Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MONITORING THE CELL WALL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEGRADED BEECH WOOD BY WHITE-ROT FUNGI: ANATOMICAL, CHEMICAL, AND PHOTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Meticulous chemical analysis of decaying xylem and linking it to corresponding anatomical modification at the cellular level can improve our understanding of the decay process. The aim of this study was to monitor the histological, chemical, photochemical, and progression of wood degradation by two white-rot fungi at different intervals. Oriental beech wood (Fagus orientalis) blocks were exposed to Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor to investigate the degradation capabilities of these two fungi. Light microscopy was used to study the decay patterns in wood. Decayed wood samples were also analyzed to determine lignin, cellulose and sugar contents and also evaluated at two week intervals by FT-IR spectroscopy to study chemical alterations. According to chemical analyses lignin is the most degraded polymer followed by cellulose and hemicelluloses for both white rot fungi. However, both test fungi tended to consume lignin more than cellulose. FT-IR spectra changes for lignin and carbohydrates in beech wood supported chemical alteration and indicated that both fungi decay wood in a simultaneous pattern.
Kangaroo versus porcine aortic valve tissue--valve geometry morphology, tensile strength and calcification potential.

OBJECTIVE Valve related factors and patient related factors are responsible for calcification of valvular bioprostheses. Recent studies showed different donor and recipient species have different influences on the total calcification rate of bioprostheses. This study was performed to evaluate and compare Kangaroo aortic valve leaflets with porcine aortic valve leaflets. Experimental design. Prospective study. Setting. Cardio-thoracic experimental research of a university department. MATERIALS AND METHODS Glutaraldehyde-fixed Kangaroo and porcine valve leaflets were evaluated in vitro according to valve geometry (internal diameter and leaflet thickness), morphology (light and electron microscopy) and tensile strength. In vivo evaluation consisted of implantation in a rat model for 8 weeks, Von Kossa stain for calcium and atomic absorption spectrophotometry for total extractable calcium content. RESULTS Kangaroo valves indicated a smaller internal valve diameter as well as a thinner valve leaflet (p<0.01, ANOVA) at corresponding body weight, less proteoglycan spicules in the fibrosa, increased elasticity (p<0.05) and low calcification potential (p<0.01, confidence interval 95%). CONCLUSIONS Kangaroo aortic valve leaflets have different valvular qualities compared to porcine valve tissue. Kangaroo valve leaflets are significantly superior to porcine valve leaflets as far as calcification is concerned. These results are encouraging and suggest further in vivo evaluation in a larger animal model before clinical application can be considered.
QUALITE TECHNOLOGIQUE DE LA VIANDE DE POULET EN RELATION AVEC LE NIVEAU DE CROISSANCE DES ANIMAUX

Le marche du poulet evolue vers une diversification qualitative des produits grâce au developpement de differents modes de production (standards, labels, certifies, biologiques) et de presentation (decoupes, produits transformes). Cette etude a permis de caracteriser la qualite technologique et l’aptitude a la transformation de la viande de croisements commerciaux qui different en particulier pour les performances de croissance et qui sont utilises pour les productions de type label, standard ou certifiee. Nous avons observe des differences importantes du metabolisme post-mortem des muscles (chute de pH) entre les differents types d’animaux etudies, qui se repercutaient sur leurs proprietes de retention d’eau a l’etat frais mais surtout au cours des procedes de transformation en blancs et jambons de poulets. Par rapport aux poulets a croissance rapide de type standard, la viande des poulets a croissance lente presentait des rendements a la transformation inferieurs mais une tenue de tranche superieure et se demarquait par la qualite sensorielle des produits transformes. La viande des poulets croises presentait des caracteristiques technologiques et sensorielles generalement intermediaires a celle provenant des poulets a croissance lente et rapide. Afin de tester plus globalement l’impact des differents modes de production sur la qualite des viandes, ces premiers resultats devront etre valides dans les conditions commerciales de production et d’abattage des animaux et de transformation des viandes.
Apoptosis: Its nature and implications for dermatopathology

