Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FUSOBACTERIUM NECROPHORUM AND ACTINOMYCES PYOGENES ASSOCIATED FACIAL AND MANDIBULAR ABSCESSES IN BLUE DUIKER

Anaerobic and aerobic cultures of facial and mandibular abscesses were made from 12 blue duiker (Cephalophus monticola fusicolor) housed at the Deer and Duiker Research Facility of the Pennsylvania State University (USA). Increases in concentrations of total protein and serum globulin occurred in all cases. Actinomyces pyogenes was isolated from nine animals. Fusobacterium necrophorum was present in eight and Bacteroides sp. was found in seven animals; other genera of isolated bacteria included: Streptococcus (from two animals), Lactobacillus (one), Staphylococcus (one) and Actinomyces (two). Eight (67%) of affected animals were ≤2 yr of age. Facial soft tissues and mandibles were the tissues most often affected. Tissues within the oral cavity were not affected at the time of presentation. A common finding, not reported in other host species with necrobacillosis, was the presence of nondestructive mandibular proliferation.
Tricritical Ising Model near criticality

The most relevant thermal perturbation of the continuous d=2 minimal conformal theory with c=7/10 (Tricritical Ising Model) is treated here. This model describes the scaling region of the ϕ6 universality class near the tricritical point. The problematic IR divergences of the naive perturbative expansion around conformal theories are dealt within the OPE approach developed at all orders by the authors. The main result is a description of the short distance behavior of correlators that is compared with existing long distance expansion (form factors approach) related to the integrability of the model.
The SDF‐1/CXCR4 ligand/receptor pair is an important contributor to several types of ocular neovascularization

Hypoxia causes increased expression of several proteins that have the potential to promote neovascularization. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is up‐regulated by hypoxia in the retina and plays a central role in the development of several types of ocular neovascularization, but the effects of other hypoxia‐regulated proteins are less clear. Stromal‐de‐rived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) and its receptor, CXCR4, have hypoxia response elements in the promoter regions of their genes and are increased in hypoxic liver and heart. In this study, we found that SDF‐1 and CXCR4 are increased in hypoxic retina, with SDF‐1 localized in glial cells primarily near the surface of the retina and CXCR4 localized in bone marrow‐derived cells. Glial cells also expressed CXCR4, which suggested the possibility of autocrine stimulation, but influx of bone marrow‐derived cells is the major source of increased levels of CXCR4. High levels of VEGF in the retina in the absence of hypoxia also increased levels of Cxcr4 and Sdf1 mRNA. CXCR4 antagonists reduced influx of bone marrow‐derived cells into ischemic retina and strongly suppressed retinal neovascularization, VEGF‐induced subretinal neovascularization, and choroidal neovascularization. These data suggest that SDF‐1 and CXCR4 contribute to the involvement of bone marrow‐derived cells and collaborate with VEGF in the development of several types of ocular neovascularization. They provide new targets for therapeutic intervention that may help to bolster and supplement effects obtained with VEGF antagonists. —Lima e Silva, R. , Shen, J., Hackett, S. F. , Kachi, S. , Akiyama, H. , Kiuchi, K. , Yokoi, K. , Hatara, M. C. , Lauer, T. , Aslam, S. , Gong, Y. Y. , Xiao, W‐H. , Khu, N. H. , Thut, C. , Campochiaro, P. A. The SDF‐1/CXCR4 ligand/receptor pair is an important contributor to several types of ocular neo‐vascularization. FASEB J. 21, 3219–3230 (2007)
Direct nanoscale observations of the coupled dissolution of calcite and dolomite and the precipitation of gypsum

