Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Partition of Volatile Organic Compounds in Activated Sludge and Wastewater

Abstract The Henry’s law constant is important in the gas-liquid mass transfer process. Apparent dimensionless Henry’s law constant, or the gas-liquid partition coefficient (K’ H), for both hydrophilic (methanol, isopropyl alcohol, and acetone) and hydrophobic (toluene and p-xylene) organic compounds in deionized (DI) water, a wastewater with a maximum total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content of 700 mg/L, and DI water mixed with a maximum activated sludge suspended solid (SS) concentration of 40,000 mg/L were measured using the single equilibrium technique at 293 K. Experimental results demonstrate that the K’ H of any of the test volatile organic compounds varied among three situations. First, the K’H of the hydrophilic compounds in mixed liquor with the maximum SS concentration was 9–21% higher than those in DI water. Second, those for toluene and p-xylene were 77% and 93% lower, respectively, in the mixed liquor with the maximum SS concentration. Third, the K’H values of all of the test compounds in the wastewater were only 10% lower than those in DI water. A model was developed to relate K’ H with wastewater DOC and the SS concentration in the activated sludge using an organic carbon-water partition coefficient and activated sludge-water partition coefficient as model parameters. The model was verified and model parameters for test compounds estimated.
TAU as a susceptibility gene for amyotropic lateral sclerosis-parkinsonism dementia complex of Guam.

BACKGROUND A Guam variant of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-G) and parkinsonism dementia complex (PDC-G) are found in the Chamorro people of Guam. Both disorders have overlapping neuropathologic findings, with neurofibrillary tangles in spinal cord and brain. The cause of ALS-G-PDC-G is unknown, although inheritance and environment appear important. Because neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein are present in ALS-G-PDC-G, and because mutations in the tau gene (TAU) cause autosomal dominant frontotemporal dementia, TAU was examined as a candidate gene for ALS-G-PDC-G. METHODS TAU was evaluated by DNA sequence analysis in subjects with ALS-G-PDC-G, by linkage analysis of TAU polymorphisms in an extended pedigree from the village of Umatac, and by evaluation of linkage disequilibrium with polymorphic markers flanking and within TAU. RESULTS Linkage disequilibrium between ALS-G-PDC-G and the TAU polymorphism CA3662 was observed. For this 2-allele system, PDC and ALS cases were significantly less likely than Guamanian controls to have the 1 allele (4.9% and 2% vs 11.5%, respectively; Fisher exact P =.007). DNA sequence analysis of TAU coding regions did not demonstrate a mutation responsible for ALS-G-PDC-G. Analysis of TAU genotypes in an extended pedigree of subjects from Umatac showed obligate recombinants between TAU and ALS-G-PDC-G. Linkage analysis of the Umatac pedigree indicates that TAU is not the major gene for ALS-G-PDC-G. CONCLUSIONS The genetic association between ALS-G-PDC-G implicates TAU in the genetic susceptibility to ALS-G-PDC-G. TAU may be a modifying gene increasing risk for ALS-G-PDC-G in the presence of another, as yet, unidentified gene.
MAKINGtheLINK: a school‐based health promotion programme to increase help‐seeking for cannabis and mental health issues among adolescents

Aim: There is increasing concern regarding the use of cannabis among adolescents, especially given recent evidence highlighting its link with later mental disorders. Encouraging young people with mental health or drug issues to seek professional help is an important early intervention strategy; however, adolescents are typically reluctant to do so and instead turn to their peers for help. Peers may not have the skills or knowledge required to assist their friends to access professional help. This paper describes the development and evaluation of MAKINGtheLINK, a school‐based health promotion programme that promotes help‐seeking behaviour for mental health and cannabis use issues among young people.
Simple Indices Provide Insight to Climate Attributes Delineating the Geographic Range of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Prior to Worldwide Invasion

