Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of chitosan–silver nanocomposite films and their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus

In this work different variables have been analyzed in order to optimize the bactericidal properties of chitosan films loaded with silver nanoparticles. The goal was to achieve complete elimination of antibiotic resistant and biofilm forming strains of Staphylococcus aureus after short contact times. The films were produced by solution casting using chitosan as both a stabilizing and reducing agent for the in situ synthesis of embedded silver nanoparticles. We have applied an innovative approach: the influence of the chitosan molecular weight and its deacetylation degree (DD) were analyzed together with the influence of the bacterial concentration and contact time. The best results were obtained with high DD chitosan where a fast reduction was favored; leading to smaller nanoparticles (nucleation is promoted), and a sufficiently high polymer viscosity prevented the resulting nanoparticles from undesired agglomeration. In addition, for the first time, potential detachment of the silver nanoparticles from the films was evaluated and neglected, demonstrating that uncontrolled release of silver nanoparticles from the chitosan films is prevented. The influence of the ionic silver released from the films, silver loading, nanoparticle sizes, contact, and initial number of bacteria was also analyzed to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the strong bactericidal action observed.
Effect of Lamotrigine on Dopamine Dependent Behaviours in Rats

Lamotrigine is an antiepileptic drug which by inhibiting voltage dependent sodium channels inhibits release of glutamate. Thus Dopaminergic system is removed from inhibitory influence of glutamate, causing increase in levels of dopamine in striatum resulting in stereotyped behavior (SB) or abolition of catalepsy in animals. Objectives of our study were to study the effect of Lamotrigine (LTG)on dopamine dependent behaviours in rats and compare its intensity with effects produced by Dexamphetamine (DAM) and Apomorphine (APO), to study the effect of pretreatment of HAL on SB induced by LTG. and to study effect of LTG on catalepsy induced by HAL. We also did similar pretreatments with APO and DAM which we have used as reference drugs. We used albino rats of either sex (120-180 g) by random distribution in group of 10 animals each. Intensity of SB and catalepsy is assessed by Costall and Naylor scoring system. Our results indicate that, LTG produced (SB) at 5,10,20 and 40 mg/kg . Which is less in intensity than 1.5 , 3mg/kg of APO and 5 , 10 mg/kg of DAM. This SB was abolished by HAL at 0.25 and 0.50 mg/kg, therefore we state that Lamotrigine produces SB by releasing dopamine and on weight basis LTG is less potent in antagonizing haloperidol induced catalepsy as compared to DAM and APO. Keywords: Apomorphine, catalepsy, Dexamphetamine, Haloperidol, Lamotrigine, stereotype.
In Vivo Selection of a Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Variant That Affects Recognition of the GP33-43 Epitope by H-2Db but Not H-2Kb

ABSTRACT CD8 T cells drive the protective immune response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection and are thus a determining force in the selection of viral variants. To examine how escape mutations affect the presentation and recognition of overlapping T-cell epitopes, we isolated an LCMV variant that is not recognized by T-cell receptor (TCR)-transgenic H-2Db-restricted LCMV GP33-41-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The variant virus carried a single-amino-acid substitution (valine to alanine) at position 35 of the viral glycoprotein. This region of the LCMV glycoprotein encodes both the Db-restricted GP33-43 epitope and a second epitope (GP34-42) presented by the Kb molecule. We determined that the V-to-A CTL escape mutant failed to induce a Db GP33-43-specific CTL response and that Db-restricted GP33-43-specific CTL induced by the wild-type LCMV strain were unable to kill target cells infected with the variant LCMV strain. In contrast, the Kb-restricted response was much less affected. We found that the V-to-A substitution severely impaired peptide binding to Db but not to Kb molecules. Strikingly, the V-to-A mutation did not change any of the anchor residues, and the dramatic effect on binding was therefore unexpected. The strong decrease in Db binding explains why the variant virus escapes the DbGP33-43-specific response but still elicits the Kb-restricted response. These findings also illustrate that mutations within regions encoding overlapping T-cell epitopes can differentially affect the presentation and recognition of individual epitopes.
A Young Drosophila Duplicate Gene Plays Essential Roles in Spermatogenesis by Regulating Several Y-Linked Male Fertility Genes

