Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survey of Parasites and Bacterial Pathogens from Free-Living Waterfowl in Zoological Settings

To determine if free-living waterfowl residing in a zoological setting pose health risks for its animal collections, visitors, and employees, 450 fecal samples were collected and cultured for the presence of Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. , and Pasteurella multocida. A survey of endoparasites infecting the waterfowl was also conducted. Sixty-seven percent, 42%, and 1.7% of the samples tested positive for E. coli, C. jejuni, and Salmonella spp. , respectively. No P. multocida was isolated from the sampled population. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for the bacterial isolates demonstrated that a majority of the isolates were susceptible to the antibiotics tested. A survey for parasites revealed 16% of the samples had coccidia oocytes; 8% of the sample had spirurid ova; and 17% of the sample had strongylate-type nematode ova. Ascaris spp. ova, Capillaria spp. ova, oxyurid ova, and mites were also noted in some fecal samples.
Cell‐type specific GABA synaptic transmission and activity‐dependent plasticity in rat hippocampal stratum radiatum interneurons

In hippocampal pyramidal cells, the efficacy of synaptic transmission at γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic synapses, is modulated by activity. However, whether such plasticity occurs at inhibitory synapses on interneurons remains largely unknown. Using whole‐cell voltage‐clamp recordings of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in Sprague–Dawley rat hippocampal slices, we examined whether GABA synapses of stratum radiatum interneurons were affected by stimulation protocols known to alter efficacy at inhibitory synapses of CA1 pyramidal cells. Monosynaptically evoked IPSCs (eIPSCs) exhibited different properties with significantly faster kinetics, higher coefficients of variation, a current–voltage (I–V) relationship shifted to depolarized values and a smaller paired‐pulse depression, in interneurons than in pyramidal cells. GABA synapses on interneurons also showed a different capacity for plasticity. Indeed, theta‐burst stimulation induced a long‐term potentiation of eIPSCs in both cell types, but the induction mechanisms differed in interneurons, as it was not affected by antagonists of GABAB receptors and group I/II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Furthermore, 100‐Hz tetanization selectively elicited a short‐term depression of eIPSCs in pyramidal cells. A postsynaptic depolarization produced a transient suppression of eIPSCs (depolarization‐induced suppression of inhibition) in pyramidal cells but not in interneurons. Spontaneous IPSCs were similarly reduced following depolarization in pyramidal cells, but not in interneurons. These results indicate that GABA synapses of stratum radiatum interneurons exhibit different properties and capacity for activity‐dependent plasticity than those of pyramidal cells. This cell‐type specific mode of transmission and adaptive regulation of GABA synapses may contribute to hippocampal plasticity and functions.
Taking Advantage: High-Affinity B Cells in the Germinal Center Have Lower Death Rates, but Similar Rates of Division, Compared to Low-Affinity Cells1

B lymphocytes producing high-affinity Abs are critical for protection from extracellular pathogens, such as bacteria and parasites. The process by which high-affinity B cells are selected during the immune response has never been elucidated. Although it has been shown that high-affinity cells directly outcompete low-affinity cells in the germinal center (GC), whether there are also intrinsic differences between these cells has not been addressed. It could be that higher affinity cells proliferate more rapidly or are more likely to enter cell cycle, thereby outgrowing lower affinity cells. Alternatively, higher affinity cells could be relatively more resistant to cell death in the GC. By comparing high- and low-affinity B cells for the same Ag, we show here that low-affinity cells have an intrinsically higher death rate than do cells of higher affinity, even in the absence of competition. This suggests that selection in the GC reaction is due at least in part to the control of survival of higher affinity B cells and not by a proliferative advantage conferred upon these cells compared with lower affinity B cells. Control over survival rather than proliferation of low- and high-affinity B cells in the GC allows greater diversity not only in the primary response but also in the memory response.
Anthropogenic contribution to cloud condensation nuclei and the first aerosol indirect climate effect

