Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro Activity of Tigecycline and Molecular Characterization of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from a University Hospital in South-Western Germany

Background: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms are spreading worldwide in hospital and community settings. Methods: A total of 328 unduplicated ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated in 2008 and 2009 at the University Hospital of Tübingen were analysed retrospectively. Results:Escherichia coli (n = 253) and Klebsiella spp. (n = 46) were the most frequent ESBL-producing species. The ESBL rates among E. coli and Klebsiella spp. increased from 3.8 and 2.1%, respectively, in 2008, to 5.2 and 2.4%, respectively, in 2009. Two E. coli and 3 Klebsiella pneumoniae ESBL producers were non-susceptible to ertapenem, most likely due to loss of porins. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of selected, molecularly characterized ESBL producers revealed susceptibility to tigecycline among 97.9% (191/195) of the E. coli and 78.8% (26/33) of the K. pneumoniae isolates. PCR analysis and sequencing showed the presence of CTX-M-type enzymes in 91.3% of the E. coli and 87.9% of the K. pneumoniae isolates, whereby blaCTX-M-15 was the most frequent ESBL gene both in E. coli (50.0%) and K. pneumoniae (51.5%). Only 7 single cases of potential patient-to-patient transmissions of E. coli strains were observed. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the increase in ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates at our hospital is mainly caused by growing import of Enterobacteriaceae harbouring CTX-M-type ESBLs.
Estimating the risk of acute rheumatic fever in New Zealand by age, ethnicity and deprivation

SUMMARY In New Zealand, efforts to control acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its sequelae have focused on school-age children in the poorest socioeconomic areas; however, it is unclear whether this approach is optimal given the strong association with demographic risk factors other than deprivation, especially ethnicity. The aim of this study was to estimate the stratum-specific risk of ARF by key sociodemographic characteristics. We used hospitalization and disease notification data to identify new cases of ARF between 2010 and 2013, and used population count data from the 2013 New Zealand Census as our denominator. Poisson logistic regression methods were used to estimate stratum-specific risk of ARF development. The likelihood of ARF development varied considerably by age, ethnicity and deprivation strata: while risk was greatest in Māori and Pacific children aged 10–14 years residing in the most extreme deprivation, both of these ethnic groups experienced elevated risk across a wide age range and across deprivation levels. Interventions that target populations based on deprivation will include the highest-risk strata, but they will also (a) include groups with very low risk of ARF, such as non-Māori/non-Pacific children; and (b) exclude groups with moderate risk of ARF, such as Māori and Pacific individuals living outside high deprivation areas.
Short Term Morphine Exposure In Vitro Alters Proliferation and Differentiation of Neural Progenitor Cells and Promotes Apoptosis via Mu Receptors

Background Chronic morphine treatment inhibits neural progenitor cell (NPC) progression and negatively effects hippocampal neurogenesis. However, the effect of acute opioid treatment on cell development and its influence on NPC differentiation and proliferation in vitro is unknown. We aim to investigate the effect of a single, short term exposure of morphine on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of NPCs and the mechanism involved. Methods Cell cultures from 14-day mouse embryos were exposed to different concentrations of morphine and its antagonist naloxone for 24 hours and proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis were studied. Proliferating cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and cell fate was studied with immunocytochemistry. Results Cells treated with morphine demonstrated decreased BrdU expression with increased morphine concentrations. Analysis of double-labeled cells showed a decrease in cells co-stained for BrdU with nestin and an increase in cells co-stained with BrdU and neuron-specific class III β-tubuline (TUJ1) in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, a significant increase in caspase-3 activity was observed in the nestin- positive cells. Addition of naloxone to morphine-treated NPCs reversed the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of morphine. Conclusions Short term morphine exposure induced inhibition of NPC proliferation and increased active caspase-3 expression in a dose dependent manner. Morphine induces neuronal and glial differentiation and decreases the expression of nestin- positive cells. These effects were reversed with the addition of the opioid antagonist naloxone. Our results demonstrate the effects of short term morphine administration on the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs and imply a mu-receptor mechanism in the regulation of NPC survival.
Threatened identities and interethnic interactions

This chapter adopts a social identity threat perspective to examine dynamics of interethnic interactions. We first review relevant literature regarding the conditions under which both White and ethnic minority individuals are likely to experience social identity threat within the specific context of interethnic interactions. We focus on the threat of being perceived as stereotypical of one's ethnic group, considering situation- and person-level factors that trigger the experience of such threat during interethnic interactions. Next, we offer a framework for understanding how individuals cope with social identity threat during interethnic interactions, proposing three main classes of responses: avoidance, outgroup devaluation/derogation, and behaviour modulation/regulation. We review factors that are likely to influence the adoption of one of these responses, and then consider potential implications that each type of response may have for individuals' experiences during interactions, the development of interethnic friendships, and the attenuation of prejudice.
Performance of Channel-Aware M2M communications based on LTE network measurements

