Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abundance of Novel and Diverse tfdA-Like Genes, Encoding Putative Phenoxyalkanoic Acid Herbicide-Degrading Dioxygenases, in Soil

ABSTRACT Phenoxyalkanoic acid (PAA) herbicides are widely used in agriculture. Biotic degradation of such herbicides occurs in soils and is initiated by α-ketoglutarate- and Fe2+-dependent dioxygenases encoded by tfdA-like genes (i.e., tfdA and tfdAα). Novel primers and quantitative kinetic PCR (qPCR) assays were developed to analyze the diversity and abundance of tfdA-like genes in soil. Five primer sets targeting tfdA-like genes were designed and evaluated. Primer sets 3 to 5 specifically amplified tfdA-like genes from soil, and a total of 437 sequences were retrieved. Coverages of gene libraries were 62 to 100%, up to 122 genotypes were detected, and up to 389 genotypes were predicted to occur in the gene libraries as indicated by the richness estimator Chao1. Phylogenetic analysis of in silico-translated tfdA-like genes indicated that soil tfdA-like genes were related to those of group 2 and 3 Bradyrhizobium spp. , Sphingomonas spp. , and uncultured soil bacteria. Soil-derived tfdA-like genes were assigned to 11 clusters, 4 of which were composed of novel sequences from this study, indicating that soil harbors novel and diverse tfdA-like genes. Correlation analysis of 16S rRNA and tfdA-like gene similarity indicated that any two bacteria with D > 20% of group 2 tfdA-like gene-derived protein sequences belong to different species. Thus, data indicate that the soil analyzed harbors at least 48 novel bacterial species containing group 2 tfdA-like genes. Novel qPCR assays were established to quantify such new tfdA-like genes. Copy numbers of tfdA-like genes were 1.0 × 106 to 65 × 106 per gram (dry weight) soil in four different soils, indicating that hitherto-unknown, diverse tfdA-like genes are abundant in soils.
Surface data and deep structure: observing the organization of professional training.

December 1979, volume 24 Directors and managers of professional training programs want to know whether they are effective. To find out, evaluation instruments, questionnaires, and scales are used often at considerable expense which promise to measure what the trainees have mastered or how they have changed. These devices often produce surface data that describe certain attributes of the candidates but say nothing about the underlying structure of the training program and how well it is working. The usual evaluation produces data on individuals to answer questions about the organization. Often directors of programs want to know how their training affects behavior but get data on attitudes. The evaluation instruments usually contain preconceived artificial questions or probes that do not measure the natural development of trainees as they progress through the program.
Multiple listing for pediatric heart transplantation in the USA: Analysis of OPTN registry data from 1995 through 2009

Multiple listing is associated with shorter waitlist durations and increased likelihood of transplantation for renal candidates. Little is known about multiple listing in pediatric heart transplantation. We examined the prevalence and outcomes of multiple listing using OPTN data from 1995 through 2009. Characteristics and waitlist outcomes of propensity‐score‐matched single‐ and multiple‐listed patients were compared. Multiple listing occurred in 23 of 6290 listings (0.4%). Median days between listings was 35 (0–1015) and median duration of multiple listings was 32 days (3–363). Among multiple‐listed patients, there were trends toward less ECMO use (0% vs. 11%, p = 0.1) and more frequent requirement for a prospective cross‐match (17% vs. 8%, p = 0.08). Multiple‐listed patients more commonly had private insurance (78% vs. 56%; p = 0.03). Urgency status at listing was similar between groups (1/1A: 61% vs. 64%, 1B/2: 39 vs. 36%; p = 0.45) as were weight, age, diagnosis, ventilator/inotrope use, and median income (each p ≥ 0.17). There was a trend toward increased incidence of heart transplantation for multiple‐listed patients at three, six, and 24 months (50%, 65%, 80%) vs. single‐listed patients (40%, 54%, 64%; p = 0.11). Multiple listing for pediatric heart transplantation in the USA occurs infrequently and is more common in patients with private insurance.
Socioeconomics of long-term glaucoma therapy in India

