Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification, antifungal resistance profile, in vitro biofilm formation and ultrastructural characteristics of Candida species isolated from diabetic foot patients in Northern India

Purpose: Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious cause of diagnostic and therapeutic concern. The following study was undertaken to determine the fungal causes of diabetic foot ulcers, with their phenotypic and genotypic characterisation. Materials and Methods: A total of 155 diabetic foot ulcers were studied for 1 year. Deep tissue specimen was collected from the wounds, and crushed samples were plated on Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol (0.05 g). Identification was done by growth on cornmeal agar, germ tube formation and urease test. For molecular identification, conserved portion of the 18S rDNA region, the adjacent internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and a portion of the 28S rDNA region were amplified, using the ITS1 and ITS2 primers. Antifungal susceptibility against voriconazole, fluconazole and amphotericin B was determined by standard broth microdilution method. Biofilm formation was studied in three steps. First, on the surface of wells of microtiter plates followed by quantification of growth by fungal metabolism measurement. Finally, biofilms were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: Fungal aetiology was found in 75 patients (48.38%). All were identified as Candida species (100%). The prevalence of different species was Candida tropicalis (34.6%), Candida albicans (29.3%), Candida krusei (16.0%), Candida parapsilosis (10.6%), Candida glabrata (9.33%). All were susceptible to amphotericin B (100%). On microtiter plate, all the isolates were viable within 48 h showing biofilms. The metabolic activity of cells in the biofilm increased with cellular mass, especially in the first 24 h. On SEM, majority showed budding yeast form. Conclusion: Non-albicans Candida spp. with potential biofilm forming ability are emerging as a predominant cause of diabetic foot ulcers.
Evidence-Based Plastic Surgery: Its Rise, Importance, and a Practical Guide.

There is a perfect storm developing in 21st century healthcare; rising complexity and patient expectations in the context of fiscal restraint. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) may be the best-kept secret in dealing with the "storm. " Such an approach prefers management pathways that deliver better outcomes at less relative cost. In this article, the rise of EBM, its significance, a guide to practicing it, and its future in the field of plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery are presented.
Distribution of lymph node metastases on FDG‐PET/CT in inoperable or unresectable oesophageal cancer patients and the impact on target volume definition in radiation therapy

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is standard care for localised inoperable/unresectable oesophageal tumours. Many surgical series have reported on distribution of lymph node metastases (LNM) in resected patients. However, no data is available on the distribution of at‐risk LN regions in this more unfavourable patient group. This study aimed to determine the spread of LNM using FDG‐PET/CT, to compare it with the distribution in surgical series and to define its impact on the definition of elective LN irradiation (ENI).
Synthesis and Characterization of Fatty Acid/Amino Acid Self-Assemblies

In this paper, we discuss the synthesis and self-assembling behavior of new copolymers derived from fatty acid/amino acid components, namely dimers of linoleic acid (DLA) and tyrosine derived diphenols containing alkyl ester pendent chains, designated as “R” (DTR). Specific pendent chains were ethyl (E) and hexyl (H). These poly(aliphatic/aromatic-ester-amide)s were further reacted with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether) of different molecular masses, thus resulting in ABA type (hydrophilic-hydrophobic-hydrophilic) triblock copolymers. We used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies to evaluate the chemical structure of the final materials. The molecular masses were estimated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurements. The self-organization of these new polymeric systems into micellar/nanospheric structures in aqueous environment was evaluated using ultraviolet/visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The polymers were found to spontaneously self-assemble into nanoparticles with sizes in the range 196–239 nm and critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.125–0.250 mg/mL. The results are quite promising and these materials are capable of self-organizing into well-defined micelles/nanospheres encapsulating bioactive molecules, e.g., vitamins or antibacterial peptides for antibacterial coatings on medical devices.
Stability analysis of foliar disease resistant groundnut genotypes (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Fifteen foliar disease resistant groundnut genotypes and one local variety (VRI 4) were evaluated over four seasons in a single location to identify the stable high yielding genotypes. Significant G X E interaction showed the differential performance of genotypes over different environments / seasons. Stability analysis revealed that only one genotype (ICGV 92093) had near unity regression coefficient coupled with non-significant deviation from regression and high mean kernel yield. Hence, the genotype may be recommended over wide range of environments / seasons.
Responses of human skin to intradermal injection of leukotrienes C4, D4 and B4

