Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal Variations in Microcystin Concentrations and in the Proportions of Microcystin-Producing Cells in Several Microcystis aeruginosa Populations

ABSTRACT With the aim of explaining the variations in microcystin (MC) concentrations during cyanobacterial blooms, we studied several Microcystis aeruginosa populations blooming in different freshwater ecosystems located in the same geographical area. As assessed by real-time PCR, it appeared that the potentially MC-producing cells (mcyB+) were predominant (70 to 100%) in all of these M. aeruginosa populations, with the exception of one population in which non-MC-producing cells always dominated. Apart from the population in the Grangent Reservoir, we found that the proportions of potentially MC-producing and non-MC-producing cells varied little over time, which was consistent with the fact that according to a previous study of the same populations, the intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) genotype composition did not change (38). In the Grangent Reservoir, the MC-RR variant was the dominant microcystin variant throughout the bloom season, despite changes in the ITS composition and in the proportions of mcyB+ cells. Finally, the variations in total MC concentrations (0.3 to 15 μg liter−1) and in the MC cellular quotas (0.01 to 3.4 pg cell−1) were high both between and within sites, and no correlation was found between the MC concentrations and the proportion of mcyB+ cells. All of these findings demonstrate that very different results can be found for the proportions of potentially MC-producing and non-MC-producing cells and MC concentrations, even in M. aeruginosa populations living in more or less connected ecosystems, demonstrating the importance of the effect of very local environmental conditions on these parameters and also the difficulty of predicting the potential toxicity of Microcystis blooms.
Effect of Chlorhexidine Probably Overestimated Because of Lack of Neutralization after Sampling

From the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (E.K., K.B.K.) and the Dartmouth Medical School (E.A.T., K.B.K.), Hanover, and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon (J.P., R.S., E.T., E.A.T., K.B.K.), New Hampshire. Address reprint requests to Kathryn B. Kirkland, MD, Section of Infectious Disease and International Health, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756 (Kathryn.Kirkland@dartmouth.edu). Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2009; 30:810-811 © 2009 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. 0899-823X/2009/3009-0022$ 15.00. DOI: 10.1086/604742
The 11th International Conference on Mobile Systems and Pervasive Computing (MobiSPC-2014) A Study on Human Activity Recognition Using Accelerometer Data from Smartphones

This paper describes how to recognize certain types of human physical activities using acceleration data generated by a user’s cell phone. We propose a recognition system in which a new digital low-pass filter is designed in order to isolate the component of gravity acceleration from that of body acceleration in the raw data. The system was trained and tested in an experiment with multiple human subjects in real-world conditions. Several classifiers were tested using various statistical features. High-frequency and low-frequency components of the data were taken into account. We selected five classifiers each offering good performance for recognizing our set of activities and investigated how to combine them into an optimal set of classifiers. We found that using the average of probabilities as the fusion method could reach an overall accuracy rate of 91.15%. c
Systems Neuroscience

temporal context at encoding) and retrieval of information that was contextually sensitive. He argued in contrast that habit learning was similar to the stimulus–response (S–R) learning processes proposed by earlier learning researchers, and that these S–R associations were specifically insensitive to context. Miskin et al. (1984) extended Hirsch's concept of habit learning. Following Hirsch, they identified features of habit learning as the opposite those of hippocampally-based learning. One set of features was " rapid " versus " slow " learning. Rapid learning was defined as one-trial learning, which required the hippocampus, whereas slow learning required repeated trials and was preserved in amnesia. They immediately related the " rapid " – " slow " distinction to the distinction posed by Hirsh, which they referred to as flexible (contextually sensitive in Hirsh) versus inflexible learning. They proposed that there is " a trade-off between short-term flexibility afforded by the memory system and long-term reliability afforded by the habit system " (p. 73). Finally, they argued that habits were a relatively primitive form of learning that should therefore appear earlier in ontogeny as well as phylogeny, which they supported with developmental evidence from their lab. Mishkin and colleagues were also the first to propose a crucial role for the basal ganglia in habit learning. The basis for their argument , which they termed " admittedly speculative " was the early development of the basal ganglia both in phylogeny and ontog-eny, and the presence of widespread anatomical projections to the striatum from cortex that " provide a mechanism through which cortically processed sensory inputs could become associated with motor outputs generated in the pallidum and so yield the stimulus– response bonds that constitute habits " (p. 74). The field of cognitive psychology did not use the term habit learning , but from the late 1960s through the 1980s several concepts were developed in this field that later were incorporated into theories of habit learning. These distinctions included unconscious,
Does robot-assisted gait training ameliorate gait abnormalities in multiple sclerosis? A pilot randomized-control trial.

