Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biofilms on Hospital Shower Hoses: Characterization and Implications for Nosocomial Infections

ABSTRACT Although the source of drinking water (DW) used in hospitals is commonly disinfected, biofilms forming on water pipelines are a refuge for bacteria, including possible pathogens that survive different disinfection strategies. These biofilm communities are only beginning to be explored by culture-independent techniques that circumvent the limitations of conventional monitoring efforts. Hence, theories regarding the frequency of opportunistic pathogens in DW biofilms and how biofilm members withstand high doses of disinfectants and/or chlorine residuals in the water supply remain speculative. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of microbial communities growing on five hospital shower hoses using both 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacterial isolates and whole-genome shotgun metagenome sequencing. The resulting data revealed a Mycobacterium-like population, closely related to Mycobacterium rhodesiae and Mycobacterium tusciae, to be the predominant taxon in all five samples, and its nearly complete draft genome sequence was recovered. In contrast, the fraction recovered by culture was mostly affiliated with Proteobacteria, including members of the genera Sphingomonas, Blastomonas, and Porphyrobacter. The biofilm community harbored genes related to disinfectant tolerance (2.34% of the total annotated proteins) and a lower abundance of virulence determinants related to colonization and evasion of the host immune system. Additionally, genes potentially conferring resistance to β-lactam, aminoglycoside, amphenicol, and quinolone antibiotics were detected. Collectively, our results underscore the need to understand the microbiome of DW biofilms using metagenomic approaches. This information might lead to more robust management practices that minimize the risks associated with exposure to opportunistic pathogens in hospitals.
Cell Phone Addiction: A Review of the Available Data

The use of cell phones is nowadays a necessity for many individuals, and this technology has a privileged position not only in the communication field, but, due to various applications, in the economic, educational and cultural life. However, addiction as a “dark side” of this technology use has been described, and multiple psychological scales for the determination of this addiction’s severity have been created. Smartphone addiction is not specific to a certain cultural, social, economic or educational background. Risk factors for smart phones addiction development have been detected in epidemiological trials: female gender, high anxiety level, insomnia, Internet use, alcohol use, low self-esteem, low self-control, and sensation-seeking. Depression has been associated with both high risk for developing cell phone addiction, and with protective value for this pathology. Applications for monitorisation of the smartphone use have been created, in order to help a clinician to verify the status of the addiction. No clinical trials focused on specific treatment approaches has been yet initiated. Due to the increasing rate of cell phones use, and to the wide range of population possible affected by excessive use of the cell phones- from children to elderly individuals, more research is needed for delineating harm-reduction approach (to decrease the use, or to make the behaviour controllable) and therapy (in more severe cases).
Novel Design of n-bit Controllable Inverter by Quantum-dot Cellular Automata

Application of quantum-dot is a promising technology for implementing digital systems at nano-scale. Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a system with low power consumption and a potentially high density and regularity. Also, QCA supports the new devices with nanotechnology architecture. This technique works based on electron interactions inside quantum-dots leading to emergence of quantum features and decreasing the problem of future integrated circuits in terms of size. In this paper, we will successfully design, implement and simulate a new 2-input and 3-input XOR gate (exclusive OR gate) based on QCA with the minimum delay, area and complexities. Then, we will use XOR gates presented in this paper, in 2-bit, 4-bit and 8-bit controllable inverter in QCA. Being potentially pipeline, the QCA technology calculates with the maximum operating speed. We can use this controllable inverter in the n-bit adder/subtractor and reversible gate.
Landsat Super-Resolution Enhancement Using Convolution Neural Networks and Sentinel-2 for Training

Landsat is a fundamental data source for understanding historical change and its effect on environmental processes. In this research we test shallow and deep convolution neural networks (CNNs) for Landsat image super-resolution enhancement, trained using Sentinel-2, in three study sites representing boreal forest, tundra, and cropland/woodland environments. The analysis sought to assess baseline performance and determine the capacity for spatial and temporal extension of the trained CNNs. This is not a data fusion approach and a high-resolution image is only needed to train the CNN. Results show improvement with the deeper network generally achieving better results. For spatial and temporal extension, the deep CNN performed the same or better than the shallow CNN, but at greater computational cost. Results for temporal extension were influenced by change potentiality reducing the performance difference between the shallow and deep CNN. Visual examination revealed sharper images regarding land cover boundaries, linear features, and within-cover textures. The results suggest that spatial enhancement of the Landsat archive is feasible, with optimal performance where CNNs can be trained and applied within the same spatial domain. Future research will assess the enhancement on time series and associated land cover applications.
Measuring Private Equity Returns and Benchmarking Against Public Markets

Private equity is still a relatively young asset class, with some unique characteristics. One feature is the very irregular timing of cash flows, and a consequence of this is that private equity relies on measures of returns that are not standard in other asset classes. As such, new investors can be unclear or unaware of the differences between the common methods for measuring private equity performance and comparing it with returns from other asset classes. This paper sets out different methods for measuring private equity returns that are commonly used in the industry and constructs aggregate indices for the UK asset class. It also considers methods for comparing private and public equity returns and demonstrates the importance of considering cross-sectional variation between public and private equities.
Credible Sources and Sophisticated Voters: When Does New Information Induce Economic Voting?

