Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison and Recovery of Escherichia coli and Thermotolerant Coliforms in Water with a Chromogenic Medium Incubated at 41 and 44.5°C

ABSTRACT This study compared the performance of a commercial chromogenic medium, CHROMagarECC (CECC), and CECC supplemented with sodium pyruvate (CECCP) with the membrane filtration lauryl sulfate-based medium (mLSA) for enumeration of Escherichia coli and non-E. coli thermotolerant coliforms (KEC). To establish that we could recover the maximum KEC and E. coli population, we compared two incubation temperature regimens, 41 and 44.5°C. Statistical analysis by the Fisher test of data did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences (P = 0.05) in the enumeration of E. coli for the different media (CECC and CECCP) and incubation temperatures. Variance analysis of data performed on KEC counts showed significant differences (P = 0.01) between KEC counts at 41 and 44.5°C on both CECC and CECCP. Analysis of variance demonstrated statistically significant differences (P = 0.05) in the enumeration of total thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) on CECC and CECCP compared with mLSA. Target colonies were confirmed to be E. coli at a rate of 91.5% and KEC of likely fecal origin at a rate of 77.4% when using CECCP incubated at 41°C. The results of this study showed that CECCP agar incubated at 41°C is efficient for the simultaneous enumeration of E. coli and KEC from river and marine waters.
Pharyngotomy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: functional and oncological aspects

Abstract Background: Head and Neck Surgery constantly has to oppose non-invasive organ preservation methods and therefore should be evaluated especially with regard to clinical and functional outcome. We will discuss the role of pharyngotomy in the treatment of HNSCC. Methods: Seventy-three patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, oro-/hypopharynx and supraglottis underwent lateral/median pharyngotomy. Functional and oncological parameters were retrospectively assessed and set into clinical context. Results: The 5-year recurrence-free-interval (RFI) was significantly higher with surgery and adjuvant radio(chemo)therapy (80%; mean RFI: 92 months) when compared to conservative treatment (68%; mean RFI: 68 months). The 5-year overall-survival (OS) after surgery and conservative treatment was 71% and 54%, respectively. Compared to other surgical techniques (mean RFI: 82 months), pharyngotomy demonstrated a significant higher 5-year RFI (mean RFI: 89 months). Conclusions: Pharyngotomy achieves good exposure and clear resection margins that result in a notably good oncological outcome with a minimum of functional loss. In particular, among UICC IV oropharyngeal HNSCC, pharyngotomy is superior in OS and RFI to conservative methods.
Karyological studies on eight species of Onobrychis genus in Turkey

This study used karyological techniques to determine the chromosome numbers and morphology of eight species of Onobrychis L. (O. caput-galli (L.) Lam, O. aequidentata (Sibth. & Sm.) d’ Urv, O. fallax Freyn & Sint. var. fallax, O. lasiostachya Boiss, O. viciifolia Scop. , O. oxyodonta Boiss. subsp. armena (Bois. & Huet) Aktoklu, O. hypargyrea Boiss. and O. cappadocica Boiss. ). The results of this study determined the chromosome numbers of O. cappadocica as 2n = 16; O. viciifolia as 2n = 28 and the other species as 2n = 14 The karyotypes of species consisted of median-centromeric (m) or submedian-centromeric (sm) chromosomes. However, O. oxyodonta Boiss. subsp. armena (Bois. & Huet) Aktoklu was found to have only the median-centromeric (m) chromosomes. According to the results of the present study, of the eight Onobrychis taxa, only O. hypargyrea has a pair of satellite chromosomes (sat-chromosome). Furthermore, this study detected karyotype asymmetry.
A self-aligned silicidation technology for surround-gate vertical MOSFETS

