Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructure of Vi phages I to VII of Salmonella typhi.

Vi phages I to VII belong to three morphological groups. All phage heads are octahedral. The tail of phage I is long and contractile, whereas that of phage II is long and sheathless. Phages III, V, VI, and VII have very short tails and are nearly identical in morphology and dimensions. Preparations of phage IV supplied by three typing centers contain two distinct phages resembling either phage I or III. It seems necessary to study the morphology of typing phages for control purposes.
Combining Clustering techniques and FCA to characterize Interestingness Measures

Formal Concept Analysis "FCA" is a data analysis method which enables to discover hidden knowledge existing in data. A kind of hidden knowledge extracted from data is association rules. Di erent Interestingness Measures "IMs" were reported in the literature to extract only relevant association rules. Given a dataset, the choice of a good interestingness measure remains a challenging task for a user. Given an interestingness measures evaluation matrix according to semantic properties, this paper describes how FCA can highlight interestingness measures with similar behavior in order to help the user during his choice. The aim of this paper is the discovery of interestingness measures clusters, able to validate those found due to a method of agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) using Ward criterion and a method of a non-hierarchical clustering of k-means. Then, based on the theoretical study of sixty one interestingness measures according to nineteen properties, proposed in a recent study, FCA describes several groups of measures.
Tetrahydrobiopterin in the Treatment of Children With Autistic Disorder: A Double-blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study

Abstract: Twelve children, all boys, aged 4 to 7 years, with a diagnosis of autistic disorder and low concentrations of spinal 6R-l-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (tetrahydrobiopterin) were selected to participate in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The children received a daily dose of 3 mg tetrahydrobiopterin per kilogram during 6 months alternating with placebo. Treatment-induced effects were assessed with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale every third month. The results showed small nonsignificant changes in the total scores of Childhood Autism Rating Scale after 3- and 6-month treatment. Post hoc analysis looking at the 3 core symptoms of autism, that is, social interaction, communication, and stereotyped behaviors, revealed a significant improvement of the social interaction score after 6 months of active treatment. In addition, a high positive correlation was found between response of the social interaction score and IQ. The results indicate a possible effect of tetrahydrobiopterin treatment.
Stochastic Dominance and Moments of Distributions

Stochastic dominance orders of all finite degrees are defined on the set of distribution functions on the nonnegative real numbers in terms of integrals of the distributions. It is proved that if F strictly nth-degree stochastically dominates G, and if the moments of F and G through order n are finite with μFk = ∫XkdFx, then μF1,. , μFn ≠ μG1,. , μGn and -1k-1 μFk > -1k-1 μGk for the smallest k for which μFk ≠ μGk.
Human papillomavirus test with cytology triage in organized screening for cervical cancer

In randomized studies, testing for high‐risk (HR) human papillomavirus (hrHPV) has been more sensitive than conventional cytology in detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of HPV testing in the setting of an organized routine screening program.
Bad Health Informatics Can Kill – Is Evaluation the Answer?

Summary Objective: Health care is entering the age of information society. It is evident that the use of modern information and communication technology (ICT) offers tremendous opportunities to improve health care. However, there are also hazards associated with ICT in health care. We want to present an overview of typical hazards associated with ICT in health care, and to discuss how ICT evaluation can be a solution. Methods: We analyze examples of failures and problems associated with ICT in health care. This collection is also made available on a website. Results and Conclusion: Systematic, continuous evaluation of quality and effects of ICT during the whole life cycle of ICT components seems to be one important approach to detect and prevent possible ICT hazards and failures, supporting a higher quality of patient care. However, empirical studies proving this assumption are needed.
Ubiquitin-independent binding of Hrs mediates endosomal sorting of the interleukin-2 receptor β-chain

Several lines of evidence have revealed that ubiquitylation of membrane proteins serves as a signal for endosomal sorting into lysosomes or lytic vacuoles. The hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (Hrs) interacts with ubiquitylated cargoes through its ubiquitin-interacting-motif domain (UIM domain), and plays an essential early role in endosomal sorting. Here, we show that the C-terminal region of Hrs, which does not contain the UIM domain, can bind to interleukin-2 receptor β (IL-2Rβ). We found a direct interaction between bacterially expressed IL-2Rβ and Hrs in GST pull-down assays, indicating that their binding is independent of ubiquitin. Trafficking and degradation assays revealed that, similarly to wild-type IL-2Rβ, an IL-2Rβ mutant lacking all the cytoplasmic lysine residues is sorted from Hrs-positive early endosomes to LAMP1-positive late endosomes, resulting in degradation of the receptor. By contrast, an IL-2Rβ mutant lacking the Hrs-binding region passes through early endosomes and is mis-sorted to compartments positive for the transferrin receptor. The latter mutant exhibits attenuated degradation. Taken together, these results indicate that precise sorting of IL-2Rβ from early to late endosomes is mediated by Hrs, a known sorting component of the ubiquitin-dependent machinery, in a manner that is independent of UIM-ubiquitin binding.
Multiple Phytochromes Are Involved in Red-Light-Induced Enhancement of First-Positive Phototropism in Arabidopsis thaliana