Apoptosis is a distinctive mode of cell death with characteristic morphologic features which serves as a balance to mitosis in regulating the size of animal tissues. In contrast to coagulative necrosis, the cytologic features of apoptosis suggest active self-destruction rather than progressive disintegration. It typically affects scattered individual cells which condense and bud to produce many membrane-bounded fragments in which organelles appear intact when viewed by the electron microscope. These apoptotic bodies are then phagocytosed and digested by cells resident in the tissue. Apoptosis, unlike coagulative necrosis, does not itself evoke an inflammatory response. Apoptosis is a feature of such diverse processes as deletion of phylogenetic vestiges during normal embryonic development, involution of endocrine-dependent organs after withdrawal of trophic hormones, cell-mediated immune attack on tissues, and therapeutically induced regression of neoplasms.Apoptosis has received scant attention in dermatopathology. However, it is now known to be an important feature of lichen planus, certain drug eruptions, the skin lesions of graft-versus-host reactions, the regression of plane warts, and the effects of ultraviolet damage. It is also involved in the kinetics of cutaneous neoplasms. In some of these situations, apoptotic bodies have, in the past, been given names such as Civatte bodies, colloid bodies, single-cell necrobiosis, sunburn cells, and dyskeratotic cells without their basic nature having been recognized.
A Review of Flicker Severity Assessment by the IEC Flickermeter

This paper presents an analysis of the flicker assessment by block 5 of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) flickermeter. We compare the values provided by the IEC flickermeter from field measurements and the complaints from the customers. We also analyze the behavior of the IEC flickermeter when subject to signals containing nonuniform rectangular fluctuations. Finally, as it is not easy to find a consistent relationship between the true annoyance and the flicker severity, we describe some laboratory subjective tests with a small group of people, carried out to assign a true quantitative value of annoyance to a nonuniform light fluctuation from real situations. Block 5 of the IEC flickermeter derives its estimate of the annoyance accurately only for uniform fluctuations. In realistic conditions, when the voltage fluctuations are not uniform but have varying frequencies and amplitudes, the IEC flickermeter does not assess the true flicker annoyance precisely.
Antimicrobial Activity of Penicillin G and N-acetylcystein on Planktonic and Sessile Cells of Streptococcus suis

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the capacity of Streptococcus suis strains to form biofilms and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Penicillin G and N-acetylcystein (NAC) on both S. suis sessile and planktonic forms. Only non-typeable isolates of S. suis were correlated with a greater biofilm formation capacity. The MCI of Penicillin G and NAC required for inhibiting biofilm growth were higher than the required concentration for inhibiting planktonic growth. The combinations of NAC and Penicillin G showed a strong synergistic activity that inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted the pre-formed biofilm of S. suis.
A comparison of morbidity patterns in public and private primary care clinics in malaysia.

OBJECTIVES To compare the morbidity patterns in public and private primary care clinics; determine patients' reasons for encounter (RFE) and diagnoses using the ICPC-2, and compare ten commonest diagnoses and RFEs. METHODS A cross-sectional study on randomly selected clinics was conducted nationwide. Doctors completed the Patient Encounter Record (PER) for systematically selected encounters for a week. RESULTS Response rate was 82.0% (public clinic) and 33% (private clinic) with 4262 encounters and 7280 RFE. Overall, the three commonest disease categories encountered were respiratory (37.2%), general and unspecified (29.5%), and cardiovascular diseases (22.2%). Public and private clinics handled 27% versus 50% acute cases and 20.0% versus 3.1% chronic cases i.e. 33.7 and 5.6 chronic diseases per 100 RFE respectively. CONCLUSION Doctors in public clinics saw more chronic and complex diseases as well as pregnancy related complaints and follow-up cases while in private clinics more acute and minor illnesses were seen. Health services should be integrated and support given to co-manage chronic diseases in both sectors.
The Influence of E-Service Quality on Customer Perceived Value, Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in South Africa

