Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Induction of a viable but non‐culturable state in Salmonella Typhimurium by thermosonication and factors affecting resuscitation

Abstract The objective of this work was to analyze the effects of thermosonication (TS) on induction of a viable but non‐culturable (VBNC) state in Salmonella Typhimurium and to examine incubation factors affecting subsequent resuscitation of cells. A TS treatment of 380 W at 53°C for 30 min induced the VBNC state in S. Typhimurium cells in beef peptone yeast (BPY) broth, apple/carrot juice, physiological saline and phosphate buffer solution. The logarithmic and decline phases of growth were more sensitive to the TS treatment compared to stationary phase cells. Meanwhile, VBNC S. Typhimurium could be resuscitated back to culturable cells by using suitable incubation temperatures and media. Addition of Tween 20 hindered resuscitation compared to the use of BPY medium alone. The optimal growth temperature (i.e. 37°C) was the most suitable temperature to resuscitate cells from the VBNC state. The VBNC incidence index decreased with the addition of sodium pyruvate during TS treatment, as it accelerated resuscitation. The results demonstrated that free radicals produced during TS processing and the growth phase of cells affected induction of the VBNC state in S. Typhimurium. Hence, the kinds and amounts of free radicals generated during TS treatment should be analyzed in the future. Figure. No Caption available.
The PAX3-FOXO1 Fusion Protein Present in Rhabdomyosarcoma Interferes with Normal FOXO Activity and the TGF-β Pathway

PAX3-FOXO1 (PAX3-FKHR) is the fusion protein produced by the genomic translocation that characterizes the alveolar subtype of Rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric sarcoma with myogenic phenotype. PAX3-FOXO1 is an aberrant but functional transcription factor. It retains PAX3-DNA-binding activity and functionally overlaps PAX3 function while also disturbing it, in particular its role in myogenic differentiation. We herein show that PAX3-FOXO1 interferes with normal FOXO function. PAX3-FOXO1 affects FOXO-family member trans-activation capability and the FOXO-dependent TGF-β response. PAX3-FOXO1 may contribute to tumor formation by inhibiting the tumor suppressor activities which are characteristic of both FOXO family members and TGF-β pathways. The recognition of this mechanism raises new questions about how FOXO family members function.
The effects of pretreatment with x-rays on the pathogenesis of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in mice. I. Host survival, virus multiplication and leukocytosis.

The protective effect of x-ray pretreatment on mice infected with LCM virus was quantitatively compared using two different virus and mouse strains. The x-ray dose effect was host controlled, and under optimal conditions 500 r protected for 4 to 8 days; this period coincided with severe leukopenia. X-irradiation caused a slight increase in virus titer in brain and blood, while eliminating signs of disease and mortality. The conclusion is made that infection with the virus used is intrinsically harmless, and the protective effect of x-rays is due to a suppression of the disease-producing immune response of the host resulting in a state of tolerant immunity similar to immunological paralysis.
A Phase I and Pharmacokinetic Study of Exisulind and Docetaxel in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

Purpose: Exisulind (sulindac sulfone, FGN-1, Aptosyn) is a sulindac metabolite that induces apoptosis via inhibition of cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase. This agent demonstrated tumor growth inhibition in rodent models of colon, breast, prostate, and lung carcinogenesis. In an orthotopic model of human non–small-cell lung cancer, the combination of exisulind and docetaxel prolonged survival in athymic nude rats, forming the basis of this phase I combination study. Experimental Design: This study evaluated the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of combining exisulind (150–250 mg) given orally twice daily and docetaxel (30–36 mg/m2) administered intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 4-week cycle. Results: Twenty patients with a range of advanced solid tumors (median age, 59 years; age range, 35–77 years; median performance status, 1) received a total of 70 courses. Observed adverse events were mild to moderate, and there was no dose-limiting toxicity at any level. Grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicities were present in 10 of the 70 cycles (10%) and included nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and elevated alkaline phosphatase. Neutropenia was present in four cycles in patients treated with a docetaxel dose of 36 mg/m2. Pharmacokinetic analysis did not demonstrate a clear effect of exisulind on docetaxel pharmacokinetics and vice versa. Relationships were evident between the plasma concentration of exisulind and the development of grade 2 or greater toxicities. One third of patients maintained stable disease for 3 to 12 cycles, but no objective responses were observed. Conclusions: The combination of docetaxel (36 mg/m2, weekly) and exisulind (500 mg/d) was reasonably well tolerated, and it is undergoing phase II testing in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer.
On the limits of steganography

