Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Opaque-white phenotype transition: a programmed morphological transition in Candida albicans

This paper reports that the opaque and white phenotypes of Candida albicans constitute a true high-frequency reversible transition system. The rDNA restriction fragment and orthogonal field alternating gel electrophoresis profiles of opaque and white phenotypes are indistinguishable, and a genetic marker introduced into a white strain is present in all opaque derivatives of this strain. Opaque and white derivatives appear markedly different on a bismuth indicator medium and differ in a number of other respects. We have used bismuth medium to examine the spontaneous and temperature-induced frequencies of transition from opaque to white. The temperature-induced transition from opaque to white does not occur when opaque cells are held in water.
Exploring the emerging profession of speech-language pathology in Vietnam through pioneering eyes

Abstract Purpose: In September 2012, 18 Vietnamese health professionals graduated as Vietnam’s first university qualified speech-language pathologists (SLPs). This study details the reflections of these pioneering health professionals at 12 months following their graduation, drawing attention to their scope of practice as SLPs and to the opportunities and challenges to progressing the practice of speech-language pathology (SLP) in Vietnam. Method: Thirteen graduates participated in small group interviews where they described their work and their perceptions of their emerging practice. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was employed to identify key concepts and themes within the data. Result: Four overarching themes were identified—scope of practice, establishing identity, confidence to practise and progressing the profession. Overall analysis revealed evolving professional practice characterised by new learning, fluctuations in confidence and an active forging of professional identity. Mentoring and support by international colleagues and advancing professional recognition were identified as critical to the profession’s progression and to the development of context-specific and culturally appropriate services. Conclusion: Participants’ reflections draw focus to an important role for the international SLP community as it works in partnership with colleagues to enhance awareness of and services for people with communication disabilities in under-served communities such as Vietnam.
The Detection of Changes in Heparin Activity in the Rabbit: A Comparison of Anti-Xa Activity, Thrombelastography®, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time, and Activated Coagulation Time

Thrombelastography (TEG®) has been used to detect both exogenous and endogenous circulating heparin activity in clinical and laboratory settings. Thus, in this study I sought to compare the sensitivity of TEG®, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and activated coagulation time (ACT) values with changes in anti-Xa activity after small-dose heparin administration in rabbits. Conscious rabbits (n = 11) had blood obtained from ear arteries for hematological analyses after the administration of 0, 10, 20, and 30 U/kg of IV heparin. Anti-Xa activities after the administration of 0, 10, 20, and 30 U/kg of heparin were, respectively, 38 ± 9 mU/mL, 74 ± 15 mU/mL, 105 ± 14 mU/mL, and 134 ± 17 mU/mL; all values were significantly different from each other. TEG® variables (R and &agr;) significantly (P < 0.05) changed between 0, 10, and 20 U/kg heparin doses, but a difference between 20 and 30 U/kg could not be discerned secondary to loss of a detectable clot. The aPTT was significantly (P < 0.05) different between 0, 20, and 30 U/kg doses. ACT values were significantly different between the 0 U/kg heparin dose and all other doses; however, there were no significant differences between the 10, 20, and 30 U/kg heparin doses. Changes in anti-Xa activity were significantly linearly related to R (r = 0.81, P < 0.0001), &agr; (r = −0.85, P < 0.0001), aPTT (r = 0.74, P < 0.0001), and ACT (r = 0.41, P = 0.005). In this model of small-dose heparin administration, TEG® variables were more sensitive to changes in heparin activity than aPTT and ACT.
Barriers to Medicaid Participation among Florida Dentists

