Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cr(VI) Reduction by Sulfidogenic and Nonsulfidogenic Microbial Consortia

ABSTRACT In time course experiments, bacterial community compositions were compared between a sulfidogenic and two nonsulfidogenic Cr(VI)-reducing consortia enriched from metal-contaminated sediments. The consortia were subjected to 0 and 0.85 mM or 1.35 mM Cr(VI), and Cr(VI) reduction, growth, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles of PCR products of small-subunit (16S) ribosomal genes were compared. Results showed that although Cr(VI) was completely reduced by the three consortia, Cr(VI) inhibited cell growth, with sulfate-reducing bacteria being particularly sensitive to Cr(VI) toxicity relative to other bacteria in the consortia.
Cord haemoglobin in low birthweight infants

Cord haemoglobin was measured in 349 low birthweight infants born after a pregnancy lasting 28 to 41 weeks inclusive. 82 babies were small-for-dates and were born after 36 weeks' gestation; their Hb was not related to sex or duration of pregnancy, but there was a negative correlation with placental weight and placental weight/birthweight ratios. The mean Hb of small-for-dates babies (17·09±2·11 g/100 ml) was higher than for comparable normal babies (16·24±2·26 g/100 ml). In normal-for-dates females there was a linear relation between Hb and duration of pregnancy approximately expressed by: cord Hb (g/100 ml) = 7 + gestational age in lunar months. In males a plateau Hb of 16·22 g/100 ml was reached at 32 weeks.
Peer influence and adolescent substance abuse: promising side?

Summary The reasons as to why individuals engage in substance abuse remain varied and in most instances multiple. Drug-taking adults commonly refer to childhood and adolescence as the time when they first tried drugs. Preventing substance abuse among the young has constantly proved to be a trying task. Although drug education is still in abundant use, it proved to be of very little effect, but there are certain areas that hold some promise. This paper examines the influence of peer group on initiating and maintaining drug-taking behaviour among the young and looks at the possibility of a positive use of such influence.
Practice variability in brain death determination: A call to action

Editors' Note: In reference to “Practice variability in brain death determination: A call to action,” Drs. Rady and Verheijde and author Frank further discuss the need to decouple brain death determination from organ procurement. Dr. Gilbert questions the timing of the development of NMDA receptor limbic encephalitis in the case presented in “Herpes simplex virus–1 encephalitis can trigger anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: Case report. ” Authors Leypoldt and Dalmau respond. —Megan Alcauskas, MD, and Robert C. Griggs, MD Shappell et al.1 described practice variability in brain death determination (BDD) in heart-beating organ donors. We would like to raise 3 concerns. First, the criterion of unresponsiveness to external stimuli does not necessarily prove the lack of either internal or external …
Evidence of genetic isolation between sexually monomorphic and sexually dimorphic traits in the water strider Aquarius remigis

Estimates of multivariate selection are becoming increasingly common in the literature. Although it is clearly recognized that genetic information is essential to understanding natural selection, few studies include estimates of genetic parameters. Previous studies of the water strider Aquarius remigis have demonstrated selection on body size and components of body size that may favour the evolution and maintenance of sexual size dimorphism. In this paper we present quantitative genetic estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations for male and female A. remigis. Overall body size (total length) and the majority of components of body size were significantly heritable for both sexes and the shape of the genetic correlation matrix was similar between the sexes. However, patterns of genetic correlations between the sexes and analysis of genetic integration suggest that some traits may be genetically isolated.
Modelling of electricity spot price and load forecast based new energy management system for households

The aim was to determine probable profit by using electric energy storage (EES) device in a typical household. Focus is on theoretical and practical studies of an energy management system (EMS) based on VRLA battery storage. Use of a battery charge-discharge-schedule (BCDS) enables an optimal operation of EES taking advantage of the low price periods by importing more energy and storing it, while reducing the imported power during high price periods by supporting the load with the stored energy. Forecasted price and load are used to optimize the BCDS of EES, at the same time ensuring load demand supply. In the day-ahead market, the management system uses the mathematical functions to calculate the price of imported energy in each period of time with the day-ahead forecasted price and typical load in the household. The recursion loops in the optimization algorithm search for the best BCDS to reach the highest profit for the end consumer. All the calculations will be tested on the EMS to confirm the theoretical part.
Primary Cutaneous Neuroendocrine Carcinoma (Merkel Cell Tumor): An Adnexal Epithelial Neoplasm