Summary In-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments were performed to study the overall process of dissolution of common carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) and precipitation of gypsum in Na2SO4 and CaSO4 solutions with pH values ranging from 2 to 6 at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C). The dissolution of the carbonate minerals took place at the (104) cleavage surfaces in sulfate-rich solutions undersaturated with respect to gypsum, by the formation of characteristic rhombohedral-shaped etch pits. Rounding of the etch pit corners was observed as solutions approached close-to-equilibrium conditions with respect to calcite. The calculated dissolution rates of calcite at pH 4.8 and 5.6 agreed with the values reported in the literature. When using solutions previously equilibrated with respect to gypsum, gypsum precipitation coupled with calcite dissolution showed short gypsum nucleation induction times. The gypsum precipitate quickly coated the calcite surface, forming arrow-like forms parallel to the crystallographic orientations of the calcite etch pits. Gypsum precipitation coupled with dolomite dissolution was slower than that of calcite, indicating the dissolution rate to be the rate-controlling step. The resulting gypsum coating partially covered the surface during the experimental duration of a few hours.
The N‐terminal domain of a rab protein is involved in membrane‐membrane recognition and/or fusion.

Proteins of the YPT1/SEC4/rab family are well documented to be involved in the regulation of membrane transport. We have previously reported that rab5 regulates endosome‐endosome recognition and/or fusion in vitro. Here, we show that this process depends on the rab5 N‐terminal domain. Treatment of early endosomal membranes at a low trypsin concentration essentially abolished fusion and cleaved rab5 to a 1 kDa smaller polypeptide. Two‐dimensional gel analysis suggested that rab5 is one of the few, if not the only, polypeptides cleaved by trypsin under these conditions. Whereas endosome fusion could be stimulated by cytosol prepared from cells overexpressing rab5 (and thus containing high amounts of the protein), this stimulation was abolished by trypsin‐treatment of the cytosol. Trypsin‐treated cytosol prepared from mock‐transfected cells, which contains very low amounts of rab5, showed no inhibitory activity indicating that rab5 is the target of trypsin in these experiments. Purified rab5 prepared after expression in Escherichia coli was treated with trypsin, which cleaved the protein at the N‐terminus. A synthetic peptide of rab5 N‐terminal domain inhibited endosome fusion in our cell‐free assay. A version of the same peptide truncated at the N‐terminus or a peptide of rab3 N‐terminal domain were without effects. Altogether, these observations suggest that the N‐terminal domain of rab5 is involved in the process of early endosome recognition and/or fusion, presumably because it interacts with another component of the transport machinery.
Entrepreneurial marketing: moving beyond marketing in new ventures

This paper discusses an alternative conceptualisation of entrepreneurial marketing that can be understood as 'marketing with an entrepreneurial mindset'. By combining the definition of marketing of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and two conceptualisations of entrepreneurship (entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial management), we arrive at a definition of entrepreneurial marketing as the organisational function of marketing by taking into account innovativeness, risk taking, pro-activeness and the pursuit of opportunities without regard for the resources currently controlled. This definition must not be restricted to young and small ventures, but can equally be applied to larger firms. We illustrate the concept of entrepreneurial marketing by highlighting guerrilla marketing, buzz marketing and viral marketing.
A Pragmatic Approach to Teaching English Conversation

This paper describes a pragmatic approach to teaching English conversation to Japanese university students. It introduces students to a variety of pragmatic strategies that will help them sound more natural in English and help avoid being negatively interpreted or misunderstood by native speakers of English due to different notions of how to cooperatively build conversations. Section two of the paper describes the basic content and activities of the textbook used. Section three explains how the textbook materials have been adapted and supplemented with handouts on the Cooperative Principle, pragmatic strategies, and English aizuchi training. In section four, after a brief discussion of the Immediate Method (IM), the modified IM approach adapted for this course is described, including the assessment of small-group speaking tests and the types of observations and feedback generated. The paper concludes with suggestions for improving the course by the integration of politeness strategies since they are central to the achievement of successful, cooperative communication.
Fahrer und Verkehrsklima. Eine verkehrswissenschaftliche Untersuchung zu den Ursachen und Folgen von Emotionen im Strassenverkehr