The amplitude of phototropic curvature to blue light is enhanced by a prior exposure of seedlings to red light. This enhancement is mediated by phytochrome. Fluence-response relationships have been constructed for red-light-induced enhancement in the phytochrome A (phyA) null mutant, the phytochrome B- (phyB) deficient mutant, and in two transgenic lines of Arabidopsis thaliana that overexpress either phyA or phyB. These fluence-response relationships demonstrate the existence of two responses in enhancement, a response in the very-low-to-low-fluence range, and a response in the high-fluence range. Only the response in the high-fluence range is present in the phyA null mutant. In contrast, the phyB-deficient mutant is indistinguishable from the wild-type parent in red-light responsiveness. These data indicate that phyA is necessary for the very-low-to-low but not the high-fluence response, and that phyB is not necessary for either response range. Based on these results, the high-fluence response, if controlled by a single phytochrome, must be controlled by a phytochrome other than phyA or phyB. Overexpression of phyA has a negative effect and overexpression of phyB has an enhancing effect in the high-fluence range. These results suggest that overexpression of either phytochrome perturbs the function of the endogenous photoreceptor system in an unpredictable fashion.
TOU-based optimal energy management for smart home

This paper studies a smart home energy management system (SHEMS) based on time-of-use pricing (TOU). Different kinds of appliances and multiple energy sources are coordinated for economic benefits considering users' experience. Models are improved and the value of stored energy is considered. Simulation results indicates that more than 31% payments saving can be obtained, including non-price profits and price profits. Furthermore, the operational characteristic of appliances is analyzed, and the benefits of SHEMS in energy saving and emission reduction is evaluated. This paper also studies the effects to grid and the impacts of price difference between peak and off-peak.
Testing the Role of Input-Output Linkages in Industry Agglomeration with the Spatial Econometric and Input-Output Model

This paper examines the relationship between input-output linkages and industry agglomeration by combining the strength of spatial econometrics and the input-output model. This paper uses the location quotient as a measure of industrial agglomeration and regresses it on the intermediate demand variable, which is an important variable in the integrated econometric and input-output models. The nature of the dataset and the construction of key variables are consistent with the use of a spatial Durbin model, estimated by “borrowing” spatial panel model techniques. With the model labeled as the spatial pseudo-panel industry fixed-effects Durbin model, this paper estimates it with the maximum likelihood method using manufacturing industries with 3-digit NAICS codes at the county level in the U.S. The results confirm the importance of input-output linkages in promoting the formation of industry agglomeration in a region.
Development and validation of criterion-referenced clinically relevant fitness standards for maintaining physical independence in later years.

PURPOSE To develop and validate criterion-referenced fitness standards for older adults that predict the level of capacity needed for maintaining physical independence into later life. The proposed standards were developed for use with a previously validated test battery for older adults-the Senior Fitness Test (Rikli, R. E., & Jones, C. J. (2001). Development and validation of a functional fitness test for community--residing older adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 6, 127-159; Rikli, R. E. , & Jones, C. J. (1999a). Senior fitness test manual. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. ). METHODS A criterion measure to assess physical independence was identified. Next, scores from a subset of 2,140 "moderate-functioning" older adults from a larger cross-sectional database, together with findings from longitudinal research on physical capacity and aging, were used as the basis for proposing fitness standards (performance cut points) associated with having the ability to function independently. Validity and reliability analyses were conducted to test the standards for their accuracy and consistency as predictors of physical independence. RESULTS Performance standards are presented for men and women ages 60-94 indicating the level of fitness associated with remaining physically independent until late in life. Reliability and validity indicators for the standards ranged between . 79 and . 97. IMPLICATIONS The proposed standards provide easy-to-use, previously unavailable methods for evaluating physical capacity in older adults relative to that associated with physical independence. Most importantly, the standards can be used in planning interventions that target specific areas of weakness, thus reducing risk for premature loss of mobility and independence.
Radiobiologically guided optimisation of the prescription dose and fractionation scheme in radiotherapy using BioSuite.