The interaction between Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communications, also known as Machine-Type Communications (MTC), and Human-to-Human (H2H) Communications is a recent topic in the context of cellular networks like Long Term Evolution (LTE). In this paper, we evaluate the performance of Channel-Aware MTC (CAT) based on LTE resource allocation measurements of a real LTE deployment. By means of a novel measurement setup, which uses a real-time spectrum analyzer, the LTE resource utilization in terms of occupied Resource Blocks (RBs) of the uplink is quantified for different channel conditions. Furthermore, the resource distribution in time and frequency domain, which is determined by the scheduler, is analyzed in this paper allowing for the calculation of average data rates and the spectral efficiency. The measurement results are used to quantize the potential gain of CAT. It is shown that by means of the scheme, the influence of MTC on other LTE users can be significantly reduced. In addition, the fraction of available RBs can be increased by 47%.
A Vault Nanoparticle Vaccine Induces Protective Mucosal Immunity

Background Generation of robust cell-mediated immune responses at mucosal surfaces while reducing overall inflammation is a primary goal for vaccination. Here we report the use of a recombinant nanoparticle as a vaccine delivery platform against mucosal infections requiring T cell-mediated immunity for eradication. Methodology/Principal Findings We encapsulated an immunogenic protein, the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia muridarum, within hollow, vault nanocapsules (MOMP-vaults) that were engineered to bind IgG for enhanced immunity. Intranasal immunization (i.n) with MOMP-vaults induced anti-chlamydial immunity plus significantly attenuated bacterial burden following challenge infection. Vault immunization induced anti-chlamydial immune responses and inflammasome formation but did not activate toll-like receptors. Moreover, MOMP-vault immunization enhanced microbial eradication without the inflammation usually associated with adjuvants. Conclusions/Significance Vault nanoparticles containing immunogenic proteins delivered to the respiratory tract by the i.n. route can act as “smart adjuvants” for inducing protective immunity at distant mucosal surfaces while avoiding destructive inflammation.
Metabolism and Transport of the Citrus Flavonoid Hesperetin in Caco-2 Cell Monolayers

Metabolism and transport from intestinal cells back into the lumen by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters is believed to limit the bioavailability of flavonoids. We studied metabolism and transport of the citrus flavonoid hesperetin, the aglycone of hesperidin, using a two-compartment transwell Caco-2 cell monolayer system, simulating the intestinal barrier. The role of apically located ABC transporters P-glycoprotein (MDR1/ABCB1), multidrug resistance protein 2 (ABCC2), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ ABCG2) in the efflux of hesperetin and its metabolites was studied by coadministration of compounds known to inhibit several classes of ABC transporters, including cyclosporin A, GF120918 [N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide], Ko143 [3-(6-isobutyl-9-methoxy-1,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12a-octahydropyrazino[1′,2′:1,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indol-3-yl)-propionic acid tert-butyl ester], MK571 (3-[[3-[2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenyl]-(2-dimethylcarbamoylethylsulfanyl)methylsulfanyl] propionic acid), and PSC-833 (Valspodar). Apically applied hesperetin (10 μM) was metabolized into hesperetin 7-O-glucuronide and hesperetin 7-O-sulfate, identified using high-performance liquid chromatographydiode array detector (DAD), ultraperformance liquid chromatography-DAD-tandem mass spectrometry, and authentic standards, which were transported predominantly to the apical side of the Caco-2 cell monolayer (1.12 cm2), at average (S.D.) rates of 14.3 (3.7) and 2.1 (0.8) pmol/min/monolayer, respectively. Hesperetin aglycone also permeated to the basolateral side, and this process was unaffected by the inhibitors used, possibly implying a passive diffusion process. Inhibition studies, however, showed that efflux of hesperetin conjugates to the apical side involved active transport, which from the pattern of inhibition appeared to involve mainly BCRP. Upon inhibition by the BCRP inhibitor Ko143 (5 μM), the apical efflux of hesperetin conjugates was 1.9-fold reduced (p ≤ 0.01), and transport to the basolateral side was 3.1-fold increased (p ≤ 0.001). These findings elucidate a novel pathway of hesperetin metabolism and transport and show that BCRP-mediated transport could be a limiting step for hesperetin bioavailability.
A Sex Role Inventory with Scales for "Machismo" and "Self-Sacrificing Woman"

This article describes the development of a new sex role inventory, the Masculine Feminine Personality Traits Scale, based on Bem's Sex Role Inventory and using Mexican sex role stereotypes: The "machismo" and the "self-sacrificing woman" syndromes. The instrument includes four scales, Assertive Masculinity, Affective Femininity, Aggressive Masculinity, and Submissive Femininity, with 15 items each. Normative data and psychometric characteristics are presented for four samples (N = 1,301): two of university students, one of married couples, and one of workers. Three types of instructions were used when the instrument was presented: self-description, role expectations, and description of partner. Results showed that the scales tend to discriminate the responses of men and women in the expected direction and that the internal consistency of the scales is high. The importance of including these additional scales with the ones that measure "instrumentality" and "nurturance" is discussed.
Mechanisms of color vision.