1 The ability of intradermally injected leukotrienes C4 (LTC4), LTD4 and LTB4 to produce inflammatory changes in human skin alone and in combination with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been investigated. 2 LTC4 and D4 (0.012–0.38 nmol) caused dose‐related erythema and wealing. No evidence of synergism between PGE2 and LTC4 or LTD4 was detected, although only single dose combinations were studied. 3 LTB4 (0.15–1.5 nmol) caused areas of induration which persisted for more than 4 h and which showed perivascular neutrophil infiltrates on histological examination. Only slight synergism between PGE2 and LTB4 was found. 4 It was concluded that these pro‐inflammatory properties of LTC4, LTD4 and LTB4 are consistent with their proposed roles as mediators of inflammation in the skin and other tissues.
Vibrissa Resonance as a Transduction Mechanism for Tactile Encoding

We present evidence that resonance properties of rat vibrissae differentially amplify high-frequency and complex tactile signals. Consistent with a model of vibrissa mechanics, optical measurements of vibrissae revealed that their first mechanical resonance frequencies systematically varied from low (60-100 Hz) in longer, posterior vibrissae to high (∼750 Hz) in shorter, anterior vibrissae. Resonance amplification of tactile input was observed in vivo and ex vivo, and in a variety of boundary conditions that are likely to occur during perception, including stimulation of the vibrissa with moving complex natural stimuli such as sandpaper. Vibrissae were underdamped, allowing for sharp tuning to resonance frequencies. Vibrissa resonance constitutes a potentially useful mechanism for perception of high-frequency and complex tactile signals. Amplification of small amplitude signals by resonance could facilitate detection of stimuli that would otherwise fail to drive neural activity. The systematic map of frequency sensitivity across the face could facilitate texture discrimination through somatotopic encoding of frequency content. These findings suggest strong parallels between vibrissa tactile processing and auditory encoding, in which the cochlea also uses resonance to amplify low-amplitude signals and to generate a spatial map of frequency sensitivity.
Identification and Functional Characterization of a Novel Subtype of Neuromedin U Receptor*

Neuromedin U is a bioactive peptide isolated originally from the porcine spinal cord. We recently identified neuromedin U as the cognate ligand for the orphan G protein-coupled receptor FM-3. In this study, we isolated cDNA coding for a novel G protein-coupled receptor, TGR-1, which was highly homologous with FM-3. We found that neuromedin U specifically and clearly elevated the extracellular acidification rates, arachidonic acid metabolite release, and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing TGR-1. Radiolabeled neuromedin U specifically bound with high affinity to membrane fractions prepared from these cells. These results show that TGR-1, like FM-3, is a specific and functional receptor for neuromedin U. We analyzed TGR-1 mRNA tissue distribution in rats using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and found it to considerably differ from that of FM-3 mRNA. TGR-1 mRNA was primarily expressed in the uterus, suggesting that TGR-1 mediates the contractile activity of neuromedin U in this tissue. The identification of specific and functional receptor subtypes for neuromedin U will facilitate the study of their physiological roles and the search for their specific agonists and antagonists.
Effects of extra feeding during mid-pregnancy on gilts productive and reproductive performance.

