Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biotechnological tools to improve bioremediation of phenol by Acinetobacter sp. RTE1.4

ABSTRACT The use of native bacteria is a useful strategy to decontaminate industrial effluents as well as the environment. Acinetobacter sp. RTE1.4 was previously isolated from polluted environments and constitutes a promising alternative for this purpose due to its capability to remove phenol from synthetic solutions and industrial effluents. In this work, this strain was identified at species level as A. tandoii RTE1.4. Phenol degradation pathway was studied and some reaction intermediates were detected, confirming that this strain degraded phenol through ortho-cleavage of the aromatic ring. Phenol removal assays were carried out in a stirred tank bioreactor and a complete degradation of the contaminant was achieved after only 7 h, at an aeration rate of 3 vvm and at agitation of 600 rpm. Moreover, this bacterium was immobilized into calcium alginate beads and an increase in phenol biodegradation with respect to free cells was observed. The immobilized cells were reused for four consecutive cycles and stored at 4°C for 9 months, during which phenol removal efficiency was maintained. Post-removal solutions were evaluated by Microtox® test, showing a toxicity reduction after bacterial treatment. These findings demonstrated that A. tandoii RTE1.4 might be considered as a useful biotechnological tool for an efficient treatment of different solutions contaminated with phenol in bioreactors, using either free or immobilized cells.
Comparative Study of Four Growth Models Applied to Weight and Height Growth Data in a Cohort of US Children from Birth to 9 Years

Background/Aims: The objective of our study was to compare the fit of four growth models for weight and height in contemporary US children between birth and 9 years. Methods: In Project Viva, we collected weight and height growth data between birth and 9 years. We compared the Jenss model, the adapted Jenss model that adds a quadratic term, and the Reed 1st and 2nd order models. We used the log likelihood ratio test to compare nested models and the Akaike (AIC)/Bayesian information criterion (BIC) to compare nonnested models. Results: For weight and height, the adapted Jenss model had a better fit than the Jenss model (for weight: p < 0.0001), and the Reed 2nd order model had a better fit than the Reed 1st order model (for weight: p < 0.0001). Compared with the Reed 2nd order model, the adapted Jenss model had a better fit for both weight (adapted Jenss vs. Reed 2nd order, AIC: 66,974 vs. 82,791, BIC: 67,066 vs. 82,883) and height (adapted Jenss vs. Reed 2nd order, AIC: 87,108 vs. 87,612, BIC: 87,196 vs. 87,700). Conclusions: In this pre-birth study of children aged 0-9 years, for both weight and height the adapted Jenss model presented the best fit of all four tested models.
Magnetoresistance technique for determining cross-plane mobility in superlattice devices

The cross-plane mobility, in the direction perpendicular to the planes of a superlattice, is critical for the computation of the figure of merit (ZT) in a thermoelectric device. The measurement of cross-plane mobilities in thermoelectric superlattice structures cannot be performed by conventional techniques such as the van der Pauw method. Therefore, alternative techniques must be used to obtain this important parameter. Magnetoresistance is the increase in material resistivity due to a lengthened path for charge carriers in a perpendicular magnetic field. The magnetoresistance is related to the magnetic field strength as (/spl mu/B)/sup 2/ in the standard configuration, but the field dependence is also influenced by device geometry. This work focuses on measuring superlattice samples of composition Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3//Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ that are removed from their growth substrate and mounted on metal-coated substrates. This resulting mesa structure has a 100 /spl mu/m-square contact metallization. Technical issues related to the sample preparation for the measurement are discussed. The magnetoresistance effect is expected to be small due to the anticipated low mobilities in Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-based materials. Magnetoresistance studies with such superlattice thermoelements were attempted using a dc magnetic field, but the sensitivity was insufficient. An ac magnetoresistance with lock-in detection can yield improved sensitivity.
Reflex vasodilatation in human skeletal muscle in response to heating the body