Gene duplication is supposed to be the major source for genetic innovations. However, how a new duplicate gene acquires functions by integrating into a pathway and results in adaptively important phenotypes has remained largely unknown. Here, we investigated the biological roles and the underlying molecular mechanism of the young kep1 gene family in the Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup to understand the origin and evolution of new genes with new functions. Sequence and expression analysis demonstrates that one of the new duplicates, nsr (novel spermatogenesis regulator), exhibits positive selection signals and novel subcellular localization pattern. Targeted mutagenesis and whole-transcriptome sequencing analysis provide evidence that nsr is required for male reproduction associated with sperm individualization, coiling, and structural integrity of the sperm axoneme via regulation of several Y chromosome fertility genes post-transcriptionally. The absence of nsr-like expression pattern and the presence of the corresponding cis-regulatory elements of the parental gene kep1 in the pre-duplication species Drosophila yakuba indicate that kep1 might not be ancestrally required for male functions and that nsr possibly has experienced the neofunctionalization process, facilitated by changes of trans-regulatory repertories. These findings not only present a comprehensive picture about the evolution of a new duplicate gene but also show that recently originated duplicate genes can acquire multiple biological roles and establish novel functional pathways by regulating essential genes.
Third international workshop on search-driven development: users, infrastructure, tools, and evaluation (SUITE 2011)

SUITE is a workshop that focuses on exploring the notion of search as a fundamental activity during software development. The first two editions of SUITE were held at ICSE 2009/2010 [1, 2], and they have focused on the building of a research community that brings researchers and practioners who are interested in the research areas that SUITE addresses. While this thrid workshop continues the effort of community building, it puts more focus on addressing directly some of the urgent issues identified by previous two workshops, encouraging researchers to contribute to and take advantage of common datasets that we have started assembling for SUITE research.
Response Style and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Review

ABSTRACT Response style is an important issue that is often not addressed when assessing or treating patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this paper, various response styles are discussed along with their relevance to clinical work and research with PTSD patients. Two of the most prevalent measures of response style, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) scales are evaluated for use in assessing for PTSD. In addition, the Trauma Symptom Inventory's potential for use in evaluating response style is briefly discussed. Implications for future work and directions for future investigation are outlined.
Pathogenesis of the vitreous cloud emanating from subretinal hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE To determine the cellular mechanism that allows subretinal hemorrhage to cloud the vitreous. METHODS We simulated subretinal hemorrhage in a rabbit model by injecting autologous blood beneath the retina. At the first appearance of a cloud in the vitreous a vitrectomy was performed and using a surgical microscope, the retina was searched for breaks. After enucleation and fixation, the retina was searched for microscopic breaks using light and electron microscopy. The vitreous was then examined to determine the character of the cell population in the cloud. In a related study, we sampled and examined the vitreous for its cellular content in patients undergoing vitrectomy to clear cloudy vitreous emanating from subretinal hemorrhage. RESULTS We found no breaks in the living retina of the animal models or the patients. Microscopic examination of serial sections of the rabbit retina revealed necrosis except for the internal limiting membrane. Fragments of the erythrocytes were seen within the damaged retina and on both sides of the internal limiting membrane. Electron microscopy suggested that the erythrocytic fragments had migrated across the internal limiting membrane. The vitreous cloud in both rabbits and patients contained only fragments of erythrocytes. CONCLUSIONS Thick subretinal hemorrhage causes necrosis of the overlying retina. Fragments of the erythrocytes infiltrate the retina and cross an intact internal limiting membrane to cloud the vitreous. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Rapid necrosis of the retina occurs over thick subretinal hemorrhage and indicates the need for early displacement of the hemorrhage from the macula if function is to be preserved and breakthrough prevented.
Is Content Really King? An Objective Analysis of the Public's Response to Medical Videos on YouTube

