Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Viable Compositional Analysis of an Eleven Species Oral Polymicrobial Biofilm

Purpose: Polymicrobial biofilms are abundant in clinical disease, particularly within the oral cavity. Creating complex biofilm models that recapitulate the polymicrobiality of oral disease are important in the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. In order to do this accurately we require the ability to undertake compositional analysis, in addition to determine individual cell viability, which is difficult using conventional microbiology. The aim of this study was to develop a defined multispecies denture biofilm model in vitro, and to assess viable compositional analysis following defined oral hygiene regimens. Methods: An in vitro multispecies denture biofilm containing various oral commensal and pathogenic bacteria and yeast was created on poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Denture hygiene regimens tested against the biofilm model included brushing only, denture cleansing only and combinational brushing and denture cleansing. Biofilm composition and viability were assessed by culture (CFU) and molecular (qPCR) methodologies. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were also employed to visualize changes in denture biofilms following treatment. Results: Combinational treatment of brushing and denture cleansing had the greatest impact on multispecies denture biofilms, reducing the number of live cells by more than 2 logs, and altering the overall composition in favor of streptococci. This was even more evident during the sequential testing, whereby daily sequential treatment reduced the total and live number of bacteria and yeast more than those treated intermittently. Bacteria and yeast remaining following treatment tended to aggregate in the pores of the PMMA, proving more difficult to fully eradicate the biofilm. Conclusions: Overall, we are the first to develop a method to enable viable compositional analysis of an 11 species denture biofilm following chemotherapeutic challenge. We were able to demonstrate viable cell reduction and changes in population dynamics following evaluation of various denture cleansing regimens. Specifically, it was demonstrated that daily combinational treatment of brushing and cleansing proved to be the most advantageous denture hygiene regimen, however, residual organisms still remained within the pores of PMMA surface, which could act as a reservoir for further biofilm regrowth. We have identified an industry need for denture cleansing agents with the capacity to penetrate these pores and disaggregate these complex biofilm consortia.
Coherent structures in reaction-diffusion models for precipitation1

We study a class of models for precipitation from a dynamical systems point of view. The class of models incorporates Cahn-Hilliard-type models for spinodal decomposition and supersaturation theories as natural limiting cases. We analyze existence and stability of coherent structures, and relate our findings to simulations of Liesegang pattern formation.
Very High Column Density and Small Reddening toward GRB 020124 at z = 3.20

We present optical and near-infrared observations of the dim afterglow of GRB 020124, obtained between 2 and 68 hr after the gamma-ray burst. The burst occurred in a very faint (R ≳ 29.5) damped Lyα absorber (DLA) at a redshift of z = 3.198 ± 0.004. The derived column density of neutral hydrogen is log(N) = 21.7 ± 0.2, and the rest-frame reddening is constrained to be E(B-V) < 0.065, i.e., AV < 0.20 for standard extinction laws with RV ≈ 3. The resulting dust-to-gas ratio is less than 11% of that found in the Milky Way but consistent with the SMC and high-redshift QSO DLAs, indicating a low metallicity and/or a low dust-to-metal ratio in the burst environment. A gray extinction law (large RV), produced through preferential destruction of small dust grains by the gamma-ray burst, could increase the derived AV and dust-to-gas ratio. The dimness of the afterglow is, however, fully accounted for by the high redshift: if GRB 020124 had been at z = 1, it would have been approximately 1.8 mag brighter—in the range of typical bright afterglows.
Leisure Spaces as Potential Sites for Interracial Interaction: Community Gardens in Urban Areas

Finding ways to alleviate racial tension is an important societal issue. A well-established strategy is to increase positive contact between members of different racial groups, which is hypothesized to lead to improved racial attitudes if the contact takes place under certain conditions. Bridging racial divides, however, has historically been a difficult process. Leisure settings can be ideal environments for interracial interaction to occur due to qualities of free choice and self-determination. This study focuses on a specific type of leisure environment, community gardens located in urban settings. More specifically, the purpose of the study was to examine whether urban community gardens are perceived as spaces in which people of different races can successfully integrate. The study also sought to examine race and its relationship to perceptions, motivations, and benefits of community gardening. The study focused on African American and White gardeners in St. Louis.
ASSOCIATIONS AMONG SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCES, COPING STRATEGIES, AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN HETEROSEXUAL AND SEXUAL MINORITY WOMEN