While researches on online shopping behaviour have been steadily increasing, they seem to be a paucity of studies that investigate the importance of E-service quality; customer perceived value and customer satisfaction that result in customer loyalty in online shopping perspective. The present research is an attempt to fill this gap by examining the relative influence of three antecedents of customer loyalty — e-service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer perceived value on consumer online shopping behaviour, using a sample of consumers in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The central argument of this paper is that online shopping behavior can be understood from the strength of loyalty outcomes. Six hypotheses are posited and in order to empirically test these hypotheses, a sample data set of 150 was used. Three hypotheses were supported while three (H1,H2 and H5) was rejected. Drawing from the study findings, this study provide tentative empirical support that online shopping behaviour can be influenced by e-service quality, customer satisfaction, loyalty and perceived value outcomes in Africa - a context that is often less researched on. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n9p331
The Re-Emergence Of Chloramphenicol Sensitivity Among Enteric Fever Pathogens

Background: Enteric fever is a global health problem, especially in the developing countries of the tropics. Drug resistance among enteric fever pathogens is a major challenge for the clinicians. Since its introduction in 1948, chloramphenicol (C) remained as the drug of choice for enteric fever. Later, ciprofloxacin (Cf) replaced C, when C-resisitant enteric fever emerged and caused outbreaks in different parts of the world. Fluoroquinlones are replaced by third generation cephalosporins like ceftriaxone (Ci) and cefotaxime (Ce) as the first line therapy nowadays. C-sensitive Salmonella serotypes emerged again due to the withdrawal of antibiotic pressure. Therefore, an attempt was made to study the incidence of blood stream Salmonella infections and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Method: Strains isolated from 188 blood culture positive cases of enteric fever over a period of 1 year and 11 months were studied and their sensitivity pattern to chloramphenicol(C), ampicillin(A), cotrimoxazole(Co), nalidixic acid(Na), ciprofloxacin(Cf), ofloxacin(Of) and ceftriaxone(Ci) were analysed by the disk diffusion method according to the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute(CLSI) guidelines. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined for chloramphenicol by the agar dilution method according to the CLSI guidelines. Results: A total of 188(2.99%) Salmonella isolates were obtained from blood culture during the period of 1 year and 11 months. Of these, 77 were S.typhi and 111 were S.paratyphi A. The present study showed higher chloramphenicol sensitivity for S.typhi (97.4%) and S.paratyphi A (100%). The MIC for Chloramphenicol was ≤ 4 μg/ml for 187 Salmonella isolates. OneSalmonella isolate showed C MIC of 64 μg/ml. Conclusion: This study has shown the reemergence of chloramphenicol sensitivity among enteric fever pathogens. The results suggest the necessity for the reevaluation of chloramphenicol therapy in enteric fever.
Quantal components of unitary EPSCs at the mossy fibre synapse on CA3 pyramidal cells of rat hippocampus.

1. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded in CA3 pyramidal cells of hippocampal slices of 15‐ to 24‐day‐old rats (22 degrees C) using the whole‐cell configuration of the patch clamp technique. 2. Composite EPSCs were evoked by extracellular stimulation of the mossy fibre tract. Using the selective blockers 6‐cyano‐7‐nitroquinoxaline‐2,3‐dione (CNQX) and D‐2‐amino‐5‐phosphonopentanoic acid (APV), a major alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionate (AMPA)/kainate receptor‐mediated component and a minor NMDA receptor‐mediated component with slower time course were distinguished. For the AMPA/kainate receptor‐mediated component, the peak current‐voltage (I‐V) relation was linear, with a reversal potential close to 0 mV. The half‐maximal blocking concentration of CNQX was 353 nM. 3. Unitary EPSCs of the mossy fibre terminal (MF)‐CA3 pyramidal cell synapse were evoked at membrane potentials of ‐70 to ‐90 mV by low‐intensity extracellular stimulation of granule cell somata using fine‐tipped pipettes. The EPSC peak amplitude as a function of stimulus intensity showed all‐or‐none behaviour. The region of low threshold was restricted to a few micrometres. This suggests that extracellular stimulation was focal, and that the stimulus‐evoked EPSCs were unitary. 4. Latency and rise time histograms of EPSCs evoked by granule cell stimulation showed narrow unimodal distributions within each experiment. The mean latency was 4.2 +/‐ 1.0 ms, and the mean 20‐80% rise time was 0.6 +/‐ 0.1 ms (23 cells). When fitted within the range 0.7 ms to 20 ms after the peak, the decay of the EPSCs with the fastest rise (rise time 0.5 ms or less) could be described by a single exponential function; the mean time constant was in the range 3.0‐6.6 ms with a mean of 4.8 ms (8 cells). 5. Peak amplitudes of the EPSCs evoked by suprathreshold granule cell stimulation fluctuated between trials. The apparent EPSC peak conductance in normal extracellular solution (2 mM Ca2+, 1 mM Mg2+), excluding failures, was 1 nS. Reducing the Ca2+ concentration and increasing the Mg2+ concentration reduced the mean peak amplitude in a concentration‐dependent manner. 6. Peaks in EPSC peak amplitude distributions were apparent in low Ca2+ and high Mg2+. Using the criteria of equidistance and the presence of peaks and dips in the autocorrelation function, five of nine EPSC peak amplitude distributions were judged to be quantal. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Provable Dynamic Robust PCA or Robust Subspace Tracking

