Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Source of Fecal and Oral Bacteria on Infant, Child, and Adult Hands

Bacteria live all around us, and we are constantly exposed to them during our everyday lives. Modern standards of hygiene aim to limit exposure to fecal bacteria, and yet bacteria rapidly colonize the gut in early life and following antibacterial treatment. Exposures to fecal and oral microbes provide risk of disease, but are also necessary since commensal microbes play important roles in health. This work establishes that bacteria of both fecal and oral origins are commonly found on hands. It also establishes that the uniqueness of fecal and oral bacterial communities across people can allow for determination of the likely individual from whom the fecal and oral bacteria came. These techniques allow for understanding the hands as a vector for microbial transmission within families and across populations, which has important implications for public health. ABSTRACT Modern hygienic practices are applied to avoid exposure to pathogens that spread via fecal-oral transmission. Despite this, the gastrointestinal tract is quickly colonized by fecal microbes. The hands are an important vector for the transmission of microbes, but the frequency at which fecal and oral microbes exist on hands and the source of those microbes have not been extensively described. Using data from a previous study that characterized the fecal, oral, and skin microbiota from 73 families, we found a significant incidence of fecal and oral microbes on hands. Of palms, 48.9% had fecal signal and 67.2% had oral signal. Fecal, oral, and forehead microbes were tracked to family members and an individual’s own palms far more often than to unrelated individuals and showed relationships with age, gender, and parental status. For instance, oral microbes that were specifically sourced to the same individual (oneself) were most common on infant palms; mothers had more infant-child-sourced and oral-sourced microbes on their palms than nonparents. Fecal microbes on palms more often sourced to members of the family than unrelated individuals, but more often to other members of the family than oneself. This study supports that the hands are an important vector for the transfer of fecal and oral microbes within families. IMPORTANCE Bacteria live all around us, and we are constantly exposed to them during our everyday lives. Modern standards of hygiene aim to limit exposure to fecal bacteria, and yet bacteria rapidly colonize the gut in early life and following antibacterial treatment. Exposures to fecal and oral microbes provide risk of disease, but are also necessary since commensal microbes play important roles in health. This work establishes that bacteria of both fecal and oral origins are commonly found on hands. It also establishes that the uniqueness of fecal and oral bacterial communities across people can allow for determination of the likely individual from whom the fecal and oral bacteria came. These techniques allow for understanding the hands as a vector for microbial transmission within families and across populations, which has important implications for public health.
Re‐examination of the medullary rootlets of the accessory and vagus nerves

The vagus (X) and cranial root of the accessory nerve (crXI) are traditionally described as arising from a series of rootlets from the medulla oblongata. Descriptions of the number of rootlets vary, and the existence of the crXI is contested. Here we report the results of dissections in six embalmed adult human specimens (11 sides). The rootlets forming the vagus were counted at three positions. At emergence from the brainstem there were between 12 and 21 rootlets, at the jugular foramen the range was 12–17, and midway between these two points it was 6–12. In addition, the origin of the most caudal X rootlet (cX) and the most rostral XI rootlet (rXI) was recorded in relation to the spino‐medullary junction, defined as the caudal border of the olivary eminence. The position of the cX varied between –1 and +8 mm (median = +2 mm on left, +3.75 mm on right). The rXI varied between –5 and +7 mm (median = −0.5 mm on left, +1.75 mm on right). In five sides, rXI was above the caudal border of the olivary eminence and as such can be defined as being of cranial origin. These observations show the arrangement of rootlets contributing to the vagus to be more complex than what was described previously and provide evidence for the variable existence of a cranial root of the accessory nerve. Clin. Anat. 20:19–22, 2007. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Is There a Downside of Job Accommodations? An Employee Perspective on Individual Change Processes

By modifying the work environments, work routines, and work tasks of employees with health restrictions, organizations can effectively help them continue to perform their jobs successfully. As such, job accommodations are an effective tool to secure the continued employment of aging workers who develop disabilities across their life span. However, while accommodations tackle health-related performance problems, they might create new challenges on the part of the affected employee. Building on the organizational change and accommodations literatures, we propose a theoretical framework of negative experiences during accommodation processes and apply it to qualitative data from group interviews with 73 manufacturing workers at a German industrial company who were part of the company's job accommodation program. Although problems associated with health-related impairments were mostly solved by accommodation, affected employees with disabilities reported about interpersonal problems and conflicts similar to those that typically occur during organizational change. Lack of social support as well as poor communication and information were raised as criticisms. Furthermore, our findings indicate that discrimination, bullying, and maltreatment appear to be common during accommodation processes. To make accommodation processes more successful, we derive recommendations from the organizational change literature and apply it to the accommodation context. We also emphasize unique characteristics of the accommodation setting and translate these into practical implications.
Protective effect of lycopene on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in Cyprinus carpio during cypermethrin exposure