Grant & Pearson (1938) studied the effect of warming the body on the blood flow in the human forearm. They found a small vasodilatation which they thought was in the skin. Wilkins & Eichna (1941) found a larger dilatation, and, since it appeared before any rise in the temperature of the skin of the opposite limb segment, they considered that it was deep to the skin, presumably in the muscle. The object of this paper is to give further evidence for reflex vasodilatation in skeletal muscle in response to heat, in so far as it can be inferred from experiments on the blood flow in the forearm. Observations have been made on normal forearms, on sympathectomized forearms, on forearms with the skin flushed by mustard and on those with the skin blanched by adrenaline.
An outbreak of duck hepatitis A virus type 1 infection in Japan

In June 2015, a highly fatal and acute disease broke out in a duckling farm in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The birds exhibited poor growth, reduced movement, lying in a dorsal recumbent position, depression, lethargy, ataxia and opisthotonus, with a high mortality rate of approximately 76%. By performing a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers specific for duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1), we obtained the PCR products of a predicted size. The nucleotide sequences of the PCR products showed a >96% identity with that of the DHAV-1, HB02 strain, which was isolated in China. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the DHAV-1 virus has been isolated since its outbreak in Japan in 1963.
Multi-attribute sealed-bid auction model and optimal bidding strategies

Today more and more enterprises procured the goods and services based on reverse auction mechanisms.But the traditional price-based single attribute auction mechanisms had not satisfied the practical demand.In view of this situation,we studied the multi-attribute sealed-bid auction mechanism in procurement environment.First,we proposed an improved multi-attribute auction model based on the limitation of the existed models,and then we further studied the bidders' optimal bidding strategies in sealed-bid auction mechanism based on multi-attribute utility theory(MAUT). In particular,we proved an important inference which can be used to determine the non-price attributes.At last,we analyzed the influence of the model parameters on the optimal bidding strategies.
Genetics of Parkinson's Disease

Abstract: Several genetic factors have been recently recognized as related to the etiology of Parkinson's disease. Mutations in the genes coding for α‐synuclein and ubiquitin carboxy‐terminal hydrolase have been identified in families with autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease. Mutations in the Parkin gene are responsible for autosomal recessive parkinsonism. These first pieces of the molecular puzzle of Parkinson's disease offer novel insights into the pathophysiology of the illness.
Trends in non-communicable disease mortality among adult residents in Nairobi's slums, 2003–2011: applying InterVA-4 to verbal autopsy data

Background About 80% of deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) occur in developing countries such as Kenya. However, not much is known about the burden of NCDs in slums, which account for about 60% of the residences of the urban population in Kenya. This study examines trends in NCD mortality from two slum settings in Nairobi. Design We use verbal autopsy data on 1954 deaths among adults aged 35 years and older who were registered in the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System between 2003 and 2011. InterVA-4, a computer-based program, was used to assign causes of death for each case. Results are presented as annualized cause-specific mortality rates (CSMRs) and cause-specific mortality fractions (CSMFs) by sex. Results The CSMRs for NCDs did not appear to change significantly over time for both males and females. Among males, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and neoplasms were the leading NCDs – contributing CSMFs of 8 and 5%, respectively, on average over time. Among females, CVDs contributed a CSMF of 14% on average over time, while neoplasms contributed 8%. Communicable diseases and related conditions remained the leading causes of death, contributing a CSMF of over 50% on average in males and females over time. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study which shows that communicable diseases remain the dominant cause of death in Africa, although NCDs were still significant contributors to mortality. We recommend an integrated approach towards disease prevention that focuses on health systems strengthening in resource-limited settings such as slums.
The ER‐Lumenal Domain of the HHV‐7 Immunoevasin U21 Directs Class I MHC Molecules to Lysosomes

