Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type‐Specific Prevalence of Genital Human Papillomaviruses in Benign, Premalignant, and Malignant Biopsies in Patients From Greece

Background and Objectives: More than 30 different human papillomavirus (HPV) types infect the anogenital mucosa and are responsible for a variety of benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions including cervical cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of individual HPV types in various grades of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical carcinoma in patients from Greece. Study Design: Specimens were analyzed for HPV‐DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot hybridization. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed with consensus and type‐specific primers. Restriction length fragment polymorphism analysis and/or hybridization of the general primer polymerase chain reaction product were used for HPV typing. Results: In cervical carcinomas HPV‐16 was found in 56%, HPV‐18 in 23%, and HPV‐31 in 6% of the HPV‐positive patients. In precancerous lesions HPV‐16 was found in 13% of low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LG‐SIL) as compared with 41% of high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HG‐SIL) patients. HPV‐18 was found at similar frequency both in LG‐SIL (13%) and HG‐SIL (14%). HPV‐31 and HPV‐33 were detected at moderate levels both in LG‐SIL (11%) and in HG‐SIL (14%). In addition, HPV‐53 and HPV‐66 were detected at low frequency in LG‐SIL (2%), whereas HPV‐51 was found only in HG‐SIL (4%). Finally, HPV‐6 was associated with 13% of LG‐SIL. Conclusions: Overall, the prevalence rate of the genital HPV types was in the range previously described for many western countries but the HPV‐18 positivity was higher than that reported for most European countries.
Effective Bloch equations for semiconductors.

Generalized Bloch equations for laser-excited semiconductors are derived applying quantum-mechanical projection-operator techniques. The equations include phase-space filling and the many-body Coulomb effects. The coherent part of the equations is evaluated for the regime of ultrafast-pump-probe excitation and shown to reduce to the inhomogeneously broadened two-level Bloch equations for the different momentum states if the proper Coulomb enhancement in the density of states is taken into account. For the high-excitation quasithermal regime a generalization of the Elliott formula for the absorption spectrum is derived which is valid not only for bulk semiconductors, but also for quantum-well structures and other systems with reduced spatial dimensions.
Escherichia coli ATCC 35218 as a Quality Control Isolate for Susceptibility Testing of Haemophilus influenzae with Haemophilus Test Medium

ABSTRACT Current National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) susceptibility guidelines for quality control testing withHaemophilus influenzae do not include a β-lactamase-producing strain that could detect the deterioration of the β-lactamase inhibitor components of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin-sulbactam, and piperacillin-tazobactam. The objective of the study was to determine if comparable quality control results forEscherichia coli ATCC 35218, a β-lactamase-producing strain, would be produced for the three β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor agents with Haemophilus test medium and Mueller-Hinton medium. The criteria used in this study to determine if Haemophilus test medium was acceptable for quality control testing of E. coli ATCC 35218 was that 100% of the results obtained with an antimicrobial agent-methodology combination needed to be within the acceptable NCCLS ranges established with Mueller-Hinton medium. The MIC testing results obtained by the broth microdilution and E-test methods with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and piperacillin-tazobactam were all within the NCCLS ranges; however, the results obtained with ampicillin-sulbactam by both methods were not within the NCCLS ranges. Acceptable results were obtained by the disk diffusion methodology with ampicillin-sulbactam and piperacillin-tazobactam but not with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. When performing susceptibility testing with H. influenzae with the β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitors, in addition to quality control testing with H. influenzae ATCC 49247, testing of E. coli ATCC 35218 on Haemophilus test medium is an effective way to monitor the β-lactamase inhibitors in some antimicrobial agent-methodology combinations.
Phase and Microstructural Correlation of Spark Plasma Sintered HfB2-ZrB2 Based Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Composites

The refractory diborides (HfB2 and ZrB2) are considered as promising ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTCs) where low damage tolerance limits their application for the thermal protection system in re-entry vehicles. In this regard, SiC and CNT have been synergistically added as the sintering aids and toughening agents in the spark plasma sintered (SPS) HfB2-ZrB2 system. Herein, a novel equimolar composition of HfB2 and ZrB2 has shown to form a solid-solution which then allows compositional tailoring of mechanical properties (such as hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness). The hardness of the processed composite is higher than the individual phase hardness up to 1.5 times, insinuating the synergy of SiC and CNT reinforcement in HfB2-ZrB2 composites. The enhanced fracture toughness of CNT reinforced composite (up to a 196% increment) surpassing that of the parent materials (ZrB2/HfB2-SiC) is attributed to the synergy of solid solution formation and enhanced densification (~99.5%). In addition, the reduction in the analytically quantified interfacial residual tensile stress with SiC and CNT reinforcements contribute to the enhancement in the fracture toughness of HfB2-ZrB2-SiC-CNT composites, mandatory for aerospace applications.
MOLYBDENUM AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT FOR HIGHER PLANTS.

