Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dust particle charge in plasma with ion flow and electron depletion near plasma boundaries

The charge on micrometer-sized dust particles suspended in plasma above the powered electrode of radio-frequency discharges is studied. Using a self-consistent fluid model, the plasma profiles above the electrode are calculated and the electron depletion towards the electrode, as well as the increasing flow speed of ions toward the electrode are considered in the calculation of the dust particle floating potential. The results are compared with those reported in literature and the importance of the spatial dust charge variation is investigated.
Flexibility as an implementation strategy for a daily dialysis program.

BACKGROUND Daily hemodialysis (DHD) is an interesting dialysis option, experienced worldwide by only a few hundred patients, because of clinical and logistic limitations. This study describes the main clinical and implementation results of a flexible policy applied in starting a DHD program. METHODS The setting is the University Nephrology Center of Turin, Italy (approximately 150 hemodialysis and 50 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients) where in November 1998 a short daily DHD program was started. Outcome measures were logistical (enrollment rate, indications and drop-outs) and clinical (dialysis efficiency, metabolic control, hypertension and anemia control). RESULTS 25 patients experienced DHD, 16 (11% of the hemodialysis pool) were on DHD in November 2001; overall the DHD follow-up was 409.1 months (median 18, range 0.7-36 months). Flexibility was applied to schedules (patients modulated dialysis time and could switch to 3-4 sessions/wk); treatment setting (home: 11 patients, limited care center: 13; alternate settings: one); clinical selection (23/25 patients with comorbidity). Main reasons for choice were poor tolerance of previous schedule and the search for "best" treatment. Five patients dropped out (work reasons), one died on DHD and three were grafted. As compared to baseline, dialysis efficiency increased (EKRc pre-DHD 14.5 +/- 2.1 mL/min; 17.4 +/- 2.8 mL/min and 17.7 +/- 3.5 mL/min at 1-6 months; p<0.000). Despite the potentially confusing effect of comorbidity, the main clinical data improved. CONCLUSIONS A flexible approach allowed development of DHD in approximately 11% of hemodialysis patients, with promising clinical results, despite frequent comorbidity.
Natural colloids are the dominant factor in the sedimentation of nanoparticles

Estimating the environmental exposure to manufactured nanomaterials is part of risk assessment. Because nanoparticles aggregate with each other (homoaggregation) and with other particles (heteroaggregation), the main route of the removal of most nanoparticles from water is aggregation, followed by sedimentation. The authors used water samples from two rivers in Europe, the Rhine and the Meuse. To distinguish between small (mainly natural organic matter [NOM]) particles and the remainder of the natural colloids present, both filtered and unfiltered river water was used to prepare the particle suspensions. The results show that the removal of nanoparticles from natural river water follows first‐order kinetics toward a residual concentration. This was measured in river water with less than 1 mg L−1 CeO2 nanoparticles. The authors inferred that the heteroaggregation with or deposition onto the solid fraction of natural colloids was the main mechanism causing sedimentation in relation to homoaggregation. In contrast, the NOM fraction in filtered river water stabilized the residual nanoparticles against further sedimentation for up to 12 d. In 10 mg L−1 and 100 mg L−1 CeO2 nanoparticle suspensions, homoaggregation is likely the main mechanism leading to sedimentation. The proposed model could form the basis for improved exposure assessment for nanomaterials. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1019–1022. © 2012 SETAC
Regional Inequality, Regimes of Accumulation and Economic Development in Contemporary Europe

The mid 1970s was a major turning point in Europe dividing the Fordist 'golden age', in which unprecedentedly fast economic growth went hand in hand with marked regional convergence, from a post-Fordist era in which growth rates were halved and inequalities increased. With the supply and demand side crises that undermined the Fordist model and the switch to neo-liberal ideologies and programmes, a virtuous circle of convergence and growth was thrown into reverse gear. Supply-side adjustments led to increased metropolitan polarization and to inequalities between areas. Globalization generated self-reinforcing trends towards increased economic interdependence, reduced national autonomy and increased economic integration. In the currently dominant neo-liberal conditions of integration in Europe, competitive mechanisms of regional adjustment are deflationary and increase inequalities. Attention is paid to the shape of an alternative macrogeographical framework which can regulate the contemporary contradictions of regional development in the European Union (EU).
Pope John Paul II and the Neurological Standard for the Determination of Death: A Critical Analysis of his Address to the Transplantation Society

