career oriented, extrinsic factors play an important role in motivating the selection of I.P.T. at school and, by implication, information technology at university. There are few apparent gender differences but there is limited evidence to suggest that males may be more influenced by extrinsic motivators and females by intrinsic motivators. Although the factors used in the study were initially identified largely via informal processes, they all appear to influence the decision to take I.P.T. The focus on career-related factors and the instrumentality of taking I.P.T. could explain the drop-off in students taking the subject. This has potentially significant implications as regards the future supply of good information technology professionals
The Role of the Adhesive on the Bond Behavior of SRPs Applied on Masonry Supports: Experimental and Numerical Study

Steel Reinforced Polymers (SRP) have been recently introduced and adopted as strengthening systems for existing constructions. Although the interest for this kind of strengthening materials is increasing also for masonry structures, in particular for historic constructions, only few studies specifically pertained to masonry elements strengthened with SRPs are available in the literature. In this context, a twofold purpose is at the basis of the present paper. The first one consists of experimentally investigating the bond behavior of masonry elements strengthened with SRPs using different types of adhesives and strips density. The second purpose aims at developing simple formulations for evaluating the bond resistance of masonry elements strengthened with SRPs applied with different types of adhesive systems.
KINETICS OF THE FORMATION OF PEPSIN FROM SWINE PEPSINOGEN AND IDENTIFICATION OF AN INTERMEDIATE COMPOUND

A study of the kinetics of the transformation of swine pepsinogen into pepsin under a variety of conditions has been made. The results show that the transformation as a whole is essentially autocatalytic in nature under all conditions. Evidence is presented to show the existence of a compound intermediate between pepsinogen and pepsin. This compound was found to be a reversibly dissociable complex of pepsin and a low molecular weight inhibitor. Some of the general properties of the intermediate compound and of the inhibitor have been examined.
The Impact of Changes in Species Richness and Species Replacement on Patterns of Taxonomic Homogenization in the Carpathian Forest Ecosystems

The Carpathians are Eastern Europe’s largest contiguous forest ecosystem and a hotspot of biodiversity. However, not much is known about changes in species diversity in these forests. Here we investigate the long-time changes in the diversity of plant communities in the Eastern Carpathian beech forests. We also inquire about the similarity of plant communities between managed and protected forests. We conduct our analyses using not only the broad-sense measure of changes in β diversity (βsor) but also the measures that reveal whether the changes result from spatial turnover (βsim) or nestedness (βnes). Our study demonstrated that the mean species richness did not significantly change over time in both forest types. However, we found a significant decrease of species diversity in protected forests and the same trend, but on a smaller scale, in managed forests. In both forest types the decrease of species diversity was mainly caused by spatial turnover, while nestedness-related changes were relatively small. However, the direction of changes in βnes differed in managed and unmanaged forests in such a way that it reduced the decrease of species diversity in managed forests and amplified the decrease of species diversity in unmanaged forests. We discuss our findings in terms of biotic homogenization.
Coda: a highly available file system for a distributed workstation environment

A description is given of Coda, a file system for a large-scale distributed computing environment composed of Unix workstations. It provides resilience to server and network failures through the use of two distinct but complementary mechanisms. One mechanism, server replication, involves storing copies of a file at multiple servers. The other mechanism, disconnected operation, is a mode of execution in which a caching site temporarily assumes the role of a replication site. Disconnected operation is particularly useful for supporting portable workstations. The design of Coda optimizes availability and performance and provides the highest degree of consistency attainable. Measurements from a prototype show that the performance cost of providing high availability in Coda is reasonable. <<ETX>>
Crystal structure of intact elongation factor EF-Tu from Escherichia coli in GDP conformation at 2.05 A resolution.