BACKGROUND Gait disorders are common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and lead to a progressive reduction of function and quality of life. OBJECTIVE Test the effects of robot-assisted gait rehabilitation in MS subjects through a pilot randomized-controlled study. METHODS We enrolled MS subjects with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores within 4.5-6.5. The experimental group received 12 robot-assisted gait training sessions over 6 weeks. The control group received the same amount of conventional physiotherapy. Outcomes measures were both biomechanical assessment of gait, including kinematics and spatio-temporal parameters, and clinical test of walking endurance (six-minute walk test) and mobility (Up and Go Test). RESULTS 16 subjects (n = 8 experimental group, n = 8 control group) were included in the final analysis. At baseline the two groups were similar in all variables, except for step length. Data showed walking endurance, as well as spatio-temporal gait parameters improvements after robot-assisted gait training. Pelvic antiversion and reduced hip extension during terminal stance ameliorated after aforementioned intervention. CONCLUSIONS Robot-assisted gait training seems to be effective in increasing walking competency in MS subjects. Moreover, it could be helpful in restoring the kinematic of the hip and pelvis.
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with echo-planar and non-echo-planar (PROPELLER) techniques in the clinical evaluation of cholesteatoma

Background: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is an alternative to second-look surgery for the detection of cholesteatoma. Purpose: To assess the utility of DWI with echo-planar (EPI-DWI) and non-echo-planar (PROPELLER) sequences for the diagnosis of primary and recurrent cholesteatoma. Materials and methods: A prospective study of 33 ears, 21 with previous cholesteatoma surgery. Twelve patients were asymptomatic, with 4 showing signs suggestive of cholesteatoma in previous CT scans. The MRI protocol was: axial and coronal T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging, and diffusion-weighted sequences by both EPI-DWI and PROPELLER techniques. The results were correlated with the clinical examination and subsequent surgical findings. Ten patients undergoing ear surgery for other reasons were included as negative controls.
Ethnography: challenges and opportunities

Collectively qualitative research is a group of methodologies, with each approach offering a different lens though which to explore, understand, interpret or explain phenomena in real word contexts and settings. This article will provide an overview of one of the many qualitative approaches, ethnography , and its relevance to healthcare. We will use an exemplar based on a study that used participant-as-observer observation and follow-up interviews to explore how occupational therapists embed spirituality into everyday practice, and offer insights into the future directions of ethnography in response to increased globalisation and technological advances. Qualitative research methodologies are inductive and focus on meaning; approaches are diverse with different purposes, reflecting differing ontological and epistemological underpinnings.1 With roots in sociology and anthropology, ethnography is one of the early qualitative approaches and is concerned with learning about people , in contrast to studying people, through immersion in native populations.2 3 Traditionally ethnography is characterised by in-depth observation of groups of individuals, being cognisant of the influences of historical and cultural contexts on social interactions.4 This process of immersion in the real world context and detailed analysis enables the researcher to discover and describe the complexities and shared cultural nuances of the social world, and to interpret the meaning of the phenomenon under investigation. Exploring health and care organisations at a macro level can …
PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in multiple myeloma: from basic biology to clinical promise

