Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hemagglutination and intestinal adherence properties of clinical and environmental isolates of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae

Hemagglutination and intestinal adherence properties of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae were studied in vitro. No definite correlation between the cell-associated hemagglutinin titers and the intestinal adhesion indices was noted. Sugar- and glycoprotein-mediated inhibition data also indicated differences between the hemagglutination and adherence processes in respect to the receptor structures. Intestinal adherence of most V. cholerae strains could be inhibited to various extents by N-acetyl D-glucosamine. This observation provides a likely explanation for the ecological behavior of these organisms, which are known to associate themselves with chitinous (chitin:homopolymer of N-acetyl D-glucosamine) surfaces of zooplankton. The absence of any significant difference between the intestinal adherence indices of clinical and environmental isolates suggests that intestinal adhesion may be an essential but not sufficient prerequisite for colonization by and subsequent expression of pathogenicity of these microorganisms.
Donor Surfactant Protein D (SP‐D) Polymorphisms Are Associated With Lung Transplant Outcome

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is the major factor limiting long‐term success of lung transplantation. Polymorphisms of surfactant protein D (SP‐D), an important molecule within lung innate immunity, have been associated with various lung diseases. We investigated the association between donor lung SP‐D polymorphisms and posttransplant CLAD and survival in 191 lung transplant recipients consecutively transplanted. Recipients were prospectively followed with routine pulmonary function tests. Donor DNA was assayed by pyrosequencing for SP‐D polymorphisms of two single‐nucleotide variations altering amino acids in the mature protein N‐terminal domain codon 11 (Met11Thr), and in codon 160 (Ala160Thr) of the C‐terminal domain. CLAD was diagnosed in 88/191 patients, and 60/191 patients have died. Recipients of allografts that expressed the homozygous Met11Met variant of aa11 had significantly greater freedom from CLAD development and better survival compared to those with the homozygous Thr11Th variant of aa11. No significant association was noted for SP‐D variants of aa160. Lung allografts with the SP‐D polymorphic variant Thr11Th of aa11 are associated with development of CLAD and reduced survival. The observed genetic differences of the donor lung, potentially with their effects on innate immunity, may influence the clinical outcomes after lung transplantation.
Tandem Organic Light-Emitting Diode and Organic Photovoltaic Device Inside Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal Cell

We have demonstrated a vertically stacked device consisting of organic photovoltaic device (OPV) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) inside a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cell. In such a device, OLED and PDLC acted as transmissive- (T-) and reflective- (R-) mode, respectively, of a transflective display without the tradeoff of aperture ratio between R- and T-modes in a conventional transflective LC display. OPV functioned as the black background for PDLC operation and increased the contrast ratio of OLED. Electrical characteristics of OLED and OPV in the stacked device were nearly identical to their individual device, which showed the fabrication process had little effect on OLED and OPV performances. However, their optical properties showed a little degradation, coming from the multi-layer structure and hence the suitable optical cavity design was needed. Storage lifetime of OLED increased in the stacked device because LC material helped to prevent the water and oxygen attack. Driving voltage of PDLC increased due to the insertion of passivation layer upon the electrode which was used protect the OLED and OPV underneath.
Comparison of direct and standardized testing of infected urine for antimicrobial susceptibilities by disk diffusion

A total of 14,272 urine specimens were examined over one year to determine the validity of direct antimicrobial agent susceptibility testing against ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cephalothin, gentamicin, norfloxacin, and trimethoprim. A comparison between direct and standardized disk diffusion tests was made for a total of 1,106 urine specimens containing > or = 10(5) organisms per ml in pure culture. There were 5,821 individual organism-antimicrobial agent challenges compared for the two testing methods, and there was complete agreement of susceptibility category in 5,492 comparisons (94.3%). Initially, discordant results were reduced from 5.7 to 2.1% when the intermediate category was considered susceptible. Intralaboratory variation was assessed by testing another 453 organisms by the standard National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) method on two consecutive days; there was complete agreement in 96.1% of comparisons. When results of direct and standardized testing were simply classified as susceptible or resistant, there was 1.1% discordance. When simple same-day tests were used together with predictable patterns of susceptibility and resistance, 536 (48.5%) of 1,106 isolates could be identified satisfactorily to the genus or species level. For laboratory reporting purposes, the direct method is equivalent to the standard method when the urine being tested is infected with > or = 10(5) organisms of a single type per ml. The presence or absence of preexisting antimicrobial agents in urine did not appreciably influence the results. This procedure allows the earlier reporting of susceptibility results and facilitates less expensive identification of many organisms. Costs and benefits need to be determined in each institution.
Predicting Kindergarteners' End-Of-Year Spelling Ability Based on Their Reading, Alphabetic, Vocabulary, and Phonological Awareness Skills, as Well as Prior Literacy Experiences