In this paper, we clarify what steganography is and what it can do. We contrast it with the related disciplines of cryptography and traffic security, present a unified terminology agreed at the first international workshop on the subject, and outline a number of approaches-many of them developed to hide encrypted copyright marks or serial numbers in digital audio or video. We then present a number of attacks, some new, on such information hiding schemes. This leads to a discussion of the formidable obstacles that lie in the way of a general theory of information hiding systems (in the sense that Shannon gave us a general theory of secrecy systems). However, theoretical considerations lead to ideas of practical value, such as the use of parity checks to amplify covertness and provide public key steganography. Finally, we show that public key information hiding systems exist, and are not necessarily constrained to the case where the warden is passive.
Careful examination on the asymmetric Vfb shift problem for poly-Si/HfSiON gate stack and its solution by the Hf concentration control in the dielectric near the poly-Si interface with small EOT expense

In this paper, the effect of the MIGS and the poly-Si process on the Vfb shift was carefully examined and clarified. We conclude that these factors are not correlated with the shift. We found that lowering the Htf (Hf+Si) (Hf-ratio) in HfSiON below 10% leads to the significant suppression of this shift in both NMOS and PMOS. We also demonstrated that the insertion of ultra-thin cap layers into the poly-Si/HfSiON results in Vfb improvement with 0.1 nm EOT expense. We proposed that the sophisticated tailoring of Hf in the dielectric could be a practical solution for the Vfb improvement.
Impact of Donor and Recipient Race on Survival After Hepatitis C-Related Liver Transplantation

Background. Both donor and recipient race impact outcomes after liver transplantation (LT), especially for hepatitis C virus (HCV). The interaction and simultaneous impact of both on patient survival is not clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of donor and recipient race on recipient and graft survival after HCV-related LT using the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Methods. A total of 16,053 recipients (75.5% white, 9.3% black, and 15.2% Hispanic) who underwent primary LT for HCV between 1998 and 2008 were included. Cox regression models were used to assess the association between recipient/donor race and patient survival. Results. A significant interaction between donor and recipient race was noted (P=0.01). Black recipients with white donors had a higher risk of patient mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.47–1.87) compared with that of white recipients with white donors. In contrast, the pairing of Hispanic recipients with black donors was associated with a lower risk of recipient mortality compared with that of white recipients with white donors (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.46–0.87). Similar results were noted for graft failure. Conclusion. In conclusion, the impact of donor and recipient race on patient survival varies substantially by the matching of recipient/donor race.
Cottonseed protein-based wood adhesive reinforced with nanocellulose

Abstract Although protein-based adhesives are eco-friendly, sustainable, and biodegradable, continued improvement in their adhesive performance is desirable. In this work, the effect of adding nanocellulose particles to cottonseed protein-based wood adhesives was studied. Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were found to be most beneficial at about a 2% additive level, giving 22% improvement in dry adhesive strength over the cottonseed protein control. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were optimal at about 10% additive level, giving 16% strength improvement relative to cottonseed protein alone. The hot water resistance of cottonseed protein isolate was also improved with CNF addition, but not with CNC addition. For comparison, soy protein isolate was also studied and showed about the same relative dry strength improvements with nanocellulose addition, but improvement of hot water resistance was less apparent. Infrared and thermogravimetric analysis suggested that the protein and the nanocellulose were interacting with each other. Thus, CNF may be a useful additive to cottonseed protein formulations used as wood adhesives.
Analysis and evaluation of Feature selectors in opinion mining

Computational performance is improved by use of basic feature selection in most of the research works. Sentiment analysis identifies whether opinion expressed on a topic in a document is positive or negative. But many potential sentiment analysis applications are not feasible because of the voluminous amount of features present in the corpus. This paper evaluates a range of feature selectors systematically with respect to their efficiency in improving the performance of the classifiers for sentiment analysis. Movie reviews are used for sentiment analysis in this study.
Feeding kinematics and performance of basal otariid pinnipeds, Steller sea lions and northern fur seals: implications for the evolution of mammalian feeding