Purpose: To determine the socioeconomic impact of long-term glaucoma therapy. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty consecutive glaucoma patients on medical therapy, following up at our glaucoma service for at least 6 months were recruited. A questionnaire regarding monthly income, cost of glaucoma medications prescribed, availability of medications, travel time, time spent in review clinics, compliance, education status, medical insurance and systemic or local side-effects was administered. Results: The patients seen at the tertiary government hospital had an average monthly income of Rs. 10,912/- (range: Rs. 500/- to Rs. 50,000/-) with approximately 56% of the patients having an income of less than Rs. 5000/month. The expenditure on anti-glaucoma medications ranged from 0.3% in high income group to 123% of their monthly gross income in low income group (P < 0.0001). The total expenditure including travel, stay, and loss of wages of patients and accompanying persons ranged from 1.6% in high income group to 137% of the monthly income in low income group (P < 0.0001). Mean time required for a glaucoma clinic visit was 15.66 h, (range: 6–96 h/month). About 2.7% experienced systemic side-effects and 21.3% had complaints of ocular adverse effects. About 90% of the patients were compliant. 92% were not covered by any insurance plan/government reimbursement for their treatment. Conclusions: Medical therapy for glaucoma is an economic burden to many patients and should be individualized, according to the socioeconomic status, availability of drugs and the required distance to travel to reach the specialist clinics.
Effectiveness of interventions to improve medication adherence in bipolar disorder

Objective: To identify interventions that improve medication adherence in bipolar disorder. Method: A review of the literature from 2004 to 2011 was conducted using Medline and manual searching. Results: Eleven studies were identified as meeting inclusion criteria. Five studies demonstrated improved medication adherence. No characteristics of the interventions, clinical characteristics of the groups or methodological factors distinguished those psychosocial interventions that demonstrated improvement from those that did not. Conclusions: While only a few interventions improved adherence, most improved clinical outcomes. Issues were also identified about the way in which adherence is defined. It is proposed that incorporating patient preferences into measures of adherence within the context of a disorder-specific psychosocial intervention may provide an approach that demonstrates both improved adherence and improved clinical outcomes. However this requires further research.
Can Methacrylate Resin – based Sealers Create Adequate Retention in Radicular Dentin to Prevent Disruption of Sealing Integrity During Polymerization ?

Introduction: Four generations of methacrylate resin– based sealers have been available commercially. Three of these were introduced during the last 5 years when the concept of simultaneous bonding of root canal sealers to root filling materials and dentin was popularized. Methods: This article presents an overview of methacrylate resin–based sealers, with the objectives of clarifying the behavior of these materials and delineating their limitations in clinical application. Results: The first generation sealer was introduced in the mid1970s. The initial enthusiasm associated with its use eventually diminished as a result of its suboptimal physical, biologic, and clinical properties. With advances in self-etching adhesive technology acquired from adhesive dentistry, methacrylate resin–based sealers were reintroduced in the beginning of the 21st century to support the introduction of bondable root canal filling materials. Three different generations of these sealers have since been available commercially. Although some in vitro studies on the sealing ability, self-etching potential, biocompatibility, and removability of the sealers showed better potential over conventional nonbonding sealers, accomplishing the ideal goal of a monoblock in the root canal space with these materials is still regarded as a major challenge. Conclusions: On the basis of the in vitro and in vivo data available to date, there appears to be no clear benefit with the use of methacrylate resin–based sealers in conjunction with adhesive root filling materials at this point in their development. (J Endod 2009;-:1–17)
Doppler echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary blood flow in healthy newborns

