Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Floral traits mediate the vulnerability of aloes to pollen theft and inefficient pollination by bees.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Pollen-collecting bees are among the most important pollinators globally, but are also the most common pollen thieves and can significantly reduce plant reproduction. The pollination efficiency of pollen collectors depends on the frequency of their visits to female(-phase) flowers, contact with stigmas and deposition of pollen of sufficient quantity and quality to fertilize ovules. Here we investigate the relative importance of these components, and the hypothesis that floral and inflorescence characteristics mediate the pollination role of pollen collection by bees. METHODS For ten Aloe species that differ extensively in floral and inflorescence traits, we experimentally excluded potential bird pollinators to quantify the contributions of insect visitors to pollen removal, pollen deposition and seed production. We measured corolla width and depth to determine nectar accessibility, and the phenology of anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity to quantify herkogamy and dichogamy. Further, we compiled all published bird-exclusion studies of aloes, and compared insect pollination success with floral morphology. KEY RESULTS Species varied from exclusively insect pollinated, to exclusively bird pollinated but subject to extensive pollen theft by insects. Nectar inaccessibility and strong dichogamy inhibited pollination by pollen-collecting bees by discouraging visits to female-phase (i.e. pollenless) flowers. For species with large inflorescences of pollen-rich flowers, pollen collectors successfully deposited pollen, but of such low quality (probably self-pollen) that they made almost no contribution to seed set. Indeed, considering all published bird-exclusion studies (17 species in total), insect pollination efficiency varied significantly with floral shape. CONCLUSIONS Species-specific floral and inflorescence characteristics, especially nectar accessibility and dichogamy, control the efficiency of pollen-collecting bees as pollinators of aloes.
Investigation of a novel mechanically mixed mineral trioxide aggregate (MM-MTA(™) ).

AIM To characterize a novel mechanically mixed mineral trioxide aggregate product (MM-MTA, MicroMega, Besançon, France) and to investigate the physical and chemical properties in comparison with ProRoot MTA (Dentsply, Tulsa Dental, Johnson City, TN, USA) and MTA Angelus (Angelus, Londrina, Brazil). METHODOLOGY The three materials were mixed according to manufacturer's instructions. Specimens 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm high were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis after 1-day and 28-day storage in physiological solution. Calcium ion leaching in solution and pH of the elution were also assessed. Furthermore, the setting time, radiopacity and material porosity were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed by anova and Tukey's post hoc tests. RESULTS All the MTAs tested were composed primarily of tricalcium silicate and bismuth oxide. In addition, MM-MTA exhibited additional peaks for chlorine evident in the EDS analysis; calcium carbonate was present in the set material detected by XRD. Calcium hydroxide was present in the set ProRoot MTA and MTA Angelus. Calcium ion leaching and alkalization of the storage solution were demonstrated in all the materials. Both MM-MTA and MTA Angelus had a shorter setting time when compared to ProRoot MTA (P < 0.001). ProRoot MTA exhibited larger pores and more porosity than MTA Angelus and MM-MTA. All the materials exhibited radiopacity greater than the 3 mm aluminium thickness specified in ISO 6876 (2012). CONCLUSIONS MM-MTA, ProRoot MTA and MTA Angelus are composed of Portland cement and bismuth oxide. In addition, MM-MTA contains calcium carbonate and a chloride accelerator. These additives affect the material hydration and the properties of the set material. The properties of MM-MTA are a result of a combination of factors, namely the particular cement mineralogy, radiopacifier loading, effective water-cement ratio and mechanical mixing.
Association between alcohol and mortality in patients with severe traumatic head injury.

