Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Resolution Imaging of Latent Fingerprints by Localized Corrosion on Brass Surfaces

Abstract: The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is capable of imaging fingerprint ridges on polished brass substrates at an unprecedented level of detail. While exposure to elevated humidity at ambient or slightly raised temperatures does not change the image appreciably, subsequent brief heating in a flame results in complete loss of the sweat deposit and the appearance of pits and trenches. Localized elemental analysis (using EDAX, coupled with SEM imaging) shows the presence of the constituents of salt in the initial deposits. Together with water and atmospheric oxygen—and with thermal enhancement—these are capable of driving a surface corrosion process. This process is sufficiently localized that it has the potential to generate a durable negative topographical image of the fingerprint. AFM examination of surface regions between ridges revealed small deposits (probably microscopic “spatter” of sweat components or transferred particulates) that may ultimately limit the level of ridge detail analysis.
Are Women with Severely Symptomatic Brugada Syndrome Different from Men?

Introduction: Spontaneous type‐1 ECG has been recognized as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in Brugada syndrome (BrS), but studied populations predominantly consisted of men. We sought to investigate whether a spontaneous type‐1 ECG pattern was also associated in women with severely symptomatic BrS. Other known risk factors were also examined for gender specificity.
Clinical Implications of the Pharmacology of Sertraline

Sertraline is slowly absorbed after oral administration, with peak plasma concentrations at 6–8 h. Plasma concentrations are linearly related to dose. The elimination half-life is about 32 h; metabolism is by demethylation to an inactive metabolite. Once-daily dosing is recommended, with steady state being reached after about 7 days. The kinetics of sertraline in the elderly and in patients with renal impairment are similar to those in young healthy female volunteers. In young male volunteers, peak plasma concentrations were lower, and elimination half-life shorter, than in elderly men or both groups of women. Nevertheless, no reduction in dosage is recommended for these groups.Sertraline is highly active in animal models of depression, and administration of the drug to healthy human beings causes a selective, dose-related inhibition of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake into blood platelets. Single doses of sertraline in volunteers caused changes in the quantitative pharmaco-electroencephalogram suggesting antidepressant and anxiolytic actions, with sedative potential evident only at doses of 200 mg or more. Sertraline does not impair psychomotor performance, including simulated car driving, and overall seems neither stimulating nor sedating: an increase in critical flicker fusion threshold suggests a slight alerting effect, whereas subjective tests indicate an increase in perceived sedation at doses of 100 mg or more.No potentiation of the effects of ethanol has been noted in either young or elderly subjects. No adverse effects on the electrocardiogram, blood pressure, or systolic time intervals have been detected, and sertraline lacks anticholinergic action. These studies imply a low probability of adverse central nervous and cardiovascular effects. Sertraline is probably a weak inducer of hepatic microsomal enzyme activity. Sertraline does not affect the clearance of lithium but there may be a pharmacodynamic interaction which leads to increased tremor when the drugs are given together. No clinically relevant effects were noted in the interaction studies with digoxin, atenolol and diazepam.The pharrnacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sertraline are generally favourable. However, caution is needed when sertraline is given to patients receiving lithium or drugs with a low therapeutic ratio, such as corticosteroids, oral hypoglycaemic agents, and warfarin.
Depletion of pericentrin in mouse oocytes disrupts microtubule organizing center function and meiotic spindle organization

Accurate chromosome segregation is dependent on the formation and stability of the microtubule spindle apparatus. Meiotic spindle assembly in oocytes differs from the process used during mitosis, and is regulated by unique microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) that lack centrioles. To gain insight into the molecular composition and function of acentriolar MTOCs in mouse oocytes, we assessed the role of a key MTOC‐associated protein, pericentrin (PCNT). In somatic cells, pericentrin functions as a scaffold that binds specific proteins at MTOCs, including γ‐tubulin, which is necessary for microtubule nucleation. Pericentrin is expressed in oocytes, but the conservation of its function is not known. Pericentrin localizes specifically to MTOCs during prophase‐I arrest in mouse oocytes recovered from pre‐ovulatory ovarian follicles, and remains associated with MTOCs at spindle poles during metaphase‐I and ‐II. To test function, specific siRNAs were used to knock down Pcnt transcripts in mouse oocytes. Efficient protein depletion was confirmed by Western blot as well as immunofluorescence analysis. Notably, meiotic spindle structure and chromosome alignment were disrupted in Pcnt‐depleted oocytes. Disorganized spindle structures with reduced microtubule density and misaligned chromosomes were observed in the majority of these oocytes (∼70%). In addition, γ‐tubulin localization to MTOCs was significantly reduced and microtubule regrowth, following cold treatment, was delayed in Pcnt‐depleted oocytes. Thus, pericentrin is a key functional component of the unique acentriolar MTOCs of mouse oocytes, and plays an important role in regulating meiotic spindle assembly and/or stability. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 81: 1019–1029, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Elevated CO2 suppresses specific Drosophila innate immune responses and resistance to bacterial infection