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM), a cancer of terminally differentiated plasma cells, is the second most common hematological malignancy. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow that remains in close association with other cells in the marrow microenvironment. In addition to the genomic alterations that commonly occur in MM, the interaction with cells in the marrow microenvironment promotes signaling events within the myeloma cells that enhances survival of MM cells. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is such a pathway that is aberrantly activated in a large proportion of MM patients through numerous mechanisms and can play a role in resistance to several existing therapies making this a central pathway in MM pathophysiology. Here, we review the pathway, its role in MM, promising preclinical results obtained thus far and the clinical promise that drugs targeting this pathway have in MM.
The Adoption of Electronic Medical Records in Family Practice : The Providers ’ Perspective

Electronic medical record (EMR) use in primary health care is becoming increasingly important. However, the rate of EMR use among primary health care providers in Canada remains low.1,2 Barriers to EMR adoption include time commitments,3,4 financial costs,3,5-8 availability of technical support,3,5 insufficient training in medical informatics,6 slowdown in work or productivity downturn,5,7,8 difficulty with entering data and computer skills,5,8 and security and confidentiality issues.5,9 However, facilitators of EMR use include commitment by management,10 “physician champions,”3,10,11 and funding for implementation and operation.3,10 Recent literature reviews confirm the role of physician commitment and funding and identify two additional facilitators: availability of training and addressing expectations and concerns prior to implementation.12,13 These facilitators can expedite EMR implementation and adoption. Many studies examining EMR implementation are either individual accounts,11 or they are based on survey data collected in primary health care settings in the United States.5,7-9,14-16 A scarcity of research exploring the unique information technology implementation experiences of health care providers has been noted.12 Few qualitative studies explore the views of providers regarding EMR implementation.4,10 Therefore, we set out to conduct a qualitative study exploring the specific experiences of individuals within primary health care practices who were in the midst of implementing and adopting EMRs. In the present study, we define implementation as the process of installing the hardware and software, as well as providing training, whereas we define adoption as the actual uptake and use of the EMR.
Outcome of pregnancy in patients with isolated proteinuria

Purpose of review The outcome of pregnancy in patients with isolated proteinuria is believed to be favorable. However, whether women with isolated proteinuria are at risk for progressing to preeclampsia has not been extensively studied. Recent findings The amount of proteinuria is thought to increase in the early third trimester, irrespective of whether preeclampsia has been diagnosed. A dipstick urinalysis has a poor sensitivity (ranging from 22 to 86%) for the detection of significant proteinuria (≥0.3 g/day). Measurements of the levels of circulating angiogenic factors such as soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, soluble endoglin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and placental growth factor suggest that gestational proteinuria is a mild variant of preeclampsia. In one study, women with isolated proteinuria (≥0.3 g/day) were found to be more likely to progress to preeclampsia than women with isolated hypertension. A considerable number of women with eclampsia exhibited proteinuria alone during their last antenatal visit performed within a week prior to their first convulsion. Summary The outcome of women with a retrospective diagnosis of gestational proteinuria is generally favorable. However, a considerable number of women with isolated proteinuria develop hypertension and progress to preeclampsia. Therefore, the statement that the ‘outcome of pregnancy in patients with isolated proteinuria is favorable’ is misleading. Physicians should be aware of this type of preeclampsia when counseling patients. One possible explanation for the difficulty in diagnosing this form of preeclampsia might be the low sensitivity of the dipstick urinalysis technique for the detection of significant proteinuria.
Role of Cytotoxicity Experiments in Pharmaceutical Development

