Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial Activity of Geranium Oil against Clinical Strains of Staphylococcus aureus

The aim of this work was to investigate the antibacterial properties of geranium oil obtained from Pelargonium graveolens Ait. (family Geraniaceae), against one standard S. aureus strain ATCC 433000 and seventy clinical S. aureus strains. The agar dilution method was used for assessment of bacterial growth inhibition at various concentrations of geranium oil. Susceptibility testing of the clinical strains to antibiotics was carried out using the disk-diffusion and E-test methods. The results of our experiment showed that the oil from P. graveolens has strong activity against all of the clinical S. aureus isolates—including multidrug resistant strains, MRSA strains and MLSB-positive strains—exhibiting MIC values of 0.25–2.50 μL/mL.
Needle-like ion-doped hydroxyapatite crystals influence osteogenic properties of PCL composite scaffolds

Surface topography and chemistry both play a crucial role on influencing cell response in 3D porous scaffolds in terms of osteogenesis. Inorganic materials with peculiar morphology and chemical functionalities may be proficiently used to improve scaffold properties—in the bulk and along pore surface—promoting in vitro and in vivo osseous tissue in-growth. The present study is aimed at investigating how bone regenerative properties of composite scaffolds made of poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) can be augmented by the peculiar properties of Mg2+ ion doped hydroxyapatite (dHA) crystals, mainly emphasizing the role of crystal shape on cell activities mediated by microstructural properties. At the first stage, the study of mechanical response by crossing experimental compression tests and theoretical simulation via empirical models, allow recognizing a significant contribution of dHA shape factor on scaffold elastic moduli variation as a function of the relative volume fraction. Secondly, the peculiar needle-like shape of dHA crystals also influences microscopic (i.e. crystallinity, adhesion forces) and macroscopic (i.e. roughness) properties with relevant effects on biological response of the composite scaffold: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses clearly indicate a reduction of crystallization heat—from 66.75 to 43.05 J g−1—while atomic force microscopy (AFM) ones show a significant increase of roughness—from (78.15 ± 32.71) to (136.13 ± 63.21) nm—and of pull-off forces—from 33.7% to 48.7%. Accordingly, experimental studies with MG-63 osteoblast-like cells show a more efficient in vitro secretion of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and collagen I and a more copious in vivo formation of new bone trabeculae, thus suggesting a relevant role of dHA to support the main mechanisms involved in bone regeneration.
Determination of hypoxic region by hypoxia marker in developing mouse embryos in vivo: A possible signal for vessel development

Hypoxia is a well‐known signal for angiogenesis, but the recent proposal that hypoxia exists in developing embryonic tissues and that it induces vascular development remains to be proven. In the present study, we demonstrate the presence of hypoxia in normal developing embryos by means of a hypoxia marker, pimonidazole, and its associated antibody. Our data clearly show that hypoxia marker immunoreactivity was highly detected in developing neural tubes, heart, and intersomitic mesenchyme at an early stage of organogenesis, suggesting that hypoxia may exist in the early stages of embryo development. We also found that hypoxia inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were spatiotemporally co‐localized with possible hypoxic regions in embryos. Investigation of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) expression provides evidence that endothelial cells proliferate and form the vessels in the hypoxic region in developing organs. Furthermore, we found that hypoxia induced both HIF‐1α and VEGF in F9 embryonic stem and differentiated cells. Thus, we suggest that hypoxia may exist widely in developing embryonic tissues and that it may act as a signal for embryonic blood vessel formation in vivo. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of the DNA Polymorphism of six varieties of Chenopodium Quinoa Willd, using AFLP.