We review the physiological and psychophysical research on mechanisms of color vision. Psychophysical work has led to the formulation of explicit theories of the early stages of color vision. The principal postulates of these theories have been confirmed by physiologists (e.g., the existence of three classes of receptors and second-stage mechanisms in which the signals from these receptors are compared), but some important features of the psychophysical scheme have found limited physiological support. One such issue is the absence of the unitary "achromatic" mechanism required by psychophysicists. We know a good deal less about the chromatic analyses that occur beyond these early stages. Although physiologists have devoted much effort to the study of cortical mechanisms, little of this work has been guided by clear ideas of the tasks performed by them. The provision of color constancy and the ability to segment scenes are perhaps the foremost concerns of chromatic mechanisms, and recent psychophysical work bearing on these problems offers physiologists clearer guidance on what to seek with their electrodes.
Changes in Mac-1 and CD14 Expression on Monocytes and Serum Soluble CD14 Level during Push/Pull Hemodiafiltration

Background/Aim: Employment of treated dialysate as replacement fluid raises concerns about exposure of patients to pyrogenic substances. This study was undertaken to evaluate the safety of treated dialysate as the replacement fluid for push/pull hemodiafiltration. Methods: In the present study, changes in the expressions of Mac-1 and CD14 on monocytes, which are upregulated by monocyte activation, were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the serum level of sCD14 which elevates by monocyte activation was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) during treatment in 7 patients on hemodialysis with regenerated cellulose (RC) membrane, polysulfone (PS) membranes and by push/pull hemodiafiltration (HDF) with PS membranes in a cross-over fashion. Results: During hemodialysis with RC, hemodialysis with PS or push/pull hemodiafiltration with PS, both Mac-1 and CD14 expressions on monocytes significantly increased by passing through the artificial kidneys, and, accordingly, the respective values downstream of the artificial kidneys were significantly higher than the predialysis values, even when the lipopolysaccharide level in dialysate was not detectable by Limulus assay. There was no significant variation in serum sCD14 levels during any of the hemodialysis with RC, hemodialysis with PS or push/pull hemodiafiltration. However, during hemodialysis with PS or push/pull hemodiafiltration with PS, changes in Mac-1 and CD14 expression on monocytes were significantly smaller than those during hemodialysis with RC. Conclusion: Monocytes are activated to a greater extent during hemodialysis with RC membranes than during push/pull HDF with PS membranes. We consider that push/pull HDF may be safer than hemodialysis with RC membrane and that it is as safe as hemodialysis with the PS membrane in terms of monocyte activation, when pyrogen-free dialysate is employed.
Reduction of SOC test data volume, scan power and testing time using alternating run-length codes

We present a test resource partitioning (TRP) technique that simultaneously reduces test data volume, test application time and scan power The proposed approach is based on the use of alternating run-length codes for test data compression. Experimental results for the larger ISCAS-89 benchmarks and an IBM production circuit show that reduced test data volume, test application time and low power scan testing can indeed be achieved in all cases.
Neuromuscular Junction in Myasthenia Gravis: Decreased Acetylcholine Receptors

The number of acetylcholine receptors was determined in the neuromuscular junctions of eight patients with typical myasthenia gravis and in five controls, by means of 1251-labeled α-bungarotoxin binding. The junctional acetylcholine receptors were reduced in the myasthenic muscles as compared with the controls. This reduction in receptors may account for the defect in neuromuscular transmission in myasthenia gravis.
Slow Breathing Increases Arterial Baroreflex Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Background—It is well established that a depressed baroreflex sensitivity may adversely influence the prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and in those with previous myocardial infarction. Methods and Results—We tested whether a slow breathing rate (6 breaths/min) could modify the baroreflex sensitivity in 81 patients with stable (2 weeks) CHF (age, 58±1 years; NYHA classes I [6 patients], II [33], III [27], and IV [15]) and in 21 controls. Slow breathing induced highly significant increases in baroreflex sensitivity, both in controls (from 9.4±0.7 to 13.8±1.0 ms/mm Hg, P <0.0025) and in CHF patients (from 5.0±0.3 to 6.1±0.5 ms/mm Hg, P <0.0025), which correlated with the value obtained during spontaneous breathing (r =+0.202, P =0.047). In addition, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in CHF patients (systolic, from 117±3 to 110±4 mm Hg, P =0.009; diastolic, from 62±1 to 59±1 mm Hg, P =0.02). Conclusions—These data suggest that in patients with CHF, slow breathing, in addition to improving oxygen saturation and exercise tolerance as has been previously shown, may be beneficial by increasing baroreflex sensitivity.
Quality changes and freezing time prediction during freezing and thawing of ginger