ABSTRACT Aedes albopictus (Skuse) has expanded its distribution worldwide during the past decades. Despite attempts to explain and predict its geographic occurrence, analyses of the distribution of Ae. albopictus in the context of broad climatic regions (biomes) has not been performed. We analyzed climate conditions at its distribution sites in the range before the worldwide invasions (from the easternmost Hawaii through westernmost Madagascar) by using thermal and aridity-humidity indices descriptive of major biomes. A significant advantage of this approach is that it uses simple indices clearly related to the population dynamics of Ae. albopictus. Although Ae. albopictus has been regarded as a forest species preferring humid climate, in areas with significant human habitation, the distribution sites extended from the perhumid, rain forest zone to the semiarid, steppe zone. This pattern was common from the tropics through the temperate zone. Across the distribution range, there was no seasonal discordance between temperature and precipitation; at sites where winter prevents Ae. albopictus reproduction (monthly means < 10°C), precipitation was concentrated in warm months (> 10°C) under the Asian summer monsoon. Absence of the species in northern and eastern coastal Australia and eastern coastal Africa was not attributable solely to climate conditions. However, Asia west of the summer monsoon range was climatically unsuitable because of low precipitation throughout the year or in warm months favorable to reproduction (concentration of precipitation in winter). We hypothesized that Ae. albopictus originated in continental Asia under the monsoon climate with distinct dry seasons and hot, wet summer, enabling rapid population growth.
A Role for DEAD Box 1 at DNA Double-Strand Breaks

ABSTRACT DEAD box proteins are a family of putative RNA helicases associated with all aspects of cellular metabolism involving the modification of RNA secondary structure. DDX1 is a member of the DEAD box protein family that is overexpressed in a subset of retinoblastoma and neuroblastoma cell lines and tumors. DDX1 is found primarily in the nucleus, where it forms two to four large aggregates called DDX1 bodies. Here, we report a rapid redistribution of DDX1 in cells exposed to ionizing radiation, resulting in the formation of numerous foci that colocalize with γ-H2AX and phosphorylated ATM foci at sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The formation of DDX1 ionizing-radiation-induced foci (IRIF) is dependent on ATM, which was shown to phosphorylate DDX1 both in vitro and in vivo. The treatment of cells with RNase H prevented the formation of DDX1 IRIF, suggesting that DDX1 is recruited to sites of DNA damage containing RNA-DNA structures. We have shown that DDX1 has RNase activity toward single-stranded RNA, as well as ADP-dependent RNA-DNA- and RNA-RNA-unwinding activities. We propose that DDX1 plays an RNA clearance role at DSB sites, thereby facilitating the template-guided repair of transcriptionally active regions of the genome.
The Analogue of Thymidine Triphosphate Containing a Methylene Group in Place of the 5′ Oxygen Can Serve as a Substrate for Reverse Transcriptase

Abstract The thymidine 5′-triphosphate analogue containing a methylene group in place of the 5′ oxygen atom can be prepared using modifications of published procedures and can substitute for the natural thymidine triphosphate in chain extension reactions catalyzed by Moloney-MLV reverse transcriptase. Using rabbit β-globin mRNA as the template together with an appropriate primer, the enzyme readily makes full-length DNA transcripts in which all thymidine 5′ oxygen atoms have been replaced with methylene groups. In sequence analyses using the partial depurination procedure, the analogue DNA transcript produces electrophoretic gel patterns identical with those of the corresponding natural DNA transcript. Experiments on second strand synthesis using the four regular triphosphates show that the analogue DNA transcript, like the natural transcript, can serve as a template. The two DNA duplexes (natural/natural and analogue/natural) formed by these reactions produce similar electrophoretic cleavage patterns when treated with either of the endonucleases HaeIII and EcoRI. However, further studies on template properties indicate that, while the enzyme makes a full-length product when using the analogue substrate with a natural DNA strand as template, it appears unable to use the analogue transcript as template with the analogue triphosphate as substrate during second strand synthesis. Preliminary experiments have also been carried out with a DNA polymerase. No products are detected in reactions using Taq polymerase with PCR protocols containing the analogue triphosphate as the only source of thymidine.
La satisfacción laboral como valor intangible de los recursos humanos: un estudio de caso en establecimientos hoteleros

