Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Nonlinear Performance of Silicon-Nanocrystal Cylindrical Nanowires

The efficiency of light-matter interaction inside a nonlinear waveguide is determined by the local intensity of light, which varies with the lateral dimensions of the waveguide. In this paper, we develop a semianalytical method for optimization of the nonlinear performance of silica nanowires doped with highly nonlinear silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs). Our method reduces the problem of intensity maximization inside the nanowire to the solution of two coupled transcendental equations, one of which is the dispersion relation for the guided optical mode and the other is the necessary condition for the effective mode area (EMA) to attain its global minimum. By applying the developed method to the nanowires with different densities of SiNCs, we demonstrate that one may achieve a sufficiently strong confinement of the optical mode inside them, without resorting to the use of high-index semiconductor or metallic claddings. Specifically, we show that the effective area of the lowest-order TE mode may be reduced below 0.2 μm2 at 750-nm wavelength, provided that SiNCs occupy more than half of the nanowire's volume. We also present empirical formulas for the optimal nanowire radius, effective mode index, and minimum EMA, based on the numerical results obtained with our method. These formulas are useful for the rapid design optimization of cylindrical nanowires in all-optical photonics nanocircuitry.
Burnout in Nursing Staff: Is There a Relationship between Depression and Burnout?

Objective: There is evidence that burnout may be a clinical entity with pathological stress reaction features related to the inability in finding pleasure from work. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and depression. Methods: The study took place in the general hospital AHEPA of Thessaloniki. All members of the nursing staff (in total 368 subjects) took part. The protocol was self-reported and anonymous, in order to obtain as valid data as possible and included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to assess the level of burnout, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) to assess personality traits, and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale to assess depressive symptomatology. Results: The analysis revealed a weak but significant relationship between burnout and depression. Conclusions: Depression is a pervasive disorder that affects almost every aspect of the patient's life. On the contrary, burnout is, by definition, a syndrome restricted to the patient's professional environment. However, it seems that there may be two distinct types of burnout syndromes, of which the one comprising the majority of nurses has little or no common features with depression. The second type consists of individuals with a predisposition to develop burnout. The latter is characterized by more severe symptomatology, phenotypic similarity to depression and presumably common etiological mechanisms.
Use of human milk in the intensive care nursery decreases the incidence of nosocomial sepsis.