This study examined the associations among sexual minority status, adult sexual victimization, childhood experiences of abuse and neglect, coping strategies, and psychopathology in women’s sexual assault experiences. One hundred and seventyseven women (n = 177) were recruited via the Internet to complete an online study asking them about their most distressing/severe sexual victimization experience. Nonparametric tests were used to examine associations among the variables. There were significant associations between sexual minority status and both victimization severity and sexual revictimization, with sexual minority status being associated with higher levels of victimization severity and a higher likelihood of being revictimized. There were no statistically significant differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women in terms of contextual features of their most distressing/severe sexual victimization experience and the contextual features of their post-assault experience. Additionally,
RUBBER-SHEETING OF HISTORICAL MAPS IN GIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO LANDSCAPE VISUALIZATION OF OLD-TIME CITIES : FOCUSING ON

Historical maps are precious materials, which show spatial distribution of land use, streets and so on at the time the maps were produced. However, the imprecision, in the geometrical sense, of the historical maps makes the task of comparison very difficult. This drawback brings us to the idea of incorporating the historical maps into GIS after rubber-sheet transformation, i.e. geometric correction, of them. It makes possible comparing and overlaying multiple maps from different time periods. Furthermore, it gives map-scales to the historical maps, and it will make possible overlaying of present contour lines on the historical maps. As a result, we can bring the viewpoints of quantitative consideration and three-dimensional visualization into analys is of historical maps. This paper shows the outline of our procedures and some applications, e.g., overlaying different maps from Edo period to present, quantitative analysis of land use in Edo, and visualization of landscape of Edo.
The effect of actual and inferred value similarity on interpersonal liking

This research examined whether value similarity between a person and another individual elicits more positive attitudes towards the individual. Chapter 1 provides a review of the interpersonal similarity-liking effect, which has been studied primarily in research on attitudes and personality, and it raises some issues that might be particularly relevant to examining effects of value similarity. Chapter 2 tested the similarity-liking effect by manipulating actual similarity in reported values, and found that value similarity increased liking in both a between and within-subjects design (Studies 1 and 2). Chapter 3 described four experiments testing the similarity-liking effect using trait-like descriptions to manipulate the extent to which a target individual is perceived as possessing similar values to the participant. Results indicated that perceived similarity predicts liking in a positive direction, and that this relationship is mediated by the perception of the target individual’s warmth and competence. Finally, Chapter 4 reviews the contribution of this research, discussing findings and implications. Overall, data from the six experiments provides novel and robust evidence that value similarity increases liking, while providing provocative evidence about the mechanisms underpinning this effect.
Shot Noise Distributions and Selfdecomposability

Stationary (limiting) distributions of shot noise processes, with exponential response functions, form a large subclass of positive selfdecomposable distributions that we illustrate by many examples. These shot noise distributions are described among selfdecomposable ones via the regular variation at zero of their distribution functions. However, slow variation at the origin of (an absolutely continuous) distribution function is incompatible with selfdecomposability and this is shown in three examples.
Dynamics of Dyads in Social Networks: Assortative, Relational, and Proximity Mechanisms

Embeddedness in social networks is increasingly seen as a root cause of human achievement, social stratification, and actor behavior. In this article, we review sociological research that examines the processes through which dyadic ties form, persist, and dissolve. Three sociological mechanisms are overviewed: assortative mechanisms that draw attention to the role of actors' attributes, relational mechanisms that emphasize the influence of existing relationships and network positions, and proximity mechanisms that focus on the social organization of interaction.
Gender Differences in Attachment Styles Using Slovak Version of the Experiences in Close Relationships – Revised (ECR-R)

Abstract There is a vast amount of literature on similarities and differences of women and men experiencing (close) relationships and using different strategies for coping with daily stress and significant life events. Western folk psychology expects women to be generally more anxious and men to be more avoidant when solving close-relationship conflicts and experiences in long term relationships. We used the Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire that is based on the Attachment-style theory distinguishing four distinct attachment styles - secure, anxious/ambivalent, disoriented/disorganized and avoidant.
Effects of single parenthood on educational aspiration and student disengagement in Korea