The effects of a supplemental feeding strategy during mid-gestation on lean gilts body reserves, productive and reproductive performance were assessed. A total of 90 gilts were allocated into two treatments (Control, C, and Supplemented, S). Control sows (n = 43) were fed according to the level routinely used on farm (2.5-3.0 kg d -1 , 2.9 Mcal metabolizable energy kg -1 feed and 0.6% of lysine) throughout gestation, and S sows (n = 47) received 50% more feed from day 45 to day 85 of gestation. Body weight (BW) and sows body condition [backfat (BF), loin depth and body condition score] were recorded on days 40 and 80 of gestation, at farrowing and at weaning. Litter performance at birth and on day 18 ± 1 of lactation was registered at first and second parities. Although no differences in backfat levels were found at weaning, a higher proportion of S sows stayed within the target backfat interval both at farrowing (17-21 mm) and at weaning (> 14 mm). No differences were found in BW and body reserves losses during lactation between treatment groups. Litter weight at birth tended to be higher in the S group of sows, consistently, in the first and second parities (P < 0.10), compared to the C group. Thus, providing an extra feed allowance during mid-gestation has beneficial effects on gilts’ body fat reserves at weaning (higher proportion of sows in the optimum BF interval) and slight advantages on productive output, although probably not high enough to justify the extra feed wastage. Additional key words: backfat, gilt performance, loin depth, maternal nutrition. Resumen
Impact of exposure to community violence on violent behavior and emotional distress among urban adolescents.

Examined the effects of witnessing community violence on emotional distress and frequency of violent behavior across three time points within a predominantly African American sample of 436 sixth-grade students in an urban public school system. A high percentage of students, particularly boys, reported witnessing a variety of violent incidents (e.g., shootings, beatings, and stabbings). Comparison of structural equation models revealed a number of significant gender differences in the effects of exposure to violence and in the measurement of violent behavior. Exposure to violence was related to subsequent changes in the frequency of violent behavior among girls, but not among boys. Exposure to violence was not related to subsequent changes in emotional distress for either boys or girls. Cross-sectional results replicated previous studies that have found relations between exposure to violence and frequency of violent behavior; however neither variable was related to emotional distress.
Multi-user scheduling schemes for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer

In this paper, the downlink multi-user scheduling problem is studied for a time-slotted system with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer. In particular, in each time slot, a single user is scheduled to receive information, while the remaining users opportunistically harvest the ambient radio frequency (RF) energy. We devise novel scheduling schemes in which the tradeoff between the users' ergodic capacities and their average amount of harvested energy can be controlled. To this end, two fair scheduling schemes used in information-only transfer systems are modified. First, proportionally fair maximum normalized signal-to-noise ratio (N-SNR) scheduling is modified by scheduling the user having the jth ascendingly ordered (rather than the maximum) N-SNR. We refer to this scheme as order-based N-SNR scheduling. Second, conventional equal-throughput (ET) fair scheduling is modified by scheduling the user having the minimum moving average throughput among the set of users whose N-SNR orders fall into a certain set of allowed orders Sa (rather than the set of all users). We refer to this scheme as order-based ET scheduling. The feasibility conditions required for the users to achieve ET with this scheme are also derived. It is shown that the smaller the selection order j for the order-based N-SNR scheme, and the lower the orders in Sa for the order-based ET scheme, the higher the average amount of energy harvested by the users at the expense of a reduction in their ergodic capacities. The performance of the considered scheduling schemes is analyzed for independent and non-identically distributed (i.n.d.) Ricean fading channels, and closed-form results for the special case of i.n. d. Rayleigh fading are provided.
Effects of temperature on survival, infectivity and in vitro encystment of the cercariae of Echinostoma caproni