The preliminary findings that molybdenum, in minute amounts, improved the growth of barley plants in a culture solution supplied with ammonium salts as the sole source of nitrogen (1), and that a group of seven heavy metals including molybdenum increased the growth of lettuce and asparagus (2), supported the view that the list of essential elements for higher plants is incomplete and suggested the desirability of determining whether or not molybdenum is essential in the nutrition of higher plants. The essential nature of molybdenum for higher plants was established according to the criteria set up for other elements required by higher plants in minute quantity (3) as follows: (A) When tomato plants were grown from the seedling stage in rigidly purified nutrient solutions (13) containing all of the eleven nutrient elements now regarded as essential (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, ? , ? , Zn, and Cu) characteristic deficiency symptoms became apparent in a few weeks. The lower leaves developed a distinct mottling different from any other deficiency symptom yet observed in the tomato (fig. 1 A). In later stages necrosis at the margins and a characteristic involution of the laminae was evidenced (fig. IB). Almost all of the blossoms abscissed without setting fruit. These deficiency symptoms were produced in six successive experiments at various seasons extending over a period of a year and a half, using both purified and unpurified nutrient solutions; the results, however, were consistent only if the nutrient medium was rigidly purified by procedures efficacious in removing minute metal contaminants (13). Ordinary distilled water and C. P. chemicals contained molybdenum as a contaminant in amounts, adequate at times, to supply plant needs. (B) The development of these deficiency symptoms was prevented by adding 1 part of molybdenum as molybdic acid to 100,000,000 parts of nutrient solution. This was effective whether added singly or jointly with 19 other elements,1 none of which were capable of replacing molybdenum [The supplementary microelements' solutions B7 and C13 (2)]. (C) To test the direct effect of molybdenum on the plant as distinguished from its possible effect on the root environment, molybdenum-deficient plants, were sprayed with a dilute solution of molybdic acid (0.05 p.p.m. Mo) so as to bring about absorption only through the aerial parts of the plant. Re-
Platelet gel for the surgical treatment of onychocryptosis.

BACKGROUND The growth factors derived from platelets contained in platelet-rich plasma comprise a series of molecules that favor the production of collagen with the proliferation of fibroblasts and new blood vessels. These substances exert their effect on the cells, acting in all the stages of cicatrization, especially in hemostasis and early fibroplasia. METHODS Thirty-five patients (70 feet) were selected, operated on both sides for ingrown hallux nails, and subjected to two different experimental conditions in a crossover clinical trial with positive control of treatment. Two main variables were analyzed: on one side, the bleeding, according to three preestablished categories, and on the other, the mean time of cicatrization in days. RESULTS Significant differences (P < .001) were found between the two groups for bleeding. We observed that cicatrization time did not differ significantly between the two treatments. CONCLUSION The use of platelet gel for the treatment of onychocryptosis by single nonincisional matricectomy can guarantee good hemostasis, with a significant reduction in bleeding, but does not produce a clinically significant reduction in cicatrization time.
Assessment of knowledge about obesity among students in a medical college in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Overweight and obesity are the fifth leading risk for global deaths. It is not only the degree of excess fat that is important, but also its distribution in the body that determines the health risks associated with the condition. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge of medical students pertaining to obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among first-year medical students in March of 2013. A universal sampling method was employed, and all first-year students were included as subjects in the study. The total sample included 138 students. After obtaining informed consent, a pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered to each of the participants. Utmost care was taken to maintain privacy and confidentiality. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 17. Frequency distributions and percentages were calculated for all the variables. Results: A lack of physical activity and the presence of stress were identified as the most common risk factors for obesity development. Approximately, 73(52.9%) students were of the incorrect opinion that gynaecoid obesity was more dangerous than android obesity. The most common strategy cited by 107(77.5%) respondents for prevention of obesity was regular exercise. Conclusion: The study revealed that although the majority of the medical students were aware of the risk factors of obesity, many gaps, which need to be bridged, were identified in their knowledge. These medical students could be actively involved in awareness campaigns for delaying the onset of lifestyle diseases.
Sequence Polymorphism of the 16S rRNA Gene of Vibrio vulnificus Is a Possible Indicator of Strain Virulence

ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus exhibits considerable strain-to-strain variation in virulence. Attempts to associate phenotypic or genotypic characteristics with strain virulence have been largely unsuccessful. Based on a 17-nucleotide difference throughout the sequence of the small subunit 16S rRNA gene, there are two major groups of V. vulnificus designated types A and B. In a survey of the 16S rRNA genotype in 67 V. vulnificus human clinical and nonclinical strains, we determined that the majority of nonclinical isolates are type A (31 of 33) and that there is a statistically significant association between the type B genotype and human clinical strains (26 of 34).
Phenytoin withdrawal and seizure frequency

