Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Template Preparation for PCR-Based Assays for Detection of Food-Borne Bacterial Pathogens

ABSTRACT Shigella flexneri, Salmonella entericaserotype Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes were applied to FTA filters, and the filters were used directly as templates to demonstrate their sensitivity and applicability in PCR-based detection assays. With pure cultures, the sensitivities of detection by FTA filter-based PCR were 30 to 50 and 200 CFU for the gram-negative enterics and Listeria, respectively. Different numbers ofS. flexneri cells were used in controlled contamination experiments with several different foods (produce, beef, and apple cider). Aliquots from concentrated food washes subsequently spotted onto FTA filters and assayed by PCR gave consistently positive results and detection limits similar to those observed with pure-culture dilutions. This universal method for PCR template preparation from bacterial cells is rapid and highly sensitive and reduces interference from food-associated inhibitors of PCR. In addition, its broad applicability eliminates the need for multiple methods for analysis of food matrices.
DSM-Oriented and Empirically Based Approaches to Constructing Scales From the Same Item Pools

Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College Separately for ages 11/2 to 5 and 6 to 18, used items for rating behavioral and emotional problems to construct (a) "top-down" DSM-oriented scales from experts' ratings of the items' consistency with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV], American Psychiatric Association, 1994) categories, and (b) "bottom-up" empirically based syndromes from factor analyses of parent, caregiver, teacher, and self ratings (N = 14,853). Both kinds of scales are scored from the same assessment instruments and are displayed on profiles normed on the same national samples. Psychometric properties were similar for both kinds of scales. Associations between counterpart scales were medium to strong. Quantified, normed DSM-oriented and empirically based scales scored from the same instruments can facilitate assessment of individuals, statistical analyses for research purposes, and integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches to deriving constructs for psychopathology.
Mitochondria as the primary target of resveratrol-induced apoptosis in human retinoblastoma cells.

PURPOSE To determine the molecular mechanisms by which resveratrol induces retinoblastoma tumor cell death. METHODS After resveratrol treatment, Y79 tumor cell viability was measured using a fluorescence-based assay, and proapoptotic and antiproliferative effects were characterized by Hoechst stain and flow cytometry, respectively. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim) was measured as a function of drug treatment using 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzamidazolocarbocyanin iodide (JC-1), whereas the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria was assayed by immunoblotting and caspase activities were determined by monitoring the cleavage of fluorogenic peptide substrates. RESULTS Resveratrol induced a dose- and time-dependent decrease in Y79 tumor cell viability and inhibited proliferation by inducing S-phase growth arrest and apoptotic cell death. Preceding cell death, resveratrol evoked a rapid dissipation of DeltaPsim. This was followed by the release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm and a substantial increase in the activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Additionally, in a cell-free system, resveratrol directly induced the depolarization of isolated mitochondria. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that resveratrol, a nontoxic natural plant compound, inhibits Y79 cell proliferation and stimulates apoptosis through activation of the mitochondrial (intrinsic) apoptotic pathway and may warrant further exploration as an adjuvant to conventional anticancer therapies for retinoblastoma.
Simultaneous expression of kappa and lambda light chains in a murine IgG3 anti-Cryptococcus neoformans hybridoma cell line.

Allelic exclusion normally results in the expression of only one light and one heavy chain gene. However, some hybridomas have been reported to express two different heavy chain genes. Here we report that the IgG3 hybridoma 4H3.C8B expresses both kappa and lambda light chains. 4H3.C8B was originally recovered by screening for antibody binding to Cryptococcus neoformans polysaccharide antigen and characterized as gamma 3 lambda. The gamma 3 lambda but not the gamma 3 kappa binds to polysaccharide antigen. Some of the antibody molecules were heterodimers composed of both lambda and kappa. IgG1 and IgG2b isotype switch variants were identified and isolated by the technique of sib selection, using the ELISA spot assay. Like the parent IgG3 line, the switch variants continued to express both kappa and lambda light chains but only the lambda-containing antibodies bound to the antigen. Our experience suggests that hybridomas recovered by assays that are antigen dependent should also be tested for the expression of other isotypes and light chains in a non-antigen-binding immunoassay.
A Novel Method for Hyperspectral Image Classification Based on Laplacian Eigenmap Pixels Distribution-Flow