OBJECTIVES This study compares stool colonization and incidence of sepsis in human milk-fed (HM) and formula-fed (FF) intensive care nursery (ICN) patients. STUDY DESIGN Infants recruited prospectively were fed HM based on the decision of their mothers (59 HM and 114 FF). The incidence of sepsis was determined during the following three intervals: period 1, first 10 days of life; period 2, 11 to 24 days; and period 3, 25 to 38 days. RESULTS Frequency of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp. colonization was increased in HM infants. The incidence of sepsis was 9.5% in period 1 (5% in HM vs 10% in FF), 17.2% in period 2 (9% in HM vs 20% in FF), and 12.5% in period 3 (0% in HM vs 15% in FF). The odds ratio for sepsis in HM infants was 0.4, the 95% limits 0.15 to 0.95, p = 0.04. CONCLUSIONS HM feeding in the ICN has a protective effect against nosocomial sepsis, which is unrelated to its influence on gastrointestinal (GI) flora.
Effect of tibial tuberosity advancement on cranial tibial subluxation in canine cranial cruciate-deficient stifle joints: an in vitro experimental study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) on tibiofemoral shear force as reflected by measurement of cranial tibial subluxation (CTS) and patella tendon angle (PTA) in the canine cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) deficient stifle joint. STUDY DESIGN In vitro cadaver study. ANIMALS Canine cadaveric hind limbs (n=10). METHODS CTS and PTA were evaluated from lateral radiographic projections in axially loaded intact CrCL stifle joints, after transection of the CrCL, at a maximally advanced tibial tuberosity position, and at a critical point position. A custom-designed hinge plate allowed alteration of the tibia to tibial tuberosity distance (Ti-TT) under axial load. Digitized radiographic images were used to quantify CTS, PTA, and Ti-TT. Comparisons within groups were made using 1-way repeated measures ANOVA. A post hoc Tukey's HSD test was used to determine post-ANOVA pair-wise comparison within these groups. Significance was set at a value of P<. 05. RESULTS CTS occurred after CrCL transection, which was significantly different from the intact position (P<.01). Subsequent stability of the stifle joint was obtained by advancing the tibial tuberosity. In the maximally advanced tibial tuberosity position, caudal tibial thrust was generated resulting in caudal tibial subluxation that was significantly different from the transected CrCL position (P<.01) and from the intact CrCL position (P<.01). Despite a stable joint, there was slight CTS at the critical point position, which was significantly different from the intact CrCL position (P<.05). The PTA at the maximally advanced position was significantly different from the intact, critical point and reference 90 degrees PTAs (P<.01). The PTA at the critical point position was significantly different from the intact and maximally advanced tibial tuberosity PTAs (P<.01), but not different (P>.05) from the reference 90 degrees PTA. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that advancement of the tibial tuberosity neutralized cranial tibial thrust, and converted cranial tibial thrust into caudal tibial thrust. Neutralization of tibiofemoral shear forces occurred at a PTA of 90.3+/-9.0 degrees. CLINICAL RELEVANCE TTA can effectively change the magnitude and direction of the tibiofemoral shear force, and thus may be used to prevent craniotibial translation in a CrCL deficient stifle joint.
Angiotensin-converting Enzyme as a Predictor of Extrathoracic Involvement of Sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease, with extrathoracic involvement occurring in 25-50% of patients. Multi-organ involvement is often associated with a more chronic and severe course. The value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in diagnosing extrathoracic involvement in sarcoidosis has been demonstrated; however, because of the radiation dose and high cost, indications for its use must be well defined. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is produced by active granuloma cells; thus, serum ACE (sACE) levels may reflect the total granuloma load. OBJECTIVES In this retrospective study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of sACE in the detection of extrathoracic involvement in sarcoidosis. METHODS 43 patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis underwent FDG-PET/CT during the initial workup. Positive findings were classified as thoracic and/or extrathoracic. The diagnostic value of sACE was estimated using sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). RESULTS Of the 43 patients studied, 17 (39.7%) had extrathoracic involvement. In this group, sACE values were higher than in patients without extrathoracic involvement (331 vs. 150, p=0.002) and correlated positively with extrathoracic involvement (R:0.532 p=0.02). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis revealed an AUC of 0.816 [95% confidence interval: 0.669-0.963, p=0.002], 70.6% sensitivity and 80% specificity at the sACE cut-off value. CONCLUSIONS In sarcoidosis, extrathoracic involvement may be life threatening or indicative of poor outcome. sACE levels are easily determined and may predict extrathoracic involvement. In patients with sarcoidosis, sACE levels can be used to better define those who would benefit from FDG-PET/CT examination to detect extrathoracic involvement.
Orchestrating the flow of human resources: Insights from Spanish soccer clubs

Although prior research recognizes the strategic importance of changes to the organization’s human resource base, there is little consensus regarding the influence of human resource flows on organizational performance. Employing a resource orchestration perspective, we emphasize the need by managers to “orchestrate” multiple, interrelated human resource flows; the role of the incumbent or newly appointed orchestrator in the decisions and outcomes associated with human resource flow strategies; and the importance of the performance of the current human resource base with which the flows interact. Utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and longitudinal data from the Spanish premier soccer league, we identify five ways in which organizations are able to effectively configure human resource flows. We then elaborate theory on managerial decisions that allow human resource flows to work together depending upon the particular organizational conditions. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the performance outcomes of managerial resource flow decisions.
Engineering of a Xylose Metabolic Pathway in Corynebacterium glutamicum