The crystal structure of intact elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) from Escherichia coli in GDP-bound conformation has been determined using a combination of multiple isomorphous replacement (MIR) and multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) methods. The current atomic model has been refined to a crystallographic R factor of 20.3 % and free R-factor of 26.8 % in the resolution range of 10-2.05 A. The protein consists of three domains: domain 1 has an alpha/beta structure; while domain 2 and domain 3 are beta-barrel structures. Although the global fold of the current model is similar to those of published structures, the secondary structural assignment has been improved due to the high quality of the current model. The switch I region (residues 40-62) is well ordered in this structure. Comparison with the structure of EF-Tu in GDP-bound form from Thermus aquaticus shows that although the individual domain structures are similar in these two structures, the orientation of domains changes significantly. Interactions between domains 1 and 3 in our E. coli EF-Tu-GDP complex are quite different from those of EF-Tu with bound GTP from T. aquaticus, due to the domain rearrangement upon GTP binding. The binding sites of the Mg2+ and guanine nucleotide are revealed in detail. Two water molecules that co-ordinate the Mg2+ have been identified to be well conserved in the GDP and GTP-bound forms of EF-Tu structures, as well as in the structure of Ras p21 with bound GDP. Comparisons of the Mg2+ binding site with other guanine nucleotide binding proteins in GDP-bound forms show that the Mg2+ co-ordination patterns are well preserved among these structures.
Metabolic Profiling Allows Comprehensive Phenotyping of Genetically or Environmentally Modified Plant Systems

Metabolic profiling using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry technologies is a technique whose potential in the field of functional genomics is largely untapped. To demonstrate the general usefulness of this technique, we applied to diverse plant genotypes a recently developed profiling protocol that allows detection of a wide range of hydrophilic metabolites within a single chromatographic run. For this purpose, we chose four independent potato genotypes characterized by modifications in sucrose metabolism. Using data-mining tools, including hierarchical cluster analysis and principle component analysis, we were able to assign clusters to the individual plant systems and to determine relative distances between these clusters. Extraction analysis allowed identification of the most important components of these clusters. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed close linkages between a broad spectrum of metabolites. In a second, complementary approach, we subjected wild-type potato tissue to environmental manipulations. The metabolic profiles from these experiments were compared with the data sets obtained for the transgenic systems, thus illustrating the potential of metabolic profiling in assessing how a genetic modification can be phenocopied by environmental conditions. In summary, these data demonstrate the use of metabolic profiling in conjunction with datamining tools as a technique for the comprehensive characterization of a plant genotype.
Failure of Iniparib to Inhibit Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase In Vitro

Purpose: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are undergoing extensive clinical testing for their single-agent activity in homologous recombination (HR)-deficient tumors and ability to enhance the action of certain DNA-damaging agents. Compared with other PARP inhibitors in development, iniparib (4-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide) is notable for its simple structure and the reported ability of its intracellular metabolite 4-iodo-3-nitrosobenzamide to covalently inhibit PARP1 under cell-free conditions. The present preclinical studies were conducted to compare the actions iniparib with the more extensively characterized PARP inhibitors olaparib and veliparib. Experimental Design: The abilities of iniparib, olaparib, and veliparib to (i) selectively induce apoptosis or inhibit colony formation in HR-deficient cell lines, (ii) selectively sensitize HR-proficient cells to topoisomerase I poisons, and (iii) inhibit formation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymer (pADPr) in intact cells were compared. Results: Consistent with earlier reports, olaparib and veliparib selectively induced apoptosis and inhibited colony formation in cells lacking BRCA2 or ATM. Moreover, like earlier generation PARP inhibitors, olaparib and veliparib sensitized cells to the topoisomerase I poisons camptothecin and topotecan. Finally, olaparib and veliparib inhibited formation of pADPr in intact cells. In contrast, iniparib exhibited little or no ability to selectively kill HR-deficient cells, sensitize cells to topoisomerase I poisons, or inhibit pADPr formation in situ. In further experiments, iniparib also failed to sensitize cells to cisplatin, gemcitabine, or paclitaxel. Conclusions: While iniparib kills normal and neoplastic cells at high (>40 μmol/L) concentrations, its effects are unlikely to reflect PARP inhibition and should not be used to guide decisions about other PARP inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 18(6); 1655–62. ©2012 AACR.
Relationship between the somatic cell count in milk and reproductive function in peripartum dairy cows