The accurate classification of hyperspectral images is an important task for many practical applications. In this paper, a new method for hyperspectral image classification is proposed based on manifold learning algorithm, The approach introduced here presents three major contributions: 1) a new Laplacian eigenmap pixels distribution-flow (LE PD-Flow) is proposed for hyperspectral image analysis, in which, a new joint spatial-pixel characteristics distance (JSPCD) measure is constructed to improve the accuracy of classification and a suitable weighting factor is used to distinguish data points of different classes by combining the spectral feature with the spatial feature; 2) the adjustment strategy of each manifold mappings is addressed, which allows not only better visualization of the results, but also the comparisons of mapping results with an appropriate measurement; 3) in order to get useful boundary points used for classification, single threshold and multiple thresholds method are presented to solve small scale and large scale classification problem, respectively. We can easily obtain the expected classification results by adjusting the weights of the two kinds of feature of hyperspectral image. With the LE PD-Flow, variation of pixels on the boundaries for classification can be found, and then hyperspectral data can be labeled with high accuracy. Experimental results show that the proposed method is effective for classification of hyperspectral image.
Population-based Toxoplasma seroprevalence study in The Netherlands

During 1995–1996 a population-based seroprevalence study was conducted in The Netherlands. Risk factors were established for postnatally acquired toxoplasmosis. The results were compared with a study conducted during 1987–1988 in pregnant women in the Southwest of The Netherlands in order to estimate the change in seroprevalence. In total, 7521 sera were tested and the national seroprevalence was 40·5% (95% CI 37·5–43·4). Living in the Northwest, having professional contact with animals, living in a moderately urbanized area, being divorced or widowed, being born outside The Netherlands, frequent gardening and owning a cat were independently associated with Toxoplasma seropositivity. Risk factors like eating undercooked meat could not be studied. The seroprevalence among women aged 15–49 years was 10% lower (35·2%, 95% CI 32·9–38·6) in the study of 1995–1996, compared to the Toxoplasma study of 1987–1988 (45·8%, 95% CI 45·2–46·3). The steepest rise in seroprevalence still occurred among the subjects aged 25–44 years.
Fish-eye image of hemi-cylinder unwrapping plane based on a flexible technique

Fish-eye camera is a kind of large field of view camera, thus the image from fish-eye camera is severely distorted. So in this paper, we presented unwrapping of a fish-eye image with hemi-cylinder algorithm, which estimates the image distortion by using a flexible technique. The experimental result shows the accuracy of a flexible technique for calibration camera, and the undistorted image obtained from this process can be projected into hemi-cylinder plane. When compared with classical techniques, the proposed procedure is very useful for panoramic vision for many applications in vision field of robot.
Bovine herpesvirus 1 glycoprotein G is necessary for maintaining cell-to-cell junctional adherence among infected cells.

Glycoproteins gE and gG of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) are involved in viral cell-to-cell transmission. We have compared the subcellular localizations of gE and gG and examined the cell-to-cell adherence of bovine kidney (MDBK) cells infected with BHV-1 mutants lacking gE or gG. In BHV-1-infected MDBK cells, gE was observed at cell junctions but did not localize at apical or basal plasma membranes. BHV-1 gG was primarily found in the cytoplasm and was also observed at boundaries among infected cells. During the infection with wild-type or gE-negative BHV-1, the filamentous actin and the adherent junctional proteins accumulated at the cell junctions. In contrast, cell junctions of MDBK cells infected with gG-negative BHV-1 were loosened, and the junctional proteins and BHV-1 gE were distributed in the cytoplasm. These data indicate that BHV-1 gG facilitates viral cell-to-cell spread by maintaining the cell-to-cell junctions among the infected cells.
A Very Narrow Shadow Extra Z-boson at Colliders