We report for the first time a silicidation technology for surround gate vertical MOSFETs. The technology uses a double spacer comprising a polysilicon spacer for the surround gate and a nitride spacer for the silicidation. Silicided 120 nm n-channel devices show a 30% improvement in drive current in comparison to non silicided devices, but this is accompanied by a small degradation in sub-threshold slope and DIBL. This problem is solved using a frame gate architecture in which the pillar sidewalls are protected from the silicidation process. Silicided frame gate transistors show a similar increase in drive current without any significant degradation of sub-threshold slope or DIBL. For a 120 nm channel length, silicided frame gate vertical nMOSFETs show a 30% improvement in the drive current with an excellent sub-threshold slope of 78 mV/decade and a DIBL of 30 mV/V. For an 80 nm channel length, a 43% improvement in the drive current is obtained.
Lateralized hippocampal volume increase following high‐frequency left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with major depression

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied as a treatment for patients with treatment‐resistant depression in recent years, and a large body of evidence has demonstrated its therapeutic efficacy through stimulating neuronal plasticity. The aim of this study was to investigate structural alterations in the hippocampus (HIPP) and amygdala (AM) following conventional rTMS in patients with depression.
Variation in serum Type III procollagen peptide with age in healthy subjects and its comparative value in the assessment of disease activity in children and adults with chronic active hepatitis *

Abstract. To determine the comparative value of serum Type III procollagen peptide (PIIIP) in paedia‐tric and adult liver disease we have measured PIIIP in 201 healthy subjects (aged 1 day–77 years) and twenty‐one children and five adults with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Healthy children had significantly higher PIIIP levels than adults (P < 0·001), with highest values of 298 ± 88 ng ml‐1 (s.d.) in the neonatal period. PIIIP fell to 30·9 ± 7·0 by 1 year, 19·1 ± 4·5 by 3 years and rose significantly (P < 0·01) at puberty. Adult levels (8·3 ± 3·2) occurred by 16 years of age. Serum PIIIP levels were significantly elevated (P < 0·001) in adults when they had biochemical and histological evidence of active liver disease but were consistently within the normal range for age in 70% of children with similar hepatic pathology. The minor elevations in PIIIP in the other children were unrelated to clinical, biochemical or histological evidence of active liver disease. While raised PIIIP may be a non‐invasive marker of liver disease activity in adults, its value in childrens' disorders appears to be limited by the high levels of PIIIP which occur during growth.
Cancer surveillance in longstanding ulcerative colitis: endoscopic appearances help predict cancer risk

Background and aims: The risk of colorectal cancer is increased in ulcerative colitis (UC). Patients with UC have diverse colonoscopic appearances. Determining colonoscopic markers for cancer risk could allow patient risk stratification. Patients and methods: Following on from an earlier study which demonstrated a correlation between inflammation severity and neoplasia risk, a case control study was performed to look for colonoscopic markers of colorectal neoplasia risk in UC. Each patient with neoplasia detected between 1988 and 2002 was matched with two non-dysplastic colitic controls. Data were collected on post-inflammatory polyps, scarring, strictures, backwash ileitis, a shortened, tubular, or featureless colon, severe inflammation, and normal looking surveillance colonoscopies. Results: Cases (n = 68) and controls (n = 136) were well matched. On univariate analysis, cases were significantly more likely to have post-inflammatory polyps (odds ratio (OR) 2.14 (95% confidence interval 1.24–3.70)), strictures (OR 4.22; 1.08–15.54), shortened colons (OR 10.0; 1.17–85.6), tubular colons (OR 2.03; 1.00–4.08), or segments of severe inflammation (OR 3.38; 1.41–10.13), and less likely to have had a macroscopically normal looking colonoscopy (OR 0.40; 0.21–0.74). After multivariate analysis, a macroscopically normal looking colonoscopy (OR 0.38; 0.19–0.73), post-inflammatory polyps (2.29; 1.28–4.11), and strictures (4.62; 1.03–20.8) remained significant. The five year risk of colorectal cancer following a normal looking colonoscopy was no different from that of matched general population controls. Conclusions: Macroscopic colonoscopic features help predict neoplasia risk in UC. Features of previous/ongoing inflammation signify an increased risk. A macroscopically normal looking colonoscopy returns the cancer risk to that of the general population: it should be possible to reduce surveillance frequency to five years in this cohort.
A Sustainable Building Promotes Pro-Environmental Behavior: An Observational Study on Food Disposal