Like all members of the herpesvirus family, human herpesvirus‐7 has evolved mechanisms to evade immune detection. The human herpesvirus‐7 gene product U21 encodes an immunoevasin that binds to class I major histocompatibility complex molecules and diverts them to a lysosomal compartment. Here we show that the cytoplasmic tail of U21, although sufficient to sequester a heterologous membrane protein (CD4 chimera), has no effect on U21's ability to redirect class I major histocompatibility complex molecules to lysosomes. Instead, the ER‐lumenal domain of U21 is sufficient to redirect class I major histocompatibility complex molecules to the lysosomal compartment. These observations demonstrate a novel viral immunoevasive mechanism for U21, and implicate the ER‐lumenal domain of a type I transmembrane protein in lysosomal sorting.
In Search of Initial Predictors of Fischer–Tropsch Catalytic Activity

All Fischer-Tropsch mechanisms known to date begin with the adsorption of carbon monoxide followed by its dissociation on a given catalysts surface. Understanding how those catalysts modify reactivity descriptors such as CO adsorption and dissociation energies is a key for nanoengineering materials for this type of applications. Cluster models of Co, Fe, Ni, Pd, Pt, and Ru have been explored using the density functional theory, in search of initial descriptors of Fischer-Tropsch activity for pure and binary combinations of those elements. Carbon monoxide adsorption energies were calculated for adsorption on all possible catalytic sites, and the most preferred CO adsorption sites were found in each case. An initial predictor that can be used to anticipate potentially effective catalysts was identified as a percentage difference, using CO adsorption energy results in combination with CO dissociation energies from the previously found sites. A greater catalysts performance is expected when that percentage difference is maximized. On pure clusters, the predictor indicates that ruthenium is expected to be the best catalyst followed by cobalt, in very good agreement with the current knowledge in this field. Thus, this paper presents a mechanism to quickly explore the natural potential of a catalyst material to break the CO bond. The predictor presented here can guide the synthesis of new catalysts, involving modifications of known and currently used catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch process, and investigations on catalysis in general.
One-step purification of a fully active hexahistidine-tagged human hexokinase type I overexpressed in Escherichia coli.

The conversion of glucose into glucose 6-phosphate (Glc 6-P)1 traps glucose in a chemical state in which it cannot leave the cell and hence commits glucose to metabolism. In human tissues there are at least three hexokinase isoenzymes responsible for hexose phosphorylation. These enzymes are constituted by a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of approximately 100 kDa. Among these isoenzymes, hexokinase type I is the most widely expressed in mammalian tissues and shows reversion of Glc 6-P inhibition by physiological levels of inorganic phosphate. In this work the hexokinase I from human brain was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, as a hexahistidine-tagged protein with the tag extending the C-terminal end. An average of 900 U per liter of culture was obtained. The expressed protein was one-step purified by metal chelate affinity chromatography performed in NTA-agarose column charged with Ni(2+) ions. In order to stabilize the enzymatic activity 0.5 M ammonium sulfate was added to elution buffer. The specific activity of purified hexokinase I was 67.8 U/mg. The recombinant enzyme shows kinetic properties in agreement with those described for the native enzyme, and thus it can be used for biophysical and biochemical investigation.
Strategies of professional phagocytes in vivo: unlike macrophages, neutrophils engulf only surface-associated microbes

The early control of potentially invading microbes by our immune system primarily depends on its main professional phagocytes – macrophages and neutrophils. Although the different functions of these two cell types have been extensively studied, little is known about their respective contributions to the initial control of invading microorganisms before the onset of adaptive immune responses. The naturally translucent zebrafish larva has recently emerged as a powerful model vertebrate in which to visualise the dynamic interactions between leukocytes and microbes in vivo. Using high-resolution live imaging, we found that whereas macrophages efficiently engulf bacteria from blood or fluid-filled body cavities, neutrophils barely do so. By contrast, neutrophils very efficiently sweep up surface-associated, but not fluid-borne, bacteria. Thus the physical presentation of unopsonised microbes is a crucial determinant of neutrophil phagocytic ability. Neutrophils engulf microbes only as they move over them, in a ‘vacuum-cleaner’ type of behaviour. This context-dependent nature of phagocytosis by neutrophils should be of particular relevance to human infectious diseases, especially for the early phase of encounter with microbes new to the host.
A novel approach for measuring energy expenditure in free-living humans

Measuring energy expenditure (EE) in free-living humans is difficult. In this study, we validated a novel instrument that measures free-living EE from direct calorimetry, i.e. the heat produced by the body. The sensor can be worn on the upper arm and measures all four forms of heat flux - conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation. The accuracy of this device was compared to a whole-room indirect calorimeter.
[Intestinal parasitic infections in Serbia].