HYPOTHESIS Admission blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is associated with in-hospital death in patients with severe brain injury from blunt head trauma. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Academic level I trauma center in Toronto, Ontario. PATIENTS Using trauma registry data, between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2003, we identified 1158 consecutive patients with severe brain injury from blunt head trauma. INTERVENTION There was no active intervention. The primary exposure of interest was the BAC at admission, stratified into the following 3 levels: 0, no BAC; 0 to less than 230 mg/dL, low to moderate BAC; and 230 mg/dL or greater, high BAC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE In-hospital death. RESULTS In patients with severe brain injury, low to moderate BAC was associated with lower mortality than was no BAC (27.9% vs 36.3%; P = .008). High BAC was associated with higher mortality than was no BAC (44.7% vs 36.3%), although this was not statistically significant (P = .10). These associations were all statistically significant after adjusting for demographic data and injury factors using logistic regression analysis. The odds ratio for death was 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.98) for low to moderate BAC compared with no BAC. The odds ratio for death was 1.73 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.84) for high BAC compared with no BAC. CONCLUSIONS Low to moderate BAC may be beneficial in patients with severe brain injury from blunt head trauma. In contrast, high BAC seems to have a deleterious effect on in-hospital death in these patients, which may be related to its detrimental hemodynamic and physiologic effects. Alcohol-based fluids may have a role in the management of patients with severe brain injury after they have been well resuscitated.
Radiated emission analysis from printed circuit board edges using multiple stimulus sources

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the primary source of EMI. The manner of propagation of an undesired RF field depends on the type of antenna configuration present within the structure. Unwanted EMI is also created within cable interconnects, lead-bond wires, poor power distribution networks, simultaneously switching noise, crosstalk, and from the physical edge of the PCB assembly between a power and return plane pair. This paper examines the magnitude of the RF field that may cause harmful EMI to adjacent assemblies only from the edge of the board. Designers are faced with numerous obstacles when creating a PCB due to increasing demand for higher operating frequencies and greater functionality. Engineers generally do not concern themselves with board edge radiated emissions, thus this study
Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from Patients with Bloodstream Infections in Latin America, 1997: Frequency of Occurrence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program.

We report the antimicrobial susceptibility of 736 organisms isolated from bloodstream infections in 10 Latin American medical centers during the first six months of 1997. The data presented here is from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, a comprehensive surveillance study involving 72 medical centers worldwide. The isolates ivere tested for in in vitro susceptibility to 35 antimicrobial agents by the broth microdilution method. The five most frequently isolated species were (n/%): Staphylococcus aureus (1 65/22.4%), Escherichia coli(118/16.0%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS - 115/15.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (51/6.9%), Klebsiella spp. (46/ 6.3%). Susceptibility to oxacillin was 70.9% for S. aureus and only 33.9% for CoNS. Vancomycin was active against all of staphylococci, while teicoplanin was active against 99.4% of S. aureus and only 90.4% of CoNS. The new fluoroquinolones sparfloxacin, gatifloxacin, and trovafloxacin, and the streptogramin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, were very active against these species. Only one vancomycin-resistant enterococcus was detected; however, high-level aminoglycoside resistance rates were common (66.7%). E. coli and Klebsiella spp. showed low susceptibilities for cefotaxime (90.7% and 41.3%) and for cefoxitin (85.6% and 78.3% respectively), indicating a high frequency of isolates that produce ESBL and/or stably derepressed ampC enzymes. These strains, phenotypically consistent with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production, were typed using ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The most active compounds (M IC90 in µg/mL /% susceptibility) against P. aeruginosa were meropenem (2 /94.1%), followed by amikacin (>32 / 86.3%), and piperacillin alone or with tazobactam (128/84.3%). Ceftazidime and cefepime showed similar activity (70.6% susceptibility) and levofloxacin was the most active fluoroquinolone (MI C50 &lte; 0.5; 76.5% susceptibility) against this gram-negative species. These results show the unique pattern of bloodstream isolates for Latin America and they demonstrate the present utility of several classes of compounds against emerging antimicrobial-resistant species in this region.
The direct and indirect effects of cost-sharing on the use of preventive services.