El grano de Chenopodium quinoaWilld (quinua), es importante a nivel internacional por su alto valor nutricional, siendo la principal fuente de proteinas de los pobladores del altiplano Peruano Boliviano. En el proceso del cuidado y mantenimiento de las especies en los bancos de germoplasma para quinua se han elaborado programas que permiten evaluar la variedad genetica que incluyen incrementar la calidad del grano, la resistencia a enfermedades, tolerancia a la sequedad y modular el contenido de saponinas. Actualmente se trata de discriminar las variedades con tecnicas moleculares sensibles como los RAPDs, microsatelites, RFLP, por lo que nuestro objetivo fue evaluar el polimorfismo de seis variedades de quinua utilizando la tecnica de AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism). Asi, variedades de quinua: Quillahuaman INIA (Q), Mantaro (M), Hualhuas (H), Real boliviana (B), Salcedo INIA (S) y Illpa INIA (I), fueron evaluadas en combinaciones de cinco pares de primers empleando adaptadores para EcoRI y MseI para determinar su polimorfismo. Nuestros resultados encontraron tres combinaciones de mayor polimorfismo E33/M60, E32/M48 y E32/M61, pudiendo discriminar la variedad Mantaro (M) como una variedad alejada de las variedades propias del sur del altiplano peruano- boliviano, de acuerdo al analisis de UPGMA. Esta combinacion de cebadores tambien discrimino las variedades Illpa INIAy Salcedo INIA siendo estas variedades obtenidas por cruces de mejoramiento genetico.
Post Irradiation Evaluation of Biofim Formation , Hydrophobicity , Antimicrobial Resistance , Alginate Alg D Gene of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Recovered From Urinary Catheter of Cancer Bladder Patients

Colonization of biomaterials surface by Pseudomonas. Aeruginosa allows them form biofilms and be protected from host defense mechanisms and antimicrobial chemotherapy. Alginate production plays a central role in their pathogenesis. The research was to evaluate post irradiation effect on biofilm, hydrophobicity, resistance, alginate gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection associated with urinary catheter in bladder cancer patients. Quantification of biofilm was performed using tissue culture plate (TCP), slime production by Christensen’s test tube method, hydrophobicity by adhesion to  -xylene. Identification of 16 isolates and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 26 antibiotics were determined by micro scan walk away 96 SI automated system. Alginate gene were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and plasmid profile analysis by plasmid isolation kit. Post effect of in vitro gamma irradiation (24.41 Gy) on the isolates was studied. Before and after in vitro gamma irradiation, sixteen isolates of P. Aeruginosa were exhibited highest percentage susceptibility for Amikacin and Imipenem and 13 of them showed an increase in slime production and strong adherence ability after irradiation. The effect of Amikacin and Imipenem at the MIC level on adherence activity showed marked abnormalities in cells shape and size. PCR analysis confirmed that, three tested strains had an alginate biofilm biosynthesis gene (alg D). Low dose of radiation increase the bacterial virulence. So, surface modification of biomaterials for prevention of adherence with novel therapeutic solutions other than the conventional antibiotic therapies is in urgent need.
Populations at Risk for Intubation Nonattempt andFailure in the Prehospital Setting

Objectives. Pediatric cardiac arrest patients andadult traumatic arrest patients are perceived as more difficult to endotracheally intubate than adult cardiac arrest patients. The study hypothesis was that these populations were at higher risk of endotracheal intubation failure compared with adult cardiac arrest patients andthat paramedics would more frequently defer attempts to intubate these patients. Methods. This was a retrospective, observational study analyzing oral endotracheal intubations on pediatric cardiac arrest, adult traumatic arrest, andadult cardiac arrest patients over 66 months. Homogeneity of intubation nonattempt andendotracheal intubation failure was studied with chi-square analysis. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare pediatric cardiac arrest with adult traumatic arrest with adult cardiac arrest nonattempt rates andendotracheal intubation failure rates. Results. 2,669 oral endotracheal intubations were included. There was a significant difference in intubation nonattempts andintubation failure between the combined pediatric cardiac arrest andadult traumatic arrest groups andthe adult cardiac arrest cohort (RR 7.24, 95% CI 5.73, 9.16 for nonattempt; RR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.93, 2.83 for intubation failure). Both groups individually showed significant risk for intubation nonattempt andendotracheal intubation failure compared with adult cardiac arrest, with the pediatric cohort at higher risk for failure andthe adult traumatic arrest cohort at higher risk for nonattempt. Conclusions. There was significant risk of intubation nonattempt andintubation failure in the pediatric cardiac arrest andadult traumatic arrest cohorts compared with the adult cardiac arrest population, with the pediatric cohort being at particularly high risk for intubation failure andthe adult traumatic arrest cohort at higher risk for nonattempt.
Binding of a marker for immunoglobulins to the surface of rabbit testicular, epididymal, and ejaculated spermatozoa.