Background. Finding dentists who treat Medicaid-enrolled children is a struggle for many parents. The purpose of this study was to identify non-reimbursement factors that influence the decision by dentists about whether or not to participate in the Medicaid program in Florida. Methods. Data from a mailed survey was analyzed using a logistic regression model to test the association of Medicaid participation with the Perceived Barriers and Social Responsibility variables. Results. General and pediatric dentists (n=882) who identified themselves as either Medicaid (14%) or Non-Medicaid (86%) participants responded. Five items emerged as significant predictors of Medicaid participation, with a final concordance index of 0.905. Two previously unreported barriers to participation in Medicaid emerged: 1) dentists’ perception of social stigma from other dentists for participating in Medicaid, and 2) the lack of specialists to whom Medicaid patients can be referred. Conclusions. This study provides new information about non-reimbursement barriers to Medicaid participation.
A Convergent O(n) Temporal-difference Algorithm for Off-policy Learning with Linear Function Approximation

We introduce the first temporal-difference learning algorithm that is stable with linear function approximation and off-policy training, for any finite Markov decision process, target policy, and exciting behavior policy, and whose complexity scales linearly in the number of parameters. We consider an i.i. d. \ policy-evaluation setting in which the data need not come from on-policy experience. The gradient temporal-difference (GTD) algorithm estimates the expected update vector of the TD(0) algorithm and performs stochastic gradient descent on its L_2 norm. Our analysis proves that its expected update is in the direction of the gradient, assuring convergence under the usual stochastic approximation conditions to the same least-squares solution as found by the LSTD, but without its quadratic computational complexity. GTD is online and incremental, and does not involve multiplying by products of likelihood ratios as in importance-sampling methods.
Toward Parallel CFA with Datalog , MPI , and CUDA

We present our recent experience working to design parallel functional control-flow analysis (CFA) using an encoding in Datalog and underlying relational algebra implemented for SIMD coprocessors and supercomputers. Control-flow analysis statically models the possible propagations of data and control through a target program, finitely obtaining a bound on reachable expressions and environments and on possible return and argument values. We used Soufflé, a parallel CPU-based Datalog implementation from Oracle labs, and worked toward a new MPI-based distributed hash join implementation and an extension of the GPU-based relational algebra library RedFox. In this paper, we provide introductions to functional flow analysis, Datalog, MPI, and CUDA, explaining the total process we are working on to bring these components together in an analysis pipeline toward the end of scaling functional program analyses by extracting their intrinsic parallelism in a principled manner.
Heat-induced changes in the properties of modified skim milks with different casein to whey protein ratios

The heat-induced changes in pH, Ca activity and viscosity after heating at 90 °C for 10 min of five modified skim milks were studied as a function of the initial pH of the milks at 25 °C. The milks had (i) different ratios of casein : whey protein (0·03, 1·74, 3·97, 5·27 and 7·25), (ii) the same total solids concentration (9% w/w) and (iii) prior to the adjustment of the pH, similar values of pH (6·67–6·74), concentration of serum calcium, and calcium activity, suggesting that the sera have similar mineral composition. The total protein concentrations of the milks differ (2·8–4·0%, w/w). The pH decrease in situ upon heating from 25–90 °C was similar for all the modified skim milks with the same starting pH, suggesting that the pH changes to milk on heating were primarily mediated by the initial mineral composition of the serum and were unaffected by the casein : whey protein ratio or the total protein content of the milk. The heat-induced changes in pH and calcium activity were largely reversible on cooling. The two milks with the lowest ratios of casein to whey protein gelled on heating to 90 °C for 10 min and cooling to 25 °C when the pH was adjusted to pH = 6·2 prior to heating. The viscosities of all other milks with casein to whey protein ratio of 3·97, 5·27 and 7·25 and/or pH ≥6·7 prior to heating did not change significantly. The effect of casein : whey protein ratio and the pH are the dominant factors in controlling the susceptibility to thickening of the milks on heating in this study.
Involvement of an N-Acetylglucosaminidase in Autolysis of Propionibacterium freudenreichii CNRZ 725