This study examined the role of home literacy, parental education, and demographic factors in addition to conventional literacy skills at the beginning and end of kindergarten in predicting end-of-kindergarten spelling achievement. The study involved 9 schools and 29 classrooms serving an economically and ethnically diverse population (N = 288). Students spelled three types of words: Sight words, decodable real words, and decodable pseudowords; spellings were scored to allow partial credit for invented spelling. Results from a three-step hierarchical regression indicated the variables accounted for 66% of the variance in spelling scores, with the single strongest spring predictor being a 1-minute letter-sound fluency test. Implications for instruction and for identifying students at risk for spelling and reading difficulties are discussed.
Spore-Forming Thermophilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Isolated from North Sea Oil Field Waters

Thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from oil field waters from oil production platforms in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Spore-forming rods dominated in the enrichments when lactate, propionate, butyrate, or a mixture of aliphatic fatty acids (C4 through C6) was added as a carbon source and electron donor. Representative strains were isolated and characterized. The isolates grew autotrophically on H2-CO2 and heterotrophically on fatty acids such as formate, propionate, butyrate, caproate, valerate, pyruvate, and lactate and on alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, and propanol. Sulfate, sulfite, and thiosulfate but not nitrate could be used as an electron acceptor. The temperature range for growth was 43 to 78°C; the spores were extremely heat resistant and survived 131°C for 20 min. The optimum pH was 7.0. The isolates grew well in salt concentrations ranging from 0 to 800 mmol of NaCl per liter. Sulfite reductase P582 was present, but cytochrome c and desulfoviridin were not found. Electron micrographs revealed a gram-positive cell organization. The isolates were classified as a Desulfotomaculum sp. on the basis of spore formation, general physiological characteristics, and submicroscopic organization. To detect thermophilic spore-forming sulfate-reducing bacteria in oil field water, polyvalent antisera raised against antigens from two isolates were used. These bacteria were shown to be widespread in oil field water from different platforms. The origin of thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria in the pore water of oil reservoirs is discussed.
Identifying Hypothesis Confirmation Behaviors in a Simulated Murder Investigation: Implications for Practice

Investigators have been shown to be prone to accessing information that confirms their preferred hypothesis. This tendency has been termed hypothesis confirmation. Hypothesis confirmation behaviour was explored in two studies using a computer administered simulation of a murder investigation. In Study 1, hypothesis confirmation behaviour did not differentiate successful and unsuccessful participants. However, unsuccessful participants stored more confirmatory information than non-confirmatory information. Successful participants did not show this pattern. In Study 2, unsuccessful participants tended to settle early on a suspect and then acquired information that supported their decision. Successful participants tended to consider a number of suspects for longer and accessed a greater diversity of information. Taken together, these findings are highly suggestive of the role of information acquisition as an important component of hypothesis confirmatory behaviour, which is associated with unsuccessful information processing in the context of a simulated murder investigation. Implications for practice are presented. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
2-Amino-6-methylpyridinium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate

In the asymmetric unit of the title salt, C6H9N2 +·C7H7O3S−, there are two independent 2-amino-6-methylpyridinium cations and two independent 4-methylbenzenesulfonate anions. Both cations are protonated at their pyridine N atoms and their geometries reveal amine–imine tautomerism. In the 4-methylbenzenesulfonate anions, the carboxylate groups are twisted out of the benzene ring planes by 88.4 (1) and 86.2 (2)°. In the crystal, the sulfonate O atoms of an anion interact with the protonated N atoms and the 2-amino groups of a cation via a pair of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming an R 2 2(8) ring motif. These motifs are connected via N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains running along the a-axis direction. Within the chains there are weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds present. In addition, aromatic π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.771 (2), 3.599 (2), 3.599 (2) and 3.497 (2) Å] involving neighbouring chains are also observed.
Tactile directional sensibility and diabetic neuropathy