Through the twentieth century, the road from synthetizing a new drug molecule to become an actual product got longer than ever before. Cytotoxicity assays are a quick way to assess a certain chemical compound’s effects on a given human cell line. The most well-known techniques are the MTTand the LDH-assays. These tests are cheap, easy to execute, but not very precise and dependent on various environmental factors and also, they show no detail about the time-dependency of the toxic effect. Cytotoxicity experiments are a crucial part of a modern pharmaceutical development process. They are a cheap and safe way to get vital information about a new molecule’s biological attributes focusing on its basic tolerability. These studies not only save human lives and test animals, but they save the time and resources to be spared on a test molecule which is a complete failure having no in vitro safety.
Watch-wearing as a marker of conscientiousness

Several aspects of an individual’s appearance have been shown to predict personality and related behaviour. While some of these cues are grounded in biology (e.g., the human face), other aspects of a person’s appearance can be actively controlled (e.g., clothing). In this paper, we consider a common fashion accessory, the wristwatch. In an exploratory sample (N > 100) and a confirmatory sample (N > 600), we compared big-five personality traits between individuals who do or do not regularly wear a standard wristwatch. Significantly higher levels of conscientiousness were observed in participants who wore a watch. In a third study (N = 85), watch wearers arrived significantly earlier to appointments in comparison to controls. These results are discussed in relation to enclothed cognition and the rise of wearable technology including smartwatches.
Synthetic HLA‐G proteins for therapeutic use in transplantation

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐G is a tolerogenic molecule, whose expression by allografts is associated with better acceptance. An increasing interest in producing HLA‐G as a clinical‐grade molecule for therapy use is impaired by its complexity and limited stability. Our purpose was to engineer simpler and more stable HLA‐G‐derived molecules than the full‐length HLA‐G trimolecular complex that are also tolerogenic, functional as soluble molecules, and compatible with good manufacturing practice (GMP) production conditions. We present two synthetic molecules: (α3‐L)x2 and (α1‐α3)x2 polypeptides. We show their capability to bind the HLA‐G receptor LILRB2 and their functions in vitro and in vivo. The (α1‐α3)x2 polypeptide proved to be a potent tolerogenic molecule in vivo: One treatment of skin allograft recipient mice with (α1‐α3)x2 was sufficient to significantly prolong graft survival, and four weekly treatments induced complete tolerance. Furthermore, (α1‐α3)x2 was active as a soluble molecule and capable of inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cell lines, as does the full length HLA‐G trimolecular complex. Thus, the synthetic (α1‐α3)x2 polypeptide is a stable and simpler alternative to the full‐length HLA‐G molecule. It can be produced under GMP conditions, it functions as a soluble molecule, and it is at least as tolerogenic as HLA‐G in vivo. —LeMaoult, J., Daouya, M. , Wu, J., Loustau, M. , Horuzsko, A. , Carosella, E. D. Synthetic HLA‐G proteins for therapeutic use in transplantation. FASEB J. 27, 3643–3651 (2013). www.fasebj. org
Genetic and Epidemiological Analysis of Influenza Virus Epidemics in Taiwan during 2003 to 2006

ABSTRACT The genetic characterization of Taiwanese influenza A and B viruses on the basis of analyses of pairwise amino acid variations, genetic clustering, and phylogenetics was performed. A total of 548, 2,123, and 1,336 sequences of the HA1 genes of influenza A virus subtypes H1 and H3 and influenza B virus, respectively, collected during 2003 to 2006 from an island-wide surveillance network were determined. Influenza A virus H3 showed activity during all periods, although it was dominant only in the winters of 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. Instead, influenza B virus and influenza A virus H1 were dominant in the winters of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, respectively. Additionally, two influenza A virus H3 peaks were found in the summers of 2004 and 2005. From clustering analysis, similar characteristics of high sequence diversity and short life spans for the influenza A virus H1 and H3 clusters were observed, despite their distinct seasonal patterns. In contrast, clusters with longer life spans and fewer but larger clusters were found among the influenza B viruses. We also noticed that more amino acid changes at antigenic sites, especially at sites B and D in the H3 viruses, were found in 2003 and 2004 than in the following 2 years. The only epidemic of the H1 viruses, which occurred in the winter of 2005-2006, was caused by two genetically distinct lineages, and neither of them showed apparent antigenic changes compared with the antigens of the vaccine strain. For the influenza B viruses, the multiple dominant lineages of Yamagata-like strains with large genetic variations observed reflected the evolutionary pressure caused by the Yamagata-like vaccine strain. On the other hand, only one dominant lineage of Victoria-like strains circulated from 2004 to 2006.
Mediastinal schwannoma: A clinical, pathologic, and imaging review