Die Teilnahme am Strassenverkehr ist sehr haeufig mit dem Erleben positiver und negativer Emotionen verbunden, die zu Veraenderungen des Fahrerverhaltens fuehren (ruecksichtsloses beziehungsweise kooperatives Fahren). Die Arbeit untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen der personalen Dimension des Fahrererlebens und -verhaltens und den Auswirkungen auf der systemischen Dimension des Verkehrssystems (Verkehrsklima, Verkehrsfluss). Die emotions- und handlungsrelevanten Charakteristika der betrachteten Verkehrssituationen werden parametrisiert und durch Untersuchungen im Fahrsimulator quantifiziert. Durch die Betrachtung funktionaler Zusammenhaenge ist es moeglich, ein Fahrermodell des ruecksichtslosen beziehungsweise kooperativen Fahrers zu entwickeln. Auf dieser Grundlage kann zur Quantifizierung der verkehrlichen Auswirkungen des Fahrerverhaltens das Instrument der Verkehrssimulation verwendet werden. Die Arbeit erweitert somit die klassischen Verfahren zur Untersuchung des Fahrerverhaltens (Befragung, Experiment) um die Fahr- und Verkehrssimulation. (A)
Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 is associated with the presence and extent of coronary arteriosclerosis

Aging is associated with the progression of arteriosclerosis and the decline of several endocrine functions. We therefore investigated the association of coronary arteriosclerosis with hormones, the serum concentrations of which change during aging. Coronary angiograms of 189 men <70 years old were evaluated by 3 semiquantitative score systems to estimate the extent of focal and diffuse vessel wall alterations. Fasting sera were analyzed for levels of glucose, lipids, thyroid-stimulating hormone, insulin, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). After adjustment for age, body mass index, and waist-to-hip ratio, 92 patients with >/=1 stenoses >70% differed from 97 patients without such focal lesions by higher serum levels of glucose, total and LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein (apo) B, as well as by lower serum levels of IGFBP-3. Multivariate analyses revealed significant and independent correlations of all 3 coronary scores with LDL cholesterol (or apoB) and IGFBP-3; of 2 coronary scores with age, glucose, and insulin; and of 1 score with IGF-I. No significant correlations existed for waist-to-hip ratio (or body mass index) and DHEAS (or testosterone or SHBG). IGFBP-3 explained 9% to 14% and 3.5% to 10% of the variances of focal and diffuse lesions, respectively. In conclusion, IGFBP-3 and, with much less strength and consistency, insulin and IGF-I, but not markers of hypothyroidism, adrenopause, and andropause, have statistically significant and independent associations with coronary arteriosclerosis in men.
Coloring complete bipartite graphs from random lists

Let Kn,n be the complete bipartite graph with n vertices in each side. For each vertex draw uniformly at random a list of size k from a base set S of size s = s(n). In this paper we estimate the asymptotic probability of the existence of a proper coloring from the random lists for all fixed values of k and growing n. We show that this property exhibits a sharp threshold for k ≥ 2 and the location of the threshold is precisely s(n) = 2n for k = 2 and approximately $s(n)={{n}\over{2^{k-1}\ln 2}}$ for k ≥ 3. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 2006
Étude de l'influence du comportement des habitants sur la performance énergétique du bâtiment

Le comportement humain est modelise de maniere sommaire dans les logiciels de simulation energetique des bâtiments. Or son impact est considerable et il est a l'origine d'ecarts importants entre resultats de simulation et mesures in situ. Les occupants influencent les consommations d'energie des bâtiments par leur presence et leurs activites, les ouvertures/fermetures de fenetres, la gestion des dispositifs d'occultation, l'utilisation de l'eclairage artificiel et des appareils electriques, la gestion des consignes de chauffage et les puisages d'eau chaude sanitaire. La these propose une modelisation de l'occupation incluant l'ensemble de ces aspects suivant une approche stochastique statistique, pour les bâtiments residentiels et de bureaux. La construction des modeles fait appel a un grand nombre de donnees issues de campagnes de mesures, d'enquetes sociologiques et de la litterature scientifique. Le modele d'occupation propose est couple a l'outil de simulation thermique dynamique Pleiades+COMFIE. En propageant les incertitudes des facteurs du modele d'occupation et du modele thermique (enveloppe, climat, systemes), un intervalle de confiance des resultats de simulation peut etre estime, ouvrant ainsi la voie a un processus de garantie de performance energetique.
Fostering learner autonomy in language learning in tertiary education : an intervention study of university students in Hochiminh City, Vietnam