The Cowan I (CI) stain of the bacterium Stapbylococcus aureus was used to detect the presence of immunoglobuhins on rabbit spermatozoa. The acrosomal and postacrosomal regions of 86 ± 4.5% of motile ejaculated spermatozoa were labeled with CI bacteria. In contrast, Wood 46 strain bacteria, which lack protein A, labeled very few spermatozoa. Binding was blocked by pretreating CI bacteria with rabbit IgG. Spermatozoa were collected from the efferent ducts of the testisand the caput and caudal regions of the epididymis by micropuncture to avoid contamination by serum iinmunoglobuhins. Only 5 ± 1.8% of efferent duct sperm bound CI bacteria, while 84 ± 7.1% of caput sperm and 40 ± 10.4% of caudal sperm were labeled. The hypothesis that the decrease in labeling of cauda samples could be attributed to the masking of binding sites by luminal fluid components was tested on ejaculated sperm: significantly fewer were labeled in the presence of seminal plasma. Neither the exposure of ejaculated samples to serum nor the contamination of micropunctune samples with blood affected the percentage of spermatozoa labeled by bacteria. Apparently an immunoglobulin-hike molecule is produced in the caput epididymidis or becomes exposed on caput sperm. This ligand may then be masked by substances secreted into the lumen distal to the caput epididymidis.
Efficient DC programming approaches for the asymmetric eigenvalue complementarity problem

In this paper, we propose nonlinear programming (NLP) formulations and difference of convex functions (DC) programming approaches for the asymmetric eigenvalue complementarity problem (EiCP). The EiCP has a solution if and only if these NLP formulations have zero global optimal value. We reformulate the NLP formulations as DC programs which can be efficiently solved by a DC algorithm. Some preliminary numerical results illustrate the good performance of the proposed methods.
Rayleigh scattering by hexagonal ice crystals and the interpretation of dual‐polarisation radar measurements

Dual‐polarisation radar measurements provide valuable information about the shapes and orientations of atmospheric ice particles. For quantitative interpretation of these data in the Rayleigh regime, common practice is to approximate the true ice crystal shape with that of a spheroid. Calculations using the discrete dipole approximation for a wide range of crystal aspect ratios demonstrate that approximating hexagonal plates as spheroids leads to significant errors in the predicted differential reflectivity, by as much as 1.5 dB.
A retrospective view of fuzzy control of evolutionary algorithm resources

A retrospective argument supporting the adaptive control of the resources of an evolutionary algorithm is presented. In this approach, a fuzzy controller monitors the population diversity and maturity of the evolutionary process, and issues control actions to adapt the algorithm's population size and mutation rate. The fuzzy controller's rule base is simple and intuitive, and encodes expert heuristic knowledge on the management of an evolutionary algorithm's resources. Analysis based on experimentation and statistical hypothesis testing reveals that such an adaptive approach significantly reduces the variance in search performance of the evolutionary algorithm. Experiments also reveal that the approach in general improves search performance of the algorithm.
Transmission of Cytauxzoon felis Kier, 1979 from Bobcats, Felis rufus (Schreber), to Domestic Cats by Dermacentor variabilis (Say)