We withdrew phenytoin from 17 inpatients maintained on combination therapy with carbamazepine for complex partial seizures and analyzed seizure occurrence in relation to plasma levels and time from initiation of withdrawal. The ratio of maximum to mean weekly seizure frequency did not vary with initial level or rate of withdrawal. The week with most frequent seizures began a median of 10 days after phenytoin levels became undetectable, and mean daily seizure frequency was higher at undetectable than at falling levels for the entire 2-to 10-week study period. Four patients had a total of 6 clusters of generalized tonic-clonic seizures; only 2 occurred while levels were falling and the other 4 at 3, 9, 28, and 42 days after reaching undetectable levels. Our data argue against the occurrence of withdrawal seizures in these patients and suggest that worsening of seizures following phenytoin discontinuation more likely reflects loss of therapeutic drug effect than a true abstinence phenomenon.
Magnetic Nanoparticles Coated with a Thermosensitive Polymer with Hyperthermia Properties

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely used to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutics, largely through passive accumulation provided by the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Their incorporation into biopolymer coatings enables the preparation of magnetic field-responsive, biocompatible nanoparticles that are well dispersed in aqueous media. Here we describe a synthetic route to prepare functionalized, stable magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with a temperature-responsive polymer, by means of the hydrothermal method combined with an oil/water (o/w) emulsion process. The effects of both pH and temperature on the electrophoretic mobility and surface charge of these MNPs are investigated. The magnetite/polymer composition of these systems is detected by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and quantified by thermogravimetric analysis. The therapeutic possibilities of the designed nanostructures as effective heating agents for magnetic hyperthermia are demonstrated, and specific absorption rates as high as 150 W/g, with 20 mT magnetic field and 205 kHz frequency, are obtained. This magnetic heating response could provide a promising nanoparticle system for combined diagnostics and cancer therapy.
Wind Tunnel Tests of the Airborne PVM-100A Response to Large Droplets

The Gerber Scientific, Inc. Particle Volume Monitor (PVM) is widely used to measure the liquid water content (LWC) and droplet effective radius (reff) of water clouds. The LWC response of the airborne version of this instrument, the PVM-100A, was evaluated in two independent wet wind tunnel experiments under well-controlled conditions. Earlier studies predict that the PVM-100 (the ground-based version of the PVM) theoretical response to monodisperse droplets diminishes for droplet diameters larger than about 40 mm. However, results from the wind tunnel experiments presented in this paper show that the response of the PVM-100A to monodisperse droplets begins to decrease when the droplet diameter is between 20- and 30-mm diameter. For polydisperse droplet populations (such as those found in natural clouds) the efficiency of the airborne PVM-100A for sensing LWC begins to decrease when the median volume diameter (MVD) of the droplet size distribution is above 20 mm, falling to 50% efficiency for an MVD of 50 mm. Therefore, measurements of LWC obtained from the PVM-100A in natural clouds with broad droplet size distributions (and large values of MVD) should be treated with caution.
The Effect of Donor Age on Structural and Mechanical Properties of Allograft Tendons

Background: Allograft tendons are commonly used in surgical ligament reconstruction. While it is commonly accepted that donor age will affect mechanical properties of graft tissue, the apparent age threshold is unknown. Hypothesis: Donor age will significantly influence the structural and mechanical properties of tibialis posterior allograft tendons. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 550 allograft posterior tibialis tendons were examined. Linear stiffness, ultimate tensile force, ultimate displacement, tensile modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and ultimate tensile strain were calculated for specimens from donors in each of 6 age groups: 15-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-79 years. Both first- and second-order polynomial regressions were performed to determine the correlation between structural and mechanical properties and age. Welch analyses of variance with Games-Howell post hoc tests were performed to facilitate comparisons among age groups. Results: All parameters displayed a weak correlation with age, with the highest R 2 term being 0.063 for ultimate tensile strength. Linear stiffness, ultimate tensile force, and tensile modulus displayed almost no correlation with age. Ultimate tensile strength increased slightly with age up to 40-49 years and then decreased with further increases in age. Slight decreases in ultimate displacement and ultimate tensile strain were observed with increasing age. Numerous statistically significant differences were observed between age groups for each outcome parameter; however, the magnitudes of the differences between age groups are relatively small (<15%) for all outcome parameters. Conclusion: Age explained at most 6% of the variation in structural and mechanical properties of tibialis posterior allograft tendons. Clinical Relevance: Posterior tibialis tendons from all age groups displayed structural properties superior to the native anterior cruciate ligament, with higher stiffness and ultimate force, and less displacement to failure. Although statistically significant differences in structural and mechanical properties were observed between age groups, the magnitudes of the differences are small and most likely not clinically relevant. The age of the donor will not likely affect the suitability of a graft for use in surgical reconstruction.
Repetitive DNA sequences as probes for phylogenetic analysis in Vicia genus