The introduction of the “brain death” criterion constitutes a significant paradigm shift in the determination of death. The perception of the public at large is that the Catholic Church has formally endorsed this neurological standard. However, a critical reading of the only magisterial document on this subject, Pope John Paul II's 2000 address, shows that the pope's acceptance of the neurological criterion is conditional in that it entails a twofold requirement. It requires that certain medical presuppositions of the neurological standard are fulfilled, and that its philosophical premise coheres with the Church's teaching on the body-soul union. This article demonstrates that the medical presuppositions are not fulfilled, and that the doctrine of the brain as the central somatic integrator of the body does not cohere either with the current holistic understanding of the human organism or with the Church's Thomistic doctrine of the soul as the form of the body. Summary The concept of “brain death” (the neurological basis for legally declaring a person dead) has caused much controversy since its inception. In this regard, it has been generally perceived that the Catholic Church has officially affirmed the “brain death” criterion. The address of Pope John Paul II in 2000 shows, however, that he only gave it a conditional acceptance, one which requires that several medical and philosophical presuppositions of the “brain death” standard be fulfilled. This article demonstrates, taking into consideration both the empirical evidence and the Church's Thomistic anthropology, that the presuppositions have not been fulfilled.
Orthopaedic Surgery: What Is Evidence Without the Outcomes?

With the increased emphasis on evidence-based medicine in orthopaedics, the surgeon is faced with the challenge of evaluating the effectiveness of various treatment interventions. Health care authorities are also interested in measuring competing interventions, but out of concern for controlling costs. The success or failure of an intervention is often determined based on treatment outcomes. There are many outcomes measures available in the orthopaedic literature, and it is not uncommon for different measures to produce conflicting results. The orthopaedic surgeon must have the ability to accurately evaluate an outcomes measure to determine the value of a specific intervention. Similarly, selecting the appropriate outcomes measure for research or clinical purposes is an important decision that may have far-reaching implications on reimbursement and determining treatment success. To best select outcomes measures and to select the appropriate treatment for each patient, the orthopaedic surgeon needs to understand the recommended contents of a quality instrument, the difference between clinician-based and patientreported outcomes, and how to evaluate outcomes reported in the literature.
Modelling and forecasting international tourist arrivals to mainland China

The general-to-specific modelling approach is used to forecast tourist flows to mainland China from eight major origin countries/regions over the period 2006-2015. The existing literature shows that the general-to-specific methodology is a useful tool in modelling and forecasting tourism demand at the destination level. With the aid of econometric models, the factors which contribute to the demand for mainland China tourism have been identified. Empirical results reveal that the most important factor that determines the demand for mainland China tourism is the economic condition in the origin countries/regions. The “word of mouth” effect, the costs of tourism in mainland China and the price of tourism in the competing destinations also have noticeable influence on the demand for mainland China tourism. The generated forecasts suggest that mainland China will face increasing tourism demand by residents from all the origin countries/regions concerned while the growth rate of tourist arrivals from Korea is the most significant one. The demand elasticities and the forecasts of tourist arrivals obtained from the demand models form the basis of policy formulation for the tourism industry in mainland China.
How blood-derived odor influences mate-choice decisions by a mosquito-eating predator

Evarcha culicivora (Araneae, Salticidae) feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing, as preferred prey, bloodcarrying female mosquitoes. Mutual mate-choice behavior is also pronounced in this species. Here we show that, when E. culicivora feeds indirectly on blood, it acquires a diet-related odor that makes it more attractive to the opposite sex. The mate-choice decisions of the adults of both sexes were investigated in a series of experiments based on comparing how long the test spider remained close to the odor of one source spider on one day and to the odor of a different source spider on the following day. Four different maintenance diets for source spiders were used in these experiments: bloodfed female mosquitoes (Culicidae, Anopheles gambiae ss), sugar-fed female mosquitoes, male mosquitoes, and lake flies (Chironomidae, Nilodorum brevibucca). Both sexes of E. culicivora spent more time close to the odor of opposite-sex conspecifics that had been on a diet of bloodfed mosquitoes (blood diet) instead of any of the three nonblood diets. Opposite-sex conspecifics that had been on a nonblood diet became more attractive once they were switched to a blood diet. That the attractive odor from blood dissipates was shown when spiders became less attractive once they were switched to a nonblood diet or subjected to a fast. However, there was no evident preference for the odor of a same-sex conspecific on a blood diet instead of a lake fly diet. These findings are discussed in the context of sexual selection and sensory exploitation.
Lost in the categorical shuffle: evidence for the social non-prototypicality of black women.

The white male norm hypothesis (Zárate & Smith, 1990) posits that White men's race and gender go overlooked as a result of their prototypical social statuses. In contrast, the intersectional invisibility hypothesis (Purdie-Vaughns & Eibach, 2008) posits that people with membership in multiple subordinate social groups experience social invisibility as a result of their non-prototypical social statuses. The present research reconciles these contradictory theories and provides empirical support for the core assumption of the intersectional invisibility hypothesis-that intersectional targets are non-prototypical within their race and gender ingroups. In a speeded categorization task, participants were slower to associate Black women versus Black men with the category "Black" and slower to associate Black women versus White women with the category "woman. " We discuss the implications of this work for social categorical theory development and future intersectionality research.
[Prospective multicentre study of chemotherapeutic regimen containing pirarubicin on the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia in adults].