Cytauxzoon feiis was reported first in the United States from domestic cats from Missouri (Wagner, 1975, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 167: 874; Wagner, 1976, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 168: 585-588). Since that time there have been reports of the parasite from Texas (Bendele et a! ., 1976, Southwest Vet. 29: 244-246), Louisiana (Hauck et a! ., 1982, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 180: 1472-1474) and many other locations in the U.S. (Kier et a! ., 1979, Mo. Vet. 29: 15-18). The sporadic occurrence of the parasite in domestic cats and the uniform! y fatal syndrome it produces suggest that domestic cats are accidental hosts for this organism. A recent study indicated that 60% of 20 free-ranging bobcats from Oklahoma harbored an intraerythrocytic piroplasm that was morphologically indistinguishable from C. felis (Glenn et a! ., 1982, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 181: 1251-1253). Blood from these naturally infected bobcats subinoculated intrapenitoneally into domestic cats did not, however, cause fatal cytauxzoonosis. Instead a persistent erythroparasitemia developed, but the cats remained asym ptomatic. Experimental infections of bobcats induced by inoculation of tissues and blood collected from domestic cats in the final stages of the fatal disease has, however, shown that bobcats are susceptible to both a fatal and nonfatal form of the disease (Kier et a! ., 1982, Am. J. Vet. Res. 43: 102-105; Glenn et a! ., 1983, J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 183: 1155-1158). To date, the bobcat has not
Molecular Epidemiologic Analysis and Antimicrobial Resistance of Helicobacter cinaedi Isolated from Seven Hospitals in Japan

ABSTRACT Helicobacter cinaedi colonizes the colons of human and animals and can cause colitis, cellulitis, and sepsis in humans, with infections in immunocompromised patients being increasingly recognized. However, methods for analyzing the molecular epidemiology of H. cinaedi are not yet established. A genotyping method involving multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was developed and used to analyze 50 H. cinaedi isolates from Japanese hospitals in addition to 6 reference strains. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) results were also compared with the MLST results. Based on the genomic information from strain CCUG18818, 21 housekeeping genes were selected as candidates for MLST and were observed to have high homology (96.5 to 100%) between isolates. Following a comparison of the 21 housekeeping genes from 8 H. cinaedi isolates, 7 genes were chosen for MLST, revealing 14 sequence types (STs). The isolates from 3 hospitals belonged to the same STs, but the isolates from the other 4 hospitals belonged to different STs. Isolates belonging to ST6 were analyzed by PFGE and showed similar, but not identical, patterns between isolates. Isolates belonging to ST9, ST10, and ST11, which belonged to the same clonal complex, had the same pattern. All isolates were found to contain mutations in GyrA and the 23S rRNA gene that confer ciprofloxacin and clarithromycin resistance, respectively, in H. cinaedi. These results raise concerns about the increase in H. cinaedi isolates resistant to clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin in Japan.
Systematic optimization of a lead‐structure identities for a selective short peptide agonist for the human orphan receptor BRS‐3

The orphan receptor, human bombesin receptor subtype 3 (BRS‐3) was assigned to the G‐protein coupled bombesin receptor family because of its high sequence homology with the neuromedin B receptor (NMB‐R) and gastrin‐releasing peptide receptor (GRP‐R). Since its pharmacology is still unknown, new highly potent and selective tool‐substances are needed, that may be able to elucidate its possible role in obesity and cancer.
Influence of size and stability of the osteotomy gap on the success of fracture healing

Flexible fixation of fractures with minimally invasive surgical techniques has become increasingly popular. Such techniques can lead to relatively large fracture gaps (larger than 5 mm) and considerable interfragmentary movements (0.2‐5 mm). We investigated the influence of the size of the fracture gap, interfragmentary movement, and interfragmentary strain on the quality of fracture healing. A simple diaphyseal long‐bone fracture was modeled by means of a transverse osteotomy of the right metatarsus in sheep. In 42 Sheep, the metatarsus was stabilized with a custom‐made external ring fixator that was adjustable for gap size and axial interfragmentary movement. The sheep were randomly divided into six groups with three different gap sizes (1, 2, or 6 mm) and small or large interfragmentary strain (approximately 7 or 31%). The movement of the fracture gap was monitored telemetrically by a displacement transducer attached to the fixator. After 9 weeks of healing, the explanted metatarsus was evaluated mechanically in a three‐point bending test to determine bending, stiffness and was radiographed to measure the amount of periosteal callus formation. Increased size of the gap (from 1 to 6 mm) resulted in a significant reduction in the bending stiffness of the healed bones. Larger interfragmentary movements and strains (31 compared with 7%) stimulated larger callus formation for small gaps (1‐2 mm) but not for larger gaps (approximately 6 mm). The treatment of simple diaphyseal fractures with flexible fixation can be improved by careful reduction of the fracture; this prevents large interfragmentary gaps. The experimental fracture model for the metatarsus showed that the healing process was inferior when the gap was larger than 2 mm.
Methadone medical maintenance (MMM): treating chronic opioid dependence in private medical practice--a summary report (1983-1998).

