Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Vancomycin Derivative with a Pyrophosphate-Binding Group: A Strategy to Combat Vancomycin-Resistant Bacteria.

Vancomycin, the drug of last resort for Gram-positive bacterial infections, has also been rendered ineffective by the emergence of resistance in such bacteria. To combat the threat of vancomycin-resistant bacteria (VRB), we report the development of a dipicolyl-vancomycin conjugate (Dipi-van), which leads to enhanced inhibition of cell-wall biosynthesis in VRB and displays in vitro activity that is more than two orders of magnitude higher than that of vancomycin. Conjugation of the dipicolyl moiety, which is a zinc-binding ligand, endowed the parent drug with the ability to bind to pyrophosphate groups of cell-wall lipids while maintaining the inherent binding affinity for pentapeptide termini of cell-wall precursors. Furthermore, no detectable resistance was observed after several serial passages, and the compound reduced the bacterial burden by a factor of 5 logs at 12 mg kg(-1) in a murine model of VRB kidney infection. The findings presented in this report stress the potential of our strategy to combat VRB infections.
Correlation of skin potential and skin resistance measures.

Simultaneous measurements of skin potential (SP) and skin resistance (SR) obtained from 20 male and 20 female adult subjects during 2 sessions held 2 to 9 days apart were used in studying (1) the correlation of change measurements and prestimulus level in the two measures, and (2) the amount of correlation between SP and SR using both simple difference and residual change scores in which the regression of poststimulus values on initial level (prestimulus) has been controlled. Correlations within Ss and correlations among Ss showed large individual variability, correlation differences between males and females, and high correlation between SP and SR change scores. Although the law of initial value (LIV) seemed to have little applicability to the measurement of electrodermal responses, the results underscored the need to control for contamination of change measures by initial level regardless of direction.
Surface EMG-force modelling for the biceps brachii and its experimental evaluation during isometric isotonic contractions

The aim of this study was to evaluate a surface electromyography (sEMG) signal and force model for the biceps brachii muscle during isotonic isometric contractions for an experimental set-up as well as for a simulation. The proposed model includes a new rate coding scheme and a new analytical formulation of the muscle force generation. The proposed rate coding scheme supposes varying minimum and peak firing frequencies according to motor unit (MU) type (I or II). Practically, the proposed analytical mechanogram allows us to tune the force contribution of each active MU according to its type and instantaneous firing rate. A subsequent sensitivity analysis using a Monte Carlo simulation allows deducing optimised input parameter ranges that guarantee a realistic behaviour of the proposed model according to two existing criteria and an additional one. In fact, this proposed new criterion evaluates the force generation efficiency according to neural intent. Experiments and simulations, at varying force levels and using the optimised parameter ranges, were performed to evaluate the proposed model. As a result, our study showed that the proposed sEMG–force modelling can emulate the biceps brachii behaviour during isotonic isometric contractions.
A preliminary study of CNNs for iris and periocular verification in the visible spectrum

Ocular biometrics in the visible spectrum has emerged as an area of significant research activity. In this paper, we propose two convolution-based models for verifying a pair of periocular images containing the iris, and compare the two approaches amongst each other as well as with a baseline model. In the first approach, we perform deep learning in an unsupervised manner using a stacked convolutional architecture, using external models learned a-priori on external facial and periocular data, on top of the baseline model applied on the provided data, and apply different score fusion models. In the second approach, we again use a stacked convolution architecture; but here, we learn the feature vector in a supervised manner. We obtain an AUROC of 0.946 and 0.981, and EER of 0.092 and 0.066, for the two models respectively. We further combine the two models, and observe the combined model to deliver the best performance in case the both the images arise from the same device type, but not necessarily so otherwise, obtaining a AUROC of 0.985 and EER of 0.057. Given the significant performance our methodology yields, our system can be used in real-life applications with minimal error.
Multicomponent Behavioral Treatment for Chronic Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) is a severe and chronic mental disorder that is highly prevalent within Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. A severe psychiatric disorder, combat-related PTSD is typically accompanied by multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders, symptom chronicity, and extreme social maladjustment. Thus, PTSD is a complex psychiatric disorder resulting in considerable emotional distress and impaired social functioning and often constitutes a significant treatment challenge. Although a range of psychotherapeutic strategies for chronic PTSD have been advanced, behavioral treatments emphasizing various methods of exposure therapy have been the most carefully studied and show the most promise. However, chronic PTSD exposure alone does not appear to have a significant effect on the negative symptoms of PTSD (e.g., avoidance, interpersonal difficulties) or anger control. This may be because exposure is more focused on anxiety and fear reduction and does not address basic skill deficits, help reestablish impaired relationships, or teach anger control. Therefore, we developed a multicomponent treatment program to complement exposure by targeting those areas of the clinical syndrome (e.g., social skills) not found to be helped by exposure alone. This treatment program, trauma management therapy (TMT), has showed good preliminary results in an open trial. In this article, we describe the treatment program, including elements of education, individually administered exposure therapy, programmed practice (i.e., homework), and group-administered social and emotional skills training. The appendix includes a detailed description of how to implement the social and emotional skills training components on a session-by-session basis; the full TMT treatment manual is available on request.
Anal HPV infection in Slovenian men who have sex with men

Anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection commonly affects men who have sex with men (MSM) and is associated with the development of anal cancer, with the highest prevalence in MSM who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anal HPV infection and genotype distribution in Slovenian MSM and its correlation with behavioral patterns in order to predict the possible impact of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first study of prevalence and genotype distribution of anal HPV infection in MSM from any of the Eastern European countries. The study included 136 MSM who visited two outpatient offices from January 2007 through December 2008. All participants were clinically examined and tested for HIV, and anal swabs were taken for HPV testing. The results showed a high prevalence of anal HPV infection in both HIV-negative (75%) and HIV-positive (95%) MSM. Promiscuity and use of “poppers” (alkyl nitrites taken for recreational purposes through direct inhalation) were clearly associated with a higher prevalence of anal HPV infection. The four most common HPV genotypes were 6, 11, 16, and 18. The prevalence of anal HPV infection in Slovenian MSM is higher in comparison with other studies. Quadrivalent HPV vaccine could have great potential in this population.
A parametric model of the train delay distribution to improve planning of heavy haul cycle times

Efficient heavy haul operations require accurate predictions of terminal arrival times and equipment cycle times. Most analytical and parametric approaches for railway capacity evaluation and operations planning focus on predicting average train delay and not the performance of individual trains and their delay distribution. In practice, train delay varies about this average according to some distribution and the cycle-time performance of certain heavy haul trains may be far from average. Using average values of train delay and cycle time during the creation of a heavy haul operations plan may lead to erroneous conclusions that impact the stability of train operations. To address this shortcoming, this research developed a parametric model for predicting the distributions of train delay on single-track mainlines. The new train delay distribution model is based on a set of indices developed to measure both the amount of traffic and the degree of traffic heterogeneity (differences in train speed and priority) present on the route under study. A quantile regression approach was used to build the model since existing statistical distributions could not adequately represent typical train delay distributions within heterogeneous railway traffic. The developed model can be used to assess the impact of changes in traffic mixture (number of high, medium and low priority trains) and train parameters (speed and priority) on the train delay distribution.
Evaluation of Effect of Hyflex EDM on Root Dentin during Root Canal Preparation-A Stereomicroscopic Study

Background: Root canal preparations done using many rotary endodontic instruments results in formation of root dentin defects because of the stress induced by the instruments within the root canal during cleaning and shaping, thereby worsening the long term prognosis of the root canal treated teeth. Many rotary instruments are been globally studied for the purpose of generating a correct instrument for root canal preparation. Objective: This study was done to evaluate the effect of HyFlex EDM, which is a new rotary system on root dentin during root canal preparation. Materials and methods: Fourteen single rooted premolars were selected and divided into two groups, Group 1-Protaper Universal and Group 2-HyFlex EDM. All the specimens were decoronated. Roots of each specimen were sectioned at 3mm, 6mm and 9mm and were then viewed under stereomicroscope for dentinal defects. t-test was done for the statistical analysis and level of significance was set at p=0.05. Results: Protaper Universal showed highest percentage of defect than HyFlex EDM. Conclusion: HyFlex EDM showed lowest percentage of defects in root dentin. Thus, HyFlex EDM is more efficient in root canal preparation than that of Protaper Universal thereby preventing dentinal defects or microcracks leading to root fractures.
Optimisation of antimicrobial dosing based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles

While suboptimal dosing of antimicrobials has been attributed to poorer clinical outcomes, clinical cure and mortality advantages have been demonstrated when target pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) indices for various classes of antimicrobials were achieved to maximise antibiotic activity. Dosing optimisation requires a good knowledge of PK/PD principles. This review serves to provide a foundation in PK/PD principles for the commonly prescribed antibiotics (β-lactams, vancomycin, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides), as well as dosing considerations in special populations (critically ill and obese patients). PK principles determine whether an appropriate dose of antimicrobial reaches the intended pathogen(s). It involves the fundamental processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination, and is affected by the antimicrobial's physicochemical properties. Antimicrobial pharmacodynamics define the relationship between the drug concentration and its observed effect on the pathogen. The major indicator of the effect of the antibiotics is the minimum inhibitory concentration. The quantitative relationship between a PK and microbiological parameter is known as a PK/PD index, which describes the relationship between dose administered and the rate and extent of bacterial killing. Improvements in clinical outcomes have been observed when antimicrobial agents are dosed optimally to achieve their respective PK/PD targets. With the rising rates of antimicrobial resistance and a limited drug development pipeline, PK/PD concepts can foster more rational and individualised dosing regimens, improving outcomes while simultaneously limiting the toxicity of antimicrobials.
Nonnegative Matrix Factorization Based Adaptive Noise Sensing over Wireless Sensor Networks

An adaptive noise sensing method is proposed to improve the speech sensing performance of speech-based applications operated over wireless sensor networks. The proposed method is based on nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF), which consists of adaptive noise sensing and noise reduction. In other words, adaptive noise sensing is performed by adapting a priori noise basis matrix of the NMF, which is estimated from the noise signal, resulting in an adapted noise basis matrix. Subsequently, the adapted noise basis matrix is used for the NMF decomposition of noisy speech into clean speech and background noise. The estimated clean speech signal is then applied to a front-end of the speech-based applications. The performance of the proposed NMF-based noise sensing and reduction method is first evaluated by measuring the source to distortion ratio (SDR), the source to interferences ratio (SIR), and the source to artifacts ratio (SAR). In addition, the proposed method is applied to an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, which is a typical speech-based application, and then the average word error rate (WER) of the ASR is compared with that employing either a Wiener filter, or a conventional NMF-based noise reduction method using only a priori noise basis matrix.
Web Entity Detection for Semi-structured Text Data Records with Unlabeled Data

We propose a framework for named entity detection from Web content associated with semi-structured text data records, by exploiting the inherent structure via a transformation process facilitating collective detection. To learn the sequential classification model, our framework does not require training labels on the data records. Instead, we make use of existing named entity repositories such as DBpedia. We incorporate this external clue via distant supervision, by making use of the Generalized Expectation constraint. After that, a collective detection model based on logical inference is proposed to consider the consistency among potential named entities as well as header text. Extensive experiments have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed framework.
Degradation of methomyl by the novel bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia M1

The use of microorganisms in the degradation and detoxification of many toxic xenobiotics, especially pesticides, is an efficient tool for the decontamination of polluted sites in the environment. A novel bacterial strain (M1) was isolated from several water samples contaminated with methomyl which is capable of degrading methomyl pesticide (1000 ppm) in the presence of 0.05% glucose. These water samples were collected from different irrigation sites in Egypt where methomyl is heavily applied. The partial sequence of 16SrRNA gene of the isolate showed the highest similarity to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia . Restriction fragment patterns of isolated plasmid DNA showed that this strain harbours two different plasmids PMa (8Kb) and PMb (5Kb). PMb succeeded to be transferred to Escherichia coli DH5α strain. This transformed strain (M2) acquired the ability to grow in the presence of methomyl (1000 ppm) and 0.05% glucose. So it was deduced that the gene responsible for the degradation process was encoded by this plasmid. The ability of the two strains M1 and M2 to degrade methomyl was detected by using solid phased extraction coupled to capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-ESI-MS).
The disrupted sociologies of young people with harmful sexual behaviours

ABSTRACT Few studies, particularly few qualitative studies, have focused on the family and social contexts of young people with harmful sexual behaviours. This article, therefore, seeks to provide insight into the more detailed, lived experience of this group of young people. The article involved a thematic analysis of 117 cases, identified from nine services that work with children with sexual behaviour problems. While a number of young people were from stable backgrounds, others were from highly disrupted sociological situations characterised by chaotic families, erratic living situations, poor family relationships, unstable parental backgrounds, generalised neglect and abuse, sexual abuse and school/social problems. Many of these young people's lives appear to be characterised by varying degrees of liminality and chaos. Such chaos may not only be traumatic, it may potentially be traumagenic, and contribute to the emergence of sexual behaviour problems in some young people.
Ovarian and hypothalamic control of the daily surges of prolactin secretion during pseudopregnancy in the rat.