ABSTRACT The aerobic microorganism Corynebacterium glutamicum was metabolically engineered to broaden its substrate utilization range to include the pentose sugar xylose, which is commonly found in agricultural residues and other lignocellulosic biomass. We demonstrated the functionality of the corynebacterial xylB gene encoding xylulokinase and constructed two recombinant C. glutamicum strains capable of utilizing xylose by cloning the Escherichia coli gene xylA encoding xylose isomerase, either alone (strain CRX1) or in combination with the E. coli gene xylB (strain CRX2). These genes were provided on a high-copy-number plasmid and were under the control of the constitutive promoter trc derived from plasmid pTrc99A. Both recombinant strains were able to grow in mineral medium containing xylose as the sole carbon source, but strain CRX2 grew faster on xylose than strain CRX1. We previously reported the use of oxygen deprivation conditions to arrest cell replication in C. glutamicum and divert carbon source utilization towards product production rather than towards vegetative functions (M. Inui, S. Murakami, S. Okino, H. Kawaguchi, A. A. Vertès, and H. Yukawa, J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 7:182-196, 2004). Under these conditions, strain CRX2 efficiently consumed xylose and produced predominantly lactic and succinic acids without growth. Moreover, in mineral medium containing a sugar mixture of 5% glucose and 2.5% xylose, oxygen-deprived strain CRX2 cells simultaneously consumed both sugars, demonstrating the absence of diauxic phenomena relative to the new xylA-xylB construct, albeit glucose-mediated regulation still exerted a measurable influence on xylose consumption kinetics.
Mechanism of Translesion DNA Synthesis by DNA Polymerase II

Bypass synthesis by DNA polymerase II was studied using a synthetic 40-nucleotide-long gapped duplex DNA containing a site-specific abasic site analog, as a model system for mutagenesis associated with DNA lesions. Bypass synthesis involved a rapid polymerization step terminating opposite the nucleotide preceding the lesion, followed by a slow bypass step. Bypass was found to be dependent on polymerase and dNTP concentrations, on the DNA sequence context, and on the size of the gap. A side-by-side comparison of DNA polymerases I, II, and III core revealed the following. 1) Each of the three DNA polymerases bypassed the abasic site analog unassisted by other proteins. 2) In the presence of physiological-like salt conditions, only DNA polymerase II bypassed the lesion. 3) Bypass by each of the three DNA polymerases increased dramatically in the absence of proofreading. These results support a model (Tomer, G., Cohen-Fix, O., O'Donnell, M., Goodman, M. and Livneh, Z. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 1376-1380) by which the RecA, UmuD, and UmuC proteins are accessory factors rather than being absolutely required for the core mutagenic bypass reaction in induced mutagenesis in Escherichia coli.
Early Degenerative Changes in Transgenic Mice Expressing Mutant Huntingtin Involve Dendritic Abnormalities but No Impairment of Mitochondrial Energy Production

Mitochondrial defects, which occur in the brain of late-stage Huntington's disease (HD) patients, have been proposed to underlie the selective neuronal loss in the disease. To shed light on the possible role of mitochondrial energy impairment in the early phases of HD pathophysiology, we carried out Golgi impregnation and quantitative histochemical/biochemical studies in HD full-length cDNA transgenic mice that were symptomatic but had not developed to a stage in which neuronal loss could be documented. Golgi staining showed morphologic abnormalities that included a significant decrease in the number of dendritic spines and a thickening of proximal dendrites in striatal and cortical neurons. In contrast, measurements of mitochondrial electron transport Complexes I-IV did not reveal changes in the striatum and cerebral cortex in these mice. Examination of the neostriatum and cerebral cortex in human presymptomatic and pathological Grade 1 HD cases also showed no change in the activity of mitochondrial Complexes I-IV. These data suggest that dendritic alterations precede irreversible cell loss in HD, and that mitochondrial energy impairment is a consequence, rather than a cause, of early neuropathological changes.
INTERNACIONALIZACIÓN Y CREACIÓN DE NUEVOS PRODUCTOS Y PROCESOS EN LA INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERA MEXICANA