Dynamic robust PCA refers to the dynamic (time-varying) extension of the robust PCA (RPCA) problem. It assumes that the true (uncorrupted) data lies in a low-dimensional subspace that can change with time, albeit slowly. The goal is to track this changing subspace over time in the presence of sparse outliers. This work provides the first guarantee for dynamic RPCA that holds under weakened standard RPCA assumptions, slow subspace change and two mild assumptions. We analyze a simple algorithm based on the Recursive Projected Compressive Sensing (ReProCS) framework. Our result is significant because (i) it removes the strong assumptions needed by the two previous complete guarantees for ReProCS-based algorithms; (ii) it shows that it is possible to achieve significantly improved outlier tolerance than all existing provable RPCA methods by exploiting slow subspace change and a lower bound on outlier magnitudes; and (iii) it proves that the proposed algorithm is online, fast, and memory-efficient.
Relativized realizability in intuitionistic arithmetic of all finite types

In this paper we introduce a new notion of realizability for intuitionistic arithmetic in all finite types. The notion seems to us to capture some of the intuition underlying both the recursive realizability of Kjeene [5] and the semantics of Kripke [7]. After some preliminaries of a syntactic and recursion-theoretic character in §1, we motivate and define our notion of realizability in §2. In §3 we prove a soundness theorem, and in §4 we apply that theorem to obtain new information about provability in some extensions of intuitionistic arithmetic in all finite types. In §5 we consider a special case of our general notion and prove a kind of reflection theorem for it. Finally, in §6, we consider a formalized version of our realizability notion and use it to give a new proof of the conservative extension theorem discussed in Goodman and Myhill [4] and proved in our [3]. (Apparently, a form of this result is also proved in Mine [13]. We have not seen this paper, but are relying on [12].) As a corollary, we obtain the following somewhat strengthened result: Let Σ be any extension of first-order intuitionistic arithmetic (HA) formalized in the language of HA. Let Σω be the theory obtained from Σ by adding functionals of finite type with intuitionistic logic, intensional identity, and axioms of choice and dependent choice at all types. Then Σω is a conservative extension of Σ. An interesting example of this theorem is obtained by taking Σ to be classical first-order arithmetic.
[A study of the absorption and excretion of fosfomycin sodium in children].