Atmospheric particles influence the climate indirectly by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The first aerosol indirect radiative forcing (FAIRF) constitutes the largest uncertainty among the radiative forcings quantified by the latest IPCC report (IPCC2007) and is a major source of uncertainty in predicting climate change. Here, we investigate the anthropogenic contribution to CCN and associated FAIRF using a state-of-the-art global chemical transport and aerosol model (GEOS-Chem/APM) that contains a number of advanced features (including sectional particle microphysics, online comprehensive chemistry, consideration of all major aerosol species, online aerosol–cloud–radiation calculation, and usage of more accurate assimilated meteorology). The model captures the absolute values and spatial distributions of CCN concentrations measured in situ around the globe. We show that anthropogenic emissions increase the global mean CCN in the lower troposphere by ∼60–80% and cloud droplet number concentration by ∼40%. The global mean FAIRF based on GEOS-Chem/APM is −0.75 W m−2, close to the median values of both IPCC2007 and post-IPCC2007 studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a global sectional aerosol model with full online chemistry and considering all major aerosol species (including nitrate, ammonium, and second organic aerosols) has been used used to calculate FAIRF.
IMPLEMENTING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN SMALL CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES

This research is based on a benchmarking study of occupational health and safety (OHS) management practices of construction companies in Australia. It is mandatory for Australian construction firms to provide a safe working environment for their workers and sub-contractors. However, many small to medium enterprises that are not in a position of financial strength, struggle to provide adequate levels of OHS. The results show that the size of the company is a major contributing factor to their OHS performance. Small enterprises employing less than 25 employees have comparatively low levels of management performance compared to larger enterprises. Company size is a limiting factor that impacts on the ability of small firms to implement comprehensive OHS plans. Nevertheless, some firms seem to be able to provide better OHS management practices than their size would suggest. This research analyses a group of good and ‘mediocre’ performers across a range of OHS management criteria, in order to identify benchmarks that lead to best practice. The results show that a variety of risk management practices, particularly design control and health and safety review, were used by the better performing contractors. The paper concludes with the implications of the study for small to medium enterprises in the construction industry.
Tibialis Posterior Muscle: The Fifth Compartment?

Summary The posterior aspect of 51 embalmed cadaver legs in 50 cadavers was dissected to establish the prevalence of a separate compartment for the tibialis posterior muscle (TP). All dissections revealed the presence of a superficial and a deep posterior compartment. No distinct fascial septum separated the TP from the flexor digitorum longus (FDL) and flexor hallucis longus (FHL). We conclude that the TP does not commonly rest within its own osseofascial compartment and thus does not require isolated decompression for acute compartment syndrome of the leg. An incidental observation, frequently overlooked in the anatomy literature, was a supplemental tendon of origin of the FDL. In addition to the classically described tibial origin, several cadavers exhibited a proximal fibular tendon of origin for the FDL. One cadaver demonstrated the FDL to have an extensive fibular origin that completely covered the TP, forming a myotendinous fifth compartment. We feel that the variable fibular origin can explain the chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the TP described previously by Davey et al. and serves as a basis for a minor alteration in our fasciotomy technique.
A Demonstration of ‘‘Less Can Be More’’ in Risk Graphics