OBJECTIVE To test empirically a model for estimating the direct and indirect effects of different forms of cost-sharing on the utilization of recommended clinical preventive services. DATA SOURCES/SETTINGS: Stratified random sample of 10,872 employees, 18-64 years, who had belonged to their plan for at least one year, from seven large companies that were members of the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) in 1994. DATA COLLECTION The 1994 PBGH Health Plan Value Check Survey. 1994 PBGH data on requirements for employee out-of-pocket patient cost-sharing for 52 different health plans. DESIGN Five equations were derived to estimate the direct and indirect effects of two forms of cost-sharing (copayments and coinsurance/deductibles) in two forms of managed care (HMOs and PPO/indemnity plans) on four clinical preventive services: mammography screening, cervical cancer screening, blood pressure screening, and preventive counseling. Probit models were used to estimate elasticities for the indirect and direct effects. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Both forms of cost-sharing in both plan types had negative and significant indirect effects on preventive counseling (from -1 percent to -7 percent). The direct effect of cost-sharing was negative for preventive counseling (-5 percent to -9 percent) and Pap smears (from -3 percent to -9 percent) in both HMOs and PPOs, and for mammography only in PPOs (-3 percent to -9 percent). The results of the effects on blood pressure screening are inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS Both the direct and indirect effects of cost-sharing negatively affected the receipt of preventive counseling in HMOs and PPOs. As predicted, the direct negative effect of cost-sharing was greater than the indirect effect for Pap smears and mammography. Eliminating cost-sharing for these services may be important to increasing their utilization to recommended levels.
Raman Spectroscopy in Dental Research: A Short Review of Recent Studies

The Raman spectroscopic technique enables us to obtain vibrational (IR and far-IR) spectra of minerals by analyzing scattered light caused by (visible or near-visible) monochromatic laser excitation. The method possesses several advantages over IR absorption, including simple sample preparation, easy spectral/band analysis, and linear-response to mineral/chemical concentrations. In micro-Raman spectrometer systems, samples are positioned under an optical microscope, and specimens can be scanned with a lateral resolution (- 1 mm). In this paper, recent applications of micro-Raman spectroscopy and near-infrared Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy in the study of dental hard tissues and of calculus are reviewed. Special attention is given to mineral components in enamel, dentin, and calculus, and to calcium fluoride formed in/on enamel. The results from the use of an Ar+-laser/grating-based micro-Raman spectrometer show that: CaF2 formed in/on enamel by APF treatment is detectable and different from pure CaF2; and with the technique, the crystallite orientation in enamel can be determined. A Raman spectrometer based on Fourier transform and a diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser (1.06 mm) can be used to obtain fluorescence-free Raman signals from biological materials, and identification of mineral components present in dental calculus is possible.
Frequency of depression in epilepsy: a hospital based study.

BACKGROUND Depression is the most frequent psychiatric morbidity among epileptic patients adversely affecting their quality of life. It has also been associated with deliberate self harm and suicide. The objectives of this study were to know the frequency of depression in epileptic patients coming to neurology clinic of tertiary care hospital and also to find an association of clinical and demographic variables of epileptic patients with depression. METHODS Convenient sampling method was used to select patients after informed consent. Depression was diagnosed using semi structured interview based on ICD-10. Data was analyses using SPSS version 10.0, and analysis carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics. Chi-square test of association was applied to see the significance. RESULT Out of total 100 patients 55% were males, 47% were married and mean age of the patients was 25.5 +/- 4.34 years. About 60% patients were found depressed at the time of interview. Male patients, being married and coming from low socioeconomic stratum were significantly associated with depression. None of the patient was on anti-depressant medication. CONCLUSION Depression was found to be highly prevalent psychiatric morbidity in epileptic patients. Men, married status, uncontrolled epilepsy and low socioeconomic group more prone to have depression.
Outcomes and risk factors for failure of radiologic treatment of biliary strictures in pediatric liver transplantation recipients