The aim of this study was to determine interobserver variation in Doppler assessment of mean left pulmonary arterial flow velocity, and its normal values during the first 24 h of life. The interobserver variation was determined by a Bland and Altman analysis of the values of mean velocity measured in 21 newborns by 2 observers. Then, normal values of mean velocity were measured in 15 newborns at 5,10 and 15 min of life in the delivery room, and in 14 other newborns at 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h of life in the nursery unit. The interobserver variation was found to be acceptable. Mean velocity had a few variations within the first 24 h, but remained consistently above 20 cm s‐1. In conclusion, mean velocity values below 20 cm‐1 suggest low pulmonary blood flow.
Cut-free completeness for modal mu-calculus

We present two finitary cut-free sequent calculi for the modal μ-calculus. One is a variant of Kozen's axiomatisation in which cut is replaced by a strengthening of the induction rule for greatest fixed point. The second calculus derives annotated sequents in the style of Stirling's ‘tableau proof system with names’ (2014) and features a generalisation of the ν-regeneration rule that allows discharging open assumptions. Soundness and completeness for the two calculi is proved by establishing a sequence of embeddings between proof systems, starting at Stirling's tableau-proofs and ending at the original axiomatisation of the μ-calculus due to Kozen. As a corollary we obtain a new, constructive, proof of completeness for Kozen's axiomatisation which avoids the usual detour through automata and games.
Excitation-induced frequency shift probed by stimulated photon echoes.

A stimulated photon-echo study has verified the instantaneous shift (≤1 MHz) and subsequent restoration (∼2 ms) of the transition frequency of an impurity ion in a solid when its neighboring ions are exposed to pulsed optical excitation. Experiments were conducted by monitoring the echo intensity for the 7 F o - 5 D o transition of Eu ions in one site of Y 2 SiO 5 , while exciting the other site. A photon-echo theory taking account of the stochastic frequency recovery is developed to explain the observations
Furan in food - a review.

Vranova J., Ciesarova Z. ( 2009): Furan in food - a review . Czech J. Food Sci., 27: 1-10. Furan and its derivatives were identified in a small number of heat-treated foods back in the 60's and 70's. In May 2004, US Food and Drug Administration published a report on the occurrence of parent furan in a number of ther - mally treated foods. Since furan has been classified as "possibly carcinogenic to human" by IARC, a great concern has been addressed to the analysis of this substance naturally-occurring in food. This paper gives a short overview on the mechanistic pathways of the parent furan formation in food by degradation of amino acids and/or reducing sugars, and oxidation of ascorbic acid and poly-unsaturated acids which can be induced by thermal or irradiation treatments; further, it deals with the metabolism and toxicology of furan as well as with the comparison of the methods of furan determination.
Buy, Keep or Sell: Economic Growth and the Market for Ideas

An endogenous growth model is developed where each period firms invest in researching and developing new ideas. An idea increases a firm's productivity. By how much depends on the technological propinquity between an idea and the firm's line of business. Ideas can be bought and sold on a market for patents. A firm can sell an idea that is not relevant to its business or buy one if it fails to innovate. The developed model is matched up with stylized facts about the market for patents in the United States. The analysis gauges how efficiency in the patent market affects growth.
A comparison of the steady-state pharmacokinetics of nevirapine in men, nonpregnant women and women in late pregnancy.