The recent rapid increase in divorce, along with its distinctive cultural and welfare environments for single-parent families, makes Korea an interesting case for examining effects of single parenthood on children’s education. Using data from Korean 9th and 12th graders, I compare the levels of educational aspiration and student disengagement between students with two parents and those with a single parent, distinguishing divorced single fathers, widowed single fathers, divorced single mothers, and widowed single mothers. Logistic regression analyses show that students with a divorced single parent, regardless of gender of the parent, are much less likely to aspire to four-year university education and more likely to be disengaged than their counterparts with two parents. The effects of widowhood disappear once control variables are held constant. Lower household income among single-parent families explains in part the poorer educational outcomes of their children. Parent-child interaction is another important mediating factor for the effect of single fatherhood but not for single motherhood. The relevance of the extended family system and distinctive features of post-divorce living arrangements in Korea is discussed to understand the effects of single parenthood.
Using Centrality Algorithms on Directed Graphs for Synonym Expansion

This paper presents our explorations in using graph centrality measures to solve the synonym expansion problem. In particular, we use the concept of directional similarity to derive directed graphs on which we apply centrality algorithms to identify the most likely synonyms for a target word in a given context. We show that our method can lead to performance comparable to the state-of-the-art.
Capital Adequacy Standards, Basle Accord and Bank Performance: The Nigerian Experience (A Case Study of Selected Banks in Nigeria)

Capital adequacy standards for banks that operates internationally is of major concern for bank regulators worldwide. In consequence, the Bank for International Settlements, (BIS) established a framework for measuring capital adequacy for banks in the group of ten (G10), industrialized nations of the world. The adoption of the standards in the city of Basle came to be referred as the Basle Capital Accord on Capital Adequacy Standard. The Capital adequacy Standard under the Basle accord has been widely accepted worldwide by bank regulators and was implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria, effective December 2005. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the adoption of the Capital Adequacy Standards on the performance of Nigerian banks. The study involved the use of ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation technique to examine and determine the effect of the independent variables – loans and advances, shareholders funds, total assets and customer deposits – on the dependent variables – Earnings per share (EPS) and profit after tax. The results of the analysis showed that capital adequacy standards, exert a major influence on bank performance. In addition the impact of the Nigerian monetary authority on the new capital requirements was found to be complemented with the adoption of the Basle accord framework. The study concludes with the recommendation that the CBN should not rely soly on the capitalization of banks as a determinant of bank performance but also should concentrate on efficient and effective bank supervision and risk management.
Changes of hematological references depends on storage period and temperature conditions in rats and dogs

Because changes in rat and dog hematological parameters according to storage conditions have been poorly documented, we sought to examine such changes. Blood analysis was performed using two hematology analyzers (ADVIA 2120i and Sysmex XN-V) after storage at room temperature and in cold storage for 5, 24, and 48 h, respectively. Interassay coefficients of variation for hematological parameters analyzed with the ADVIA 2120i and the XN-V showed similar. The levels of hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet (PLT) showed significant variations with time in blood samples of rats and dogs. The leukocyte subpopulation showed high variation with storage conditions. The data for leukocyte differential counts obtained using the ADVIA 2120i, XN-V, and a manual differential counting procedure showed good agreement for neutrophils and lymphocyte counts, but monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils showed differences between the procedures. In conclusions, most rat and dog hematological parameters showed minimal changes; however, some showed high variation with storage time and temperature, especially PLT and leukocyte subpopulations. In conclusion, when performing hematological analysis in dogs and rats, it will be exactitude to analyze blood samples in fresh condition and at least within 24 h in the cold storage.
Some comments on the connection between disordered long range spin glass models and their mean field version

In this paper, we consider a particular aspect of the relationship between mean field and finite-dimensional spin glasses. By means of a simple interpolation method, we prove that the free energy of a class of finite-dimensional spin glass models with Kac-type interactions is bounded below by that of their mean field analogue. As a result, Parisi theory of replica symmetry breaking can be exploited in order to give bounds on their free energy and ground state energy. Similar results hold for diluted versions of the systems.
Using static analysis to determine where to focus dynamic testing effort