Learner autonomy is widely recognised as a desirable goal in tertiary education as it is found to comply with learner-centred approaches and enable students to pursue life-long learning (Sinclair, 2000a; Ciekanski, 2007). In language teaching and learning literature, it has become the main interest of researchers and practitioners who believe that learner autonomy can enhance students’ chance for success in learning a language. A great amount of research has been done to investigate various ways to foster learner autonomy in language teaching around the world (e.g., Benson, 2001; Breeze, 2002; Chan, 2001; Cotterall, 1995; Dam, 1995; Jing, 2006; Lo, 2010; L.C.T. Nguyen and Gu, 2013). However, learner autonomy is still widely considered a ‘western’ concept and much of the research has either been conducted in a western context or based on the western view of learner autonomy (Pierson, 1996, Sinclair, 2000a; Chan, 2001). This research aimed to gain more understanding of the development of learner autonomy in English language learning among students at a private university in Hochiminh city, Vietnam. The study has revealed that the major perception of learner autonomy in this Vietnamese context relates to ‘taking the initiative’ in learning, especially in selfstudy. The type of learner autonomy, as understood and practised by students in the context of Vietnamese tertiary education, has been argued to have the characteristics of Littlewood’s (1999) reactive autonomy. This finding lends itself to the application of Sinclair’s (2000a) teacher-guided/learner-decided approach to promoting learner autonomy. In other words, an integrated learner training programme (ILTP), which gradually developed students’ capacity to take more control in the learning process by providing them with metacognitive strategies for learning management, raising their awareness of themselves as learners and of the learning context, and encouraging them to explore the English language and its learning strategies, was perceived to foster the students’ willingness and enhance their ability to take the initiative in learning and create a habit of engaging more in self-directed learning. This study has also identified certain obstacles to promoting learner autonomy in Vietnam. In particular, the exam-oriented educational context poses significant challenges to both teachers and students in their efforts to promote autonomous learning. These difficulties include time constraints and a stringent syllabus. In addition to the contextual constraints, the large power distance between teachers and students in Vietnamese culture was also suggested to be a factor in hindering learner autonomy because it results in teacher reliance and an authoritarian view of the roles of teachers in the language classroom. This cultural trait, combined with the contextual constraints, seems to discourage teachers from giving students more control in the classroom and, at the same time, inhibits students from taking such control.
Melatonin Signaling Modulates Clock Genes Expression in the Mouse Retina

Previous studies have shown that retinal melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of retinal daily and circadian rhythms. Melatonin exerts its influence by binding to G-protein coupled receptors named melatonin receptor type 1 and type 2 and both receptors are present in the mouse retina. Earlier studies have shown that clock genes are rhythmically expressed in the mouse retina and melatonin signaling may be implicated in the modulation of clock gene expression in this tissue. In this study we determined the daily and circadian expression patterns of Per1, Per2, Bmal1, Dbp, Nampt and c-fos in the retina and in the photoreceptor layer (using laser capture microdissection) in C3H-f+/+ and in melatonin receptors of knockout (MT1 and MT2) of the same genetic background using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Our data indicated that clock and clock-controlled genes are rhythmically expressed in the retina and in the photoreceptor layer. Removal of melatonin signaling significantly affected the pattern of expression in the retina whereas in the photoreceptor layer only the Bmal1 circadian pattern of expression was affected by melatonin signaling removal. In conclusion, our data further support the notion that melatonin signaling may be important for the regulation of clock gene expression in the inner or ganglion cells layer, but not in photoreceptors.
Inhibition of the DevSR Two-Component System by Overexpression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PknB in Mycobacterium smegmatis