Abstract In the process of further characterizing phylogenetic relationships among Vicia species of the subgenus Vicia, four different molecular DNA markers were used: a tandemly repeated DNA sequences about 60 bp in length (FokI), a 336 bp element (pVf7) homologous to the IGS repeats (but that does not reside in the policistronic rDNA units); a family of repeated DNA sequences (VfB) of about 1200 bp in length (that might be derived from a mobile DNA element) and a family of repeated DNA sequences (VfM) of about 60 bp that can be considered a minisatellite-like sequence (EMBL accession nr. AJ242773). The comparison of the obtained results has enabled the definition of the phylogenetic relationships among the analysed species confirming that V. faba, V. bithynica and the species of Narbonensis section, represent three distinct taxonomic groups according to the Maxted’s classification (1993). VfB and VfM marker discriminate inside the sect. Narbonensis, too, evidencing a greater affinity between some species.
Exploring the Interaction of Motor and Social Skills With Autism Severity Using the SFARI Dataset

Social communicative deficits and stereotyped or repetitive interests or behaviors are the defining features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A growing body of research suggests that gross motor deficits are also present in most children with ASD. This study sought to understand how pediatric ASD severity is related to motor skills and social skills. A multivariate analysis of variance analysis of 483 children with autism (N = 444) and ASD (N = 39) revealed a nonsignificant difference between groups. Results suggest little difference between severity groups on gross motor and social skills within the limited age range of the participants (about 5.6 years of age).
Hemolytic Anemia and G6PD Deficiency

The severity of enzyme deficiency often does not correlate well with the clinical severity of genetic diseases. Thus, some G6PD variants associated with severe enzyme deficiency, such as Union and Markham, cause no hemolytic problem, while some variants associated with less severe deficiency, such as Manchester, Alhambra, and Tripler, cause chronic hemolytic anemia. The kinetic characteristics of these variant enzymes have not explained the discrepancy. However, examination of the normal and variant enzymes under simulated physiologic conditions, with the effects of various intermediate metabolites and co-enzymes in red cells being taken into consideration, reveal that the G6PD's from hemolytic variant subjects are strongly inhibited by a physiologic concentration of NADPH because of their high Michaelis constant for NADP or low inhibition constant for NADPH, and they are more sensitive to inhibition by ATP. These variant enzymes cannot generate enough NADPH in red cells to maintain an adequate concentration of reduced glutathione. The nonhemolytic variant enzymes are far less sensitive to the inhibition by NADPH because of their low Michaelis constant for NADP and high inhibition constant for NADPH. The physiologic activity of these nonhemolytic variant enzymes is estimated to be more than 30 percent of the activity of the normal G6PD, and this activity is adequate to maintain the red cells unhemolyzed.
Effect of a Calcium Carbonate-Based Dentifrice on in situ Enamel Remineralization

This crossover study evaluated the effect of calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-based monofluorophosphate dentifrice on enamel remineralization. Ten volunteers wore palatal appliances containing four enamel blocks with caries-like lesions, two of them covered by a test plaque of mutans streptococci. The following treatments were evaluated: a negative control, a silica-based or a CaCO3-based dentifrice, and the percentage of enamel surface microhardness recovery was determined. The CaCO3-based dentifrice was more effective than the negative control on the enhancement of enamel remineralization, either in the presence or absence of test plaque. This efficacy was also shown by the silica-based dentifrice but only in the presence of test plaque.
Environmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and in most industrialized countries. Although epidemiologic studies have identified a number of established risk factors for this disease, these factors explain only a small proportion of breast cancer incidence. Environmental exposure has been implicated in breast cancer etiology because of the vast geographic variation in breast cancer incidence rates across countries and regions within countries. Further, the steady increase in breast cancer rates over the past decades points to a potential role of environmental exposure in its development. One suspected environmental factor is the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were manufactured commercially for a variety of industrial applications from the 1930s until the 1970s. PCBs have been associated with estrogenic, tumor promoting, and immunosuppressive activities, all of which are relevant in the development of breast cancer. The purpose of this review is to summarize the growing body of epidemiological evidence on the association between environmental PCB exposure and breast cancer risk. Three major types of study design have been used to investigate such a relation: clinic-based case-control studies, retrospective case-control studies, and nested case-control studies. Although findings from clinic-based case-control studies tend to point to an adverse effect of high PCB body burden on risk, the results from the more methodologically sound retrospective and nested studies do not provide strong support for a role of PCBs in breast cancer development. The association between PCB exposure and risk among racially and genetically susceptible subgroups may warrant further investigation. Methodological challenges in the design and analysis of epidemiologic studies on PCBs and breast cancer risk are discussed.