To determine the public health significance of intestinal parasitism in Serbia today, systematic parasitologic examination of 16 regions (Kragujevac, Luchani, Zhagubica, Bor, Sjenica, Novi Pazar, Valjevo, Aleksandrovac, Pirot, Bosilegrad, Ivanjica, Golubac, Uzhice, Kladovo, Negotin, Beograd) in central Serbia were carried out over the period 1984-1993. The study involved a total of 5981 schoolchildren (2887 F, 3094 M), 7-11 years old representing 10% of the total age-matched population (N = 58,228) of the examined regions, residing in 91 settlements. Field parasitological examinations included the examination of perianal swabs for E. vermicularis and Taenia sp. , and examination of a single feces sample by direct saline smear and Lugol stained smear for intestinal protozoa, and the Kato and Lörincz methods for intestinal helminths. Nine species of intestinal parasites were detected, of which five protozoan: Entamoeba histolytica (0.02%), Entamoeba hartmanni (0.02%), Entamoeba coli (1.3%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (0.02%), Giardia lamblia (6.8%), and four helminthic: Hymenolepis nana (0.06%), Enterobius vermicularis (14.7%), Ascaris lumbricoides (3.3%), Trichuris trichiura (1.8%). The overall prevalence of intestinal parasite infections amounted to 24.6% (1207/4913), with a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) between particular sites (range 14.4%-43.8%) (Figure 1). Helminthic infections (810) were significantly more frequent (p < 0.001) as compared to both protozoan (296) and combined helminthic-protozoan infections (101). Of these, two species (G. lamblia, E. vermicularis) were found in all examined regions, three (E. coli, A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura) were detected in two or more, while four species (E. histolytica, E. hartmanni, I. bütschlii, H. nana) were each found in a single region (Figure 2). The predominant species (E. coli, G. lamblia, E. vermicularis, A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura) were distributed at considerably different prevalence rates, with a significant difference between the minimal and maximal values (p < 0.01). Of 91 settlements examined, intestinal parasites were found in all but one. However, the prevalence rates in 90 settlements varied significantly (p = 0.0004), from a low of 5.9% to a high of 66.7%. Thus, according to the World Health Organization criteria [19], infections with the four clinically relevant species (G. lamblia, E. vermicularis, A. lumbricoides, T. trichiura) ranged from sporadic to endemic and hyperendemic (Figure 3). The results obtained provide the basic epidemiological data about intestinal parasite infections in Serbia, and indicate their significance in terms of both the number of species and their respective prevalence rates. Given the significant differences obtained in the frequency and distribution of particular parasite infections in different regions, a programme for the control of these infections in Serbia should obviously include a wide variety of measures.
The relationship between corporate innovation and performance

The purpose of this research is to examine the integrated relationship among R&D capacity, R&D quality, and corporate performance. The information technology (IT) industry is a knowledge-based industry. Its character differs from other industries. Sample selection of this research is from IT companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. We use the Structure Equation Model (SEM) to test the hypothesis. The results indicate that R&D capacity is positively associated with R&D quality. It means that the size of R&D capacity will influence the output of R&D quality. R&D quality is positively associated with firm performance. It means the power of R&D quality (patent citation impact) influences the accounting and market performance of the company.
Development of a Robust Face Detection System for A Mobile Service Robot