In order to develop a more sustainable society, the wider public will need to increase engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. Psychological research on pro-environmental behaviors has thus far focused on identifying individual factors that promote such behavior, designing interventions based on these factors, and evaluating these interventions. Contextual factors that may also influence behavior at an aggregate level have been largely ignored. In the current study, we test a novel hypothesis – whether simply being in a sustainable building can elicit environmentally sustainable behavior. We find support for our hypothesis: people are significantly more likely to correctly choose the proper disposal bin (garbage, compost, recycling) in a building designed with sustainability in mind compared to a building that was not. Questionnaires reveal that these results are not due to self-selection biases. Our study provides empirical support that one's surroundings can have a profound and positive impact on behavior. It also suggests the opportunity for a new line of research that bridges psychology, design, and policy-making in an attempt to understand how the human environment can be designed and used as a subtle yet powerful tool to encourage and achieve aggregate pro-environmental behavior.
Kinetic and structural analysis of a bacterial protein tyrosine phosphatase‐like myo‐inositol polyphosphatase

PhyA from Selenomonas ruminantium (PhyAsr), is a bacterial protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)‐like inositol polyphosphate phosphatase (IPPase) that is distantly related to known PTPs. PhyAsr has a second substrate binding site referred to as a standby site and the P‐loop (HCX5R) has been observed in both open (inactive) and closed (active) conformations. Site‐directed mutagenesis and kinetic and structural studies indicate PhyAsr follows a classical PTP mechanism of hydrolysis and has a broad specificity toward polyphosphorylated myo‐inositol substrates, including phosphoinositides. Kinetic and molecular docking experiments demonstrate PhyAsr preferentially cleaves the 3‐phosphate position of Ins P6 and will produce Ins(2)P via a highly ordered series of sequential dephosphorylations: D‐Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5, Ins(2,4,5,6)P4, D‐Ins(2,4,5)P3, and D‐Ins(2,4)P2. The data support a distributive enzyme mechanism and suggest the PhyAsr standby site is involved in the recruitment of substrate. Structural studies at physiological pH and high salt concentrations demonstrate the “closed” or active P‐loop conformation can be induced in the absence of substrate. These results suggest PhyAsr should be reclassified as a D‐3 myo‐inositol hexakisphosphate phosphohydrolase and suggest the PhyAsr reaction mechanism is more similar to that of PTPs than previously suspected.
Citation classics in clinical dermatologic journals. Citation analysis, biomedical journals, and landmark articles, 1945-1990.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN Analysis of the most frequently cited dermatology articles and the journals in which they appear identifies and emphasizes the impact of works of colleagues and predecessors, recognizes key advances in cutaneous medicine and surgery, and adds useful data about historical developments in dermatology. Use of citation analysis to examine the dermatologic literature reveals quantitative information about authors, articles, and journals helpful in identifying classic works and high-impact journals. We analyze the characteristics of all dermatology articles cited 100 or more times in one of the 10 most highly ranked clinical dermatology journals as indicated by the Institute of Scientific Information (Philadelphia, Pa) database from 1945 through 1990 and also discuss the standard and, as well, more recently described bibliometric indexes for dermatologic journals. RESULTS Thirty-one institutions located in 11 different countries produced 129 landmark articles. Ninety-two percent of the citation classics originated in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and Germany. There were 16 authors with three or more top-cited articles. Fifty-two percent of the articles were of the clinical type, 22% were clinical review articles, and 26% discussed basic science topics. The mean number of authors has increased gradually over the past 80 years. The average classic article was published in 1969, peaked in popularity 9 years later with 26 peer citations, and received only 11 citations in 1990. CONCLUSIONS Citation frequency and citation analysis reveal useful and interesting information about scientific communication. The data on citation classics we describe can be interpreted in many ways, but certainly reflects the attention that articles have received over the past 48 years. The half-life of the average citation classic of about 10 years reflects the rapid pace of advances in the science and practice of dermatology over the past several decades. This information, along with current bibliometric indexes, may assist physicians in optimizing the time they spend reading the medical literature.
Alteration in flow (shear stress)-induced remodelling in rat resistance arteries with aging: improvement by a treatment with hydralazine.