We consider the phenomenological consequences of a hidden Higgs sector extending the Standard Model (SM), in which the ``shadow Higgs'' are uncharged under the SM gauge groups. We consider a simple U(1) model with one Higgs singlet. One mechanism which sheds light on the shadow sector is the mixing between the neutral gauge boson of the SM and the additional U(1) gauge group. The mixing happens through the usual mass-mixing and also kinetic-mixing, and is the only way the ``shadow $Z$'' couples to the SM. We study in detail modifications to the electroweak precision tests (EWPTs) that the presence of such a shadow sector would bring, which in turn provide constraints on the kinetic-mixing parameter, $s_\epsilon$, left free in our model. The shadow $Z$ production rate at the LHC and ILC depends on $s_\epsilon$. We find that observable event rate at both facilities is possible for a reasonable range of $s_\epsilon$ allowed by EWPTs.
Face recognition based on error detection under partial occlusion

Face recognition presents the difficulty of occlusion. The occlusion is generally endowed a little weight to weaken its influence on recognition performance. On the basis of this idea, many existing algorithms used the reconstruction error or projection error as the probability estimation for occlusion image. These methods require iterative computation, which may lead to the difficulty of threshold selection and high time complexity. To solve these problems, this paper proposed a novel method for occlusion face recognition by using an error detection method. First, a face image is divided into four regions and we extract feature and detect error for each region. Second, we use the logarithmic transform error operator to calculate the weight value of each region. The experiments based on the AR database demonstrate that the proposed algorithm for occlusion face recognition achieves high efficiency and good robustness and outperforms the existing methods for certain occlusion recognition.
Phylogenetic Analysis of the Hemagglutinin Genes of Twenty-Six Avian Influenza Viruses of Subtype H9N2 Isolated from Chickens in China During 1996–2001

SUMMARY. The complete coding region of hemagglutinin genes from 26 influenza A viruses of H9N2 subtype isolated from chicken flocks in China during 1996–2001 was amplified and sequenced. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies of H9N2 subtype viruses on the basis of data of 26 viruses in this study and 71 selected strains available in the GenBank were conducted. The results revealed that all the mainland China isolates showed high homology (94.1%–100%) and were assigned to a special sublineage in the major Eurasian lineage, in contrast to the high heterogeneity of Hong Kong SAR isolates. All the 29 mainland China isolates and six Hong Kong SAR strains also had the following common characteristics: sharing the same sequence of proteolytic cleavage site with one additional basic amino acid, RSSR, with only two exceptions; having the same amino acid motif of the receptor-binding site, YWTNV/ALY; 23 of 28 isolates bearing seven potential glycosylation sites and the remaining five having six; and sharing characteristic deduced amino acid residues Asn-183 at the receptor-binding site and Ser-130 at the potential glycosylation site. We concluded that the H9N2 subtype influenza viruses circulating in chicken flocks in China since the 1990s and Ck/HK/G9/97-like viruses isolated in Hong Kong SAR should have a common origin, whereas Qu/HK/G1/97-like viruses including human strains isolated in Hong Kong SAR might originate from other places. The available evidence also suggests that the H9N2 viruses of special lineage themselves and factors prone to secondary infections may contribute to the widespread and dominant distribution of viruses of this subtype in chicken flocks in China and other Asian countries.
Application of particle filters for indoor positioning using floor plans

This paper presents a numerical approach to the pedestrian map-matching problem using building plans. The proposed solution is based on a sequential Monte Carlo method, so called particle filtering. This algorithm can be adapted for implementation on real-time pedestrian navigation systems using low-cost MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers as dead-reckoning sensors. The algorithm reliability and accuracy performance was investigated using simulated data typical for pedestrians walking inside building. The results show that this map-aided dead reckoning system is able to provide accurate indoor positioning for long periods of time without using GPS data.
A Wideband Stacked Microstrip Patch Antenna for Telemetry Applications

This research article reports a design of a wide band multilayer microstrip patch antenna (MSPA). Positions of a coaxial probe feed to main patch of the multilayer MSPA, widths and lengths of main and parasitic patches, and height of a Rohacell foam layer in the multilayer MSPA were optimized to achieve desired performance in L-band. The work also reports a design of a two-by-two array of multilayer MSPA. We present results on antenna radiation patterns and return loss obtained with full wave finite element simulations with Ansoft HFSS software and measurements with a vector network analyzer.
The role of perceived race and gender in the evaluation of college teaching on RateMyProfessors.Com.