ABSTRACT Feeding performance studies can address questions relevant to feeding ecology and evolution. Our current understanding of feeding mechanisms for aquatic mammals is poor. Therefore, we characterized the feeding kinematics and performance of five Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and six northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). We tested the hypotheses that both species use suction as their primary feeding mode, and that rapid jaw opening was related to suction generation. Steller sea lions used suction as their primary feeding mode, but also used a biting feeding mode. In contrast, northern fur seals only used a biting feeding mode. Kinematic profiles of Steller sea lions were all indicative of suction feeding (i.e. a small gape, small gape angle, large depression of the hyolingual apparatus and lip pursing). However, jaw opening as measured by gape angle opening velocity (GAOV) was relatively slow in Steller sea lions. In contrast to Steller sea lions, the GAOV of northern fur seals was extremely fast, but their kinematic profiles indicated a biting feeding mode (i.e. northern fur seals exhibited a greater gape, a greater gape angle and minimal depression of the hyolingual apparatus compared with Steller sea lions). Steller sea lions produced both subambient and suprambient pressures at 45 kPa. In contrast, northern fur seals produced no detectable pressure measurements. Steller sea lions have a broader feeding repertoire than northern fur seals, which likely enables them to feed on a greater variety of prey, in more diverse habitats. Based on the basal phylogenetic position of northern fur seals, craniodental morphological data of the Callorhinus lineage, and the performance data provided in this study, we suggest that northern fur seals may be exhibiting their ancestral feeding mode. Summary: Steller sea lions use both suction and biting when foraging but northern fur seals are constrained to a biting feeding mode, which may be ancestral for this clade.
Impact of DFIG with phase lock loop dynamics on power systems small signal stability

With increased penetration of wind power, the impact of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) on small signal stability of power systems gains more and more attention. Control of DFIGs depends on accurate phase lock information of DFIG terminal voltage from phase lock loop (PLL). This paper carefully evaluates the influence of PLL dynamics and steady-state error on low frequency oscillation using an analytical approach based on eigenvalue analysis. Simulation results show that PLL's steady-state error hardy influences the small signal stability while dynamics of PLL could change electromechanical eigenvalues of power systems with certain PI parameters. PLL's state variables could participate in low frequency oscillation.
The Marriage Premium Revisited : The Case of Professional Baseball

Using a sample of professional baseball players from 1871 2007, this paper aims at analyzing a longstanding empirical observation that married men earn significantly more than their single counterparts holding all else equal. There are numerous conflicting explanations, some of which reflect subtle sample selection problems (that is, men who tend to be successful in the workplace or have high potential wage growth also tend to be successful in attracting a spouse) and some of which are causal (that is, marriage does indeed increase productivity for men). Baseball is a unique case study because it has a long history of statistics collection and numerous direct measurements of productivity. Our results show that the marriage premium also holds for baseball players, where married players earn up to 20% more than those who are not married, even after controlling for selection. The results are generally robust only for players in the top third of the ability distribution and post 1975 when changes in the rules that govern wage contracts allowed for players to be valued closer to their true market price. Nonetheless, there do not appear to be clear differences in productivity between married and nonmarried players. We discuss possible reasons why employers may discriminate in favor of married men. (JEL J31, J44, J70)
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in borderline ovarian tumors: an immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in epithelial borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) by immunohistochemistry with correlation to clinicopathologic variables. MATERIAL AND METHOD Paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 62 borderline ovarian tumors (47 mucinous, 14 serous, and 1 clear cell) and 12 epthelial ovarian carcinomas were immunostained with antibodies to hTERT. The intensity and quantity of the immunostaining was determined and analyzed with clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS hTERT expression was detected in 48.4% of BOT and all cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. In immunoreactive BOT 50% of cases were scored as high expression. Serous BOT had the highest rate of hTERT expression. There was no significant statistical difference of hTERT immunoreactivity between histologic types of BOT. No hTERT immunoreactivity was observed in the benign parts of the same slides of each immunoreactive case. hTERT immunoreactivity was positively correlated with FIGO stage (p = 0.04), but not with other variables. The mean follow-up time of BOT cases was 81.63 months and no recurrence or death was noted. CONCLUSION hTERT expression was found in half of BOT and all of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. High hTERT expression was associated with FIGO stage.
Predicting Final Examination Grades in a Self-Paced Introductory Psychology Course: The Role of Motivational Orientation, Learning Strategies, Procrastination, and Perception of Daily Hassels.

This study examined the effectiveness of using selected selfreport measures assessing motivational orientation, learning strategies, procrastination, and perceptions of daily hassles to facilitate the prediction of final examination grades in a self-paced introductory psychology course. Four surveys purporting to measure the constructs were chosen, and a demographic survey was also administered. The course used a local area network of personal computers to administer all materials and to collect data for each participant. Students agreeing to participate in the study were administered the surveys during the first three class sessions of the semester. The course was self-paced, with students determining their rate of engagement. A criterion level of accumulated points determined course letter grade and course completion. Data were collected on 149 students, 122 of whom completed the course. The final examination was given in two segments. Part 1 covered core modules that all students were required to master during the course of the semester before they attempted additional modules. Part 2 covered additional modules. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that self-efficacy for learning and performance was positively related to grades on part 1 of the final examination. Results suggest that self-efficacy contributes to student performance. Implications for early interventions to improve student self-efficacy and achievement are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 82 references.) (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Exercise and exercise intentions among obese and overweight individuals