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the somatic cell count (SCC) in milk on reproductive performance, such as pregnancy status in the prepartum period and ovarian function in the postpartum period, in dairy cows. Blood samples were collected every week from one month prepartum to parturition in order to measure the concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2α (PGFM), estrone sulfate (E1S) and progesterone. Milk samples were collected three times per week in both the prepartum (for one month before the dry period) and postpartum periods (for 3 months immediately after parturition) to measure the SCC. Progesterone was also determined in the whole milk of postpartum cows to define the day of the first ovulation. In the prepartum period, the maximum SCC negatively correlated with the pregnancy period (r = –0.77), but not the calf birth weight. Positive and negative correlations were observed between the average SCC and PGFM or progesterone concentrations in plasma, respectively (r = 0.84 or –0.92, respectively), at 39 weeks of pregnancy. In the postpartum period, a correlation was observed between the day of the first ovulation and both the average and maximum SCC (r = –0.74 and –0.75, respectively), whereas days open was not related to the SCC. These results suggest that a high SCC in the prepartum period may advance parturition by increasing PGF2α and decreasing progesterone and that the first ovulation in the postpartum period was affected by a high SCC.
Applying Cognitive Theory to Statistics Instruction

Abstract This article presents five principles of learning, derived from cognitive theory and supported by empirical results in cognitive psychology. To bridge the gap between theory and practice, each of these principles is transformed into a practical guideline and exemplified in a real teaching context. It is argued that this approach of putting cognitive theory into practice can offer several benefits to statistics education: A means for explaining and understanding why reform efforts work; a set of guidelines that can help instructors make well-informed design decisions when implementing these reforms; and a framework for generating new and effective instructional innovations.
Unintended Consequences of Invasive Predator Control in an Australian Forest: Overabundant Wallabies and Vegetation Change

Over-abundance of native herbivores is a problem in many forests worldwide. The abundance of native macropod wallabies is extremely high at Booderee National Park (BNP) in south-eastern Australia. This has occurred because of the reduction of exotic predators through an intensive baiting program, coupled with the absence of other predators. The high density of wallabies at BNP may be inhibiting the recruitment of many plant species following fire-induced recruitment events. We experimentally examined the post-fire response of a range of plant species to browsing by wallabies in a forest heavily infested with the invasive species, bitou bush Chrysanthemoides monilifera. We recorded the abundance and size of a range of plant species in 18 unfenced (browsed) and 16 fenced (unbrowsed) plots. We found the abundance and size of bitou bush was suppressed in browsed plots compared to unbrowsed plots. Regenerating seedlings of the canopy or middle storey tree species Eucalyptus pilularis, Acacia implexa, Allocasuarina littoralis, Breynia oblongifolia and Banksia integrifolia were either smaller or fewer in number in grazed plots than treatment plots as were the vines Kennedia rubicunda, Glycine tabacina and Glycine clandestina. In contrast, the understorey fern, Pteridium esculentum increased in abundance in the browsed plots relative to unbrowsed plots probably because of reduced competition with more palatable angiosperms. Twelve months after plots were installed the community structure of the browsed and unbrowsed plots was significantly different (P = 0.023, Global R = 0.091). The relative abundance of C. monilifera and P. esculentum contributed most to the differences. We discuss the possible development of a low diversity bracken fern parkland in Booderee National Park through a trophic cascade, similar to that caused by overabundant deer in the northern hemisphere. We also discuss its implications for broad scale fox control in southern Australian forests.
Hypotension is a predictor of mortality in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVES To identify variables that predict the in-hospital course and prognosis of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). METHODS A retrospective analysis of 94 patients (20 females) with AECOPD. Twenty-one variables including arterial blood gas studies were analysed. RESULTS The mean age was 61.2 years. The in-hospital mortality rate was 12.8%; 28.6% of patients required invasive mechanical ventilation and 37.2% required ICU care. In univariate analysis, aypotension at presentation (systolic blood-pressure < 90 mmHg) [p = 0.002, odds ratio OR 10.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90-63.00); central cyanosis (p = 0.007, OR 6.91, 95% CI 1.42-33.59); and cor-pulmonale (p = 0.009, OR 10.46, 95% CI 1.26-86.46) were univariately associated with in-hospital mortality. On multivariate analysis, hypotension (p = 0.049, OR 18.419, 95% CI 1.013-334.752) remained the only independent predictor. CONCLUSIONS More than the markers of poor gas exchange, the presence of hypotension indicates a poor in-hospital prognosis in AECOPD.
Well-posed linear systems a survey with emphasis on conservative systems