Background. Online tools such as Adjuvant! provide tailored estimates of the possible outcomes of adjuvant therapy options available to breast cancer patients. The graphical format typically displays 4 outcomes simultaneously: survival, mortality due to cancer, other-cause mortality, and incremental survival due to adjuvant treatment. Objective. To test whether simpler formats that present only baseline and incremental survival would improve comprehension of the relevant risk statistics and/or affect treatment intentions. Design. Randomized experimental manipulation of risk graphics shown included in Internet-administered survey vignettes about adjuvant therapy decisions for breast cancer patients with ER + tumors. Participants. Demographically diverse, stratified random samples of women ages 40 to 74 y recruited from an Internet research panel. Intervention. Participants were randomized to view either pictographs (icon arrays) that displayed all 4 possible outcomes or pictographs that showed only survival outcomes. Measurements. Comprehension of key statistics, task completion times, graph evaluation ratings, and perceived interest in adjuvant chemotherapy. Results. In the primary study (N = 832), participants who viewed survival-only pictographs had better accuracy when reporting the total chance of survival with both chemotherapy and hormonal therapy (63% v. 50%, P < 0.001), higher graph evaluation ratings (x = 7.98 v. 7.67, P = 0.04), and less interest in adding chemotherapy to hormonal therapy (43% v. 50%, P = 0.04; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.68, P = 0.008). A replication study (N = 714) confirmed that participants who viewed survival-only graphs had higher graph evaluation ratings (x = 8.06 v. 7.72, P = 0.04) and reduced interest in chemotherapy (OR=0.67,P=0.03). Limitations. Studies used general public samples; actual patients may process risk information differently. Conclusions. Taking a ‘‘less is more’’ approach by omitting redundant mortality outcome statistics can be an effective method of risk communication and may be preferable when using visual formats such as pictographs.
Sex Hormones and Sex Chromosomes Cause Sex Differences in the Development of Cardiovascular Diseases

This review summarizes recent evidence concerning hormonal and sex chromosome effects in obesity, atherosclerosis, aneurysms, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases occur and progress differently in the 2 sexes, because biological factors differing between the sexes have sex-specific protective and harmful effects. By comparing the 2 sexes directly, and breaking down sex into its component parts, one can discover sex-biasing protective mechanisms that might be targeted in the clinic. Gonadal hormones, especially estrogens and androgens, have long been found to account for some sex differences in cardiovascular diseases, and molecular mechanisms mediating these effects have recently been elucidated. More recently, the inherent sexual inequalities in effects of sex chromosome genes have also been implicated as contributors in animal models of cardiovascular diseases, especially a deleterious effect of the second X chromosome found in females but not in males. Hormonal and sex chromosome mechanisms interact in the sex-specific control of certain diseases, sometimes by opposing the action of the other.
Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults Without Dementia: Clinical and Pathologic Outcomes in a Community-Based Sample

This study examines clinical and neuropathologic characteristics of 37 participants in a community-based dementia series who had cognitive complaints at enrollment but did not meet dementia criteria. Participants had neuropsychological testing, were followed until death, and underwent autopsy. Twenty-four participants progressed to dementia, and their baseline characteristics were analyzed. Of the 24, 13 met criteria for neuropathologic Alzheimer disease (AD). The 13 participants who progressed to neuropathologic AD (mean intake age 78.5 ± 7.7, mean enrollment 6.4 ± 2.1 years) performed worse than the 11 who progressed to neuropathologic non-AD dementias (mean intake age 79.0 ± 6.0, mean enrollment 6.0 ± 3.2 years) on baseline Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) delayed logical memory (3.4 ± 2.9 vs 6.3 ± 3.9, P = .05) and delayed visual reproduction (1.4 ± 2.1 vs 3.1 ± 2.7, P = .02). These observations are consistent with the view that nondemented patients with underlying AD may be more likely to present with memory than nonmemory cognitive impairment.
The association between varus-valgus alignment and patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE Little is known about risk factors for patellofemoral (PF) osteoarthritis (OA). The lateral vector at the PF joint increases the likelihood of lateral PF versus medial PF pathology. Both valgus and varus malalignments affect forces at the PF joint and may predispose to PF OA. We examined whether lateral PF OA is more common than medial PF OA, whether valgus malalignment is more frequent in lateral PF OA than in medial PF OA, and whether knees with PF OA are more often valgus than knees with isolated tibiofemoral (TF) OA. METHODS In 292 knee OA patients, we obtained semiflexed, fluoroscopy-confirmed radiographs of the TF joint and weight-bearing, 30 degrees flexion, axial views of the PF joint. Varus-valgus alignment (the angle formed by the intersection of the mechanical axes of the femur and tibia) was measured on a full-limb radiograph. RESULTS Lateral PF OA was more common than medial PF OA (P<0.0001). Forty-three of 75 knees with lateral PF OA had valgus malalignment compared with only 5 of 21 patients with medial PF OA (P = 0.0066). Conversely, varus malalignment was more likely in the medial PF OA group. Knees with isolated PF OA were more likely to have valgus malalignment than those with isolated TF OA (P = 0.0002), as were knees with mixed PF-TF OA (P = 0.0006). CONCLUSION Varus-valgus alignment may influence the risk of PF OA and, in particular, which compartment is affected.
The Demographic, Clinical, Radiographic and Bronchoscopic Evaluation of Anthracosis and Anthracofibrosis Cases