Propionibacterium freudenreichii plays an important role in Swiss cheese ripening (it produces propionic acid, acetic acid, and CO2). Moreover, autolysis of this organism certainly contributes to proteolysis and lipolysis of the curd because intracellular enzymes are released. By varying external factors, we determined the following conditions which promoted autolysis of both whole cells and isolated cell walls of P. freudenreichii CNRZ 725: (i) 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 5.8) at 40°C and (ii) 0.05 to 0.1 M KCl at 40°C. We found that early-exponential-phase cells possessed the highest autolytic activity. It should be emphasized that the pH of Swiss cheese curd (pH 5.5 to 5.7) is near the optimal pH which we determined. Ultrastructural observations by electron microscopy revealed a 16-nm-thick homogeneous cell wall, as well as degradation of the cell wall that occurred concomitantly with cell autolysis. In the presence of 0.05 M potassium chloride, there was a great deal of isolated cell wall autolysis (the optical density at 650 nm decreased 77.5% ± 7.3% in 3 h), and one-half of the peptidoglycan material was released. Finally, the main autolytic activity was due to an N-acetylglucosaminidase activity.
Upper tails for triangles

With ξ the number of triangles in the usual (Erdős‐Rényi) random graph G(m,p), p > 1/m and η > 0, we show (for some Cη > 0) \documentclass{article} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{amsmath, amssymb} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document}\begin{align*} \text {Pr}(\xi > (1+\eta){{\sf E}} \xi) < \exp\lbrack -C_{\eta}\min\{ m^2p^2\log(1/p),m^3p^3\}\rbrack. \end{align*} \end{document} This is tight up to the value of Cη. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 40, 452–459, 2012
Studies on Microbiological Degradation of Tobacco Tar

A bacterium, strain MR4, was isolated from tobacco tar-contaminated soil and identified as Klebsiella oxytoca based on morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequence. The organism grew optimally at 34°C and pH 7.0 to 7.5. During growth on tobacco tar the isolate produced acid materials, which caused the drop of pH in the cultures. GC/MS analysis indicated that the isolate had the ability to degrade phenolic compounds, heterocyclic compounds, especially nicotine in tobacco tar. The degradation rate of strain MR4 was 75.56% for nicotine, 35.84% to 58.16% for hydroxybenzenes and the other aromatic compounds, 29.15% to 65.56% for heterocyclics, and 35.17% to 82.59% for hydrocarbons.
Characterization of the PNT 1 Pentamidine Resistance Gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae PNT1 gene was isolated and characterized. When present in high copy number in S. cerevisiae, PNT1 confers resistance to the anti-Pneumocystis carinii drug pentamidine. The PNT1 gene encodes a previously uncharacterized polypeptide of 409 amino acids. The predicted gene product is a very basic (pl 9.9) polypeptide with one potential membrane-associated region. PNT1 is located on chromosome XVR of S. cerevisiae. It is transcribed at a very low level. Overexpression of the gene increases resistance to the cytostatic and mitochondrial DNA-damaging effects of pentamidine and related cationic compounds. Disruption of the gene leads to slightly increased levels of susceptibility to pentamidine and some related compounds.
Implications of Reassigning Patients for the Medical Home: A Case Study

PURPOSE Improving patient-doctor continuity is one goal of the medical home, but achieving this goal may require physicians to reduce panel size. This article examines the impact on patient experience and utilization of Group Health Cooperative’s process of reassigning patients to new physicians as part of their medical home demonstration project. METHODS This work represents a subanalysis of the Group Health medical home pilot evaluation. Study participants include 8,005 adults who received primary care in 2006 and 2007 at an urban practice owned and operated by a not-for-profit integrated delivery system. Approximately one-quarter of patients were selected to be reassigned to a new physician. Primary care, emergency department, secure messaging, and telephone utilization were captured through automated sources. Patients’ experience was measured before and after implementation of the medical home for a subset of 1,098 patients. RESULTS Patients who were retained by their existing physicians were older, sicker, and had longer preexisting patient-doctor relationships. After reassignment, reassigned patients were less likely to use primary care services but equally likely to use the emergency department. They were no less satisfied with their care experience. CONCLUSIONS Informational and managerial continuity may mitigate deleterious effects of reassignment, but more must be done to actively bind reassigned patients to the medical home to improve relational continuity with younger, healthier patients.
Magnetically coupled circuit based magnetic vibrations modeling of PMSM