The DevSR (DosSR) two-component system, which is a major regulatory system involved in oxygen sensing in mycobacteria, plays an important role in hypoxic induction of many genes in mycobacteria. We demonstrated that overexpression of the kinase domain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) PknB inhibited transcriptional activity of the DevR response regulator in Mycobacterium smegmatis and that this inhibitory effect was exerted through phosphorylation of DevR on Thr180 within its DNA-binding domain. Moreover, the purified kinase domain of Mtb PknB significantly phosphorylated RegX3, NarL, KdpE, TrcR, DosR, and MtrA response regulators of Mtb that contain the Thr residues corresponding to Thr180 of DevR in their DNA-binding domains, implying that transcriptional activities of these response regulators might also be inhibited when the kinase domain of PknB is overexpressed.
Learning to Rank Using Classification and Gradient Boosting

We cast the ranking problem as (1) multiple classification (2) multiple ordinal classification, which lead to computationally tractable learning algorithms for relevance ranking in Web search. We consider the DCG criterion (discounted cumulative gain), a standard quality measure in information retrieval. Our approach is motivated by the fact that perfect classifications naturally result in perfect DCG scores and the DCG errors are bounded by classification errors. We propose using the Expected Relevance to convert the class probabilities into ranking scores. The class probabilities are learned using a gradient boosting tree algorithm. Evaluations on large-scale datasets show that our approach can improve LambdaRank [5] and the regressions-based ranker [6], in terms of the (normalized) DCG scores.
Herbal remedies: effects on clinical laboratory tests.

CONTEXT Complementary and alternative medicine (herbal medicines) can affect laboratory test results by several mechanisms. OBJECTIVE In this review, published reports on effects of herbal remedies on abnormal laboratory test results are summarized and commented on. DATA SOURCES All published reports between 1980 and 2005 with the key words herbal remedies or alternative medicine and clinical laboratory test, clinical chemistry test, or drug-herb interaction were searched through Medline. The authors' own publications were also included. Important results were then synthesized. DATA SYNTHESIS Falsely elevated or falsely lowered digoxin levels may be encountered in a patient taking digoxin and the Chinese medicine Chan Su or Dan Shen, owing to direct interference of a component of Chinese medicine with the antibody used in an immunoassay. St John's wort, a popular herbal antidepressant, increases clearance of many drugs, and abnormally low cyclosporine, digoxin, theophylline, or protease inhibitor concentrations may be observed in a patient taking any of these drugs in combination with St John's wort. Abnormal laboratory results may also be encountered owing to altered pathophysiology. Kava-kava, chaparral, and germander cause liver toxicity, and elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and bilirubin concentrations may be observed in a healthy individual taking such herbal products. An herbal product may be contaminated with a Western drug, and an unexpected drug level (such as phenytoin in a patient who never took phenytoin but took a Chinese herb) may confuse the laboratory staff and the clinician. CONCLUSIONS Use of alternative medicines may significantly alter laboratory results, and communication among pathologists, clinical laboratory scientists, and physicians providing care to the patient is important in interpreting these results.
Cost-effectiveness of varenicline compared with nicotine patches for smoking cessation--results from four European countries.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation in four European countries (Belgium, France, Sweden and the UK). METHODS Markov simulations, using the Benefits of Smoking Cessation on Outcomes (BENESCO) model, were performed. We simulated the incidence of four smoking-related morbidities: lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease and stroke. The model computes quality-adjusted life-years gained and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Incremental cost-utility ratios were calculated, adopting a lifetime perspective. Efficacy data were obtained from a randomized open-label trial: Week 52 continuous abstinence rates were 26.1% for varenicline and 20.3% for NRT. RESULTS The analyses imply that for countries analysed, smoking cessation using varenicline versus NRT was associated with reduced smoking-related morbidity and mortality. The number of morbidities avoided, per 1000 smokers attempting to quit, ranged from 9.7 in Belgium to 6.5 in the UK. The number of quality-adjusted life-years gained, per 1000 smokers, was 23 (Belgium); 19.5 (France); 29.9 (Sweden); and 23.7 (UK). In all base-case simulations (except France), varenicline dominated (more effective and cost saving) NRT regarding costs per quality-adjusted life-year gained; for France the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 2803. CONCLUSION This cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated that since varenicline treatment was more effective, the result was increased healthcare cost savings in Belgium, Sweden and the UK. Our results suggest that funding varenicline as a smoking cessation aid is justifiable from a healthcare resource allocation perspective.