We survey the literature on well-posed linear systems, which has been an area of rapid development in recent years. We examine the particular subclass of conservative systems and its connections to scattering theory. We study some transformations of well-posed systems, namely duality and time-flow inversion, and their effect on the transfer function and the generating operators. We describe a simple way to generate conservative systems via a second-order differential equation in a Hilbert space. We give results about the stability, controllability and observability of such conservative systems and illustrate these with a system modeling a controlled beam.
Fall Prevention in Community Settings: Results from Implementing Stepping On in Three States

Stepping On is a community-based intervention that has been shown in a randomized controlled trial to reduce fall risk. The Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging adapted Stepping On for use in the United States and developed a training infrastructure to enable dissemination. The purpose of this study is to: (1) describe the personal characteristics of Stepping On participants; (2) quantify participants’ functional and self-reported health status at enrollment, and (3) measure changes in participants’ functional and self-reported health status after completing the program. Both survey and observed functional status [timed up and go (TUG) test] data were collected between September 2011 and December 2013 for 366 participants enrolled in 32 Stepping On programs delivered in Colorado, New York, and Oregon. Paired t-tests and general estimating equations models adjusted for socio-demographic factors were performed to assess changes over the program period. Among the 266 participants with pre–post survey data, the average participant age was 78.7 (SD ± 8.0) years. Most participants were female (83.4%), white (96.9%), and in good health (49.4%). The TUG test scores decreased significantly (p < 0.001) for all 254 participants with pre–post data. The change was most noticeable among high risk participants where TUG time decreased from 17.6 to 14.4 s. The adjusted odds ratio of feeling confident about keeping from falling was more than three times greater after completing Stepping On. Further, the adjusted odds ratios of reporting “no difficulty” for getting out of a straight back chair increased by 89%. Intended for older adults who have fallen in the past or are afraid of falling, Stepping On has the potential to reduce the frequency and burden of older adult falls.
Effective utilization of N2-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine triphosphate during DNA synthesis catalyzed by mammalian replicative DNA polymerases.

Acetaldehyde is produced by metabolic oxidation of ethanol after drinking alcoholic beverages. This agent reacts with nucleosides and nucleotides, resulting in the formation of N2-ethyl-guanine residues. N2-ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N2-ethyl-dG) adduct has been detected in the lymphocyte DNA of alcoholic patients [Fang, J. L. , and Vaca, C. E. (1997) Carcinogenesis 18, 627-632]. Thus, the nucleotide pool is also expected to be modified by acetaldehyde. N2-Ethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine triphosphate (N2-ethyl-dGTP) was chemically synthesized. The utilization of N2-ethyl-dGTP during DNA synthesis was determined by steady-state kinetic studies. N2-Ethyl-dGTP was efficiently incorporated opposite template dC in reactions catalyzed by mammalian DNA polymerase alpha and delta. When pol alpha was used, the insertion frequency of N2-ethyl-dGTP was 400 times less than that of dGTP, but 320 times higher than that of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine triphosphate (8-oxo-dGTP), an oxidative damaged nucleotide. Using pol delta, the insertion frequency of N2-ethyl-dGTP was only 37 times less than that of dGTP. The chain extension from dC:N2-ethyl-dG pair occurred much more rapidly: the extension frequencies for pol alpha and pol delta were only 3.8 times and 6.3 times, respectively, lower than that of dC:dG pair. We also found that N2-ethyl-dG can be detected in urine samples obtained from healthy volunteers who had abstained from drinking alcohol for 1 week before urine collection. This indicates that humans are exposed constantly to acetaldehyde even without drinking alcoholic beverages. Incorporation of N2-ethyl-dG adducts into DNA may cause mutations and may be related to the development of alcohol- and acetaldehyde-induced human cancers.
Characterization of the gut microbiota of three commercially valuable warmwater fish species

Due to the strong influence of the gut microbiota on fish health, dominant bacterial species in the gut are strong candidates for probiotics. This study aimed to characterize the gut microbiota of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and bluegill Lepomis macrochirus to provide a baseline for future probiotic studies.