Elevated CO2 levels (hypercapnia) frequently occur in patients with obstructive pulmonary diseases and are associated with increased mortality. However, the effects of hypercapnia on non-neuronal tissues and the mechanisms that mediate these effects are largely unknown. Here, we develop Drosophila as a genetically tractable model for defining non-neuronal CO2 responses and response pathways. We show that hypercapnia significantly impairs embryonic morphogenesis, egg laying, and egg hatching even in mutants lacking the Gr63a neuronal CO2 sensor. Consistent with previous reports that hypercapnic acidosis can suppress mammalian NF-κB-regulated innate immune genes, we find that in adult flies and the phagocytic immune-responsive S2* cell line, hypercapnia suppresses induction of specific antimicrobial peptides that are regulated by Relish, a conserved Rel/NF-κB family member. Correspondingly, modest hypercapnia (7–13%) increases mortality of flies inoculated with E. faecalis, A. tumefaciens, or S. aureus. During E. faecalis and A. tumefaciens infection, increased bacterial loads were observed, indicating that hypercapnia can decrease host resistance. Hypercapnic immune suppression is not mediated by acidosis, the olfactory CO2 receptor Gr63a, or by nitric oxide signaling. Further, hypercapnia does not induce responses characteristic of hypoxia, oxidative stress, or heat shock. Finally, proteolysis of the Relish IκB-like domain is unaffected by hypercapnia, indicating that immunosuppression acts downstream of, or in parallel to, Relish proteolytic activation. Our results suggest that hypercapnic immune suppression is mediated by a conserved response pathway, and illustrate a mechanism by which hypercapnia could contribute to worse outcomes of patients with advanced lung disease, who frequently suffer from both hypercapnia and respiratory infections.
Shortest Two-way Linear Recurrences

Let $s$ be a finite sequence over a field of length $n$. It is well-known that if $s$ satisfies a linear recurrence of order $d$ with non-zero constant term, then the reverse of $s$ also satisfies a recurrence of order $d$ (with coefficients in reverse order). A recent article of A. Salagean proposed an algorithm to find such a shortest 'two-way' recurrence -- which may be longer than a linear recurrence for $s$ of shortest length $\LC_n$. We give a new and simpler algorithm to compute a shortest two-way linear recurrence. First we show that the pairs of polynomials we use to construct a minimal polynomial iteratively are always relatively prime; we also give the extended multipliers. Then we combine degree lower bounds with a straightforward rewrite of a published algorithm due to the author to obtain our simpler algorithm. The increase in shortest length is $\max\{n+1-2\LC_n,0\}$.
Home-based trunk-strengthening exercise for osteoporotic and osteopenic postmenopausal women without fracture –a pilot study

Objectives: To investigate whether a 12-week home-based programme of trunk-strengthening exercise could benefit spinal mobility, function and quality of life for osteoporotic and osteopenic postmenopausal women without fracture. Designs: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: Department of Physical Therapy in National Taiwan University Hospital. Subjects: Twenty-eight postmenopausal women (mean age 60.39=9.3 years) diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia without fracture history were recruited for this study. Subjects were randomly assigned into exercise or control groups, each consisting of 14 subjects. Interventions: The 12-week exercise programme included strengthening routines for the trunk extensor and flexor muscles. The subjects performed three sets of 10 repetitions for each of the exercises, with programmes carried out three times per day at home. Main outcome measurements: Muscular strength, spinal range of motion (ROM) and motion velocity, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and quality of life (QOL) were measured before the start and after completion of the exercise programme. Results: Statistically significant improvements were demonstrated in spinal ROM and motion velocity in the sagittal and frontal planes for the exercise group (pB=0.05). Further, the strength of the trunk flexors and extensors increased after exercise training (pB=0.05). ODQ measure was significantly reduced in the exercise group (pB=0.05), while the controls showed no significant change. Subjects in the exercise group showed better satisfaction in some domains of the Short-Form-36 Health Survey quality of life questionnaire (pB=0.05). Conclusions: This 12-week home-based trunk-strengthening exercise programme could improve trunk mobility and strength, and enhance QOL in osteoporotic and osteopenic postmenopausal women without vertebral fracture. Future study should recruit more cases or more severe subjects to verify the results.
Factors Affecting Success and Results of Cartilage- Perichondrium Island Graft in Revision Tympanoplasty