Fosfomycin sodium (FOM-Na, Forocyle-S) was administered at 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg to 15 children between the ages of 3 and 15 through intravenous injection or through 1 hour intravenous drip infusion, and concentrations in blood serum and excretion through urine were examined and a pharmacokinetic analysis was carried out using the one-compartment model. 1. Average concentrations in the blood serum after injections with 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg were 55.3 +/- 6.3 micrograms/ml and 118.8 +/- 31.1 micrograms/kg 30 minutes after injection, respectively, and their half-lives were 1.04 +/- 0.15 hours and 0.98 +/- 0.17 hours, respectively. Six hours after injection, the levels were 2.7 +/- 1.6 micrograms/kg and 6.2 +/- 5.5 micrograms/kg, respectively. With 1 hour intravenous drip infusion of 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, average concentrations the blood serum were 34.2 +/- 14.9 micrograms/ml and 89.7 +/- 6.7 micrograms/ml, respectively, and their half-lives were 0.87 +/- 0.24 hour and 0.69 +/- 0.10 hour, respectively. Six hours after the administration, the levels were 2.7 +/- 1.8 micrograms/ml and 6.7 +/- 0.8 micrograms/ml. There was a clear dose response in the concentration levels in the blood in those given the drug at 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg in either method of administration. 2. Average levels in urine after injection of 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg were 5,778 +/- 2,257 micrograms/ml and 6,268 +/- 3,329 micrograms/ml 0-2 hours after administration, respectively, and average levels at 4-6 hours were 701 +/- 765 micrograms/ml and 1,588 +/- 1,324 micrograms/ml, respectively. Average excretion, rates into the urine were 72.8 +/- 11.0 and 73.9 +/- 11.1%, respectively. In case of 1 hour drips infusion of 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, average concentrations in the urine 0-2 hours after administration were 3,570 +/- 1,540 micrograms/ml and 11,800 micrograms/ml, respectively, and averages for 4-6 hours were 211 +/- 124 micrograms/ml and 1,300 micrograms/ml. Average rates of excretion into the urine for the first group was 57.9 +/- 16.3% and the second group was 78.4%. Clear dose response was observed in changes of drug concentration levels in the urine with 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg doses through either administration method, and in terms of excretion into the urine, no noticeable differences were observed between the different amounts administered or different administration methods. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
[Comparison of lifestyle, mental stress, and medical check-up results between Tanshin-funin workers and workers living with their families].

OBJECTIVES We conducted a comparative analysis of lifestyle, mental stress, and medical check-up results between tanshin-funin workers and workers living with their families. METHODS Study participants were 3,026 married men, aged 40-59 yr, who worked at a large financial firm in Japan. Tanshin-funin was defined as married men separated from their families due to workplace assignments, as determined by a self-administered questionnaire in 2004. Participants' lifestyle factors, including exercise, alcohol and smoking consumption, and dietary habits, and mental stress, including lack of vigor, irritability, fatigue, anxiety, depressed mood, and physical complaints, were examined using a self-administered questionnaire. Medical check-ups conducted in 2004 included measurements of BMI, SBP, DBP, FBS, GOT, GPT, γ-GTP, TC, TG, HDL, RBC, and WBC. RESULTS An analysis of lifestyle factors, using the χ(2) test, indicated that fewer tanshin-funin workers exercise, and that they had fewer regularly-scheduled meals. Tanshin-funin workers smoked more and consumed more alcohol, but ate fewer green and yellow vegetables. Tanshin-funin workers had fewer commuting hours and took fewer days off. Tanshin-funin workers also suffered more frequently from irritability and anxiety. A regression analysis, adjusted for age and smoking status, indicated that levels of TC, TG, and WBC for tanshin-funin workers were higher than workers living with their families. CONCLUSIONS The lifestyle habits of tanshin-funin workers, such as dietary habits, were worse than those of workers living with their families, and tanshin-funin workers suffered from more irritability and anxiety. Clinical markers, such as dyslipidemia, were worse among tanshin-funin workers than among workers living with their families.
Predicting biases in very highly educated samples: Numeracy and metacognition

We investigated the relations between numeracy and superior judgment and decision making in two large community outreach studies in Holland (n=5408). In these very highly educated samples (e.g., 30–50% held graduate degrees), the Berlin Numeracy Test was a robust predictor of financial, medical, and metacognitive task performance (i.e., lotteries, intertemporal choice, denominator neglect, and confidence judgments), independent of education, gender, age, and another numeracy assessment. Metacognitive processes partially mediated the link between numeracy and superior performance. More numerate participants performed better because they deliberated more during decision making and more accurately evaluated their judgments (e.g., less overconfidence). Results suggest that well-designed numeracy tests tend to be robust predictors of superior judgment and decision making because they simultaneously assess (1) mathematical competency and (2) metacognitive and self-regulated learning skills.