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the demographic features, clinical findings, radiological and bronchoscopical findings of patients with bronchial anthracosis. Methods: Among 1541 patients who underwent broncoscopy in our bronchoscopy unit between 2006-2008, 104 patients with anthrocosis were included in this prospective study. The patient’s geographical location, occupation, type of fuel used for cooking in the kitchen and for heating in their house, admission complaints, chest x-ray and thorax computed tomography (CT) findings, bronchoscopic images and the accompanying pathological diagnosis were recorded and evaluated. Results: A total of 104 (6.7%) patients with a mean age of 61.35±13.34 years were included in this study; 49 (47.1%) of which were female, 55 (52.9%) male.The most common complaints were cough, dyspnea and sputum production in 71.2%, 57.7% and 49.0% patients, respectively. In 48 (46.1%) patients history of cigarette smoking was found. While in 31 (38.3%) patients exposure to mineral dust or biomass in their job was observed, 37 (45.7%) patients were housewives. In all of the patients biomass exposure was found because of the fuel used for heating or in kitchens. Regarding geographical location, we found that the majority of the patients (38.5%) were from Black Sea region located in northern Anatolia. While the most common chest x-ray findings were consolidation (51.9%) and fibrosis (18.3%), consolidation (38.5%) and fibrosis (36.5%) were also found to be the leading thorax CT findings. The most common bronchoscopic findings were bilateral anthracosis, stenosis and bronchial torsion 67.3%, 40.4% and 23.1% patients, respectively. Among the anthracosis patients, with bronchoscopy 11 of them were found to have malignancy and 7 of them tuberculosis. Conclusion: Large scale, country-wide studies should be conducted for the determination of epidemiological data of bronchial anthracosis and anthracofibrosis in our country in which a high rate of biomass exposure is found.
Acidification of methanol‐fed anaerobic granular sludge bioreactors by cobalt deprivation: Induction and microbial community dynamics

The acidification of mesophilic (30°C) methanol‐fed upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors induced by cobalt deprivation from the influent was investigated by coupling the reactor performance (pH 7.0; organic loading rate 4.5 g COD · L−1 · d−1) to the microbial ecology of the bioreactor sludge. The latter was investigated by specific methanogenic activity (SMA) measurements and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to quantify the abundance of key organisms over time. This study hypothesized that under cobalt limiting conditions, the SMA on methanol of the sludge gradually decreases, which ultimately results in methanol accumulation in the reactor effluent. Once the methanol accumulation surpasses a threshold value (about 8.5 mM for the sludge investigated), reactor acidification occurs because acetogens outcompete methylothrophic methanogens at these elevated methanol concentrations. Methanogens present in granular sludge at the time of the acidification do not use methanol as the direct substrate and are unable to degrade acetate. Methylotrophic/acetoclastic methanogenic activity was found to be lost within 10 days of reactor operation, coinciding with the disappearance of the Methanosarcina population. The loss of SMA on methanol can thus be used as an accurate parameter to predict reactor acidification of methanol‐fed UASB reactors operating under cobalt limiting conditions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 49–59. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Syndecan-1 Is an in Vivo Suppressor of Gram-positive Toxic Shock*