RESULTS: Thirty-three cases, 14 females and 19 males with mean age 37.5±12.7, were included in the study. Ossiculoplasty was performed in 8 cases, and mastoidectomy was added to tympanoplasty in 12 cases. Tympanic membrane was intact in 29 cases (87.4%) in the 12th postoperative month. Large perforation, adhesive tympanic membrane, and especially hypertrophic middle ear mucosa were found to have negative impact on success of graft (p<0.01). The success of graft in patients with mastoidectomy was lower than without mastoidectomy (p<0.001). Age (p=0.491), gender (p=0.567), surgical approach (p=0.378), and the number of operations (p=0.283) did not contribute to the success of the graft. Average improvement of postoperative air conduction hearing threshold was 13.2±5.5 dB, and average decrease in air bone gap was 11.7±5.5 dB. CONCLUSION: Postoperative closure rate of the tympanic membrane was high and audiologic improvement was satisfactory with cartilage-perichondrium island graft in revision tympanoplasty. Cartilage-perichondrium island graft may be preferred for reconstruction of the tympanic membrane because of its resistance to inflammation and poor feeding in revision tympanoplasty.
The effect of SRP on the clinical and microbiological parameters of periodontal diseases.

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effect of SRP on clinical and microbiological parameters in 57 subjects with adult periodontitis (mean age 47 +/- 11 years). Subjects were monitored clinically and microbiologically prior to and 3, 6 and 9 months after full-mouth SRP under local anaesthesia. Clinical assessments of plaque, redness, suppuration, BOP, pocket depth and attachment level were made at 6 sites per tooth. The means of duplicate attachment level measurements taken at each visit were used to assess change between visits. Clinical data were averaged within each subject and then averaged across subjects for each visit. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from the mesial aspect of each tooth and the presence and levels of 40 subgingival taxa were determined using whole genomic DNA probes and checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. The mean levels and % of sites colonized by each species (prevalence) was computed for each subject at each visit. Differences in clinical and microbiological parameters before and after SRP were sought using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test or the Quade test for more than 2 visits. Overall, there was a mean gain in attachment level of 0.11 +/- 0.23 mm (range -0.53 to 0.64 mm) 3 months post-therapy. There was a significant decrease in the % of sites exhibiting gingival redness (68 to 57%) and BOP (58 to 52%) as well as a mean (+/-SEM) pocket depth (3.3 +/- 0.06 to 3.1 +/- 0.05 mm). Sites with pre-therapy pocket depths of < 4 mm showed a non-significant increase in pocket depth and attachment level, 4.6 mm pockets showed a significant decrease in pocket depth and a non-significant gain in attachment post-therapy, while > 6 mm pockets showed a significant decrease in pocket depth and attachment level measurements post-therapy. Significant clinical improvements were seen in subjects who had never smoked or were past smokers but not in current smokers. Mean prevalences and levels of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and B. forsythus were significantly reduced after SRP, while A. viscosus showed a significant increase in mean levels. The mean decrease in prevalence of P. gingivalis was similar at all pocket depth categories, while B. forsythus decreased more at shallow and intermediate pockets and A. viscosus increased most at deep sites. P. gingivalis. B. forsythus and T. denticola were equally prevalent among current, past and never smokers pre-therapy, decreased significantly post-SRP in never and past smokers but increased in current smokers. Clinical improvement post-SRP was accompanied by a modest change in the subgingival microbiota, primarily a reduction in P. gingivalis, B. forsythus and T. denticola, suggesting potential targets for therapy and indicating that radical alterations in the subgingival microbiota may not be necessary or desirable in many patients.
The Firm as a Socialization Device

Why do firms exist? What is their function? What do managers do? What is the role, if any, of social motivation in the market? In this paper, we address these questions with a new theory of the firm, which unites some major themes in management, principal-agent theory, and economic sociology. We show that although the market is a superior incentive mechanism, the firm has a comparative advantage with respect to social motivation. We then show that the market is efficient in environments that favor the provision of incentives, such as when subjective risk is low and performance is easy to measure. The firm is efficient in other environments where incentives are costly and/or ineffective. We compare our model and results with the views of Durkheim (Durkheim, E. 1984. The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press, New York) and Granovetter (Granovetter, M. 1985. Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness. Amer. J. Sociol. 91(3) 481--510).
Opportunities for Policy Interventions to Reduce Youth Hookah Smoking in the United States

Preventing youth smoking initiation is a priority for tobacco control programs, because most adult tobacco smokers become addicted during adolescence. Interventions that restrict the affordability, accessibility, and marketing of cigarettes have been effective in reducing youth cigarette smoking. However, increasing numbers of youth are smoking tobacco using hookahs. Predictors of smoking tobacco with hookahs are the same as those for smoking cigarettes. Established interventions that curb youth cigarette smoking should therefore be effective in reducing hookah use. Potential policy interventions include equalizing tobacco tax rates for all tobacco types, requiring warning labels on hookah tobacco and accurate labeling of product contents, extending the cigarette flavoring ban to hookah tobacco, enacting smoke-free air laws and removing exemptions for hookah lounges, and expanding shipping restrictions on tobacco products.
Favourable pregnancy outcome after endometrectomy for a Robert's uterus