South Asian Journal of Cancer ♦ April-June 2015 ♦ Volume 4♦ Issue 2 104 of the trunk. Histologically, it should be distinguished from primary skin tumors and metastasis of lung and gastrointestinal carcinoma as well as mesothelioma by the aid of immunohistochemistry staining. Alireza Ghanadan Department of Dermatopathology, Razi Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Correspondence to: Dr. Alireza Ghanadan, E‐mail: dermpath101@gmail.com
Magnetars as cooling neutron stars with internal heating

We study thermal structure and evolution of magnetars as cooling neutron stars with a phenomenological heat source in a spherical internal layer. We explore the location of this layer as well as the heating rate that could explain high observable thermal luminosities of magnetars and would be consistent with the energy budget of neutron stars. We conclude that the heat source should be located in an outer magnetar’s crust, at densities ρ 5 × 10 11 gc m −3 , and should have the heat intensity of ∼10 20 erg cm −3 s −1 . Otherwise the heat energy is mainly emitted by neutrinos and cannot warm up the surface.
Variability of hepatitis C virus

The discovery and characterization of the main causative agent of non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) represent a major success in the application of cloning techniques in the identification of new infectious agents. ’ The technique that led to the characterization and the development of antibody tests for hepatitis C virus (HCV12 has since been applied successfully to determine the etiological agent of other diseases, such as hepatitis E virus, responsible for enterically transmitted NANBH.3 HCV contains a positive sense RNA genome approximately 10,000 bases in length. In overall genome organization and presumed method of replication, it is most similar to members of the flauiviridae family particularly in the coding for a single polyprotein that is then cleaved into a series of structural proteins (nucleocapsid protein, two membrane glycoproteins) and nonstructural proteins, with presumed enzymatic roles in virus replication. Without a cell culture system to investigate differences in neutralization and cytopathic properties of HCV, nucleotide sequence comparisons and typing assays developed from sequence data have become the principal techniques for characterizing different variants of HCV. This type of analysis is relatively easy to perform, especially because viral sequences can be amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) directly from clinical specimens. Sequence comparisons of HCV have provided information about the virus a t several levels. It is possible to identify and classify HCV into a series of distinct “genotypes,” which differ substantially in nucleotide sequence from one another and show varied geographical and epidemiological distributions. In particular, the inferred amino acid sequences of the envelope glycoproteins differ considerably, and it is likely that antibody elicited by infection with one genotype would fail to neutralize others. The extent of variation observed within HCV is comparable with that between serotypes of other RNA viruses, and may pose problems in the development of vaccines for HCV.
The effects of oxygen on controlling the number of carbon layers in the chemical vapor deposition of graphene on a nickel substrate

While oxygen is typically considered undesirable during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of graphene on metal substrates, we demonstrate that suitable amounts of oxygen in the CVD system can in fact improve the uniformity and thickness control of the graphene film. The role of oxygen on the CVD of graphene on a nickel substrate using a propylene precursor was investigated with various surface analytical techniques. It was found that the number of carbon layers in the deposited graphene sample decreases as the concentration of oxygen increases. In particular, single-layer graphene can be easily obtained with an oxygen/propylene ratio of 1/9. In the presence of oxygen, a thin layer of nickel oxide will form on the substrate. The oxide layer decreases the concentration of carbon atoms dissolved in the nickel substrate and results in graphene samples with a decreasing number of carbon layers.