Medical educators and patients are turning to YouTube to teach and learn about medical conditions. These videos are from authors whose credibility cannot be verified & are not peer reviewed. As a result, studies that have analyzed the educational content of YouTube have reported dismal results. These studies have been unable to exclude videos created by questionable sources and for non-educational purposes. We hypothesize that medical education YouTube videos, authored by credible sources, are of high educational value and appropriately suited to educate the public. Credible videos about cardiovascular diseases were identified using the Mayo Clinic's Center for Social Media Health network. Content in each video was assessed by the presence/absence of 7 factors. Each video was also evaluated for understandability using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM). User engagement measurements were obtained for each video. A total of 607 videos (35 hours) were analyzed. Half of all videos contained 3 educational factors: treatment, screening, or prevention. There was no difference between the number of educational factors present & any user engagement measurement (p NS). SAM scores were higher in videos whose content discussed more educational factors (p<0.0001). However, none of the user engagement measurements correlated with higher SAM scores. Videos with greater educational content are more suitable for patient education but unable to engage users more than lower quality videos. It is unclear if the notion “content is king” applies to medical videos authored by credible organizations for the purposes of patient education on YouTube.
Calcineurin‐dependent cardiomyopathy is activated by TRPC in the adult mouse heart

The manner in which Ca2+‐sensitive signaling proteins are activated in contracting cardiomyocytes is an intriguing theoretical problem given that the cytoplasm is continually bathed with systolic Ca2+ concentrations that should maximally activate most Ca2+‐sensitive signaling kinases and phosphatases. Store‐operated Ca2+ entry, partially attributed to transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins, can mediate activation of the Ca2+‐sensitive phosphatase calcineurin in nonexcitable cells. Here we investigated the gain‐of‐function phenotype associated with TRPC3 expression in the mouse heart using transgenesis to examine the potential role of store‐operated Ca2+ entry in regulating cardiac calcineurin activation and ensuing hypertrophy/myopathy. Adult myocytes isolated from TRPC3 transgenic mice showed abundant store‐operated Ca2+ entry that was inhibited with SKF96365 but not verapamil or KB‐R7943. Associated with this induction in store‐operated Ca2+ entry, TRPC3 transgenic mice showed increased calcineurin‐nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activation in vivo, cardiomyopathy, and increased hypertrophy after neuroendocrine agonist or pressure overload stimulation. The cardiomyopathic phenotype and increased hypertrophy after pressure overload stimulation were blocked by targeted disruption of the calcineurin Aβ gene. Thus, enhanced store‐operated Ca2+ entry in the heart can regulate calcineurin‐NFAT signaling in vivo, which could secondarily impact the hypertrophic response and cardiomyopathy. —Nakayama, H. , Wilkin, B. J., Bodi, I. , Molkentin, J. D. Calcineurin‐dependent cardiomyopathy is activated by TRPC in the adult mouse heart. FASEB J. 20, 1660–1670 (2006)
Bifurcation and control for a discrete-time prey–predator model with Holling-IV functional response

The dynamics of a discrete-time predator-prey model with Holling-IV functional response are investigated. It is shown that the model undergoes a flip bifurcation, a Hopf bifurcation and a saddle-node bifurcation by using the center manifold theorem and bifurcation theory. Numerical simulations not only exhibit our results with the theoretical analysis, but also show the complex dynamical behaviors, such as the period-3, 6, 9, 12, 20, 63, 70, 112 orbits, a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations in period-2, 4, 8, 16, quasi-periodic orbits, an attracting invariant circle, an inverse period-doubling bifurcation from the period-32 orbit leading to chaos and a boundary crisis, a sudden onset of chaos and a sudden disappearance of the chaotic dynamics, attracting chaotic sets and non-attracting sets. We also observe that when the prey is in chaotic dynamics the predator can tend to extinction or to a stable equilibrium. Specifically, we stabilize the chaotic orbits at an unstable fixed point by using OGY chaotic control.
Verification of effective reactive power reserve with respect to reactive power load demands in the power system