The present study examined whether student evaluations of college teaching (SETs) reflected a bias predicated on the perceived race and gender of the instructor. Using anonymous, peer-generated evaluations of teaching obtained from RateMyProfessors . com, the present study examined SETs from 3,079 White; 142 Black; 238 Asian; 130 Latino; and 128 Other race faculty at the 25 highest ranked liberal arts colleges. Results showed that racial minority faculty, particularly Blacks and Asians, were evaluated more negatively than White faculty in terms of overall quality, helpfulness, and clarity, but were rated higher on easiness. A two-stage cluster analysis demonstrated that the very best instructors were likely to be White, whereas the very worst were more likely to be Black or Asian. Few effects of gender were observed, but several interactions emerged showing that Black male faculty were rated more negatively than other faculty. The results of the present study are consistent with the negative racial stereotypes of racial minorities and have implications for the tenure and promotion of racial minority faculty.
Quantitative analysis of erythrocytes containing fetal hemoglobin (F cells) in children with sickle cell disease

Variation in the level of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) accounts for much of the clinical heterogeneity observed in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The HbF level has emerged as an important prognostic factor in both sickle cell pain and mortality, and a % HbF of 10–20% has been suggested as a threshold level for diminished clinical severity. The number of erythrocytes that contain HbF (termed F cells) may also be critically important, as F cells resist intravascular sickling and have preferential in vivo survival. Since F cells can be enumerated with high accuracy using flow cytometry methods, we prospectively studied a cohort of 242 children with SCD. Children with HbS and hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (S/HPFH) had essentially 100% F cells. In contrast, children with homozygous sickle cell anemia (HbSS), HbS/β0 thalassemia, or HbS/β+ thalassemia had significantly lower mean % F cell values (55.9, 61.6, and 51.3%, respectively; P < 0.001), and children with HbSC had even fewer F cells (27.0%; P < 0.001). There was a highly significant correlation between the % F cells and the log (% HbF), which was observed for the total population of children (r = 0.95, P < 0.001), as well as for each of the individual subgroups of children with HbSS (r = 0.94, P < 0.001), HbSC (r = 0.89, P < 0.001), or HbS/β0 thalassemia and HbS/β+ thalassemia (r = 0.95, P <0.001). This logarithmic correlation between % F cells and % HbF has not been previously described and has important implications for the pharmacologic manipulation of HbF in patients with SCD. Am. J. Hematol. 54:40–46, 1997 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dicer Is Required for Embryonic Angiogenesis during Mouse Development*

Dicer is a multi-domain protein responsible for the generation of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from long double-stranded RNAs during RNA interference. It is also involved in the maturation of microRNAs, some of which are transcriptional regulators of developmental timing in nematodes. To assess the role of Dicer in mammals, we generated Dicerex1/2 mice with a deletion of the amino acid sequences corresponding to the first and second exons of the dicer gene via homologous recombination. We found that Dicerex1/2 homozygous embryos displayed a retarded phenotype and died between days 12.5 and 14.5 of gestation. Thus, these results show that dicerex1/2 is severely hypomorphic and that Dicer is essential for normal mouse development. Interestingly, we also found that blood vessel formation/maintenance in dicerex1/2 embryos and yolk sacs were severely compromised, suggesting a possible role for Dicer in angiogenesis. This finding is consistent with the altered expression of vegf, flt1, kdr, and tie1 in the mutant embryos. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that Dicer exerts its function on mouse embryonic angiogenesis probably through its role in the processing of microRNAs that regulate the expression levels of some critical angiogenic regulators in the cell.
Lectin-based Immunoassay for Aberrant IgG Glycosylation as the Biomarker for Crohn's Disease