Five different procedures used to diagnose neuropathy were compared in a “blind” study with diabetic patients. The aim was to evaluate tests of tactile directional sensibility. Three matched groups were examined, two groups with type I diabetes, either with or without suspected neuropathy, and one of healthy controls. Testing consisted of: (1) examination by a specialist in neurology, (2) electrophysiologic measurement of nerve conduction velocity and determination of cool sensitivity, and (3) determination of directional sensibility in two stages, with categorical and quantitative techniques. Abnormal test results were obtained for both groups of diabetic patients. Quantitatively measured directional sensibility had the highest sensitivity (89%) and specificity (85%) when calculated for patients who had received a diagnosis of neuropathy from the neurologist, despite one case of abnormal directional sensibility among the healthy controls. Conduction velocity testing was almost comparably sensitive (80%) and cool sensitivity, comparably specific (85%) when calculated in the same manner. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 1496–1502, 2001
S-Allyl-Cysteines Reduce Amelioration of Aluminum Induced Toxicity in Rats

Problem statement: Aluminum (Al) is a trivalent cation found in its ionic form in most kinds of animal tissues and in natural waters everywhere. Approach: It is a potent neurotoxin and has been associated in the pathogenesis of several clinical disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Results: The aim of the study was to demonstrate the protective effect of S-Allyl-Cysteines (SAC) against Al-induced toxicity in rat model on certain biochemical parameters, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress enzymes of white albino rats. Six rats per group were divided into various treatment groups. Group one rats were given normal saline and served as control group. Group two animals received Al as aluminum nitrate 32.5 mg (i.p.) for the induction of toxicity. Group three to five received different doses of SAC (25, 50 and 100 mg kg-1) for 3 days after 24 h of Al toxicity. Rats were orally administered their respective doses every day for 3 days. Evaluations were made in blood and tissues. The activity of Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) was inhibited in all the parts of brain after Al intoxication. Significant rise were observed the Activities of Serum Transaminases (AST and ALT) after toxicant exposure. The activity of δ-Aminolevulinic acid Dehydratase (ALAD) in blood and δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Synthetase (ALAS) in brain was decreased after Al exposure. Al significant increased cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine and urea level in serum. TBARS level was significantly higher and GSH content were significantly lower during toxicity. Total and esterified cholesterol in liver, kidney and brain were increased after Al exposure. Histopathological changes in liver, kidney and brain were also recouped with the therapy. Conclusion/Recommendations: Our data proved that SAC which is a bioactive and bioavailable component of garlic has organosulfur compounds which regulates the thiol status of the cell and scavenges free radicals and work as an antioxidant. Thus SAC effectively reduces cognitive dysfunction and oxidative damage induced by Al.
A Comparison of Surface Air Temperature Variability in Three 1000-Yr Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Model Integrations

This study compares the variability of surface air temperature in three long coupled ocean‐atmosphere general circulation model integrations. It is shown that the annual mean climatology of the surface air temperatures (SAT) in all three models is realistic and the linear trends over the 1000-yr integrations are small over most areas of the globe. Second, although there are notable differences among the models, the models’ SAT variability is fairly realistic on annual to decadal timescales, both in terms of the geographical distribution and of the global mean values. A notable exception is the poor simulation of observed tropical Pacific variability. In the HadCM2 model, the tropical variability is overestimated, while in the GFDL and HAM3L models, it is underestimated. Also, the ENSO-related spectral peak in the globally averaged observed SAT differs from that in any of the models. The relatively low resolution required to integrate models for long time periods inhibits the successful simulation of the variability in this region. On timescales longer than a few decades, the largest variance in the models is generally located near sea ice margins in high latitudes, which are also regions of deep oceanic convection and variability related to variations in the thermohaline circulation. However, the exact geographical location of these maxima varies from model to model. The preferred patterns of interdecadal variability that are common to all three coupled models can be isolated by computing empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of all model data simultaneously using the common EOF technique. A comparison of the variance each model associated with these common EOF patterns shows that the models generally agree on the most prominent patterns of variability. However, the amplitudes of the dominant modes of variability differ to some extent between the models and between the models and observations. For example, two of the models have a mode with relatively large values of the same sign over most of the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. This mode has been shown to be relevant for the separation of the temperature response pattern due to sulfate aerosol forcing from the response to greenhouse gas forcing. This indicates that the results of the detection of climate change and its attribution to different external forcings may differ when unperturbed climate variability in surface air temperature is estimated using different coupled models. Assuming that the simulation of variability of the global mean SAT is as realistic on longer timescales as it is for the shorter timescales, then the observed warming of more than 0.5 K of the SAT in the last 110 yr is not likely to be due to internally generated variability of the coupled atmosphere‐ocean‐sea ice system. Instead, the warming is likely to be due to changes in the radiative forcing of the climate system, such as the forcing associated with increases in greenhouse gases.
The Effect of Word of Mouth on Sales: Online Book Reviews