This paper presents an analytical model for the study of magnetic vibrations in a permanent magnet synchronous motor. The analytical model is based, for the magnetic aspect, on the magnetically coupled circuits approach widely used for modeling electrical machines under faults. This approach associated with the winding functions technique yields to a system of differential equations governing the machine. Its solution helps to compute the Maxwell stress on the stator core. An analytical mechanical model describing the structure displacement and the relied vibrations has also been developed. It is based on the resolution of the equation of motion with Flügge-Byrne-Lur'ye theory. A good agreement has been obtained between results issued from the developed analytical model with those issued from finite element analyses. Analytical models have the advantage to be more convenient for the diagnosis purpose because of the consequent reduction of the calculation time as compared to numerical methods.
Characterization of a Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor-Selective Agonist, A-836339 [2,2,3,3-Tetramethyl-cyclopropanecarboxylic Acid [3-(2-Methoxy-ethyl)-4,5-dimethyl-3H-thiazol-(2Z)-ylidene]-amide], Using in Vitro Pharmacological Assays, in Vivo Pain Models, and Pharmacological Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Studies demonstrating the antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects of cannabinoid CB2 receptor activation have been largely derived from the use of receptor-selective ligands. Here, we report the identification of A-836339 [2,2,3,3-tetramethyl-cyclopropanecarboxylic acid [3-(2-methoxy-ethyl)-4,5-dimethyl-3H-thiazol-(2Z)-ylidene]-amide], a potent and selective CB2 agonist as characterized in in vitro pharmacological assays and in in vivo models of pain and central nervous system (CNS) behavior models. In radioligand binding assays, A-836339 displays high affinities at CB2 receptors and selectivity over CB1 receptors in both human and rat. Likewise, A-836339 exhibits high potencies at CB2 and selectivity over CB1 receptors in recombinant fluorescence imaging plate reader and cyclase functional assays. In addition A-836339 exhibits a profile devoid of significant affinity at other G-protein-coupled receptors and ion channels. A-836339 was characterized extensively in various animal pain models. In the complete Freund's adjuvant model of inflammatory pain, A-836339 exhibits a potent CB2 receptor-mediated antihyperalgesic effect that is independent of CB1 or μ-opioid receptors. A-836339 has also demonstrated efficacies in the chronic constrain injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain, skin incision, and capsaicin-induced secondary mechanical hyperalgesia models. Furthermore, no tolerance was developed in the CCI model after subchronic treatment with A-836339 for 5 days. In assessing CNS effects, A-836339 exhibited a CB1 receptor-mediated decrease of spontaneous locomotor activities at a higher dose, a finding consistent with the CNS activation pattern observed by pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging. These data demonstrate that A-836339 is a useful tool for use of studying CB2 receptor pharmacology and for investigation of the role of CB2 receptor modulation for treatment of pain in preclinical animal models.
Morphological and molecular studies on Heterodera sacchari, H. goldeni and H. leuceilyma (Nematoda: Heteroderidae)

Heterodera sacchari, H. leuceilyma and H. goldeni are closely related members of the H. sacchari species complex, which is mainly characterised and distinguished from all other described Heterodera species by the presence of finger-like projections of the strongly developed underbridge in the vulval cone of the cysts. Males are rare in all three species and are described here in H. goldeni for the first time. Reproduction appears to be parthenogenetic. There are only minor morphological distinctions between the three species, particularly after our present studies have emended their original descriptions from various populations. Heterodera sacchari and H. goldeni showed differences in the ITS-rRNA gene sequences. Heterodera sacchari was described and reliably identified from many tropical African countries, H. leuceilyma is known only from Florida, USA, and H. goldeni has been identified in Egypt, Israel and Iran. All three species have grasses and other Poaceae as hosts, H. sacchari commonly attacking rice and sugarcane, and H. goldeni reproducing successfully on sugarcane ratoon seedlings. Morphological data emending the descriptions of H. sacchari, H. goldeni and H. leuceilyma from various populations are presented and discussed along with their host and distribution. Molecular characterisation of H. sacchari and H. goldeni is provided. An analysis of phylogenetic relationships within species of the sacchari-group using ITS-rRNA gene sequences is also presented.
A zoned two-layer flat lens design