OBJECTIVE Radiobiological models provide a means of evaluating treatment plans. Keeping in mind their inherent limitations, they can also be used prospectively to design new treatment strategies which maximise therapeutic ratio. We propose here a new method to customise fractionation and prescription dose. METHODS To illustrate our new approach, two non-small cell lung cancer treatment plans and one prostate plan from our archive are analysed using the in-house software tool BioSuite. BioSuite computes normal tissue complication probability and tumour control probability using various radiobiological models and can suggest radiobiologically optimal prescription doses and fractionation schemes with limited toxicity. RESULTS Dose-response curves present varied aspects depending on the nature of each case. The optimisation process suggests doses and fractionation schemes differing from the original ones. Patterns of optimisation depend on the degree of conformality, the behaviour of the normal tissue (i.e. "serial" or "parallel"), the volume of the tumour and the parameters of clonogen proliferation. CONCLUSION Individualising the prescription dose and number of fractions with the help of BioSuite results in improved therapeutic ratios as evaluated by radiobiological models.
Increased expression of CXCR3 and its ligands in patients with vitiligo and CXCL10 as a potential clinical marker for vitiligo

Vitiligo is a skin disorder characterized by loss of melanocytes from the epidermis. A recent study reported that CXCL10 is critical for the progression and maintenance of depigmentation in a mouse model of vitiligo, but there is very limited clinical data regarding this issue and little is known about the dynamic changes or correlations with disease severity of these chemokines throughout the disease course.
Characteristic gene expression in stromal cells of gastric cancers among atomic‐bomb survivors

To elucidate the mechanism of radiation‐induced cancers, molecular analysis of cancers in atomic‐bomb survivors is important. In our study, we developed a custom oligonucleotide array of 208 genes. We analyzed gene expression profiles of gastric cancers (GCs) from atomic‐bomb survivors and identified 9 genes with significantly lower expression in GCs from exposed patients than in GCs from nonexposed patients. Among these 9 genes, expression of versican and osteonectin was investigated in greater detail using immunohistochemistry in 116 GCs from 64 exposed and 52 nonexposed patients who developed GC after the bombing. In the Stage I/II GCs, the clinicopathologic, phenotypic and proliferative characteristics of GCs from exposed and nonexposed patients did not differ significantly; however, versican and osteonectin were expressed at much lower levels in the area of tumor‐associated stroma of exposed patients than in nonexposed patients (p = 0.026 and p = 0.024, respectively). These results suggest that the characteristics of tumor‐associated stromal cells differ between GCs from exposed and nonexposed patients. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
When Does the Culturally Dominant Mode of Attention Appear or Disappear? Comparing Patterns of Eye Movement During the Visual Flicker Task Between European Canadians and Japanese

Previous findings in culture and attention reported mixed results. While some studies demonstrated systematic cultural variations in patterns of eye movement, other studies reported that the magnitude of the effects is minor. To further scrutinize when cultural variations in attention are attenuated or enhanced, we conducted a new series of visual flicker tasks while making changes in focal figures more salient than those in the background. European Canadian and Japanese participants searched for a change in a pair of quickly alternating still images. The task consisted of two parts: In the majority of trials, we set a change in part of either the focal object or the background (change trials), while in some trials, a pair of identical images was presented unbeknownst to participants (no-change trials), which resulted in forcing participants to search for a nonexistent change for 1 min. We then measured patterns of eye movement during each type of trial. The results of the change trials indicated that there were no cultural variations in change detection styles, nor were there cultural variations in eye movement patterns except for the total fixation duration, suggesting in general that both groups exhibited similar bottom-up patterns of attention. However, in the no-change trials, there were substantial cultural variations in eye movement patterns: European Canadians substantially attended to the focal figures longer and more frequently than to the backgrounds, whereas Japanese equally allocated their attention to both the focal figures and the backgrounds, suggesting that culturally unique top-down patterns were more evident.
Cholesterol and polyunsaturated acid enriched diet: Effect on kinetics of the acrosome reaction in rabbit spermatozoa

In this study we examined the effect of cholesterol (Diet 2), cholesterol and fish oil (FO) polyunsaturated acid (Diet 3), and polyunsaturated acid (Diet 4) enriched diets upon the acrosome reaction (AR) of New Zealand White rabbit spermatozoa. Male rabbits fed with cholesterol alone or with FO increased their cholesterol and LDL‐cholesterol serum levels after 15 days of diet. Ten semen samples were obtained after 2 months of diet. Our results suggest that hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in male rabbits could produce a decreased capacity of sperm AR after 4 h (0%, 0%, and 60% lower than the control), 6 h (0%, 68%, and 44%), or 8 h (58%, 52%, and 32%) of incubation in capacitating medium. Another set of experiments were made with lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), 80 μg/ml, and the same pattern of AR was seen. Nevertheless, the high cholesterol and total lipids (TL) levels in serum did not affect the cholesterol levels in seminal plasma (SP) but affect the SP total lipids. The diminished capacity of rabbit sperm to undergo the AR was not reverted by in vitro incubation with the Shinitsky medium for cholesterol depletion (MDC). These results indirectly suggest that the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in hypercholesterolemic sperm is similar to that of controls and are in agreement with preliminary studies made in our laboratory that evidenced the same cholesterol/ phospholipid ratio in rabbit sperm from hypercholesterolemic animals than from controls. These findings and the higher sterol‐filipin complex in the acrosomal membrane of hypercholesterolemic animals compared to controls reported by Diaz‐Fontdevila et al. (1992) could suggest that in this study different sperm membrane lipid domains induced by the hypercholesterolemia are the cause of the AR kinetics modification. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Personal Information Transfer From a Mobile Device to Web Page