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and toxicity of the chemotherapeutic regimen containing pirarubicin and mitoxantrone on the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults. METHODS In this open prospective multicentre study, we randomly assigned patients with relapsed or refractory AML to receive TAE regimen (pirarubicin+cytarabine+etoposide) versus MAE regimen (mitoxantrone + cytarabine + etoposide). The efficacy and toxicity were compared between the two groups. RESULTS 56 patients entered this clinical trial. The complete remission (CR) rate on TAE arm was 79.0% versus 55.6% on MAE arm with the overall response (OR) rates of 86.8% versus 88.9%, respectively. The CR was higher on TAE arm (P=0.035) but with no significant difference between the two groups regarding the overall response (OR) rate. The regimens were well tolerated in both groups. Hematologic and non-hematologic toxicity were similar except relatively lower the mean dosage of G-CSF, red blood cells and platelets transfusion on TAE arm. No significant differences were seen between the two groups regarding the overall survival and relapse free survival rates. CONCLUSION TAE regimen might be an effective salvage therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory AML.
The Effect of Attachment Insecurity in the Development of Eating Disturbances across Gender: The Role of Body Dissatisfaction

ABSTRACT The present study examined the effects of insecure attachment on the development of negative body image as a contributing factor to the development of disturbed-eating patterns in male and female university students. Participants were nonclinical male (n = 100) and female (n = 381) university students. Administering self-report questionnaires, the authors assessed demographic information (gender, age), anthropometric data (Body Mass Index [BMI], age), romantic attachment (ECRS-R; R. C. Fraley, N. G. Waller, & K. A. Brennan, 2000), body dissatisfaction (BSQ), and disturbed eating (EAT-26). The authors found body dissatisfaction to fully mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and disordered eating in women. Body dissatisfaction mediated anxious attachment and dieting in men. In addition, attachment avoidance had a direct impact on eating behaviors for both genders, without the mediation of any variables measured in this study. The findings of the present study suggest that the anxiety and avoidance dimensions of attachment insecurity affect eating behaviors differently, and the effects are different across genders. The authors discuss results in the context of therapeutic interventions design.
Work Stress of Hotel Industry Employees in Puducherry

Competition among industries and business are emerging rapidly due to the effect of economic reform in India since 1991. Business people are taking many steps like introducing new technology, downsizing, fixing target and making more pressure to complete assigned work within the target time to be an active competitor and keep their market position. Due to these changes, employees working in service sector in general hotel and restaurant industry in particular are experiencing high level of job stress. Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern living. In light of the above, the present study attempt to throw light on the various problems of occupational stress among hotel and restaurant professionals specifically the middle level employees working in Union Territory of Puducherry. For meeting the objective of the study, Occupational Stress Index (OSI) constructed by Srivastava and Singh was used. The 46 item questionnaire is categorized into 12 sub scales namely Role Overload, Role Ambiguity, Role Conflict, Unreasonable Group and Political Pressure, Responsibility for Persons, Under Participation, Powerlessness, Poor Peer Relations, Intrinsic Impoverishment, Low Status, Strenuous Working Conditions and Unprofitability. The subjects were the 120 professionals occupying the middle level managerial positions in the private banking established in Puducherry district, Puducherry. Major result of this study based on the respondents view that moderate job stress prevailing in this field.
TAFII‐independent activation mediated by human TBP in the presence of the positive cofactor PC4

TFIID is a multiprotein complex comprised of the TATA‐binding protein (TBP) and an array of TBP‐associated factors (TAFIIs). Whereas TBP is sufficient for basal transcription in conjunction with other general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II, TAFIIs are additionally required for activator‐dependent transcription in mammalian cell‐free transcription systems. However, recent in vivo studies carried out in yeast suggest that TAFIIs are not globally required for activator function. The discrepancy between in vivo yeast studies and in vitro mammalian cell‐free systems remains to be resolved. In this study, we describe a mammalian cell‐free transcription system reconstituted with only recombinant proteins and epitope‐tagged multiprotein complexes. Transcriptional activation can be recapitulated in this highly purified in vitro transcription system in the absence of TAFIIs. This TBP‐mediated activation is not induced by human mediator, another transcriptional coactivator complex potentially implicated in activator response. In contrast, general transcription factors TFIIH and TFIIA play a significant role in TBP‐mediated activation, which can be detected in vitro with Gal4 fusion proteins containing various transcriptional activation domains. Our data, therefore, suggest that TFIIH and TFIIA can mediate activator function in the absence of TAFIIs.
Vitamin D insufficiency and skeletal development in utero