We report 18 cases of primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma (CNEC, Merkel cell tumor) that occurred mainly in the sun-exposed skin of elderly patients as dermal and subcutaneous masses of generally monomorphic cells with foci of pronounced pleomorphism. All 18 cases showed immunoreactivity for neuron-specific enolase (NSE), whereas 16 of them showed immunoreactivity for another neuroendocrine marker, protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5). Positivity for PGP 9.5 was more intense and more sharply localized to tumor cells than the staining for NSE. Immunoreactivity for keratins detected by AE1/AE3 and CAM 5.2 monoclonal antibodies was found in 16 and 15 cases, respectively, with prominent paranuclear globular staining. One case stained positively for S-100 protein; all were negative for leukocyte common antigen (LCA). Typical ultrastructural features of neuroendocrine differentiation were noted in all of 14 tumors examined. Morphological and immunohistochemical similarities between these neoplasms and pulmonary small-cell anaplastic carcinoma, now thought to be of bronchial basal cell origin, suggest that CNEC are also derived from epithelium. In addition, their dermal location suggests that this epithelium is likely to be adnexal rather than epidermal.
Hand Vein Image Enhancement With Radon Like Features Descriptor

Nowadays, hand vein recognition has attracted more attentions in identification biometrics systems. Generally, hand vein image is acquired with low contrast and irregular illumination. Accordingly, if you have a good preprocessing of hand vein image, we can easy extracted the feature extraction even with simple binarization. In this paper, a proposed approach is processed to improve the quality of hand vein image. First, a brief survey on existing methods of enhancement is investigated. Then a R Like features method is applied to preprocessing hand vein image. Finally, experiments results show that the proposed method give the better effective and reliable in improving hand vein images. The biometric recognition technology has always the best choice in identification or verification security system in the society. Moreover, hand vein is a convenient and robustness characteristic that increasing the intention and progress of researches in biometric domain. Newly, many methods have been proposed for Improving quality of contrast in hand vein images. Zhang et al [1] suggested a finger vein image enhancement based on a multi-channel Gabor filter. Zao et al proposed a The Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization(CLAHE) as a method to improve hand veins images [8]. Jinfeng Yang et al employed a Frangi filter to enhance finger veins images [3]. In this paper, we propose a reliable enhancement contrast method based on the application of Rado Like Features(RLF) descriptor. Experimental results shows that the proposed method gives better performance in improving hand vein images. This paper is organized as follows. Section 2 gives the related works on existing methods of enhancement vein images. In section 3, we presents the proposed method to improve quality of hand images. Section 4 presents the enhancement performance measure and experimental results. In Section 5 we concludes by a conclusion. )), World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Computer, Electrical, Automation, Control and Information Engineering Vol:7, No:6, 2013 797 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 7(6) 2013 scholar.waset. org/1999.4/8409 In te rn at io na l S ci en ce I nd ex , E le ct ri ca l a nd C om pu te r E ng in ee ri ng V ol :7 , N o: 6, 2 01 3 w as et . o rg /P ub lic at io n/ 84 09 it intends to divide the input image in non overlapping regions of roughly equal size. Enhanced the contrast with CLAHE provides a natural appearance, this explains the use of CLAHE method by Zhao et al to improve the contrast of hand vein image[8]. In figure(2) we gives an example of hand vein image processed by HE and CLAHE methods.
FACTORS RELATED TO INBREEDING COMPONENTS FROM ISONYMY IN AN URBAN POPULATION: ARANJUEZ (SPAIN)

Summary An isonymic analysis has been carried out using a sample of 1529 reconstituted families residing during 1870–1964 in Aranjuez, an urban area situated south of Madrid, Spain. The random, non-random and total-components inbreeding coefficients from isonymy were obtained and the various combinations of surnames compared in order to infer the patri- or matrilocal pattern of residence. Throughout the period studied the random component of inbreeding (Fr) has not changed, in contrast to the non-random component (Fn), thus suggesting the latter could be responsible for the reduction of total inbreeding. Using several methodological approaches (biplot analysis, α, ν and percentage of immigrants) the predominance of the immigration of grooms was interpreted in terms of Aranjuez as a matrilocal pattern of residence. From this study it can also be concluded that surnames provided by reconstituted families are good estimators of inbreeding and migration.
Text extraction and Web searching in a non-Latin language