Automatic detection of human faces in the environment is essential and needed to develop a mobile service robot so that it can detect and communicate with surrounding humans. Since the use of shape geometrical features alone is not good enough for reliable detection, color cues are used to augment the reliability of face detector. While color adds new information, it is problematic due to the dependence of image colors on the ambient illumination. Reduction of the illumination effect on image colors is therefore an important preprocessing step if color information is to be utilized for face detection. The methods presented in the previous literature to account for the illumination changes requires that the possible and expected illumination conditions to be specified a priori and the system should be trained in some way to account for the expected image changes. We propose a system of illumination preprocessing that does not require neither prior knowledge nor experimentation with the illuminants. We use a simple attachment with the camera to measure the illumination color and the image colors are compensated for illumination changes in real time using the reflection from the reference attachment "nose". The system is implemented and experiments showed the success of the system to detect human faces despite moderate changes of the illumination conditions
Comparison of conjunctival graft thickness after primary and recurrent pterygium surgery: Anterior segment optical coherence tomography study

Objective: The objective of the following study is to compare the conjunctival graft thickness measured with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) after primary and recurrent pterygium excision. Design: Prospective, interventional and comparative study. Participants: A total of 20 eyes of 20 patients with primary pterygium (primary group) and 20 eyes of 20 patients with recurrent pterygium (recurrent group) were enrolled. Materials and Methods: All patients underwent pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft transplantation. Conjunctival graft thickness was measured at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after surgery using the Visante-OCT (Carl-Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA). Main outcome measure was the mean conjunctival thickness determined as the mean of three measurements at 1, 2 and 3 mm posterior to the scleral spur. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, or laterality between the groups. Mean thickness of the graft in primary and recurrent groups, respectively, was 430 ± 127 μm and 461 ± 178 μm at 1 week after surgery (P = 0.587), 114 ± 19 μm and 162 ± 48 μm at 1 month after surgery (P = 0.001) and 109 ± 15 μm and 107 ± 18 μm at 3 months after surgery (P = 0.726). Conclusion: The findings revealed that conjunctival thickness after primary or recurrent pterygium excision was greatest at 1 week after surgery and continued to decrease for up to 3 months. Mean graft thickness differed significantly between the two groups only at 1 month after surgery.
Comments on "Robust Bond Risk Premia" by Michael Bauer and Jim Hamilton

The questions to answer are straightforward: What do we learn about bond return or yield change predictability? In particular, do macro variables or yield information past 3 principal components help to forecast bond returns and/or yield changes? And, the point of the paper: what do we learn about econometric or empirical pitfalls from this case, lessons that may be more generally useful? I’ll focus on the Joslin, Priebsch, Singleton (2014) regressions. These are forecasting regressions, for example
Molecular Evolution of the Pi-ta Gene Resistant to Rice Blast in Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon)

Rice blast disease resistance to the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea is triggered by a physical interaction between the protein products of the host R (resistance) gene, Pi-ta, and the pathogen Avr (avirulence) gene, AVR-pita. The genotype variation and resistant/susceptible phenotype at the Pi-ta locus of wild rice (Oryza rufipogon), the ancestor of cultivated rice (O. sativa), was surveyed in 36 locations worldwide to study the molecular evolution and functional adaptation of the Pi-ta gene. The low nucleotide polymorphism of the Pi-ta gene of O. rufipogon was similar to that of O. sativa, but greatly differed from what has been reported for other O. rufipogon genes. The haplotypes can be subdivided into two divergent haplogroups named H1 and H2. H1 is derived from H2, with nearly no variation and at a low frequency. H2 is common and is the ancestral form. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain has a high πnon/πsyn ratio, and the low polymorphism of the Pi-ta gene might have primarily been caused by recurrent selective sweep and constraint by other putative physiological functions. Meanwhile, we provide data to show that the amino acid Ala-918 of H1 in the LRR domain has a close relationship with the resistant phenotype. H1 might have recently arisen during rice domestication and may be associated with the scenario of a blast pathogen–host shift from Italian millet to rice.