The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative properties of lycopene against the toxic effects of cypermethrin (CYP) by examining oxidative damage markers such as lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant defense system components in carp (Cyprinus carpio). The fish were divided into seven groups of 10 fish each and received the following treatments: group 1, no treatment; group 2, orally administered corn oil; group 3, oral lycopene (10 mg/kg body weight); group 4, exposure to 0.202 μg/L CYP; group 5, exposure to 0.202 μg/L CYP plus oral administration of 10 mg/kg lycopene; group 6, exposure to 0.404 μg/L CYP; and group 7, exposure to 0.404 μg/L CYP plus oral administration of 10 mg/kg lycopene. Treatment was continued for 28 days, and at the end of this period, blood and tissue (liver, kidney, and gill) samples were collected. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activities were determined in blood and tissues for measurement of oxidant‐antioxidant status. MDA level, as an index of lipid peroxidation, increased in blood and tissues. Antioxidant enzyme activities in blood and tissues were modified in CYP groups compared with controls. Administration of lycopene ameliorated these parameters. The present results suggest that administration of lycopene might alleviate CYP‐induced oxidative stress. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 28:609–616, 2013.
Neurologic examination of sea turtles.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether neurologic examination techniques established for use on dogs and cats could be adapted for use on sea turtles. DESIGN Prospective controlled observational study. ANIMALS 4 healthy Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas), 1 healthy Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi), and 6 Green Turtles suspected to have neurologic abnormalities. PROCEDURE Neurologic examinations were performed while sea turtles were in and out of the water and in ventral and dorsal recumbency. Mentation, general activity, head and body posture, movement and coordination, thoracic and pelvic limb movement, strength and muscle tone, and tail movement were observed. Thoracic and pelvic limb flexor reflexes and nociception, righting response, cranial nerve reflexes, clasp and cloacal reflexes, and neck, dorsal scute, cloacal and tail nociception were tested. RESULTS Results of neurologic evaluations were consistent for healthy sea turtles. Sea turtles suspected to have neurologic abnormalities had abnormal results. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Many of the neurologic examination techniques used to evaluate dogs and cats can be adapted and used to evaluate sea turtles. A standardized neurologic examination should result in an accurate assessment of neurologic function in impaired sea turtles and should help in evaluating effects of rehabilitation efforts and suitability for return to their natural environment.
Optimizing parameters of algorithm trading strategies using MapReduce

In algorithm trading, computer algorithms are used to make the decision on the time, quantity, and direction of operations (buy, sell, or hold) automatically. To create a useful algorithm, the parameters of the algorithm should be optimized based on historical data. However, Parameter optimization is a time consuming task, due to the large search space. We propose to search the parameter combination space using the MapReduce framework, with the expectation that runtime of optimization be cut down by leveraging the parallel processing capability of MapReduce. This paper presents the details of our method and some experiment results to demonstrate its efficiency. We also show that a rule based strategy after being optimized performs better in terms of stability than the one whose parameters are arbitrarily preset, while making a comparable profit.
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT: DOES SCHOOL CHOICE AFFECT VETERINARIAN STARTING SALARIES?

Abstract: Both schools and industry members are concerned about wages in the veterinary profession that are low relative to the years of schooling and tuition costs. This study examines the differences in starting salaries for the 2009–2014 graduates of the 28 schools accredited by the American Veterinary Medicine Association. Findings show relatively small (less than $4,000) but statistically significant differences in starting salaries related to school choice. A larger differential effect is present among the different practice types of veterinary medicine, with equine practitioners and private industry veterinarians (e.g., pharmaceutical researchers) representing the least and greatest average starting salaries, respectively.
Expression profiling of G2/M phase regulatory proteins in normal, premalignant and malignant uterine cervix and their correlation with survival of patients.