La satisfaccion laboral se ha convertido en objetivo basico para la direccion de recursos humanos de las empresas, puesto que se ha constatado su influencia en aspectos como la productividad, el absentismo, la rotacion del personal o la satisfaccion de los clientes. Los servicios de un hotel son facilmente imitables por los competidores, de modo que la lealtad del cliente ha de sustentarse en elementos distintos a los atributos tangibles del servicio. Uno de estos factores intangibles es la satisfaccion laboral del personal hotelero, cuestion que a su vez repercute en la satisfaccion del turista al tener un trato directo con el. En este articulo se revisa la literatura cientifica existente en el campo de la satisfaccion laboral, con especial referencia a la actividad hotelera, y se presentan los resultados de una investigacion realizada para analizar la satisfaccion laboral de los trabajadores de los establecimientos hoteleros de Algarve (Portugal), utilizando un analisis estadistico descriptivo y un analisis de la varianza (Anova).
Bombing the Marshall Islands: A Cold War Tragedy

During the Cold War, the United States conducted atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific. The total explosive yield of these tests was 108 megatons, equivalent to the detonation of one Hiroshima bomb per day over nineteen years. These tests, particularly Castle Bravo, the largest one, had tragic consequences, including the irradiation of innocent people and the permanent displacement of many native Marshallese. Keith M. Parsons and Robert Zaballa tell the story of the development and testing of thermonuclear weapons and the effects of these tests on their victims and on the popular and intellectual culture. These events are also situated in their Cold War context and explained in terms of the prevailing hopes, fears, and beliefs of that age. In particular, the narrative highlights the obsessions and priorities of top American officials, such as Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Androgen Receptor CpG Island Methylation Status in Human Leukemia Cancer Cells

The methylation status of the androgen receptor gene (AR) in leukemia cell lines was investigated. Results showed the presence of both methylated and unmethylated CpG islands of the AR promotor in leukemia cell lines. In the normal blood samples, only unmethylated bands were observed. In 15 bone marrow samples from patients with leukemia, 12 cases (80%) showed both methylated and unmethylated alleles and 3 cases (20%) showed only methylated alleles. To understand whether AR mRNA and protein expression are reduced by methylation, we treated leukemia cells with 5-Aza-Dc and detected the expression of mRNA and protein by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The treatment of 5-Aza-Dc increased AR expression in all cell lines researched. This study indicates that reduced AR mRNA expression in leukemia cell lines was in part related to DNA methylation. The aberrant methylation of AR gene could be one molecular and genetic alteration in leukemia.
Toxoplasma Gondii and Pre-treatment Protocols for Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Milk Samples: A Field Trial in Sheep from Southern Italy

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Ingestion of raw milk has been suggested as a risk for transmission to humans. Here the authors evaluated pre-treatment protocols for DNA extraction on T. gondii tachyzoite-spiked sheep milk with the aim of identifying the method that resulted in the most rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity. This protocol was then used to analyse milk samples from sheep of three different farms in Southern Italy, including real time PCR for DNA quantification and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism for genotyping. The pre-treatment protocol using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and Tris-HCl to remove casein gave the best results in the least amount of time compared to the others on spiked milk samples. One sample of 21 collected from sheep farms was positive on one-step PCR, real time PCR and resulted in a Type I genotype at one locus (SAG3). Milk usually contains a low number of tachyzoites and this could be a limiting factor for molecular identification. Our preliminary data has evaluated a rapid, cost-effective and sensitive protocol to treat milk before DNA extraction. The results of the present study also confirm the possibility of T. gondii transmission through consumption of raw milk and its unpasteurised derivatives.
The downsizing dilemmas of European employers