Purpose: To determine the relationship between exercise stage and decisional balance in overweight and obese individuals seeking advanced practice nurse (APN) care. Data sources: A convenience sample of 175 persons aged 40 or above with the values of body mass index (BMI) exceeding 25. Conclusions: One fourth of the respondents were considering beginning exercise within the next month; 23% had exercised regularly for more than 6 months and 39% indicated that they exercised regularly. Most respondents believed the pros of exercise outweighed the cons, and as the pros increased, so did the likelihood of exercising. Implications for practice: In approaching the subject of exercise among obese and overweight individuals it is important for the APN to understand behavioral change. Thus, it would be more fruitful to ask, “What would it take to move those who intend to begin exercising to the next stage? ” For health behavior change to occur, the pros must be twice as numerous as the cons. In clinical practice, reviewing and adding to the pros of exercise as outlined by the patient might tip the decisional balance in favor of exercise.
Future Prospects: Shape Memory Features in Shape Memory Polymers and Their Corresponding Composites

Shape memory polymers and their related composites are formally known as SMPs and SMPCs have been classified as innovative categories of smart materials, in which they affected by a particular stimulus and consequently memorize the original shape. As one of the most vital feature of shape memory characteristics, Shape Memory Effect (SME) that been attracted significant attention from the shape memory researchers and scientists. On the other hands, there are abundant approaches can be implemented to actuate the SMPs and SMPCs deformation, whereby the features of the electro-or thermal response associated with the structural changes are predominant. In this chapter, a particular emphasis on how the incorporation of micro/nano-fillers and particles or fibers do affect in the SMP matrices, which it is intentionally carried out to improve the mechanical properties and their related shape memory features of various types of shape memory polymers. In the summary, the shape memory effect is been sustained to be an intrinsic feature for the SMPs and based on this property, the implementation of the SMPs have covered a wide range of applications according to the required functions and performances.
Use of DDGS in Poultry Diets Introduction

A considerable amount of research has been conducted on the effects of feeding DDGS to poultry. Corn DDGS is an excellent feed ingredient for use in layer, broiler, duck and turkey diets and contains approximately 85% of the energy value in corn, has moderate levels of protein and essential amino acids, and is high in available phosphorus. Layer and broiler diets can easily contain up to 10% DDGS with little, if any formulation adjustments for energy and amino acids. Swiatkiewicz and Korelski (2008) conducted a scientific literature review on the benefits of feeding DDGS to poultry and concluded that DDGS is an acceptable ingredient for use in poultry diets and can be safely added at levels of 5-8% in starter diets for broilers and turkeys, and 12-15% in grower-finisher diets for broilers, turkeys, and laying hens. However, these are conservative dietary inclusion rates assuming that diets are not formulated on a digestible amino acid basis.
Heterogeneity of outer membrane proteins in Borrelia burgdorferi: comparison of osp operons of three isolates of different geographic origins

Biochemical and immunochemical studies of the outer membrane proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi have shown that the OspA and OspB proteins from strains of different geographic origins may differ considerably in their reactivities with monoclonal antibodies and in their apparent molecular weights. To further characterize this variation in Osp proteins between strains, the osp operons and deduced translation products from two strains, one from Sweden (ACAI) and one from eastern Russia (Ip90), were studied. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot (immunoblot) analyses confirmed differences between ACAI, Ip90, and the North American strain B31 in their Osp proteins. The sequences of the ospA and ospB genes of ACAI and Ip90 were compared with that of the previously studied osp operon of B31 (S. Bergström, V. G. Bundoc, and A. G. Barbour, Mol. Microbiol. 3:479-486, 1989). The osp genes of ACAI and Ip90, like the corresponding genes of B31, were found on plasmids with apparent sizes of about 50 kb and are cotranscribed as a single unit. Pairwise comparisons of the nucleotide sequences revealed that the ospA genes of ACAI and Ip90 were 85 and 86% identical, respectively, to the ospA gene of strain B31 and 86% identical to each other. The ospB sequences of these two strains were 79% identical to the ospB gene of B31 and 81% identical to each other. There was significantly greater similarity between the ospA genes of the three different strains than there was between the ospA and ospB genes within each strain. These studies suggest that the duplication of osp genes in B. burgdorferi occurred before the geographical dispersion of strains represented by ACAI, Ip90, and B31.