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans bind to and regulate many inflammatory mediators in vitro, suggesting that they serve an important role in influencing inflammatory responses in vivo. Here we evaluated the role of syndecan-1, a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan, in modulating inflammatory responses in Gram-positive toxic shock, a systemic disease that is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Syndecan-1-null and wild-type mice were injected intraperitoneally with staphylococcal enterotoxin B, a pyrogenic superantigen, and their inflammatory responses were assessed. Syndecan-1-null mice showed significantly increased liver injury, vascular permeability, and death in response to staphylococcal enterotoxin B challenge compared with wild-type mice. Although serum levels of systemic IL-2 and IFNγ were similar between the two backgrounds, those of TNFα and IL-6 were significantly increased in syndecan-1-null mice undergoing Gram-positive toxic shock. Furthermore, syndecan-1-null mice challenged with staphylococcal enterotoxin B showed enhanced T cell accumulation in tissues, whereas immunodepletion of T cells protected syndecan-1-null mice from the magnified systemic cytokine storm, inflammatory tissue injury, and death. Importantly, syndecan-1 shedding was induced in wild-type mice injected with staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and the administration of heparan sulfate, but not syndecan-1 core protein, rescued syndecan-1-null mice from lethal toxic shock by suppressing the production of TNFα and IL-6, and attenuating inflammatory tissue injury. Altogether, these data suggest that syndecan-1 shedding is a key endogenous mechanism that protects the host from Gram-positive toxic shock by inhibiting the dysregulation and amplification of the inflammatory response.
Removal of radiation dose response effects: an example of over-matching

Over-matching can be a design fault in case-control studies and may lead to bias. J L Marsh and colleagues describe a case-control study of workers at a nuclear reprocessing plant in which over-matching obscured the relation between radiation exposure and mortality from leukaemia This paper describes the rationale of a case-control study, explains the process of stratification through matching, and summarises the mechanism of confounding. We carried out a matched case-control study of workers at BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels) to clarify the results of past cohort studies, which had found a significant association between risk of leukaemia and cumulative external radiation dose. Fitted models from the current study contradicted these results. After examining the relation between the matching factors and the dose, we suggest that over-matching is a cause of the contradiction. ### Summary points Case-control studies are useful in examining the epidemiology of rare diseases They can be biased through a design fault called over-matching The current case-control study of Sellafield workers illustrates over-matching and shows the dependence of conclusions on the correct design ### Matching in case-control studies In a case-control study, individuals with the disease of interest (cases) are taken from the population, together with a random sample of the remaining, healthy individuals (controls). Exposureof the two groups to the risk factors in question is examined. If a significant difference in exposure history is found, it can be inferred that these risk factors have some association with the probability of disease. If other factors influence the probabilities of disease and exposure to risks, this can disguise the influence of the risk factors in question. This confounding can be removed by stratification. This must be done carefully: stratifying too finely will cause information to be lost, but stratifying too coarsely will not remove enough confounding. The ratio of cases to controls must remain the same in …
Hand-movement-based in-vehicle driver/front-seat passenger discrimination for centre console controls

Successful user discrimination in a vehicle environment may yield a reduction of the number of switches, thus significantly reducing costs while increasing user convenience. The personalization of individual controls permits conditional passenger enable/driver disable and vice versa options which may yield safety improvement. The authors propose a prototypic optical sensing system based on hand movement segmentation in near-infrared image sequences implemented in an Audi A6 Avant. Analyzing the number of movements in special regions, the system recognizes the direction of the forearm and hand motion and decides whether driver or front-seat passenger touch a control. The experimental evaluation is performed independently for uniformly and non-uniformly illuminated video data as well as for the complete video data set which includes both subsets. The general test results in error rates of up to 14.41% FPR / 16.82% FNR and 17.61% FPR / 14.77% FNR for driver and passenger respectively. Finally, the authors discuss the causes of the most frequently occurring errors as well as the prospects and limitations of optical sensing for user discrimination in passenger compartments.