Background:Easily measured and clinically useful biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are required to advance patient care. We previously reported that the agalactosyl fraction among fucosylated IgG oligosaccharides is increased in IBD, especially Crohn's disease (CD). The present study aimed to establish a simple detection system for aberrant glycosylated IgG based on lectin–oligosaccharide interactions. Methods:Lectins with higher affinity to serum IgG from IBD patients than healthy volunteers (HV) were screened by lectin microarray. Binding of selected lectins to agalactosyl IgG was definitively confirmed using step-by-step glycosidase treatment. Using the selected lectins, a lectin-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system was established and its clinical utility was investigated in a total of 410 (249 Japanese and 161 American) IBD patients, disease controls, and HVs. Results:Agaricus bisporus Agglutinin (ABA) and Griffonia simplicifolia Lectin-II (GSL-II) had higher affinity for serum agalactosyl IgG from IBD patients, especially those with CD, compared to HV. Agalactosyl IgG levels measured by a lectin-enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with ABA or GSL-II were significantly increased in CD compared with HV and disease controls. Agalactosyl IgG levels significantly correlated with disease activity, showed higher predictability of therapeutic outcomes for CD than C-reactive protein levels, and exhibited higher specificity for diagnosing IBD in combination with anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody (ASCA). Validation analysis showed that agalactosyl IgG levels were significantly increased in Japanese and American CD patients. Conclusions:A lectin-EIA for agalactosyl IgG is a novel biomarker for IBD, especially in patients with CD.
Reverberation chamber for OTA measurements: The history of a dream!

In the late 1990's Professor Per-Simon Kildal got the idea that reverberation chambers could be used for characterizing small antennas and mobile devices. Many thought the idea was crazy but he was persistent and worked hard to realize his dream to build a small chamber that could be used by the wireless industry. This paper gives a short history of the research at Chalmers and the creation of the company Bluetest that both were instrumental for realizing the dream.
BRCA1 and Prostate Cancer

The breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 on chromosome 17q21 encodes an 1863 amino acid protein that is important for normal embryonic development. Germline mutations of this gene are linked to a significantly increased lifetime risk for breast and/or ovarian cancer, and recent studies suggest that the same may be true for prostate cancer. Several activities that may contribute to the tumor suppressor function of BRCA1 have been identified via in vitro and experimental animal studies. These include (i) regulation of cell proliferation; (ii) participation in DNA repair/recombination processes related to the maintenance of genomic integrity; (iii) induction of apoptosis in damaged cells; and (iv) regulation of transcription. A second breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA2) operates in some of the same molecular pathways as BRCA1, and mutations of this gene predispose to breast and ovarian cancer and probably to other tumor types, including prostate cancer. Finally, recent studies from our laboratory suggest that BRCA1 modulates proliferation, chemosensitivity, repair of DNA strand breaks, apoptosis induction, and expression of certain key cellular regulatory proteins (including BRCA2 and p300) in human prostate cancer cells. These activities are consistent with a putative prostate tumor suppressor function of BRCA1.
Experimental results for M-FSK signal classification and parameter estimation

Blind signal classification and parameter estimation have important applications in both military and commercial communications. This paper proposes a cyclostationarity-based approach for M-FSK signal classification and estimation of the tone frequency spacing. Relying on the number and position of the first-order cycle frequencies (CFs), the proposed approach requires neither recovery of the carrier and symbol timing, nor estimation of the channel, and signal and noise powers. The performance of this algorithm was investigated using both laboratory and simulation experiments.
Error Bounds for Multiquadrics without Added Constants Martin Buhmann

While it was noted by R. Hardy and proved in a famous paper by C. A. Micchelli that radial basis function interpolants s(x) = ∑ λjφ(‖x − xj‖) exist uniquely for the multiquadric radial function φ(r) = √ r2 + c2 as soon as the (at least two) centres are pairwise distinct, the error bounds for this interpolation problem always demanded an added constant to s. By using Pontryagin native spaces, we obtain error bounds that no longer require this additional constant expression.