This paper tries to understand the relationship between internationalization and the generation of new products and processes in a developing country, using data from 2285 Mexican manufacturing firms and for the 2008-2009 period. Through an econometric analysis, this paper contributes to the literature and concludes that, after controlling for the size of the firm, its innovative effort and the concentration of the market power in the industry, being an exporter promotes the generation of new processes and of innovations for the world; FDI also promotes innovation for the world; being an importer does not affect the innovative outcomes of the firm, while outsourcing inhibits the generation of both new products and processes, and the innovation for the world.
Dormancy Is Not Necessary or Sufficient for Bacterial Persistence

ABSTRACT The antibiotic tolerances of bacterial persisters have been attributed to transient dormancy. While persisters have been observed to be growth inhibited prior to antibiotic exposure, we sought to determine whether such a trait was essential to the phenotype. Furthermore, we sought to provide direct experimental evidence of the persister metabolic state so as to determine whether the common assumption of metabolic inactivity was valid. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), a fluorescent indicator of cell division, a fluorescent measure of metabolic activity, and persistence assays, we found that bacteria that are rapidly growing prior to antibiotic exposure can give rise to persisters and that a lack of replication or low metabolic activity prior to antibiotic treatment simply increases the likelihood that a cell is a persister. Interestingly, a lack of significant growth or metabolic activity does not guarantee persistence, as the majority of even “dormant” subpopulations (>99%) were not persisters. These data suggest that persistence is far more complex than dormancy and point to additional characteristics needed to define the persister phenotype.
Activation or inactivation of cardiac Akt/mTOR signaling diverges physiological from pathological hypertrophy

Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy differs according to the stress exerted on the myocardium. While pressure overload‐induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy is associated with depressed contractile function, physiological hypertrophy after exercise training associates with preserved or increased inotropy. We determined the activation state of myocardial Akt signaling with downstream substrates and fetal gene reactivation in exercise‐induced physiological and pressure overload‐induced pathological hypertrophies. C57BL/6J mice were either treadmill trained for 6 weeks, 5 days/week, at 85–90% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), or underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 1 or 8 weeks. Total and phosphorylated protein levels were determined with SDS‐PAGE, and fetal genes by real‐time RT‐PCR. In the physiologically hypertrophied heart after exercise training, total Akt protein level was unchanged, but Akt was chronically hyperphosphorylated at serine 473. This was accompanied by activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), measured as phosphorylation of its two substrates: the ribosomal protein S6 kinase‐1 (S6K1) and the eukaryotic translation initiation factor‐4E binding protein‐1 (4E‐BP1). Exercise training did not reactivate the fetal gene program (β‐myosin heavy chain, atrial natriuretic factor, skeletal muscle actin). In contrast, pressure overload after TAC reactivated fetal genes already after 1 week, and partially inactivated the Akt/mTOR pathway and downstream substrates after 8 weeks. In conclusion, changes in opposite directions of the myocardial Akt/mTOR signal pathway appears to distinguish between physiological and pathological hypertrophies; exercise training associating with activation and pressure overload associating with inactivation of the Akt/mTOR pathway. J. Cell. Physiol. 214: 316–321, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
TDP‐43, a neuro‐pathosignature factor, is essential for early mouse embryogenesis

TDP‐43 is a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein. It has been implicated in the regulation of transcription, alternative splicing, translation, and neuronal plasticity. TDP‐43 has also been shown to be a disease signature protein associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the correlation of the physiological functions of TDP‐43 with these diseases remains unknown. We have used the gene targeting approach to disrupt the expression of TDP‐43 in mouse. Loss of the TDP‐43 expression results in peri‐implantation lethality of mice between embryonic days (E) 3.5 and 6.5. Blastocysts of the homozygous Tardbp null mutants are morphologically normal, but exhibit defective outgrowth of the inner cell mass in vitro. Our data demonstrate the essential function of TDP‐43 in peri‐implantation stage during the embryo development, likely because of its involvement in multiple biological processes in a variety of cell types. genesis 48:56–62, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Compressive Sensing Techniques for Next-Generation Wireless Communications