Voltage instability usually occurs when the power systems are heavily stressed. In addition, the voltage instability is associated with not meeting the reactive power demands because of limitations on the production and transmission of reactive power. It may or may not be initiated by a disruption, but is usually characterized by shortage of fast-acting reactive power reserves. Reactive power reserves can be classified according to the load's and the generation's perspective. In terms of loads, the focus is on the margins to collapse while from the generation point of view, the focus is on the amount and value of reserves. This paper defines a improved reactive power reserve from generation's perspective called as. The Effective Var (Q) Reserve'. Conventional reactive power reserve is measured by the difference between the maximum reactive power considering the generator's capability curve and the current reactive power of generator. However, all generators could not affect on the whole power system. Thus, the effective reactive power reserve is computed by sensitivity based on generator reactive power outputs and reactive power loads. The effective reactive power reserve is verified using static and dynamic simulation in the test system and the Korean power system.
Le management des firmes multinationales

Les firmes multinationales jouent un role moteur dans le processus de mondialisation et contribuent de maniere significative a la creation de richesses dans les economies nationales. Aujourd'hui, on denombre pres de 82.000 firmes multinationales qui possedent quelques 810.000 filiales dans divers pays. Dans un environnement en mutation acceleree, les firmes multinationales doivent trouver de nouveaux modes de management afin d'ameliorer leur competitivite globale. Ce livre offre une vision innovante et actualisee des pratiques manageriales adoptees par les firmes multinationales. L'analyse proposee met en relief la diversite des reponses qu'elles apportent aux defis lies a la globalisation des marches. Les auteurs s'interessent a la complexite de l'organisation interne des firmes multinationales, notamment a la gestion des relations siege-filiales, mais aussi a la performance des partenariats et reseaux qu'elles forment avec des acteurs d'autres pays. Dans cet ouvrage, les membres de l'axe " Management international " du Centre de Recherche Magellan, IAE Lyon, Universite Jean Moulin Lyon 3 presentent les resultats de leurs investigations menees sur le management des firmes multinationales. Les explications sont illustrees par des donnees chiffrees, des exemples d'entreprises et des etudes de cas comme Accor, Alcatel-Lucent, Credit Agricole, Danone, EADS, GL Events, Google, Renault, SEB et Societe Generale.
Behavioral/systems/cognitive Perceptual Fusion and Stimulus Coincidence in the Cross- Modal Integration of Speech

Human speech perception is profoundly influenced by vision. Watching a speaker's mouth movements significantly improves comprehension , both for normal listeners in noisy environments and especially for the hearing impaired. A number of brain regions have been implicated in audiovisual speech tasks, but little evidence distinguishes them functionally. In an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we differentiate neural systems that evaluate cross-modal coincidence of the physical stimuli from those that mediate perceptual binding. Regions consistently involved in perceptual fusion per se included Heschl's gyrus, superior temporal sulcus, middle intraparietal sulcus, and inferior frontal gyrus. Successful fusion elicited activity biased toward the left hemisphere, although failed cross-modal binding recruited regions in both hemispheres. A broad network of other areas, including the superior colliculus, anterior insula, and anterior intraparietal sulcus, were more involved with evaluating the spatiotemporal correspondence of speech stimuli, regardless of a subject's perception. All of these showed greater activity to temporally offset stimuli than to audiovisually synchronous stimuli. Our results demonstrate how elements of the cross-modal speech integration network differ in their sensitivity to physical reality versus perceptual experience.
Modelling radiation-induced chromosome aberrations