BACKGROUND Cell regulatory G2/M phase proteins are the key regulators of mitosis and have been reported with abnormal expressions in various malignancies. AIM To determine the expressions of these proteins in neoplastic uterine cervix tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study evaluates the G2/M phase regulatory protein expression of Cyclin B1, Aurora-B, Pololike kinase 1 (PLK1) and LIM kinase1 (LIMK1) in tissues of 25 normal (control), 16 dysplastic (dysplasia) and 34 neoplastic (cancer) patients of uterine cervix. The expressions of different proteins were obtained by using Western Blot technique. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation, Kaplan-Meier and other tests are used for analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The level of expression of LIMK1 in cervical cancer patients was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) than both the controls and dysplasia. The expression of Aurora B and PLK1 in cervical cancer patients was also found to be significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than controls but it did not differ with dysplasia. However, the expression of Cyclin B1 was similar among cervical cancer patients, dysplasia and controls ( P> 0.05). The expression of all the above proteins showed significant ( P < 0.01) and inverse relation with the survival of cancer patients. Among the selected candidate proteins, it was LIMK1 that showed the most positive correlation with the aggressiveness of the disease and negative correlation (r= -0.64; P < 0.01) with the survival of patients.
The roles of perceived internal and external benefits and costs in innovation co-creation: lessons from Japan

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that motivate tourists to engage in collaborative efforts with tourist destinations for the co-creation of innovative tourism products. Targeting tourists who have visited Tokyo for tourism purpose, the study verifies the antecedents of tourists’ intention to co-create, which include perceived benefits (PB), perceived costs (PC), subjective norms, and ability to co-create tourism innovation. This study further reveals that PC do not have a significant impact on tourists’ intention to participate in innovation co-creation activities, while the other antecedents play important roles. Also, separating PB and costs into internal and external factors, perceived internal benefits (PIB) play a significant role in motivating tourists to participate in co-creation, while perceived external benefits do not. Practical implications are provided for destinations such as Japan to encourage tourists to share their valuable knowledge to improve tourism products and services of tourist destinations.
UAV path re-planning based on improved bidirectional RRT algorithm in dynamic environment

An improved bidirectional RRT algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of path re-planning in a dynamic environment. The off-line path planning is carried out before the UAV takes off. During flight, if pop-up threat is detected, nodes which are affected by pop-up threat will be deleted and the remaining tree structure will be retained, then improved bidirectional RRT is used to path re-planning. A simple and efficient path pruning method is designed to delete redundant nodes on the path. The Bezier curve is used to smooth the path. Simulation results show that the proposed method can meet the demand of path re-planning in dynamic environment.
Metformin administration improves endothelial function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the endothelial status in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), using a simple and easily reproducible hemodynamic method combined with a biological marker and to evaluate the effect of metformin treatment on these parameters. DESIGN Descriptive clinical trial. METHODS Forty young women, 20 with PCOS and 20 normal women of similar age and body mass index were studied. Metformin (1700 mg daily) was administered for 6 months to the PCOS group. The endothelium status and the metabolic and hormonal profile were studied in both groups, as well as after metformin, by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) on the brachial artery and by measurements of plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels. RESULTS FMD was impaired in the PCOS group when compared with controls (3.24+/-0.71% vs 8.81+/-1.07% respectively, P<0.0001), but this difference normalized after metformin treatment (PCOS(post-metformin) vs controls: 8.17+/-1.26 vs 8.81+/-1.07%, P = 0.70) since the values significantly improved after metformin treatment (PCOS(pre-metformin) vs PCOS(post-metformin): 3.24+/-0.71 vs 8.17+/-1.26%, P=0.003). ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the PCOS women compared with the control group (7.23+/-0.50 vs 4.99+/-0.69 fmol/l, P=0.01), they improved significantly after metformin treatment (PCOS(pre-metformin) vs PCOS(post-metformin): 7.23+/-0.50 vs 3.57+/-0.60 fmol/l, P<0.0001) and their difference compared with the control group was reversed (PCOS(post-metformin) vs controls: 3.57+/-0.60 vs 4.99+/-0.69 fmol/l, P=0.13). Metformin administration improved hyperandrogenemia. However, in this study, mathematical methods used to assess insulin resistance failed to show any detected alteration after treatment with metformin. CONCLUSIONS PCOS women were found to exhibit endothelial dysfunction compared with controls, which was reversed 6 months after metformin administration.
Effects of object characteristics on female grasp patterns.