Over the last 10 years, our perception of what constitutes normal vitamin D status has undergone a substantial revision. Prior to this, suboptimal vitamin D was defined at a very basic level by the presence or absence of associated bone disease (i.e., rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults). As a consequence, vitamin D deficiency was determined by serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) of less than 25 nM (10 ng/mL), and anything higher was “normal. ” However, this has changed with the observation that several parameters of calcium homeostasis continue to correlate with serum levels of 25-OHD up to concentrations as high as approximately 80 nM (32 ng/mL). (1,2) The implication is that optimal vitamin D status is achieved only at 25-OHD concentrations above this; anything less is suboptimal or “insufficient. ” Based on these revised parameters, it has been concluded that vitamin D insufficiency is a global phenomenon, with an estimated 1 billion people worldwide having suboptimal levels of 25-OHD. (3) Some groups appear to be at greater risk of vitamin D insufficiency than others, notably pregnant women. (4–8) In a study carried out in Pittsburgh, PA, Bodnar and colleagues showed that 74% to 95% of pregnant black women and 46% to 62% of pregnant white women were vitamin D insufficient. (5) Notably, during early pregnancy, almost 45% of the African-American mothers had 25-OHD levels that were less than 37.5 nM. (5) A key question arising from these epidemiologic data concerns the physiologic impact of vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy. In the current issue of the Journal, Mahon and colleagues have addressed this through a prospective longitudinal study of pregnant women in which they have characterized the impact of maternal vitamin D status on in utero measures of fetal skeletal development. (9)
Are keloid and hypertrophic scar different forms of the same disorder? A fibroproliferative skin disorder hypothesis based on keloid findings

Hypertrophic scars (HSs) and keloids are commonly seen as two different diseases by both clinicians and pathologists. However, as supported by histological evidence showing they share increased numbers of fibroblasts and accumulate collagen products, HS and keloid might be different forms of the same pathological entity, rather than separate conditions. To test this hypothesis, keloids from patients who underwent scar excisions (n = 20) in Nippon Medical School from 2005 to 2010 were examined histologically. The proportion and distribution of cellular and matrix collagen components were evaluated at the centre and periphery of each sample. In keloid samples, coexistence of hyalinised collagen, which is the most important pathognomonic characteristic of a keloid and dermal nodules that are considered to be characteristic of HS, was found. Moreover, hyalinised fibres appeared to initiate from the corner of the dermal nodules. Key features of inflammation such as microvessels, fibroblasts and inflammatory cells all decreased gradually from the periphery to the centre of keloids, indicative of reduced inflammation in the centre. Thus, we hypothesise that HS and keloid can be considered as successive stages of the same fibroproliferative skin disorder, with differing degrees of inflammation that might be affected by genetic predisposition.
Exploring the Bacterial Diversity of Belgian Steak Tartare Using Metagenetics and Quantitative Real-Time PCR Analysis.

Steak tartare is a popular meat dish in Belgium. It is prepared with raw minced beef and is eaten with sauce, vegetables, and spices. Because it contains raw meat, steak tartare is highly prone to bacterial spoilage. The objective of this study was to explore the diversity of bacterial flora in steak tartare in Belgium according to the source and to determine which bacteria are able to grow during shelf life. A total of 58 samples from butchers' shops, restaurants, sandwich shops, and supermarkets were collected. These samples were analyzed using 16S rDNA metagenetics, a classical microbiological technique, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the Lactobacillus genus. Samples were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of their shelf life, except for those from restaurants and sandwich shops, which were analyzed only on the purchase date. Metagenetic analysis identified up to 180 bacterial species and 90 genera in some samples. But only seven bacterial species were predominant in the samples, depending on the source: Brochothrix thermosphacta, Lactobacillus algidus, Lactococcus piscium, Leuconostoc gelidum, Photobacterium kishitani, Pseudomonas spp. , and Xanthomonas oryzae. With this work, an alternative method is proposed to evaluate the total flora in food samples based on the number of reads from metagenetic analysis and the results of qPCR. The degree of underestimation of aerobic plate counts at 30°C estimated with the classical microbiology method was demonstrated in comparison with the proposed culture-independent method. Compared with culture-based methods, metagenetic analysis combined with qPCR targeting Lactobacillus provides valuable information for characterizing the bacterial flora of raw meat.
Anti‐IgE treatment: an update

Allergic diseases, particularly the atopic diathesis of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis, represent an increasing socioeconomic and health burden around the world (1–3). The prevalence of atopic sensitizations, the most important risk factor for asthma and other allergic diseases, is increasing. The morbidity caused by allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to seasonal or perennial allergens is often not fully appreciated (4), and asthma is associated with a substantial mortality rate (5). It has been estimated that approximately half the cases of asthma may be attributed to atopy (6). In individuals with atopic disease, high allergen loads contribute to the severity of disease, and allergen-avoidance strategies can bring about measurable improvements (7).