Purpose : To review the data and models on the induction of chromosomal aberrations by a single acute dose of radiation, then critically to assess progress that has been made so far to make a judgement about prospects for increased understanding. Materials and methods : Drawing upon many years of personal experience, a consistent set of data on the radiation-induced dicentric yield in human lymphocytes was produced. Other data concerning the production of complex rearrangements and the time-course of the appearance of dicentrics has also been reviewed. Three basic models have been reviewed and compared with respect to their ability to predict the judged dose-effect relationships as well as the time-course and complexity of the aberration production. Conclusions : None of the three basic models alone can explain adequately all of the available data. A combination of the models has succeeded to a greater extent, but there is still no complete agreement. The major reason for the discrepancy between the measured yield curves and their predictions lies in the variation of the quadratic term in the dose-response relationship with increasing linear energy transfer. Further experimental work is required to resolve this.
Citizens’ Conceptualizations of Democracy

Empirical evidence of how citizens around the world understand democracy highlights the predominance of the liberal model of democracy. Yet the existence of a dominant view does not mean that all citizens in every nation exclusively endorse a liberal conceptualization. Hence, this article asks whether public beliefs about the meaning of democracy affect people’s political attitudes and behaviors. Using data from the 2006–2007 Latin American Public Opinion Project AmericasBarometer surveys, the author develops a taxonomy to categorize democratic conceptualizations in terms of structural complexity and substantive content. The author then examines the effects of the structure and substance of democratic conceptualizations on attitudes toward democracy and on patterns of political participation. Findings indicate that variance in the structure of citizens’ democratic conceptualizations brings several effects on political attitudes and behaviors. As to the substantive content of democratic conceptualizations, conceiving of democracy in terms other than liberty influences numerous aspects of citizens’ attitudes and behaviors.
A Diagenesis Model for Geomechanical Simulations: Formulation and Implications for Pore Pressure and Development of Geological Structures

Forward basin modeling is routinely used in many geological applications, with the critical limitation that chemical diagenetic reactions are often neglected or poorly represented. Here, a new, temperature‐dependent, kinetic diagenesis model is formulated and implemented within a hydromechanical framework. The model simulates the macroscopic effects of diagenesis on (1) porosity loss, (2) sediment strength, (3) sediment stiffness and compressibility, (4) change in elastic properties, (5) increase in tensile strength due to cementation, and (6) overpressure generation. A brief overview of the main diagenetic reactions relevant to basin modeling is presented and the model calibration procedure is demonstrated using published data for the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. The calibrated model is used to show the implications of diagenesis on prediction of overpressure development and structural deformation. The incorporation of diagenesis in a uniaxial burial model results in an increase in overpressure of up to 9 MPa due to both stress‐independent porosity loss and overpressure generated by disequilibrium compaction caused by a reduction in permeability. Finally, a compressional model is used to show that the incorporation of diagenesis within geomechanical models allows the transition from ductile to brittle behavior to be captured due to the increase in strength that results in an overconsolidated stress state. This is illustrated by comparison of the present‐day structures predicted by a geomechanical‐only model, where a ductile fold forms, and a geomechanical model accounting for diagenesis in which a brittle thrust structure is predicted.
Design Considerations for High Fan-In Systems: The HiFi Approach

Advances in data acquisition and sensor technologies are leading towards the development of “high fan-in” architectures: widely distributed systems whose edges consist of numerous receptors such as sensor networks, RFID readers, or probes, and whose interior nodes are traditional host computers organized using the principles of cascading streams and successive aggregation. Examples include RFID-enabled supply chain management, largescale environmental monitoring, and various types of network and computing infrastructure monitoring. In this paper, we identify the key characteristics and data management challenges presented by high fan-in systems, and argue for a uniform, query-based approach towards addressing them. We then present our initial design concepts behind HiFi, the system we are building to embody these ideas, and describe a proof-of-concept prototype.