AIMS The link between aging and vascular diseases remains unclear, especially in resistance arteries. As a decreased vasodilator capacity of the endothelium is usually described in aging, we hypothesized that arteriolar remodelling in response to a chronic increase in blood flow might be altered. In addition, we tested the capacity of a vasodilator treatment with hydralazine to restore remodelling, as we have previously shown that hydralazine has a potent effect on the process. METHODS AND RESULTS Mesenteric resistance arteries (350 microm diameter) from 3- and 24-month-old rats were exposed to high blood flow (HF) and normal blood flow (NF), for 2 weeks by sequential ligating second-order arteries in vivo. In HF arteries, diameter increased by 21% when intraluminal pressure was 100 mmHg, in association with a rise in superoxide production in young rats. On the other hand, both diameter and superoxide levels failed to increase in old rats. Hydralazine restored HF-induced remodelling in old rats in association with an increased superoxide production and a decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression. The SOD-mimetic 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinoxyl (TEMPOL) prevented the effect of hydralazine on the arterial diameter. In old rats, hydralazine increased the arterial diameter in HF arteries without increasing eNOS expression. Furthermore, hydralazine also restored HF remodelling in eNOS knockout mice. CONCLUSION Thus, flow remodelling in resistance arteries failed to occur in aging but it could be restored by hydralazine via a reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanism. These findings may have serious pathophysiological consequences in situations requiring flow-dependent remodelling such as ischaemic and metabolic diseases, more frequent in the elderly.
Person Recognition using Smartphones' Accelerometer Data

Smartphones have become quite pervasive in various aspects of our daily lives. They have become important links to a host of important data and applications, which if compromised, can lead to disastrous results. Due to this, today's smartphones are equipped with multiple layers of authentication modules. However, there still lies the need for a viable and unobtrusive layer of security which can perform the task of user authentication using resources which are cost-efficient and widely available on smartphones. In this work, we propose a method to recognize users using data from a phone's embedded accelerometer sensors. Features encapsulating information from both time and frequency domains are extracted from walking data samples, and are used to build a Random Forest ensemble classification model. Based on the experimental results, the resultant model delivers an accuracy of 0.9679 and Area under Curve (AUC) of 0.9822.
Principles of physical vapor deposition of thin films

The goal of producing devices that are smaller, faster, more functional, reproducible, reliable and economical has given thin film processing a unique role in technology. "Principles of Vapor Deposition of Thin Films" brings in to one place a diverse amount of scientific background that is considered essential to become knowledgeable in thin film depostition techniques. Its ultimate goal as a reference is to provide the foundation upon which thin film science and technological innovation are possible. It offers detailed derivation of important formulae. It thoroughly covers the basic principles of materials science that are important to any thin film preparation. Careful attention is paid to terminologies, concepts and definitions, as well as abundance of illustrations offer clear support for the text.
Designing web-connected physical artefacts for the 'aesthetic' of the home