Abstract The effects of temperature on survival, infectivity and in vitro encystment of Echinostoma caproni cercariae in artificial spring water (ASW) were studied. Effects of aging cercariae in ASW at various temperatures showed that at 23°C cercariae achieved 50% survival in 24 h, compared to 92 h at 12°C. Cercariae aged in ASW at 28 and 37.5°C showed 50% survival at 16 and 10 h, respectively. Cercariae aged at different temperatures for various times were used to infect juvenile Helisoma trivolvis (Colorado strain) snails maintained in ASW at 23°C. Index of infectivity was based on counting encysted metacercariae in the snails at 8 to 12 h post-infection. Cercariae aged at 23, 28 and 37.5°C showed 50% encystment at 6, 8 and 4 h, respectively. Cercariae aged at 4°C showed 50% encystment in 10 h and cercariae aged at 12°C showed 50% encystment beyond 16 h. Cercariae showed maximal longevity and infectivity in snails when aged at 12°C in ASW. For E. caproni, as in other digeneans, the infective period of cercariae is markedly shorter than the maximal life-span at any given temperature. Studies on in vitro encystment of E. caproni cercariae in Locke's solution:ASW (1:1) showed that encystment was optimal at 23°C (78% encystment) and that it declined to 44% at 28°C and became almost nil (0.02%) at 12 or 37.5°C.
Direct visualization of fluorescein-labeled microtubules in vitro and in microinjected fibroblasts

Microtubule proteins and tubulin have been purified from brain and labeled with dichlorotriazinyl fluorescein (DTAF). This procedure compromises neither the polymerizability of the proteins nor their affinities for unlabeled proteins. Within 15 min after microinjection of either DTAF-microtubule proteins or DTAF-tubulin into cultured gerbil fibroma cells, there was an evolution of a fluorescent fibrillar pattern with a distribution similar to that of the microtubular network seen after staining with fluorescent antitubulin. These filaments were colchicine sensitive and could be seen to elongate with time. DTAF- labeled microtubule accessory proteins from brain were not incorporated into filaments and appeared to label autophagic vacuoles.
Improving sales diversity by recommending users to items

Sales diversity is considered a key feature of Recommender Systems from a business perspective. Sales diversity is also linked with the long-tail novelty of recommendations, a quality dimension from the user perspective. We explore the inversion of the recommendation task as a means to enhance sales diversity - and indirectly novelty - by selecting which users an item should be recommended to instead of the other way around. We address the inverted task by two approaches: a) inverting the rating matrix, and b) defining a probabilistic reformulation which isolates the popularity component of arbitrary recommendation algorithms. We find that the first approach gives rise to interesting reformulations of nearest-neighbor algorithms, which essentially introduce a new neighbor selection policy. The second approach, as well as the first, ultimately result in substantial sales diversity enhancements, and improved trade-offs with recommendation precision and novelty. Two experiments on movie and music recommendation datasets show the effectiveness of the resulting approach, even when compared to direct optimization approaches of the target metrics proposed in prior work.
A Geometry-Based Stochastic Model for Wideband MIMO Mobile-to-Mobile Channels

In this paper, based on the tapped delay line (TDL) structure, we propose a geometry-based stochastic model (GBSM) for wideband multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) mobile-to-mobile (M2M) Ricean fading channels. The proposed wideband model is the first GBSM that has the ability to study the impact of the vehicular traffic density (VTD) on channel statistics for different time delays, i.e., for every tap in our model. From the proposed model, the space-time (ST) correlation function (CF) and the corresponding space-Doppler (SD) power spectral density (PSD) are derived. Excellent agreement is achieved between the theoretical Doppler PSDs and measured data, demonstrating the utility of the proposed model.
Racism and the Empathy for Pain on Our Skin

Empathy is a critical function regulating human social life. In particular, empathy for pain is a source of deep emotional feelings and a strong trigger of pro-social behavior. We investigated the existence of a racial bias in the emotional reaction to other people's pain and its link with implicit racist biases. Measuring participants’ physiological arousal, we found that Caucasian observers reacted to pain suffered by African people significantly less than to pain of Caucasian people. The reduced reaction to the pain of African individuals was also correlated with the observers’ individual implicit race bias. The role of others’ race in moderating empathic reactions is a crucial clue for understanding to what extent social interactions, and possibly integration, may be influenced by deeply rooted automatic and uncontrollable responses.
Fimbrial surface display systems in bacteria: from vaccines to random libraries.