Cervical stimulation in the rat institutes a pattern of prolactin secretion consisting of two daily surges, one diurnal and one nocturnal, which continue for the greater part of pseudopregnancy. This contrasts with the diestrous day 1–2 interval of the estrous cycle wherein prolactin levels are low and relatively unchanging. A variety of noxious procedures such as aortic cannulation and serial blood sampling, sham ovariectomy and sham surgical cuts in the hypothalamus selectively and temporarily suppresses the diurnal prolactin surges of pseudopregnancy; the nocturnal surges remained unaffected. In the absence of the ovaries (removed on day 0 of pseudopregnancy) the diurnal prolactin surges have disappeared no later than day 5, whereas the nocturnal surges are present at day 6 but have disappeared by day 10. Hypothalamic retrochiasmatic cuts abolish immediately both surges. These results demonstrate the existence of an apparently unique kind of neuroendocrine reflex, copulation-induced, which results in r.
Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Knowledge of Black Youth

This study investigates the attitudes towards, education in, and knowledge of entrepreneurship of black youth using results from a national survey that was administered to a random sample of youth, ages 14 to 19. Survey responses reveal that black youth—more so than white youth—strongly desire to start businesses, want more entrepreneurship taught in their schools, and believe successful entrepreneurs have a responsibility to give back to the community. Limited access to role models, inadequate knowledge, and discomfort with some of the rationing mechanisms of competitive markets may limit the potential for black youth to realize their entrepreneurial aspirations. Implications of the survey results for black entrepreneurship are presented along with an educational initiative that models the potential impact of suitably designed and validated curricula.
Examining the link between competition and negative co‐occurrence patterns

Negative species co-occurrence patterns have long intrigued ecologists because of their potential link to competition. Although manipulative field experiments have consistently revealed evidence of competition in natural communities, there is little evidence that this competition produces negative co-occurrence patterns. Evidence does suggest that abiotic variation, dispersal limitation, and herbivory can contribute to patterns of negative cooccurrence among species; it is possible these influences have obscured a link with competition. Here, we test for a connection between negative co-occurrence and competition by examining a small-scale, relatively homogeneous old-field plant community where the influence of abiotic variation was likely to be minimal and we accounted for the impact of herbivory with an herbivore exclosure treatment. Using three years of data (two biennial periods), we tested whether negatively co-occurring pairs of species, when occasionally found together, experienced asymmetric abundance decline more frequently than positively co-occurring pairs, for which there is no such expectation. We found no evidence that negatively co-occurring pairs consistently suffered asymmetric abundance decline more frequently than positively co-occurring pairs, providing no evidence that competition is a primary driver of negative co-occurrence patterns in this community. Our results were consistent across control and herbivore exclosure treatments, suggesting that herbivores are not driving patterns of negative species co-occurrence in this community. Any influence of competition or herbivory on co-occurrence patterns is small enough that it is obscured by other factors such as substrate heterogeneity, dispersal, and differential species responses to climatic variation through time. We interpret our results as providing evidence that competition is not responsible for producing negative cooccurrence patterns in our study community and suggest that this may be the case more broadly.
Tissue Beads: Tissue‐Specific Extracellular Matrix Microbeads to Potentiate Reprogrammed Cell‐Based Therapy

Microbeads have been utilized as efficient cell culture carriers and injectable scaffolds for cell transplantation. However, various polymers currently used to generate microbeads have limited applicability due to loss of biological functions and tissue‐specific effects. Here, a tissue bead platform is reported that can provide a tissue‐specific microenvironment to facilitate cell culture and potentiate cell therapy. Using a flow‐focusing microfluidic device, uniform‐sized tissue microbeads are fabricated with extracellular matrix (ECM) from various decellularized tissues. The tissue microbeads are tested for tissue‐specific encapsulation of induced hepatic (iHep), induced cardiac (iCar), and induced myogenic (iMyo) cells, which are directly reprogrammed from mouse primary fibroblasts. Tissue‐specific microbeads significantly enhanced the viability, lineage‐specific maturation, and functionality of each type of reprogrammed cell, as compared to functionality when using conventional microbeads from a single ECM component (collagen). Finally, tissue microbeads are confirmed to mediate the successful in vivo engraftment of reprogrammed cells (iHep and iMyo) after transplantation, potentiating cell therapy and promoting functional tissue regeneration in tissue defective animal models. The study suggests that the use of a decellularized tissue matrix combined with a microfluidic technique can be employed to produce tissue‐specific ECM microbeads with increased versatility and efficacy for reprogrammed cell‐based therapy.