Abstract Effects of different freezing rates and four different thawing methods on chemical composition, microstructure, and color of ginger were investigated. Computer simulation for predicting the freezing time of cylindrical ginger for two different freezing methods (slow and fast) was done using ANSYS ® Multiphysics. Different freezing rates (slow and fast) and thawing methods significantly (P < 0.05) affected the color and composition of essential oil in ginger. Fresh ginger was found to contain 3.60% gingerol and 18.30% zingerone. A maximum yield of 7.43% gingerol was obtained when slow frozen gingers when thawed by infrared method. Maximum zingerone content of 38.30% was achieved by thawing slow frozen gingers using infrared‐microwave method. Microscopic examination revealed that structural damage was more pronounced in slow frozen gingers than fast frozen gingers. Simulated freezing curves were in good agreement with experimental measurements (r = 0.97 for slow freezing and r = 0.92 for fast freezing). Slow freezing damaged ginger's cellular structure. Data obtained will be helpful in selecting appropriate thawing method to increase desirable essential oil components in ginger. Computer simulation for predicting freezing time may help in developing proper storage system of ginger.
Work group member culture and relational demography as antecedents of trustworthiness

Today's global economy has yielded a workplace that is diverse and highly competitive. There is a clear need for research focusing on factors impacting functioning of culturally heterogeneous work groups, among these are perceptions of group members and how they are formed. Specifically this study examined the relationship between employee cultural and demographic differences and the formation of perceptions of others’ trustworthiness. Qualified support was found for a relationship between employee differences and the formation of perceptions of others’ trustworthiness. Strong support was found for a model, moderated by cultural values, revealing affective dimension of trustworthiness mediating cognitive dimensions of trustworthiness and overall perceptions of trustworthiness. Implications of this research for practitioners and business educators who are utilizing diverse teams are discussed, as are suggestion for future research.
A Two-Perspective Visualization Approach for Utilizing Visualization Power in Computer Science Education

In this article, we propose a two-perspective visualization approach to show how the visualization power can be utilized in explaining some computer science concepts during the lecture. Explaining an abstract concept in theoretical computer science requires a lot of imagination of the entities relations in the underlying algorithm or in the underlying data flow. Lecturers need the help of some of visualization techniques in conveying these complex concepts. Our proposed approach helps lecturers in conveying abstract concepts in computer science through producing visual representations from either static perspective or dynamic perspective, depending on the nature of the concept. We suggest an algorithm for designers to help them in deciding which perspective might be used to visualize the underlying concept. We performed a brief case study with some embedded-system engineering students, where we examined our approach in explaining the safety analyzing process of embedded systems. The results of the study show the advantages of using the visualization during the lecture, as most of the participated students commented that our approach helped them in realizing the concept faster. Moreover, it was easy for them in understanding the unseen details of the underlying concept.
The C-terminal 25 amino acids of the protease and its substrate ICP35 of herpes simplex virus type 1 are involved in the formation of sealed capsids

The herpes simplex virus type 1 protease and its substrate, ICP35, are involved in the assembly of viral capsids. Both proteins are encoded by a single open reading frame from overlapping mRNAs. The protease is autoproteolytically processed at two sites. The protease cleaves itself at the C-terminal site (maturation site) and also cleaves ICP35 at an identical site, releasing a 25-amino-acid (aa) peptide from each protein. To determine whether these 25 aa play a role in capsid assembly, we constructed a mutant virus expressing only Prb, the protease without the C-terminal 25 aa. Phenotypic analysis of the Prb virus in the presence and absence of ICP35 shows the following: (i) Prb retains the functional activity of the wild-type protease which supports virus growth in the presence of ICP35; (ii) in contrast to the ICP35 null mutant delta ICP35 virus, the Prb virus fails to grow in the absence of ICP35; and (iii) trans-complementation experiments indicated that full-length ICP35 (ICP35 c,d), but not the cleaved form (ICP35 e,f), complements the growth of the Prb virus. The most striking phenotype of the Prb virus is that only unsealed aberrant capsid structures are observed by electron microscopy in mutant-infected Vero cells. Our results demonstrate that the growth of herpes simplex virus type 1 requires the C-terminal 25 aa of either the protease or its substrate, ICP35, and that the C-terminal 25 aa are involved in the formation of sealed capsids.