The double membrane system of Gram-negative bacteria is an efficient barrier instrumental in maintaining a steady environment in the cytoplasm. Only a few lowmolecular-mass substances are able to cross this barrier unassisted from the cell exterior. On the other hand, the Gram-negative cell envelope also constitutes a formidable obstacle for proteins destined for the cell exterior. Gram-negative bacteria have developed various systems for protein export to the cell exterior ; four major systems can be distinguished (Lory, 1998). By these systems a wide range of proteins can be routed to the surface, and many of these remain physically attached to and displayed on the cell surface. Such proteins are key players in a number of natural processes, such as adhesion, colonization of target surfaces, biofilm formation, motility, signal transduction, enzymic degradations, etc. However, many proteins of interest in medicine and biotechnology are not surface-displayed and}or not of bacterial origin. An attractive way to obtain surface display of such proteins or sectors thereof is to graft them into permissible positions on a naturally occurring bacterial surface protein and express the chimeric protein on the cell surface. Surface display of heterologous proteins on bacteria has resulted in a number of applications, such as recombinant vaccines, reagents for diagnostics, whole-cell biocatalysts and bioadsorbants, and systems for scanning peptide libraries (Georgiou et al., 1997).
Optical spectroscopy study of modifications induced in cerium dioxide by electron and ion irradiations

ABSTRACT UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to study damage production in cerium dioxide epitaxial films and polycrystalline sintered samples after irradiation with electrons for three energies to span the threshold displacement energies of cerium and oxygen atoms, and 2.4-MeV Cu ions. Neither amorphization nor specific colour-centre bands were detected. Evolutions of the refractive index were derived from the interference fringes in the optical transmission spectra of epilayers after irradiation. No significant change of the refractive index occurred for the 1.0-MeV electron irradiation, whereas a maximum decrease by 28 ± 8% was deduced for the 1.4-MeV and 2.5-MeV energies. These modifications are consistent with ballistic damage on the cerium sublattice for high electron energies producing Ce3+ ions. However, no significant change of refractive index was found for the Cu ion irradiation. This likely stems from the high rate of Frenkel pair recombination in the collision cascades induced by more energetic recoils than for the electron irradiations, combined with electronic excitations and hole capture on Ce3+ ions. This study reveals modifications of the electronic structure upon irradiation that could take place in other non-amorphizable oxide systems.
The involvement of parents in the healthcare provided to hospitalzed children

Objective to analyze the answers of parents and health care professionals concerning the involvement of parents in the care provided to hospitalized children. Method exploratory study based on the conceptual framework of pediatric healthcare with qualitative data analysis. Results three dimensions of involvement were highlighted: daily care provided to children, opinions concerning the involvement of parents, and continuity of care with aspects related to the presence and participation of parents, benefits to the child and family, information needs, responsibility, right to healthcare, hospital infrastructure, care delivery, communication between the parents and health services, shared learning, and follow-up after discharge. Conclusion the involvement of parents in the care provided to their children has many meanings for parents, nurses and doctors. Specific strategies need to be developed with and for parents in order to mobilize parental competencies and contribute to increasing their autonomy and decision-making concerning the care provided to children.
The Metallicity of Stars with Close Companions

We examine the relationship between the frequency of close companions (stellar and planetary companions with orbital periods <5 yr) and the metallicity of their Sun-like (~FGK) hosts. We confirm and quantify a ~4 σ positive correlation between host metallicity and planetary companions. We find little or no dependence on spectral type or distance in this correlation. In contrast to the metallicity dependence of planetary companions, stellar companions tend to be more abundant around low-metallicity hosts. At the ~2 σ level, we find an anticorrelation between host metallicity and the presence of a stellar companion. After dividing our sample into FG and K subsamples, we find a negligible anticorrelation in the FG subsample and a ~3 σ anticorrelation in the K subsample. A kinematic analysis suggests that this anticorrelation is produced by a combination of low-metallicity, high-binarity thick-disk stars and higher metallicity, lower binarity thin-disk stars.