AIMS To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of nevirapine and any possible influencing factors in pregnant women (n = 16), nonpregnant women (n = 13) and men (n = 14), who received nevirapine 200 mg twice daily together with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. METHODS Blood samples were taken for 12 h at steady state. Nevirapine concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The influence of gender, age, body weight and comedication on minimum and maximum concentrations (C(min), C(max)), area under the concentration-time curve (AUC), total clearance (CL(tot)), half-life (t(1/2)) and volume of distribution (V(d)) was analysed by multivariate techniques. RESULTS Mean [95% confidence interval (CI)]C(max), AUC(ss) and clearance were 5221 ng ml(-1) (4267, 6175), 50 789 ng (-1)h ml(-1) (43 453, 58 125) and 69.9 ml min(-1) for men, 5871 ng ml(-1) (4848, 6895), 57 045 ng h(-1) ml(-1) (45 997, 68 093) and 65.6 ml min(-1) for nonpregnant women and 4505 ng ml(-1) (3644, 5366), 44 579 ng h(-1) ml(-1) (36 564, 52 594) and 82.1 ml min(-1) for pregnant women. The differences between pregnant and nonpregnant women (% difference, 95% CI) in C(max) (-30.3; -28.5, -33.0), AUC(ss) (-28.0; - 25.8, - 29.5) and clearance (20.2; 26.6, 15.6) reached statistical significance (P = 0.010, P = 0.028 and P = 0.028, respectively). The multivariate analysis underscored the influence of bodyweight on the plasma exposure to nevirapine. CONCLUSIONS Pregnant women exhibited an increased nevirapine clearance and comparably low plasma concentrations, whereas women with a low bodyweight achieved high plasma nevirapine concentrations. The large variability in nevirapine concentrations in women may lead to loss of efficacy and viral resistance, or drug toxicity, and therefore these patients should be monitored frequently.
Correlated responses to artificial body size selection in growth, development, phenotypic plasticity and juvenile viability in yellow dung flies

Most life history traits are positively influenced by body size, whereas disadvantages of large body size are poorly documented. To investigate presumed intrinsic costs of large size in the yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria; Diptera: Scathophagidae), we established two replicates each of three body size laboratory selection lines (small, control and large; selection on males only), and subjected flies of the resulting extended body size range to various abiotic stresses. Response to selection was symmetrical in the small and large lines (realized h2 = 0.16–0.18). After 24 generations of selection body size had changed by roughly 10%. Female size showed a correlated response to selection on male size, whereas sexual size dimorphism did not change. Development time also showed a correlated response as, similar to food limited flies, small line flies emerged earlier at smaller body size. At the lowest larval food limit possible, flies of all lines emerged at the same small body size after roughly the same development time; so overall phenotypic plasticity in body size and development time strongly increased following selection. Juvenile mortality increased markedly when food was extremely limited, large line flies showing highest mortality. Winter frost disproportionately killed large (line) flies because of their longer development times. Mortality at high temperatures was high but size‐selective effects were inconsistent. In all environments the larger males suffered more. Initial growth rate was higher for males and at unlimited food. Small line individuals of both sexes grew slowest at unlimited larval food but fastest at limited larval food, suggesting a physiological cost of fast growth. Overall, extension of the natural body size range by artificial selection revealed some otherwise cryptic intrinsic juvenile viability costs of large size, mediated by longer development or faster growth, but only in stressful environments.
The treatment of ictal asystole with cardiac pacing

Ictal asystole may contribute to seizure‐related injury and mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cardiac pacing on seizure‐related injury rates in ictal asystole patients. A survey was conducted to determine seizure‐related fall rate and other morbidity in all seven patients with ictal asystole who underwent cardiac pacing at our institution between 1990 and 2004. The rate of seizure‐related falls and other morbidities before and after pacing were compared using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. The mean fall rate was 3.28 falls/month pre‐pacemaker implantation. Following pacemaker implantation, this was reduced to 0.005 falls/month (p = 0.001). Seizure‐related fractures and motor vehicle accidents were also reduced following cardiac pacing. These findings may have implications in mitigating the potential morbidity associated with ictal asystole.
A 0.5 V 1.1 MS/sec 6.3 fJ/Conversion-Step SAR-ADC With Tri-Level Comparator in 40 nm CMOS

This paper presents an extremely low-voltage operation and power efficient successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Tri-level comparator is proposed to relax the speed requirement of the comparator and decrease the resolution of internal Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) by 1-bit. The internal charge redistribution DAC employs unit capacitance of 0.5 fF and ADC operates at nearly thermal noise limitation. To deal with the problem of capacitor mismatch, reconfigurable capacitor array and calibration procedure were developed. The prototype ADC fabricated using 40 nm CMOS process achieves 46.8 dB SNDR and 58.2 dB SFDR with 1.1 MS/sec at 0.5 V power supply. The FoM is 6.3-fJ/conversion step and the chip die area is only 160 μm × 70 μm.
Alguns fatores bióticos e abióticos que afetam a qualidade dos produtos da laranja no mercado