Posttransplantation biliary strictures occur in 5–34% of the pediatric liver transplant patients and are conventionally managed by interventional radiological techniques. The aim of this manuscript is to assess the outcomes of patients with biliary strictures treated by percutaneous dilatation at our institution. Included in the study were 35 children with posttransplant biliary strictures that were treated with percutaneous dilatation and stenting. Initial dilation and biliary stent placement was accomplished in all patients without complications requiring surgical intervention. Recurrent strictures developed in 23 (66%) of 35 patients. The recurrence rate was 45% for anastomotic strictures, 90% for intrahepatic strictures, and 100% for those with both an anastomotic and intrahepatic component. Seven patients required revision of the choledochojejunostomy, 5 of them with a successful outcome and 2 requiring retransplant. Five patients were treated with retransplantation without surgical revision. Patients with an intrahepatic or a “combined” stricture were less likely to have a successful outcome after radiologic treatment. In conclusion, the radiological treatment of biliary strictures with balloon dilation and stenting can be performed successfully with minimal complications avoiding the need for surgical correction in many cases. Liver Transpl 12:821–826, 2006. © 2006 AASLD.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and HPV type distribution in cervical, vulvar, and anal cancers in central and eastern Europe.

INTRODUCTION High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) play the leading etiological role in the development of cervical, anal, and vaginal cancers and a substantial proportion of penile, vulvar, and oropharyngeal (tonsillar) cancers. METHODS The article summarizes the results of the most important studies that examined tissue specimens of cervical, anal, and vulvar carcinoma from 16 central and eastern European countries for the presence of HPV DNA. RESULTS Twenty-eight eligible studies were identified. Among 2,531 invasive cervical cancers, 86.6% were HPV-positive. The combined prevalence of HPV-16/18 among HPV-positive cervical cancers was 87.5%. The overall prevalence of HPV DNA in six studies of anal carcinomas (43 cases) and vulvar carcinomas (164 cases) was 90.7% and 32.9%, respectively. HPV-16 DNA was detected in 86% of all anal carcinomas studied, and the proportion of HPV-16 positive vulvar carcinomas varied from 10.9% to 27.5%. HPV-18 DNA was not detected in any anal or vulvar carcinoma studied. CONCLUSIONS HPV prevalence and type distribution among women with cervical cancer in central and eastern Europe is comparable with other European regions. Several gaps in knowledge exist in the region concerning HPV prevalence and type distribution among women with HPV-related cancers other than cervical cancer and in the general population.
Apparent Brightness Enhancement in the Kanizsa Square with and without Illusory Contour Formation

The perceived strength of darkness enhancement in the centre of surfaces surrounded or not surrounded by illusory contours was investigated as a function of proximity of the constituent elements of the display and their angular size. Magnitude estimation was used to measure the perception of the darkness phenomenon in white-on-grey stimuli. Darkness enhancement was perceived in both types of the stimuli used, but more strongly in the presence of illusory contours. In both cases, perceived darkness enhancement increased with increasing proximity of the constituent parts of the display and with their angular size. These results suggest that the occurrence of darkness (or brightness) enhancement phenomena in the centre of the displays is not directly related to illusory contour formation.
Dynamic 2-Connectivity with Backtracking

We give algorithms and data structures that maintain the 2-edge and 2-vertex-connected components of a graph under insertions and deletions of edges and vertices, where deletions occur in a backtracking fashion (i.e., deletions undo the insertions in the reverse order). Our algorithms run in $\Theta (\log n)$ worst-case time per operation and use $\Theta (n)$ space, where n is the number of vertices. Using our data structure we can answer queries, which ask whether vertices u and v belong to the same 2-connected component, in $\Theta (\log n)$ worst-case time.
Role of Streptococcal T Antigens in Superficial Skin Infection