We perform static analysis and develop a negative binomial regression model to predict which files in a large software system are most likely to contain the largest numbers of faults that manifest as failures in the next release, using information from all previous releases. This is then used to guide the dynamic testing process for software systems by suggesting that files identified as being likely to contain the largest numbers of faults be subjected to particular scrutiny during dynamic testing. In previous studies of a large inventory tracking system, we identified characteristics of the files containing the largest numbers of faults and those with the highest fault densities. In those studies, we observed that faults were highly concentrated in a relatively small percentage of the files, and that for every release, new files and old files that had been changed during the previous release generally had substantially higher average fault densities than old files that had not been changed. Other characteristics were observed to play a less central role. We now investigate additional potentially-important characteristics and use them, along with the previously-identified characteristics as the basis for the regression model of the current study. We found that the top 20% of files predicted by the statistical model contain between 71% and 85% of the observed faults found during dynamic testing of the twelve releases of the system that were available.
Differentiation of Mitochondrial DNA and Y Chromosomes in Russian Populations

The genetic composition of the Russian population was investigated by analyzing both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome loci polymorphisms that allow for the different components of a population gene pool to be studied, depending on the mode of DNA marker inheritance. mtDNA sequence variation was examined by using hypervariable segment I (HVSI) sequencing and restriction analysis of the haplogroup-specific sites in 325 individuals representing 5 Russian populations from the European part of Russia. The Y-chromosome variation was investigated in 338 individuals from 8 Russian populations (including 5 populations analyzed for mtDNA variation) using 12 binary markers. For both uniparental systems most of the observed haplogroups fell into major West Eurasian haplogroups (97.9% and 99.7% for mtDNA and Y-chromosome haplogroups, respectively). Multidimensional scaling analysis based on pairwise FST values between mtDNA HVSI sequences in Russians compared to other European populations revealed a considerable heterogeneity of Russian populations; populations from the southern and western parts of Russia are separated from eastern and northern populations. Meanwhile, the multidimensional scaling analysis based on Y-chromosome haplogroup FST values demonstrates that the Russian gene pool is close to central-eastern European populations, with a much higher similarity to the Baltic and Finno-Ugric male pools from northern European Russia. This discrepancy in the depth of penetration of mtDNA and Y-chromosome lineages characteristic for the most southwestern Russian populations into the east and north of eastern Europe appears to indicate that Russian colonization of the northeastern territories might have been accomplished mainly by males rather than by females.
The role of planktonic algae in the cycling of Zn and Cu in a productive soft-water lake

Abstract-Concentrations of dissolved Zn and Cu were measured alongside biomass (algal numbers, organic C, and Chl a) and dissolved micronutrients (P, Si) over an 8-week period, covering a pronounced bloom of the diatom, Asterionella. The distribution of dissolved Zn appears to be affected by algal cycling in two ways: in the period up to and including the diatom maximum, dissolved Zn correlates (P < 0.01) positively with phosphate and silicate, indicating atomic C : P : Zn ratios of 106 : 1 : 0.034, and negatively with Chl a; and following stratification, epilimnetic concentrations are significantly (P < 0.01) less than those in the hypolimnion. Dissolved Cu distributions are unaffected by the spring diatom bloom. The Zn and Cu contents of the diatom standing crop were also determined by elemental analysis of suspended particulate material in two consecutive years, providing independent estimates of metal stoichiometry. Mass budgets indicate a substantial removal and transfer to the sediments of Zn via phytoplankton, but a negligible effect on the cycling of Cu.
The Globular Cluster Systems in the Coma Ellipticals. I. The Luminosity Function in NGC 4874 and Implications for Hubble’s Constant

We have used deep Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 images in V (F606W) and I (F814W) to measure the luminosity distribution of the globular clusters in NGC 4874, the central cD galaxy of the Coma cluster. We find the "turnover" point of the globular cluster luminosity function (GCLF) to lie at V = 27.88 ± 0.12, while the overall GCLF shape matches the standard Gaussian-like form with dispersion σV = 1.49 ± 0.12. We use the GCLF as a standard candle by matching the turnover points in NGC 4874 and another Coma elliptical, IC 4051, with those of the giant ellipticals in the Virgo cluster (M87 and five others). The result is Δ(m - M) (Coma-Virgo) = 4.06 ± 0.11 mag, which converts to a Coma distance d = 102 Mpc if the Virgo distance modulus is (m - M)0 = 30.99 ± 0.04. The Hubble constant which emerges from our GCLF measurement is then H0 = (69 ± 9) km s-1 Mpc-1. We confirm this H0 value with a novel presentation of the "Hubble diagram" for GCLFs in giant E galaxies. Measurements of additional GCLFs in the Coma ellipticals, as well as calibrating galaxies in Virgo and Fornax, have excellent potential to refine this result in the near future.