BACKGROUND Methadone Medical Maintenance (MMM) was implemented in 1983 to enable socially rehabilitated methadone patients to be treated in the offices of private physicians rather than in the traditional clinic system. Over a period of 15 years, 158 methadone patients who fulfilled specific criteria within the clinic system entered this program in New York City. Participating patients reported to their physician once a month and received a one-month supply of methadone tablets rather than a one-day liquid dose in a bottle. METHOD Of the 158 patients who entered this program, 132 (83.5%) were compliant with the regulations and proved to be treatable within the hospital-based private practices of internists participating in the program. Compliant MMM patients found it easier to improve their employment status and business situations, finish their educations, and normalize their lives in MMM as opposed to the traditional clinic system because they had simplified reporting schedules and fewer clinical restrictions. Twelve (8%) compliant patients were able to successfully withdraw from methadone after an average of 17.7 years of treatment in both the traditional clinics and MMM. Twenty compliant patients (13%) died from a variety of causes, 40% of which were related to cigarette smoking. None of the deaths were attributable to long-term methadone treatment. Other causes of death included hepatitis C, AIDS, cancer, homicide, complications of morbid obesity and meningitis. RESULTS The 26 noncompliant patients (16.5%) were referred back to their clinics for continued treatment or were discharged for failure to report as directed. A major cause of failure in MMM was abuse of crack/cocaine. CONCLUSIONS Stigma concerning enrollment in methadone treatment was a major social issue that patients faced. Many refused to inform employers, members of their families, friends, and other physicians who treated them for a various of conditions that they were methadone patients. The methadone medical maintenance physician, therefore, functions as a medical ombudsman for the patient, educating other physicians who treat the patient about methadone maintenance and its applicability to the patient. Our results can serve as a model for the expansion of office-based MMM treatment.
Quality indices for (practical) clustering evaluation

Clustering quality or validation indices allow the evaluation of the quality of clustering in order to support the selection of a specific partition or clustering structure in its natural unsupervised environment, where the real solution is unknown or not available. In this paper, we investigate the use of quality indices mostly based on the concepts of clusters' compactness and separation, for the evaluation of clustering results (partitions in particular). This work intends to offer a general perspective regarding the appropriate use of quality indices for the purpose of clustering evaluation. After presenting some commonly used indices, as well as indices recently proposed in the literature, key issues regarding the practical use of quality indices are addressed. A general methodological approach is presented which considers the identification of appropriate indices thresholds. This general approach is compared with the simple use of quality indices for evaluating a clustering solution.
Maintenance of memory CTL responses by T helper cells and CD40‐CD40 ligand: antibodies provide the key

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are essential for control of primary infections by many pathogens and in particular by non‐cytopathic viruses. It has been proposed that long‐term maintenance of CTL memory and control of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is dependent upon the presence of T helper cells and interaction of antigen‐presenting cells and CTL via CD40 and its ligand CD40L. However, we demonstrate here that CD40‐CD40L interaction maintains CTL memory by induction of virus‐specific antibodies. In fact, loss of CTL memory responses and spread of virus in mice lacking CD40 or its ligand is prevented by repetitive therapeutic injections of LCMV‐specific antibodies. This indicates that antibodies are essential for long‐term control of non‐cytopathic virus and to maintain protective memory. Transfer of neutralizing antibodies or induction of antibodies by therapeutic vaccination within weeks after infection may therefore prove beneficial for the treatment of chronic virus infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.