The authors examine the effect of consumer reviews on relative sales of books at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. The authors find that (1) reviews are overwhelmingly positive at both sites, but there are more reviews and longer reviews at Amazon.com; (2) an improvement in a book's reviews leads to an increase in relative sales at that site; (3) for most samples in the study, the impact of one-star reviews is greater than the impact of five-star reviews; and (4) evidence from review-length data suggests that customers read review text rather than relying only on summary statistics.
Wireless Communication of Intraoral Devices and Its Optimal Frequency Selection

This paper explores communication methods and frequencies for wireless intraoral electronic devices, by using an intraoral tongue drive system (iTDS) as a practical example. Because intraoral devices do not meet the operating conditions of the body channel communication, we chose radio frequency communication. We evaluated and compared three frequencies in industrial, scientific, and medical bands (27 MHz, 433.9 MHz, and 2.48 GHz ) in terms of their data link performance based on path loss and radiation patterns over horizontal and vertical planes. To do so, we dynamically minimize the impedance mismatch caused by the varying oral environment by applying the adaptive impedance matching technique to 433.9 MHz and 2.48 GHz bands. Experimental results showed that 27 MHz has the smallest path loss in the near-field up to 39 cm separation between transmitter and receiver antennas. However, 433.9 MHz shows the best performance beyond 39 cm and offers a maximum operating distance of 123 cm with 0 dBm transmitter output power. These distances were obtained by a bit error rate test and verified by a link budget analysis and full functionality test of the iTDS with computer access.
Interaction of curcumin nanoformulations with human plasma proteins and erythrocytes

Background Recent studies report curcumin nanoformulation(s) based on polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), β-cyclodextrin, cellulose, nanogel, and dendrimers to have anticancer potential. However, no comparative data are currently available for the interaction of curcumin nanoformulations with blood proteins and erythrocytes. The objective of this study was to examine the interaction of curcumin nanoformulations with cancer cells, serum proteins, and human red blood cells, and to assess their potential application for in vivo preclinical and clinical studies. Methods The cellular uptake of curcumin nanoformulations was assessed by measuring curcumin levels in cancer cells using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. Protein interaction studies were conducted using particle size analysis, zeta potential, and Western blot techniques. Curcumin nanoformulations were incubated with human red blood cells to evaluate their acute toxicity and hemocompatibility. Results Cellular uptake of curcumin nanoformulations by cancer cells demonstrated preferential uptake versus free curcumin. Particle sizes and zeta potentials of curucumin nanoformulations were varied after human serum albumin adsorption. A remarkable capacity of the dendrimer curcumin nanoformulation to bind to plasma protein was observed, while the other formulations showed minimal binding capacity. Dendrimer curcumin nanoformulations also showed higher toxicity to red blood cells compared with the other curcumin nanoformulations. Conclusion PLGA and nanogel curcumin nanoformulations appear to be very compatible with erythrocytes and have low serum protein binding characteristics, which suggests that they may be suitable for application in the treatment of malignancy. These findings advance our understanding of the characteristics of curcumin nanoformulations, a necessary component in harnessing and implementing improved in vivo effects of curcumin.
Robust Matrix Factorization by Majorization Minimization

<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$L_1$</tex-math><alternatives> <inline-graphic xlink:href="lin-ieq1-2651816.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>-norm based low rank matrix factorization in the presence of missing data and outliers remains a hot topic in computer vision. Due to non-convexity and non-smoothness, all the existing methods either lack scalability or robustness, or have no theoretical guarantee on convergence. In this paper, we apply the Majorization Minimization technique to solve this problem. At each iteration, we upper bound the original function with a strongly convex surrogate. By minimizing the surrogate and updating the iterates accordingly, the objective function has sufficient decrease, which is stronger than just being non-increasing that other methods could offer. As a consequence, without extra assumptions, we prove that any limit point of the iterates is a stationary point of the objective function. In comparison, other methods either do not have such a convergence guarantee or require extra critical assumptions. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real data sets testify to the effectiveness of our algorithm. The speed of our method is also highly competitive.
Religious Voices in Self-Narratives. Making Sense of Life in Times of Transition

In present-day pluralistic and individualized societies, the question of how individuals appropriate religious traditions has become particularly relevant. In this volume, psychologists, anthropologists, and historians examine the presence of religious voices in narrative constructions of the self. The focus is on the multiple ways religious stories and practices feature in self-narratives about major life transitions. The contributions explore the ways in which such voices inform the accommodation and interpretation of these transitions.