When does new economic information cause voters to reevaluate the government’s competence and ultimately vote economically? Since politically relevant information is often conveyed by actors with incentives to influence voter perceptions, the credibility of information sources can vary significantly. This article randomly varies whether voters receive an aggregate unemployment forecast from the central bank, government or main opposition party using a survey experiment in Denmark linked to detailed panel data. We find that politically sophisticated voters discern differences in institutional credibility and the political cost of the signal and update their unemployment expectations accordingly. Despite failing to differentiate political costs, unsophisticated voters still substantially update their expectations. However, while sophisticated voters intend to engage in substantial prospective economic voting, unsophisticated voters do not relate their new unemployment expectations to their vote intention. These findings suggest that economic information supports economic voting most when it is credible and reaches sophisticated voters.
Is Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Effective as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in Patients with Chronic Periodontitis? A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate whether antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as either a primary mode of treatment or an adjunct to non-surgical treatment was more effective than scaling and root planing (SRP) alone in treating chronic periodontitis in terms of clinical attachment level (CAL) gain and probing depth (PD) reduction. The focused question was developed using the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) format, and two authors independently searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for relevant studies from January 2008 to December 2016. Twenty studies included in this systematic review were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of aPDT compared to placebo, no intervention, or non-surgical treatment in an adult population. Basic study characteristics, photosensitizing agents and wavelengths used in aPDT, frequency of aPDT application, effect of aPDT on clinical parameters, antimicrobial effect of aPDT in chronic periodontitis, effect of immunological parameters following aPDT and patient-based outcome measures were collected from the studies. Although there was a wide range of heterogeneity in the included studied, they all indicated that aPDT has the potential to be an effective adjunct in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Long-term, multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are needed before aPDT can be recommended as an effective treatment modality.
Detection of Occult Micrometastases in Patients With Clinical Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective Analysis of Mature Results of CALGB 9761 (Alliance).

PURPOSE Outcomes after resection of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are variable, potentially due to undetected occult micrometastases (OM). Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9761 was a prospectively designed study aimed at determining the prognostic significance of OM. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1997 and 2002, 502 patients with suspected clinical stage I (T1-2N0M0) NSCLC were prospectively enrolled at 11 institutions. Primary tumor and lymph nodes (LNs) were collected and sent to a central site for molecular analysis. Both were assayed for OM using immunohistochemistry (IHC) for cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for carcinoembryonic antigen. RESULTS Four hundred eighty-nine of the 502 enrolled patients underwent complete surgical staging. Three hundred four patients (61%) had pathologic stage I NSCLC (T1, 58%; T2, 42%) and were included in the final analysis. Fifty-six percent had adenocarcinomas, 34% had squamous cell carcinomas, and 10% had another histology. LNs from 298 patients were analyzed by IHC; 41 (14%) were IHC-positive (42% in N1 position, 58% in N2 position). Neither overall survival (OS) nor disease-free survival was associated with IHC positivity; however, patients who had IHC-positive N2 LNs had statistically significantly worse survival rates (hazard ratio, 2.04, P = .017). LNs from 256 patients were analyzed by RT-PCR; 176 (69%) were PCR-positive (52% in N1 position, 48% in N2 position). Neither OS nor disease-free survival was associated with PCR positivity. CONCLUSION NSCLC tumor markers can be detected in histologically negative LNs by AE1/AE3 IHC and carcinoembryonic antigen RT-PCR. In this prospective, multi-institutional trial, the presence of OM by IHC staining in N2 LNs of patients with NSCLC correlated with decreased OS. The clinical significance of this warrants further investigation.
The importance of open-boundary estimation for an Indian Ocean GCM-data synthesis