Case report A 24-year-old woman presented with pelvic pain. She was in the middle of her menstrual cycle and had regular periods. She had a history of two caesarean sections and one miscarriage. Th e pain had been episodic and colicky and was aggravated around the time of her periods, especially over recent months. CA125 was 37.6 U/ml (normal range: 0 – 35) and other tumour markers were negative. On ultrasonographic examination, uterine anomaly was suspected. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed haematometra in a cystic lesion on the left side of the uterus (Figure 1) and a primarily unicornuate uterus with a non-communicating rudimentary horn, 5.5 cm in diameter, was suspected. Accompanying urinary system anomalies were excluded by ultrasound and intravenous urography. She had a laparotomy; both adnexa were normal and a cystic lesion could be palpated in the left side of the uterus, which was consistent with the diagnosis of Robert ’ s uterus. Endometrectomy was done through a hysterotomy incision and myometrium repaired (Figure 2). Th e right cavity was not opened and both left ovary and fallopian tube were preserved. Postoperative MRI showed scar formation on the operation site (left side of the uterus). Histopathology of the endometrectomy specimen showed features of endometrial glands and stroma. She became pregnant and delivered a healthy baby by caesarean section in the 39th week of gestation. Because of placenta accreta, bilateral internal iliac artery ligation was needed.
The use of rhetorical strategies in Q&A discussion

Purpose – The major aim of this study is to specify the ways in which rhetorical strategies are employed in Q&A (question and answer) discussion, and how information sources are used to support such strategies. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on the analysis of 944 answers provided to the questions about global warming in Yahoo! Answers. The answers were analysed by means of descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Findings – Twelve rhetorical strategies serving the ends of classic rhetorical appeals, i.e. ethos, pathos and logos, were identified. The answerers drew most frequently on strategies related to logos (for example, appeal to reason) and ethos (for example, appeal to authority), while the strategies serving the ends of pathos (for example, argument ad hominem) were less popular. To support the rhetorical strategies, the answerers mainly used scientific sources such as websites of research organizations and persuasive material like Youtube videos. Research limitat.
Predicting goal achievement during stroke rehabilitation for Medicare beneficiaries

Abstract Purpose: Few studies have investigated the ability of treatment teams to predict functional improvement and whether an association between predicted goals and discharge function in patients with stroke exists. This study investigated goal prediction during stroke rehabilitation delivered in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) and the factors associated with goal prediction. Methods: A serial, cross-sectional design analyzing the Medicare IRF Patient Assessment Instrument dataset. The sample included 179 479 admissions for stroke aged over 65 years in 968 IRFs. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) controlled for facility cluster effects were used for analysis of time trends for length of stay (LOS), predicted Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores, discharge FIM scores and predicted-discharge difference FIM scores (goal FIM scores minus discharge FIM scores). GEE models were employed to determine the correlation between predicted FIM and discharge FIM scores and factors associated with goal achievement. Results: Mean LOS, predicted FIM scores and discharge FIM scores decreased 1.8 d, 2.2 points and 3.6 points, respectively, while predicted-discharge difference FIM scores increased 1.3 points. Discharge goals were not met 78.9% of the time. After controlling for patient characteristics, each predicted FIM point was associated with 0.6 discharge FIM points (p < 0.0001). Factors associated with not meeting or exceeding goals were: age (odds ratio; OR = 0.997), African Americans (OR = 0.905), number of comorbidities (OR = 0.970), number of complications (OR = 0.932) and right brain stroke (OR = 0.869). Factors associated with meeting or exceeding goals were: LOS (OR = 1.03), admission FIM score (OR = 1.02) and females (OR = 1.05). Conclusions: Trends for lower goals and lower discharge function occurred over time. A correlation existed between predicted FIM scores and discharge FIM scores. Patient factors were associated with goal achievement. Implications for Rehabilitation Using the Functional Independence Measure, rehabilitation teams set lower goals for stroke rehabilitation in inpatient rehabilitation facilities during first 5.5 years of the IRF-PAI dataset. Discharge FIM scores also trended lower and fell at faster rate than goal FIM scores. Teams’ goal FIM scores averaged nearly 12 points higher than discharge FIM scores, and over 75% of patients did not reach goals for the rehabilitation stay. Factors associated with meeting or exceeding goals were: length of stay, admission FIM scores and being a female. Factors associated with not meeting or exceeding goals were: age, number of comorbidities and complications, having a right-brain stroke and being African American.