A range of efficient wireless processes and enabling techniques are put under a magnifier glass in the quest for exploring different manifestations of correlated processes, where sub-Nyquist sampling may be invoked as an explicit benefit of having a sparse transform-domain representation. For example, wide-band next-generation systems require a high Nyquist-sampling rate, but the channel impulse response (CIR) will be very sparse at the high Nyquist frequency, given the low number of reflected propagation paths. This motivates the employment of compressive sensing based processing techniques for frugally exploiting both the limited radio resources and the network infrastructure as efficiently as possible. A diverse range of sophisticated compressed sampling techniques is surveyed, and we conclude with a variety of promising research ideas related to large-scale antenna arrays, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and ultra-dense network (UDN) solutions, just to name a few.
CD4+ T Cells Play a Dominant Role in Protection against New World Leishmaniasis Induced by Vaccination with the P-4 Amastigote Antigen

ABSTRACT Immunodepletion studies of P-4-vaccinated mice indicate that CD4+ and not CD8+ T cells are critical for protection against Leishmania pifanoi (Leishmania mexicana complex). Although a moderate CD8+ T-cell response is elicited by vaccination, CD4+ T cells are the dominant responding population in vitro and at the cutaneous site of infection. These protective T cells produce gamma interferon (IFN-γ), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and tumor necrosis factor/lymphotoxin (TNF/LT), each of which significantly contributed to intracellular parasite destruction in vitro. These results indicate that a singular CD4+ T-cell response (IFN-γ, MIF, and/or LT/TNF) can provide protection against New World cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Human and rodent Alzheimer beta-amyloid peptides acquire distinct conformations in membrane-mimicking solvents.

The major constituent of senile plaques (one of the hallmark lesions of Alzheimer's disease) is a 42(43)-amino-acid polypeptide, termed the A4 or beta-amyloid peptide. The beta-amyloid peptide or A4 is derived from one or more larger beta-amyloid precursor proteins. The precursor protein from whence the A4 peptide is derived is highly conserved throughout evolution, and humans, monkeys, dogs, and bears develop brain deposits of A4 peptide in amyloid fibrils. However, similar accumulations of A4 amyloid are negligible in the brains of rats and mice for reasons that remain unexplored. Notably, the A4 sequence of rodents, deduced from the cDNA clones, differs only in three amino acids from the A4 isolated from the brain of humans. Hence, these differences could account for the inability of rodents to develop Alzheimer-like A4 amyloid plaques. To test this hypothesis directly, using physical and chemical model systems, we synthesized, purified, and characterized A4 peptides corresponding to the human and rodent sequences. Circular dichroic and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used with various membrane-mimicking solvents, different peptide concentrations, and variable pH to identify those environmental conditions that promoted beta-pleated sheet formation of the human versus rodent A4. At an intermediate alkaline pH (< or = 10), the rodent peptide has more beta-pleated sheet structure than the human sequence. The beta-pleated sheets for both peptides could be eliminated at very high pH (> or = 12). The amount of the beta-structure increased in an octyl glucoside solution, compared to that found in SDS, as well as in several of the other solutions tested here. This suggests that particles originated from prior membrane damage may play a role in the stabilization of beta-pleated sheets with subsequent formation of amyloid deposits. Finally, we found that higher beta-pleated sheet content was observed for the rodent sequences in acetonitrile/water mixtures. In contrast, more beta-pleated sheets were detected with the human A4 in trifluoroethanol/water mixtures at neutral pH. Remarkably, at relatively low peptide concentrations, only the human sequences assumed an extended secondary structure. These data suggest that subtle inter-species amino-acid differences may account for the inability of the rodent peptide to form amyloid fibrils in situ.