Recent studies of queries submitted to Internet Search Engines have shown that non-English queries and unclassifiable queries have nearly tripled during the last decade. Most search engines were originally engineered for English. They do not take full account of inflectional semantics nor, for example, diacritics or the use of capitals which is a common feature in languages other than English. The literature concludes that searching using non-English and non-Latin based queries results in lower success and requires additional user effort to achieve acceptable precision. The primary aim of this research study is to develop an evaluation methodology for identifying the shortcomings and measuring the effectiveness of search engines with non-English queries. It also proposes a number of solutions for the existing situation. A Greek query log is analyzed considering the morphological features of the Greek language. Also a text extraction experiment revealed some problems related to the encoding and the morphological and grammatical differences among semantically equivalent Greek terms. A first stopword list for Greek based on a domain independent collection has been produced and its application in Web searching has been studied. The effect of lemmatization of query terms and the factors influencing text based image retrieval in Greek are also studied. Finally, an instructional strategy is presented for teaching non-English students how to effectively utilize search engines. The evaluation of the capabilities of the search engines showed that international and nationwide search engines ignore most of the linguistic idiosyncrasies of Greek and other complex European languages. There is a lack of freely available non-English resources to work with (test corpus, linguistic resources, etc). The research showed that the application of standard IR techniques, such as stopword removal, stemming, lemmatization and query expansion, in Greek Web searching increases precision. ii
Role of Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 and Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathways in the Induction of Nitric Oxide Synthase-2 in Retinal Pigmented Epithelial Cells*

Bovine retinal pigmented epithelial cells express an inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS-2) after activation with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Experiments were performed to investigate the involvement of interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) on NOS-2 induction and its regulation by NOS-2 inhibitors such as pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), an antioxidant, or protein kinase inhibitors. Analysis by transitory transfections showed that LPS, alone or with IFN-γ, stimulated activity of the murine NOS-2 promoter fragment linked upstream of luciferase and its suppression by PDTC and by the different protein kinase inhibitors, genistein (tyrosine kinase inhibitor), PD98059 (mitogen-actived protein (MAP) kinase kinase inhibitor), and SB 203580 (p38 MAP inhibitor). Using specific antibodies, we have confirmed that extracellular signal-regulated kinases and p38 MAP kinase were activated by LPS and IFN-γ in retinal pigmented epithelial cells. Analysis by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that IFN-γ alone or combined with LPS induced an accumulation of IRF-1 mRNA and protein and IRF-1 DNA binding. Transfections assays with the IRF-1 promoter showed an induction of this promoter with IFN-γ, potentiated by LPS. The decrease of LPS/IFN-γ-induced IRF-1 promoter activity, IRF-1 synthesis, and IRF-1 activation, by PDTC, genistein, PD98059, and SB 203580, could explained in part the inhibition of the NOS-2 induction by these compounds. Our results demonstrate that IRF-1 is necessary for NOS-2 induction by LPS and IFN-γ and that its synthesis requires the involvement of a redox-sensitive step, the activation of tyrosine kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 and p38 MAP kinases.
Wide Dissemination of GES-Type Carbapenemases in Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates in Kuwait

ABSTRACT Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that is an important source of nosocomial infections. Production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) of the GES type in A. baumannii has been increasingly reported, and some of these GES-type enzymes possess some carbapenemase activity. Our aim was to analyze the resistance determinants and the clonal relationships of carbapenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii clinical isolates recovered from hospitals in Kuwait. A total of 63 isolates were analyzed, and all were found to be positive for blaGES-type genes. One isolate harbored the blaGES-14 gene encoding an ESBL with significant carbapenemase activity, whereas the other isolates harbored the blaGES-11 ESBL gene. Thirty-three isolates coharbored the blaOXA-23 and blaGES-11 genes. Analyses of the genetic locations indicated that the blaGES-11/-14 genes were plasmid located. It is noteworthy that the blaOXA-23 and blaGES-11 genes were colocated onto a single plasmid. Nine different pulsotypes were observed among the 63 isolates. This study showed the emergence of GES-type ESBLs in A. baumannii in Kuwait, further suggesting that the Middle East region might be a reservoir for carbapenemase-producing A. baumannii.
Using supplementary video in multimedia instruction as a teaching tool to increase efficiency of learning and quality of experience

The main objective of this research is to investigate efficiency of use of supplementary video content in multimedia teaching. Integrating video clips in multimedia lecture presentations may increase students’ perception of important information and motivation for learning. Because of that, students can better understand and remember key points of a lecture. Those improvements represent some important learning outcomes. This research showed that segmentation of teaching materials with supplementary video clips may improve lecture organization and presentation in order to achieve effective teaching and learning. The context of the video content and the position of supplementary video clips in teaching material are important influences on factors for motivation and efficiency of learning. This research presents the effects of the use of supplementary videos with different context of content (entertainment and educational) as well as the effects of their position within the teaching material. The experimental results showed that the most efficient method of use of supplementary video is integration with educational video content in the middle of a lecture. This position of video insertion provides the best results. The context of video content influences efficiency of learning also. Entertainment video was not as efficient as educational, but it can be used to engage and motivate students for learning. The given results have been confirmed with a subjective assessment of students’ quality of experience with different methods of embedding video clips.
Photonic band structure of 2D lattices with left-handed materials