In times of economic crisis, managers often take drastic measures to survive. This column presents new research on the preferences of managers from across Europe when faced with ‘downsizing’. It seems that, when recession bites, the instincts or ‘animal spirits’ of employers that were previously suppressed by prosperity or considered to be outdated resurface. European employers predominantly resort to offering early retirement packages (and to a lesser extent buy-outs) in response to the threat of downsizing, exacerbating, in the long run, the problems associated with Europe’s ageing population. The only notable exception to this rule is the response of Danish employers, who prefer to tackle this problem by reducing the working hours of their employees.
Time-Dependent Stimulation of Insulin Exocytosis by 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate in the Rat Islet β-Cell

Isolated rat islets were exposed to cAMP-elevating agents and/or nutrients. Insulin exocytosis subsequently triggered by a depolarizing concentration of K+ or a stimulatory concentration of glucose was employed as an index of time-dependent potentiation (TDP). Stimulatory concentrations (≥5.5 mm) of glucose caused TDP, and 6 μm forskolin (an activator of adenylyl cyclase) significantly enhanced it (3.1-fold at most). Forskolin produced an 8.0-fold increase in islet cell cAMP; however, it returned to the baseline after washout by the time of stimulation of exocytosis. Two millimoles of dibutyryl cAMP (a cAMP analog), 0.1 mm isobutylmethylxanthine (a phosphodiesterase inhibitor), and 100 nm glucagon-like peptide-1 (an incretin hormone) also enhanced glucoseinduced TDP. The time-dependent effect of cAMP was not attenuated by protein kinase A inhibitors (200 μm adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphothioate, Rp isomer, and 10 μm H89). Although glucose-induced TDP was attenuated by NaN3 (a mitochondrial poison) and.
The nsp2 Replicase Proteins of Murine Hepatitis Virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Are Dispensable for Viral Replication

ABSTRACT The positive-stranded RNA genome of the coronaviruses is translated from ORF1 to yield polyproteins that are proteolytically processed into intermediate and mature nonstructural proteins (nsps). Murine hepatitis virus (MHV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) polyproteins incorporate 16 protein domains (nsps), with nsp1 and nsp2 being the most variable among the coronaviruses and having no experimentally confirmed or predicted functions in replication. To determine if nsp2 is essential for viral replication, MHV and SARS-CoV genome RNA was generated with deletions of the nsp2 coding sequence (MHVΔnsp2 and SARSΔnsp2, respectively). Infectious MHVΔnsp2 and SARSΔnsp2 viruses recovered from electroporated cells had 0.5 to 1 log10 reductions in peak titers in single-cycle growth assays, as well as a reduction in viral RNA synthesis that was not specific for any positive-stranded RNA species. The Δnsp2 mutant viruses lacked expression of both nsp2 and an nsp2-nsp3 precursor, but cleaved the engineered chimeric nsp1-nsp3 cleavage site as efficiently as the native nsp1-nsp2 cleavage site. Replication complexes in MHVΔnsp2-infected cells lacked nsp2 but were morphologically indistinguishable from those of wild-type MHV by immunofluorescence. nsp2 expressed in cells by stable retroviral transduction was specifically recruited to viral replication complexes upon infection with MHVΔnsp2. These results demonstrate that while nsp2 of MHV and SARS-CoV is dispensable for viral replication in cell culture, deletion of the nsp2 coding sequence attenuates viral growth and RNA synthesis. These findings also provide a system for the study of determinants of nsp targeting and function.
Efficient Attribute Revocation Scheme for Multi-authority Attribute Cloud Storage System

Cloud computing is an emerging computing tool in which resources accessed as a service over Internet on pay for use basis. Most of the organization are changing their storage server to cloud server without any botheration. It is a great challenge for the cloud service provider to attract the customers to store their sensitive data/file in the cloud storage. Service provisioning with respect to privacy preservation and data security is an area of concern. In general the cloud servers are being deployed on different trusted domain. Fine grained access control is major area of concern in data outsourcing and sharing in untrusted cloud server. There will be need to encrypt sensitive data and store them in cloud server and disclose decryption key to authorized users. But drawback of this method is that owner of file has to know receivers prior to encryption which is not possible in most of the case. Cipher text Policy Attribute Based Encryption (CPABE) is one of the technique that is used for fine grained access control in untrusted server. This techniques used to keep shared data confidential even if data is stored on remote server. It uses trusted authority to issue attribute and distribute key to users in the system. There can be multiple authority in a CPABE system and each authority issue attributes and keys independent of each other. Efficient decryption and attribute revocation is major area of research in multi authority cloud storage system. Attribute revocation in multi authority cloud storage system should achieve both forward and backward security.
Age‐ and sex‐related differences in sudomotor function evaluated by the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) in healthy humans