increasing popularity of mobile devices they have become more and more ubiquitous. These devices have become personal information warehouses which can support many interesting applications. We review some advantages and potential problems which arise in using mobile devices to manage personal information and how they are addressed by the proposed solution. A framework is presented describing the architecture of the solution, the various components which comprise it and the resulting procedure which achieves the desired effect. In the end some important design decisions and tradeoffs which were made are examined.
Maternal concerns during early parenthood.

BACKGROUND Most research on maternal concerns has focused on their assessment during pregnancy and the early post-partum period. The aim of this study was to identify primary concerns of mothers later in the first post-partum year, changes over time, and factors that were associated with relatively intense concerns, including infant (difficult) temperament, hours employed out of the home and obstetrical complications during pregnancy or childbirth. METHOD Data were obtained from 366 first-time (Israeli) mothers at 3 and 6 months post-partum by employing a new tool, the Mothers' Concern Questionnaire, along with standardized questionnaires, administered by phone. RESULTS Analyses revealed six dimensions of concerns (Family Health, Return to Work, Mother's Well-being, Relationships/Support, Infant Care, and Spouse). Of these, issues related to returning to work and family health were of most concern, and ratings were higher at 3 months than at 6 months post-partum. Women with higher-than-average total concern scores perceived their infant as more difficult, were more likely to have experienced an obstetric complication, and worked more hours out of the house than women with lower-than-average scores. CONCLUSIONS The findings afford a first look at the profile of normative maternal concerns outside of the immediate post-partum period and identify factors that predict more intense concerns. These findings extend what we know about the issues of new mothers and can guide birth educators and help couples prepare themselves for parenthood.
Assessment of the management factors that influence the development of preventive care in the New South Wales public dental service

Background Oral diseases, particularly dental caries, remain one of the most common chronic health problems for adolescents, and are a major public health concern. Public dental services in New South Wales, Australia offer free clinical care and preventive advice to all adolescents under 18 years of age, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This care is provided by dental therapists and oral health therapists (therapists). It is incumbent upon clinical directors (CDs) and health service managers (HSMs) to ensure that the appropriate clinical preventive care is offered by clinicians to all their patients. The aims of this study were to 1) explore CDs’ and HSMs’ perceptions of the factors that could support the delivery of preventive care to adolescents, and to 2) record the strategies they have utilized to help therapists provide preventive care to adolescents. Subjects and methods In-depth, semistructured interviews were undertaken with 19 CDs and HSMs from across NSW local health districts. A framework matrix was used to systematically code data and enable key themes to be identified for analysis. Results The 19 CDs and HSMs reported that fiscal accountability and meeting performance targets impacted on the levels and types of preventive care provided by therapists. Participants suggested that professional clinical structures for continuous quality improvement should be implemented and monitored, and that an adequate workforce mix and more resources for preventive dental care activities would enhance therapists’ ability to provide appropriate levels of preventive care. CDs and HSMs stated that capitalizing on the strengths of visiting pediatric dental specialists and working with local health district clinical leaders would be a practical way to improve models of preventive oral health care for adolescents. Conclusion The main issue raised in this study is that preventive dentistry per se lacks strong support from the central funding agency, and that increasing prevention activities is not a simple task of changing regulations or increasing professional education.
CCR3 Is Required for Tissue Eosinophilia and Larval Cytotoxicity After Infection with Trichinella spiralis1

The CCR3 binds at least seven different CC chemokines and is expressed on eosinophils, mast cells (MC), and a subset of Th cells (Th2) that generate cytokines implicated in mucosal immune responses. Using mice with a targeted disruption of CCR3 (CCR3−/−) and their +/+ littermates, we investigated the role of CCR3 in the amplification of tissue eosinophilia and MC hyperplasia in the mouse after infection with Trichinella spiralis. In CCR3−/− mice, eosinophils are not recruited to the jejunal mucosa after infection and are not present in the skeletal muscle adjacent to encysting larvae. In addition, the number of cysts in the skeletal muscle is increased and the frequency of encysted larvae exhibiting necrosis is reduced. The CCR3−/− mice exhibit the expected MC hyperplasia in the jejunum and caecum and reject the adult worms from the small intestine at a normal rate. This study is consistent with distinct functions for MC (adult worm expulsion) and eosinophils (toxicity to larvae) in immunity to a helminth, T. spiralis, and defines the essential requirement for CCR3 in eosinophil, but not MC recruitment to tissues.