The Indian Ocean general circulation is estimated by fitting the MIT Ocean General Circulation Model to the annual mean climatological hydrography and surface forcing, using the model and its computer-generated adjoint. Open boundary conditions are implemented to the west of the Indonesian Archipelago and near 30S. The approach simultaneously optimizes the initial conditions of the hydrographic fields, surface fluxes, and the open boundary conditions (temperature, salinity, and horizontal velocities). Compared to previous results obtained in a closed domain, the estimated velocity field shows a marked improvement near the southern boundary, with a reasonably strong Agulhas Current leaving the model domain. The Indonesian throughflow (ITF) is estimated as 2.7 Sv (1 Sv is 10^6 m^3/s) westward, which is on the low end of the range of previous estimates. The model is able to sharpen fronts in surface salinity, compared to climatology, and suggests that the low surface salinity values in the eastern equatorial region arise from advection out of the Bay of Bengal rather than from the ITF. Consistent with the closed-domain results, the meridional overturning is dominated by a shallow (above 500 m), wind-driven cell of 16 Sv maximum, which carries the bulk of the southward heat transport. We have defined generalizations of meridional heat and freshwater transports appropriate in the presence of a throughflow. The estimated meridional heat transport has a maximum of 0.8 PW at 12S, maximum freshwater transport is 0.29 Sv southward at 9S. The meridional transport divergences are well balanced by the surface heat and freshwater fluxes, indicating near-steady state and small influence of the ITF.
Barriers and Facilitators to Self-Directed Learning in Continuing Professional Development for Physicians in Canada: A Scoping Review

Purpose This scoping review explored the barriers and facilitators that influence engagement in and implementation of self-directed learning (SDL) in continuing professional development (CPD) for physicians in Canada. Method This review followed the six-stage scoping review framework of Arksey and O’Malley and of Daudt et al. In 2015, the authors searched eight online databases for English-language Canadian articles published January 2005–December 2015. To chart and analyze data from the 17 included studies, they employed a two-step analysis process composed of conventional content analysis followed by directed coding applying the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Results Conventional content analysis generated five categories of barriers and facilitators: individual, program, technological, environmental, and workplace/organizational. Directed coding guided by the TDF allowed analysis of barriers and facilitators to behavior change according to two key groups: physicians engaging in SDL, and SDL developers designing and implementing SDL programs. Of the 318 total barriers and facilitators coded, 290 (91.2%) were coded for physicians and 28 (8.8%) for SDL developers. The majority (209; 65.7%) were coded in four key TDF domains: environmental context and resources, social influences, beliefs about consequences, and behavioral regulation. Conclusions This scoping review identified five categories of barriers and facilitators in the literature and four key TDF domains where most factors related to behavior change of physicians and SDL developers regarding SDL programs in CPD were coded. There was a significant gap in the literature about factors that may contribute to SDL developers’ capacity to design and implement SDL programs in CPD.
Nonclassicality of quantum excitation of classical coherent field in photon-loss channel

We investigate the nonclassicality of photon-added coherent states in the photon loss channel by exploring the entanglement potential and negative Wigner distribution. The total negative probability defined by the absolute value of the integral of the Wigner function over the negative distribution region reduces with the increase of decay time. The total negative probability and the entanglement potential of pure photon-added coherent states exhibit the similar dependence on the beam intensity. The reduce of the total negative probability is consistent with the behavior of entanglement potential for the dissipative single-photon-added coherent state at short decay times.
Ultrasound-guided Liver Biopsies in Children: A Single-center Experience and Risk Factors for Minor Bleeding

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the institution's experience in ultrasound-guided liver biopsies performed on children and identify risk factors for complications, following a previous study performed in our institution. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of ultrasound-guided pediatric liver biopsies, between 2011 and 2016. Demographic and anthropometric data, biopsy indications, international normalized ratio (INR) and platelet count, biopsy technique, complications, and pathologic outcomes were recorded. Results: A total of 228 procedures were performed on 203 children with a median age of 9.25 years (range: 0.08–18.42): 107 girls (47%) and 121 boys (53%). One hundred twenty-seven biopsies were performed on transplanted livers (55.7%) and 101 on native livers (44.3%). There were 27 cases with immediate complications (11.84%), all due to minor bleeding. There were no major complications. Increasing needle passes were shown to be a reliable predictor for bleeding (P = 0.0023), whereas transplanted livers predicted protection against bleeding (P = 0.0007). Age younger than 3 years, bodyweight <16 kg, platelet count <70 g/L and INR >1.25 revealed association with increased bleeding incidence, but no predictive value. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided liver biopsies in pediatric age are a safe procedure with a high diagnostic yield. Increasing the number of needle passes predicts a higher incidence of minor bleeding. Other factors to account for minor bleeding risk may include age younger than 3 years, bodyweight <16 kg, platelet count <70 G/L, and INR >1.25. Transplanted livers present a lower bleeding risk.
HDO and H2O vertical distributions and isotopic ratio in the Venus mesosphere by Solar Occultation at Infrared spectrometer on board Venus Express