OBJECTIVE This study determined which object characteristics had an effect on grasp when adult women took a drink from a cup. METHOD Thirty women aged 20 to 45 years (M = 27.6 years) were randomly assigned to a sequence for each of three experiments. The first experiment tested the grasp pattern used for cups of same height and weight but with different-sized handles. The second experiment tested the grasp pattern for cups of varied height but with same-sized handles and same weight. The third experiment tested the grasp pattern for cups of varied weight but with same-sized handles and same height. The grasp patterns were recorded by a videocamera placed across from the subjects. RESULTS The number of fingers placed through the handle was found to be significantly greater for the cup with a larger handle than for the cups with the smaller handles when cup size and weight were held constant, chi(2)(2) = 49.8, p < . 001. No significant difference was found in the number of supporting fingers for varying cup heights or weights. CONCLUSION The results support other research that has stated that handle size accounted for the change in grasp pattern. Because motor performance is affected by the object characteristics as well as personal abilities, adaptation of characteristics, such as handle size, for persons with limited hand use may provide an environment that evokes more optimal performance.
Regulation of the CLDN3 gene in ovarian cancer cells

The claudin (CLDN) genes encode a family of proteins involved in the formation and function of tight junctions. CLDN gene expression is frequently altered in several human cancers, and in particular, CLDN3 and CLDN4 are commonly overexpressed in ovarian cancer. However, the mechanisms leading to the deregulation of these genes in cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we have examined the CLDN3 promoter and have identified a minimal region containing an Sp1 site crucial for its activity. In addition, we find that the CLDN3 promoter is regulated through epigenetic processes. Cells that express high levels of CLDN3 exhibit low DNA methylation and high histone H3 acetylation of the critical CLDN3 promoter region, and the reverse is observed in cells that do not express this gene. CLDN3-negative cells can be induced to express CLDN3 through treatment with DNA methyltransferase or histone deacetylase inhibitors. Interestingly, in vitro binding experiments, as well as chip assays show that Sp1 binds the unmethylated promoter much more efficiently, providing a mechanism for CLDN3 silencing in non-expressing cells. Finally, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sp1 led to a significant decrease of CLDN3 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels, demonstrating a crucial role for this transcription factor in the regulation of CLDN3. Our data provide a basis for CLDN3 expression in ovarian cancer cells, as well as a mechanism for the silencing of this promoter in tumors lacking expression of claudin-3.
Proteomic Analysis of the Antibacterial Mechanism of Action of Juglone against Staphylococcus aureus

Juglone is a plant-derived 1,4-naphthoquinone with confirmed antibacterial activity. However, the mechanism of action of juglone against Staphylococcus aureus remains unclear. Possible mechanisms were explored by a proteomic analysis of S. aureus proteins that are inhibited by juglone. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that 21 protein spots were differentially expressed between juglone-treated and untreated cells of which 13 were identified. A bioinformatic analysis revealed that proteins participating in protein synthesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as DNA and RNA synthesis were inhibited by juglone, thus leading to cell collapse. These findings provide clues regarding the mechanism of action of juglone, which can be effective for treating cases of S. aureus infection.
A LONG RUN STRUCTURAL MACRO ECONOMETRIC MODEL FOR IRAN

We employ the modelling strategy of Garratt, Lee, Pesaran and Shin (2003a) to estimate a structural cointegrating VARX* model for Iran in which core macroeconomic variables of the Iranian economy are related to current and lagged values of a number of key foreign variables. The long run macroeconomic relations for real money balances, interest rates, output, prices and exchange rates are identified and tested within this framework over the period 1979Q1-2007Q4. We make use of generalised impulse response functions to analyze the dynamic properties of the model following a shock to exogenous variables (oil prices and foreign interest rates). We also examine via the persistence profiles, the speed of adjustments to the long run relations following a systemwide shock. The results show that money demand relation and UIP-PPP (international parity conditions jointly) are not rejected within the model. Furthermore, these two long run relations have well-behaved persistence profiles in which the effects of system wide-shocks on the long run relations are transitory and die out eventually. However, both UIP-PPP and the money demand relations exhibit sluggish rates of adjustments to shocks. We also provide evidence for the excessive importance of oil price shocks for Iranian economy in our impulse response analysis.
Use of the Metabolisable Energy Coefficient in Bird Studies: Statistical Power in Taxa and Food Comparisons

A widely cited review of the digestive efficiency of birds concluded that the apparent Metabolisable Energy Coefficient (*MEC), a measure of the efficiency of energy assimilation, did not vary between bird orders. To test whether this result was due to the variation between the experimental methods of the studies chosen for the review, the *MEC was measured for four species (two galliforms and two columbiforms) fed a variety of seeds. The *MEC of the birds did not vary in any consistent manner when fed identical diets, thus supporting the review's result. However, the *MEC of each species varied consistently with change in diet. These findings can be explained by the statistical power of the *MEC comparisons. Comparisons of *MEC between bird species are less powerful than comparisons between diets.