The aim of the present study was to quantitatively investigate the age and sex‐related differences in sudomotor function in healthy humans. The quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) with iontophoresis (2 mA for 5 min) and 10% acetylcholine (ACh) was performed to determine axon reflex‐mediated (AXR), with and without iotophoresis (AXR(1) and AXR(2), respectively), and directly activated (DIR) sweating. All experiments were conducted under thermoneutral conditions (temperature 24.0 ± 0.5°C; relative humidity 40 ± 3%). In general, men had enhanced values of onset time of AXR, sweat rates, activated sweat gland density (SGD) and activated sweat gland output (SGO) than women, but not in all cases. The onset time of AXR (r2 = 0.567; P < 0.001) was positively correlated with advancing age, whereas sweat rates of AXR(1) and AXR(2) (r2 = 0.571 and r2 = 0.486, respectively; P < 0.0001), DIR (r2 = 0.594; P < 0.0001), SGD (r2 = 0.496; P < 0.0001) and SGO (r2 = 0.551; P < 0.0001) were negatively correlated in both men and women with advancing age. The results demonstrate that an attenuation of sudomotor function occurs with aging in both sexes. Moreover, the findings showed a progressive increase in onset time and a decrease in sweat rates, SGD and SGO with increasing age in both sexes. A variation in sweat function was found between sexes, but not in all age groups.
The Caregiver’s Role Across the Bone Marrow Transplantation Trajectory

Background: Approximately 50 000 people undergo bone marrow transplants (BMTs) each year worldwide. With the move to more outpatient and home care, family caregivers are playing an ever-increasing role. However, there is little information regarding the needs and well-being of caregivers of individuals undergoing BMT. Objective: The study purpose was to gain a better understanding of the BMT experience across the trajectory from the perspective of the family caregiver. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 family caregivers during and 4 months after BMT. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a content analysis approach. Results: Uncertainty and need for more information were 2 major underlying themes noted across the early BMT trajectory. Caregivers reported feeling overwhelmed and juggling multiple roles, including (a) “interpreter,” which included obtaining and translating medical information to their partner, family, and social network; (b) “organizer,” which included arranging and coordinating medical appointments (pre- and post-BMT) for the patient, but also juggling the needs of immediate and extended family members; and (c) “clinician,” which included assessing and identifying changes in their significant other, with many reporting that they had to be “vigilant” about or “on top of” any changes. Caregivers also reported the most challenging aspects of their role were to “be strong for everyone” and “finding balance. ” Conclusions: Our results underscore the unique needs of family caregivers as a consequence of BMT. Implications for Practice: A greater understanding of the adaptation of caregivers will lead to the development of effective interventions for families going through BMT.
A Study of the Factors Influencing Water Tree Growth

A wide range of experimental data from several sources, and covering most of the factors known to influence water tree growth, has been collated and assessed in terms of the independent growth parameters. Systematic trends have been identified wherever possible, allowing a critical evaluation of the postulated treeing mechanisms. On the basis of these data a general framework of tree growth has been deduced in terms of a composite process comprised of three phases: inception, rapid growth, and fluctuation-controlled growth. It is concluded that no postulated microscopic mechanism is adequate to describe the inception phase, although one or two may be applicable to the rapid growth phase after substantial modification. It is suggested that growth can best be regarded as a local fatigue mechanism requiring a minimum electric field strength to be operative. A microscopic picture of water tree growth is tentatively proposed embodying all the known properties of water trees. Suggestions are also made concerning the minimization of water treeing and the most important directions for future research.