A laranja e a fruta, dentre os citros, que mais tem dado retorno economico e pesado significativamente na balanca comercial brasileira. Embora a aceitacao de produtos citricos, ora se beneficie de aumento de aceitacao no mercado internacional, ora tambem sofre retracao por efeitos independentes dos esforcos dos especialistas entendidos em exportacao e negocios de produtos agropecuarios. Apesar de a produtividade interna ter que melhorar, necessitar de um aumento de areas e que se ocorra um melhoramento das tecnologias, o Brasil ainda assim, tem se mantido como o maior produtor de frutos e bens agregados ao cultivo de laranja. Esses resultados positivos com a lavoura, alem de incentivar a cadeia produtiva interna, cria expectativa favoravel para os produtores e empresarios se diversificarem e especializarem cada vez mais na producao de novos produtos que agregam valores as atividades basicas e tradicionais com a exploracao dos citros. Enquanto os produtores externos se enfileiram para ganhar espaco no mercado internacional, os produtores brasileiros acreditam na forca da area agricultavel interna, potencialmente aceitavel para a producao de frutas. A extensao das terras brasileiras e a diversidade do clima podem diversificar o uso do maior numero de variedades produtivas de citros e conseguir alargar o periodo de colheita para abastecer por mais tempo o mercado interno e internacional com produtos frescos e diversificados. A mao de obra basica e especializada tem demonstrado a eficiencia necessaria para explorar a cultura, progredindo em tecnologia a medida que o mercado possa cobrar melhor qualidade do produto basico e, posteriormente crie novas opcoes comerciais.
Wrist activity monitor counts are correlated with dynamic but not static assessments of arm elevation exposure made with a triaxial accelerometer

There is evidence in the literature of a link between workplace arm elevation exposure and atraumatic shoulder injuries. However, there are several methods that can be used to assess this exposure. The goal of the present study was to compare the outcomes of an activity monitor attached to the wrist and a triaxial accelerometer mounted on the humerus. Twenty-one workers wore both sensors over the course of a full workday. While the activity monitor data was not significantly correlated with any static humeral parameters, it was strongly correlated with all dynamic parameters. The use of a simple, commercially available activity monitor might offer an inexpensive alternative for the assessment of a large number of subjects over multiple workdays to determine the relationship between dynamic motion and occupation shoulder injuries in the future. Practitioner Summary: Arm overuse has been linked to occupation-related shoulder injuries. An activity monitor attached to the wrist and a triaxial accelerometer mounted on the humerus were compared in a field trial. The results demonstrate that, under certain conditions, a commercially available activity monitor might be a useful tool for exposure assessment.
Laparoscopy for definite localization and simultaneous treatment of ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney in children.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Single-system ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney is a rare urologic abnormality. In this study, we evaluated our own experience using laparoscopy for the simultaneous identification and removal of such ureterorenal units. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between February 1999 and August 2001, four girls with a mean age of 11 years presented with urinary incontinence. After imaging studies including CT scan, MRI, or both were done, all the patients underwent laparoscopy for definitive localization and simultaneous treatment. RESULTS In all cases, ultrasonography and intravenous urography combined to reveal a single normal kidney. Even the CT scan could not identify the dysplastic kidney or ectopic ureter in three children. Laparoscopy was performed transperitoneally in all four patients, and a small dysplastic kidney was identified. Discovery of the kidney was not difficult because we initially identified the ureter crossing over the iliac vessels. Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was successful in all patients with a mean operative time of 102 minutes. There was no significant intraoperative or postoperative complication, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.5 days. All patients have remained completely dry without any problems after surgery. CONCLUSIONS For patients having a clinical suspicion of ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney, laparoscopy may represent an alternative modality for simultaneous diagnosis and treatment.