We study the out-of-plane photonic band structure of a two-dimensional (2D) lattice with left-handed and right-handed elements. The band structures of 2D photonic crystals made of impedance-matched or impedance-unmatched elements look differently and show resemblance to dielectric-dielectric and metal-dielectric structures respectively. In particular, lossless LHM-RHM impedance-unmatched lattice supports lossless "slow" surface modes analogous to lossy modes at a metal-dielectric boundary.
Web-Based Collaborative Document Writing for Emergency Management

This paper describes the progress of our research into collaborative document writing for emergency management. Our focus is specifically on the use of web technologies to improve communication and shared knowledge in emergency situations. We present a prototype system built using Differential Synchronisation with flexible locking and user attribution features. Based on the past shortcomings of technologies and documents such as situation reports, we consider the potential benefits of a web-based system with flexible locking and user attribution for collaborative situation report writing.
Knowledge Discovery in the Digital Library: access tools for mining science

A researcher's interactions with the scientific literature are limited by its overwhelming size, resulting in ever-increasing specialization. Knowledge Discovery is the process of identifying meaningful, unknown relationships between concepts, enabling broader inquiry of the scientific literature. Although largely automated, Knowledge Discovery is an inherently participatory process. While knowledge discovery techniques can uncover hidden relationships in the data, only the user's expertise can give those relationships meaning. As such, these techniques do not replace but rather enhance the scholarly process. The role of moderating the interface between scholarship and the published literature is the core mission of the research library. By enabling researchers to data-mine the scientific literature Knowledge Discovery techniques are a natural extension of the library's role of bringing structure to information and in making that information accessible. CISTI is investigating theories in information science in order to apply knowledge discovery techniques to its collection: Linked Literature Analysis seeks to uncover hidden relationships between concepts that are causally related, and Main Path Analysis identifies the evolution of a research field based on citations. Providing seamless access to e-science makes it possibile to analyze the published literature in a way that augments the scholar's research.
Sweating responses during activation of the muscle metaboreflex in humans is altered by time of day.

AIM The aim of the present study was to test for a time-of-day effect on sweating responses to activation of the muscle metaboreflex. METHODS Eight male subjects each participated in two exercise sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening. Within each session there were two 60-s bouts of isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise at 50% maximal voluntary contraction. Prior to IHG, whole body warming by a water-perfused suit initiated mild sweating. The first bout of IHG exercise began at 06.00 hours (am) and 18.00 hours (pm). Blood circulation to the forearm was occluded for 120 s, beginning 5 s before the end of the second bout of IHG to activate the muscle metaboreflex. RESULTS During both bouts of exercise, sweating rate (SR) on both the chest and right forearm significantly increased from the pre-exercise period in both am and pm sessions. SR rapidly decreased during first minute of recovery after the first bout of IHG exercise. However, during post-exercise ischaemia (PEI) after the second bout of IHG exercise, SR was maintained significantly above the pre-exercise level only in the pm session. The increases in SR on the chest and right forearm during PEI were significantly greater in the pm, than in the am, session. However, SR of the palm was not maintained during PEI. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that under mild hyperthermic conditions, the sweating response in non-glabrous skin to activation of the muscle metaboreflex exhibits a time-of-day effect.
Production of human interferon-gamma in serum-free medium

Interferon (IFN)-gamma was produced with a high yield in cultures of human peripheral mononuclear cells by combined stimulation with OK-432 and staphylococcal enterotoxin B. Human mononuclear cells cultured in serum-free medium produced several times as much IFN as those in RPMI-1640 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. A synergistic effect of OK-432 and staphylococcal enterotoxin B on the production of IFN-gamma was demonstrated. Ultrogel AcA54 column chromatography of crude IFN showed a single peak with an apparent molecular weight of 43,000. Our production system for human IFN-gamma offers a feasible approach to preparation of large quantities of purified IFN-gamma for structure studies, antibody production, and clinical applications.
Decimation and SVD to estimate exponentially damped sinusoids in the presence of noise

A new state-space method for spectral estimation that performs decimation by factor two while it makes use of the full set of data available is presented. The proposed method, called DESE2, is based on singular value decomposition in order to estimate frequency, damping factor, amplitude and phase of exponentially damped sinusoids in the presence of noise. The DESE2 method is compared against some previously proposed methods for spectral estimation that lie among the most promising methods in the field of spectroscopy, where accuracy of parameter estimation is of utmost importance. Experiments performed on a typical simulated NMR signal prove the new method to be more robust, especially for low signal to noise ratio. The new method outperforms the other two not only by presenting lower failure rates but also by incorporating enhanced discriminative analysis while at the same time it benefits from the use of the full data set.