Web-based technologies are often built to capitalize on the flexibility and fluidity that is supported by the internet, with the value of 'access anywhere' underpinning a blurring of boundaries across home and work. Yet the home is well known in HCI to have a unique set of qualities that can use-fully be drawn upon when designing to support domestic life. In this paper we ask what it means to design domestic web-connected technologies, placing the aesthetic and material properties intrinsic to the home and home life at the centre of our design exploration. We present three concepts that were selected and prototyped from a broader process of research-through-design: Tokens of Search provides tangible handles to web resources; Hole in Space connects the home intimately to a remote place; and Manhattan enables the tangible exploration of events in the community, putting the home at the centre. Discussions in the paper consider not only how aesthetics is articulated in the material and digital properties of the artefacts, but also how a consideration of the properties of the home can create a potentially new design space to explore.
Grommets for Otitis Media With Effusion in Children With Cleft Palate: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: No consensus has yet been reached with regard to the link between otitis media with effusion (OME), hearing loss, and language development in children with cleft palate. The objective of this study was to address the effectiveness of ventilation tube insertion (VTI) for OME in children with cleft palate. METHODS: A dual review process was used to assess eligible studies drawn from PubMed, Medline via Ovid, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, and reference lists between 1948 and November 2013. Potentially relevant papers were selected according to the full text of the articles. Relevant data were extracted onto a data extraction sheet. RESULTS: Nine high- or moderate-quality cohort studies were included in this study. VTI was administered in 38% to 53% of the OME cases, and more severe cases appeared more likely to undergo VTI. Compared with conservative forms of management (eg, watchful waiting), VTI has been shown to be beneficial to the recovery of hearing in children with cleft palate and OME. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the benefits of VTI in the development of speech and language in children with cleft palate and OME. These children face a higher risk of complications than those undergoing conservative treatments, the most common of which are eardrum retraction and tympanosclerosis, with an incidence of ∼11% to 37%. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides evidence-based information related to the selection of treatment for OME in children with cleft palate. Additional randomized controlled trials are required to obtain bias-resistant evidence capable of reliably guiding treatment decisions. The conclusions in this review are based on underpowered cohort studies and very-low-strength evidence.
Human Tracking With Wireless Distributed Pyroelectric Sensors

This paper presents a wireless pyroelectric sensor system, composed of sensing modules (slaves), a synchronization and error rejection module (master), and a data fusion module (host), to perform human tracking. The computation workload distribution among slave, master, and host is investigated. The performances and costs of different signal-processing and target-tracking algorithms are discussed. A prototype system is described containing pyroelectric sensor modules that are able to detect the angular displacement of a moving thermal target. Fresnel lens arrays are used to modulate the sensor field of view. The sensor system has been used to track a single human target
Diffusion and reactivity of gas oil in FCC catalysts

This study considers the effects of diffusion and intrinsic catalytic reactivity for the cracking of gas oil on FCC catalysts. A four-lump kinetic model, initially developed in a novel CREC Simulator, is employed to estimate the unconverted gas oil, the gasoline, the light gases and the coke fractions. The model incorporates a modified Thiele modulus, based on zeolite crystal properties, and an effectiveness factor. The calculated effectiveness factor is found to increase with the gas oil conversion and to decrease with the intrinsic rate constant and the zaolite crystal size. The proposed model predicts that crystal size changes in the 0.13 to 1.3 μm range affect both primary and secondary cracking reactions and the yields of gasoline, coke and light gas yields.
Cache-Related Preemption and Migration Delays : Empirical Approximation and Impact on Schedulability ∗

A job that is impeded by a preemption or migration incurs additional cache misses when it resumes execution due to a loss of cache affinity. While often regarded negligible in scheduling-theoretic work, such cache-related delays must be accounted for when comparing scheduling algorithms in real systems. Two empirical methods to approximate cacherelated preemption and migration delays on actual hardware are proposed, and a case study reporting measured averageand worst-case overheads on a 24-core Intel system with a hierarchy of shared caches is presented. The widespread belief that migrations are always more costly than preemptions is refuted by the observed results. Additionally, an experiment design for schedulability studies that allows algorithms to be compared objectively under consideration of cache-related delays is presented.