In this paper we present a flat lens based on a zoned two-layer design, which provides us the freedom to simultaneously control the magnitude and phase of the transmitted wave passing through the lens. A transmission line approach is used to analyze the reflection and transmission coefficients of the proposed two-layer slab, and a two-step method is introduced to determine the distribution of the dielectric constants of the zones. The performance of the developed flat lens has been investigated, and the simulated results are shown to validate the design methodology. They also serve to demonstrate that the focal region of the lens exhibit a sub-wavelength characteristic in the transverse direction, even though it does not utilize a double-negative (DNG) material.
Image processing with multiscale stochastic models

In this thesis, we develop image processing algorithms and applications for a particular class of multiscale stochastic models. First, we provide background on the model class, including a discussion of its relationship to wavelet transforms and the details of a two-sweep algorithm for estimation. A multiscale model for the error process associated with this algorithm is derived. Next, we illustrate how the multiscale models can be used in the context of regularizing ill-posed inverse problems and demonstrate the substantial computational savings that such an approach offers. Several novel features of the approach are developed including a technique for choosing the optimal resolution at which to recover the object of interest. Next, we show that this class of models contains other widely used classes of statistical models including I-D Markov processes and 2-D Markov random fields, and we propose a class of multiscale models for approximately representing Gaussian Markov random fields. These results, coupled with those illustrating the computational efficiencies that the multiscale models lead to, suggest that the multiscale framework is a powerful paradigm for image processing both because of the efficient algorithms it admits and because of the rich class of phenomena it can be used to describe. This motivates us in the final section of this thesis to pursue further algorithmic development for the multiscale models. In particular, we develop an efficient likelihood calculation algorithm for multiscale models and demonstrate an application' of the algorithm in the area of texture discrimination. The thesis concludes with a review of our main results and with a discussion of a few of the many open problems and promising directions for further research and application. Thesis Supervisor: Alan S. Willsky Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering
Belief contraction in the context of the general theory of rational choice

Abstract This paper reorganizes and further develops the theory of partial meet contraction which was introduced in a classic paper by Alchourrón, Gärdenfors, and Makinson. Our purpose is threefold. First, we put the theory in a broader perspective by decomposing it into two layers which can respectively be treated by the general theory of choice and preference and elementary model theory. Second, we reprove the two main representation theorems of AGM and present two more representation results for the finite case that “lie between” the former, thereby partially answering an open question of AGM. Our method of proof is uniform insofar as it uses only one form of “revealed preference”, and it explains where and why the finiteness assumption is needed. Third, as an application, we explore the logic characterizing theory contractions in the finite case which are governed by the structure of simple and prioritized belief bases.
Annealing temperature dependence of resistive switching behavior for sol-gel spin coated zinc oxide thin films

This work focuses on the resistive switching behavior of sol-gel spin coated zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films on ITO substrate. The deposited ZnO thin films were annealed at various temperatures from 300°C to 500°C in a furnace for 60 minutes in order to study the effect of annealing temperature on the resistive switching behavior of ZnO thin film. The electrical property of the thin film was characterized using 2-point probe current-voltage (I-V) measurement. The surface morphology and film thickness were examined and measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface profiler respectively. The I-V characteristic showed that the heat treatment on the ZnO thin films at 300 and 400°C resulted in the resistive switching characteristic behavior. Further increasing the temperature up to 500°C on the other hand leads to the formation of asymmetrical hysteresis loop.