ABSTRACT FCT region genes of Streptococcus pyogenes encode surface proteins that include fibronectin- and collagen-binding proteins and the serological markers known as T antigens, some of which give rise to pilus-like appendages. It remains to be established whether FCT region surface proteins contribute to virulence by in vivo models of infection. In this study, a highly sensitive and ecologically relevant humanized mouse model was used to measure superficial skin infection. Three genes encoding FCT region surface proteins essential for T-serotype specificity were inactivated. Both the Δcpa and ΔprtF2 mutants were highly attenuated for virulence when topically applied to the skin following exponential growth but were fully virulent when delivered in stationary phase. In contrast, the ΔfctA mutant was virulent at the skin, regardless of its initial growth state. Immunoblots of cell extracts revealed anti-FctA-reactive, ladder-like polymers characteristic of streptococcal pili. In addition, FctA formed a heteropolymer with the putative collagen-binding protein Cpa. The ΔfctA mutant showed a loss in anti-Cpa-reactive polymers, whereas anti-FctA-reactive polymers were reduced in the Δcpa mutant. The findings suggest that both FctA and Cpa are required for pilus formation, but importantly, an intact pilus is not essential for Cpa-mediated virulence. Although it is an integral part of the T-antigen complex, the fibronectin-binding protein PrtF2 is not covalently linked to the FctA- and Cpa-containing heteropolymer derived from cell extracts. The data provide direct evidence that streptococcal T antigens function as virulence factors in vivo, but they also reveal that a pilus-like structure is not essential for the most common form of streptococcal skin disease.
HIP Arthroscopy for the Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Comparative Study between the Classic and the Outside-in Access

Purpose To compare the functional outcomes of patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) performed with either the classic or the outside-in access to the hip. Methods Data regarding patients arthroscopically treated for FAI from January 2009 to June 2013 were retrospectively reviewed and compared regarding the type of access. Results 101 hips (91 patients) with a minimum of 12 months follow-up (mean 22 months, range 12-40 months) were included. Classic access was used in 48 cases while outside-in access was performed in 53 cases. Mean age was 37 years (range 15.7-59.6 years). Both groups were comparable with respect to preoperative characteristics. Mean operating time was 162 minutes for the outside-in group and 172 minutes for the classic access group. Complications between both groups showed no statistically significant differences but for the presence of heterotopic calcifications, which was more frequently observed regarding the outside-in access. Outcomes measured by the modified Harris Hip Score showed no overall differences regarding both types of access, except for patients under 35 years old, where there was a statistically significant increase in excellent and good outcomes with the use of the classic access in comparison to the outside-in technique. Postoperative hip motion was also significantly higher in the classic access group. Conclusions No differences have been found in outcomes regardless the access used. Classic access seems to offer a higher postoperative range of motion and lower risk of heterotopic ossifications.
Rituximab, Ara-C, Dexamethasone and Oxaliplatin Is Safe and Active in Heavily Pretreated Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Objective: Patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are either not suitable for stem cell transplantation or suffer from relapsed disease after standard second-line chemotherapy face a dismal prognosis. Most of them have a reduced performance status and do not tolerate intensive chemotherapy. Methods: Twenty patients with relapsed DLBCL were given rituximab 375 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1, Ara-C 2 × 1,000 mg intravenously on day 2, dexamethasone 40 mg intravenously on days 1–4, and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 intravenously over 2 h on day 3 (R-ADOx). Results: Five patients (25%) achieved a complete remission, 9 (45%) had a partial response , 2 (10%) had stable disease with improvement in performance status, while 4 patients (20%) progressed. The median survival was 11 months (range 1–13). Despite extensive pretreatment, side effects were relatively mild and consisted of thrombocytopenia WHO grade III in 9 (45%) and grade IV in 2 (11%) patients, leukocytopenia WHO grade III in 10 (50%) cases (with infectious episodes in 2 patients), and transient peripheral neuropathy in 9 (45%) patients. Conclusion: R-ADOx is well tolerated in heavily pretreated patients with an impaired performance status. In addition, it displays impressive therapeutic activity given the highly unfavorable patient characteristics and should be further investigated for treatment of DLBCL.