[1] Vertical distributions of the molecular density and mixing ratios of H2O and HDO in the Venus mesosphere have been obtained using Solar Occultation at Infrared (SOIR), a high-resolution (with λ/δλ ∼ 20,000) echelle spectrometer on Venus Express. The atmosphere is sounded in solar occultation in the range of altitudes from 65 to 130 km. Simultaneous measurements of water vapor lines in the spectral range around 2.61 μm (3830 cm−1) at altitudes between 70 and 110 km and HDO lines around 3.58 μm (2715cm−1) at altitudes 70–95 km have been performed. During 1 1/2 years, from April 2006 to August 2007, 54 such measurements have been carried out at different locations of Venus from the north pole to middle south latitudes. Most of the observations at morning and evening terminator correspond to high northern latitudes. We report values of mixing ratio and isotopic ratio obtained for 22 of those measurements occurring in the northern polar area. The average value of the volume mixing ratio of H2O is 1.16 ± 0.24 ppm and that of HDO is 0.086 ± 0.020 ppm. A depletion in the mixing ratio for both H2O and HDO is observed at 85 km, which can be related to a depletion of CO2 density above (∼95 km) and a possible temperature inversion at these altitudes. The vertical variation of HDO and H2O mixing ratio is within a factor of 2–3 for the analyzed set of observations. The temporal variations have been investigated, and no noticeable variability of H2O is reported at high northern altitudes. The average ratio of HDO/H2O obtained in this work, 240 ± 25 times the terrestrial ratio, is higher (≈1.5 times) than the value of 157 ± 30 times terrestrial reported for the lower atmosphere. This could be explained by a lower photodissociation of HDO and/or a lower escape rate of D atoms versus H atoms.
Characterization of human TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels in response to naturally occurring defensive compounds

The transient receptor potential channels, ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) and vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), are non-selective cation-permeable channels that have retained their function as chemical sensors since their first appearance in metazoan species several hundred million years ago. In vertebrates, TRP channels have evolved multiple functions which make it difficult to understand exactly how they transmit signals to the brain that are interpreted very differently. For example, TRPA1 and TRPV1 are sensitive to various chemicals and activation of these channels produce sensations with opposing effects. Pain is felt when TRPV1 is activated by spider toxins, but activation by plant cannabidiol results in a pain-relieving sensation. Similarly, TRPA1 activation by deltatetrahydrocannabinol is reported to relieve symptoms of pain, but TRPA1 activation by the active ingredient in wasabi results in a repulsive or noxious sensation. Much of what we know about TRPA1 and TRPV1 comes from the use of plant products or exposure to substances that cause or alleviate pain and inflammation. In this study, whole-cell voltage clamp recordings of heterologously expressed human TRPA1 and human TRPV1 were tested for sensitivity to a hallucinogenic plant compound, salvinorin A and an arthropod-defensive compound, para-benzoquinone. Neither compound has yet been reported to activate TRP channels but both are known to be involved in pain and inflammation signaling in humans. I show that the arthropod compound,
Effect of particle size and bonding layer on plasma sprayed Al 2O 3-13%TiO 2 coatings

To date, plasma sprayed alumina titania have been widely used as wear resistance coatings in textile, machinery and printing industries. Previous studies showed that the coating microstructures and properties were strongly depended on various parameters such as ceramic composition, grain size powders and spray parameters, thus, affecting the melting degree of the alumina titania during the deposition process. This paper discusses the effect of Al2O3-13% TiO2 particle size powders and the presence of Ni-Al as a bonding layer on commercial marine grade mild steels using a plasma spray technique. The optimum plasma spray parameters were identified for both nanoparticle and microparticle powders in order the get the best coating properties in term of microhardness, surface roughness, coating porosity and specific wear rate. It was found that microparticle powders exhibited better surface roughness than the nanoparticle powders. On the other hand, the nanoparticle powder coating gave an excellent microhardness, with less coating porosity and better wears resistance than those of microparticle powders, which was likely due to the microstructure that consisted of bi-modal structures, resulting greater strengthening effect on both fully and partially melted regions. By sacrificing the surface smoothness, the presence of Ni-Al bonding layer on the other hand, was able to generate a good quality coating with less porosity percentage.
Does a person selectively recall the good or the bad from their personal past? It depends on the recall target and the person’s favourability of self-views

ABSTRACT In three studies, participants remembered real-life behaviours at Time 1 and attempted to recall them at Time 2. When the recall target was the self, a positivity bias emerged: self-positivity. In Study 3, self-positivity extended to an individual (target) who was liked by the participant, but did it not extend to a disliked target. For this latter target, a negativity bias emerged. For recall targets that were participants’ acquaintances, self-positivity in recall was also eliminated in Studies 1 and 3, and a negativity bias in recall emerged in Study 2. Finally, in Study 2 (but not Study 3), the favourability of participants’ self-view predicted the magnitude of the self-positivity in self-recall, but it did not predict valence effects in other-recall. Taken together, the results indicate that the link between behaviour valence and recall is moderated by the recall target and the favourability of one’s self-view.