Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection by polymerase chain reaction of Clostridium perfringens producing epsilon toxin in faeces and in gastrointestinal contents of goats

F.A. UZAL, J.J. PLUMB, L.L. BLACKALL, D. O'BOYLE AND W.R. KELLY. 1996. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the gene‐encoding epsilon toxin production in Clostridium perfringens types B and D in faeces and in gastrointestinal contents of goats. The samples were cultured in thioglycollate broth and centrifuged. The upper layer of the pellet was used as a template for PCR, obviating the need for DNA extraction. This technique specifically differentiated Cl. perfringens types B and D from Cl. perfringens types A and C and from Escherichia coli. When used to identify Cl. perfringens type D in samples artificially spiked with the micro‐organism, the PCR detected as few as 1.4 × 102 cfu g−1 of sample. Gastrointestinal contents and faeces were collected from 20 goats at slaughter and processed by PCR. Several positive results were obtained from the first five goats that were slaughtered and sampled a few days after their arrival at the abattoir, but only a few samples gave positive results during the following weeks, after the goats had been fed a concentrated ration containing monensin. A possible role of this drug in control of enterotoxaemia is suggested.
Artificial Intelligence: Application Today and Implications Tomorrow

This paper analyzes the applications of artificial intelligence to the legal industry, specifically in the fields of legal research and contract drafting. First, it will look at the implications of artificial intelligence (A.I.) for the current practice of law. Second, it will delve into the future implications of A.I. on law firms and the possible regulatory challenges that come with A.I. The proliferation of A.I. in the legal sphere will give laymen (clients) access to the information and services traditionally provided exclusively by attorneys. With an increase in access to these services will come a change in the role that lawyers must play. A.I. is a tool that will increase access to cheaper and more efficient services, but non-lawyers lack the training to analyze and understand information it puts out. The role of lawyers will change to fill this role, namely utilizing these tools to create a better work product with greater efficiency for their clients.
Strengthening of synchronized activity by tetanic stimulation in cortical cultures: application of planar electrode arrays

Rat cortical neurons were cultured on planar electrode arrays with 64 embedded electrodes. Whole-cell recording from single neurons and multisite extracellular recording were carried out simultaneously in the cultured cortical networks, and the effects of focal tetanic stimulation of the culture were studied. Both the number of action potentials and the propagation velocity of stimulated bursts were increased after tetanic stimulation. These changes were associated with a marked increase in the number of late components in the synaptic current, but with little or no increase in the early peak synaptic current. The effects of tetanic stimulation were consistent with a widespread increase in the reliability of monosynaptic transmission.
Ultrasonic imaging

In the thirty years since US imaging became technically feasible, rapid progress is very recent and has occurred in the fields of obstetrics, cancer diagnostics and heart diagnostics. The advantages of US compared with X-ray methods are discussed and the two computerised methods of producing pulse-echo images by transducer scanning are described. Photographic records are presented illustrating a pregnancy, a liver tumour and a human heart exhibiting mitral stenosis.
Gene Profiling Analysis of the Early Effects of Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment on Human Skin

BACKGROUND The use of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser‐mediated ablative fractional resurfacing (AFR) is currently under extensive clinical investigation, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are unclear. OBJECTIVES To determine the early expressed genes that are upregulated in human skin after treatment using a CO2 fractional laser. METHODS Whole human skin was irradiated using an AFR CO2 laser, and changes in gene expression after 2 and 24 hours were analyzed using microarray analysis. The results were validated using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to investigate the expression of the validated proteins after AFR CO2 laser treatment of skin that had been biopsied from seven Korean patients. RESULTS Gene expression profiling showed that the most significantly upregulated genes in these skin samples were those encoding Wnt5a, cysteine‐rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61), and heat shock protein (HSP) 90. These results were confirmed using real‐time RT‐PCR and LSCM. CONCLUSIONS Irradiation using an AFR laser may induce the expression of Wnt5a, CYR61, and HSP90 in human skin during the early remodeling phases, suggesting that the induction of proteins may be the preceding event that is associated with the clinical effects of laser treatment.
Elastosis in breast carcinoma: II. Association of protease inhibitors with immature elastic fibres

The elastosis of 11 invasive ductal and infiltrative lobular carcinomas of the breast was specifically immunostained for the plasma protease inhibitors alpha‐1 antitrypsin, alpha‐1 antichymotrypsin, alpha‐2 macroglobulin, inter alpha trypsin inhibitor and C1 esterase inhibitor. None of these components was detected in the elastic fibres of normal ducts or blood vessels in the breast. The elastosis in breast carcinomas was also stained by Concanavalin A and Triticum vulgaris lectins. Such lectin staining probably represents binding to the microfibrillar component of elastic fibres, which is increased in immature elastic fibres, thus suggesting that the elastotic fibres of breast carcinoma are recently synthesised. It is suggested that the presence of protease inhibitors may influence the metabolism of elastic fibres, facilitating elastic fibre proliferation by the inhibition of elastinolytic enzymes.
The effect of hydrodynamic conditions on the phenotype of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms

Abstract This study investigated the phenotypic characteristics of monoculture P. fluorescens biofilms grown under turbulent and laminar flow, using flow cells reactors with stainless steel substrata. The cellular physiology and the overall biofilm activity, structure and composition were characterized, and compared, within hydrodynamically distinct conditions. The results indicate that turbulent flow-generated biofilm cells were significantly less extensive, with decreased metabolic activity and a lower protein and polysaccharides composition per cell than those from laminar flow-generated biofilms. The effect of flow regime did not cause significantly different outer membrane protein expression. From the analysis of biofilm activity, structure and composition, turbulent flow-generated biofilms were metabolically more active, had twice more mass per cm2, and higher cellular density and protein content (mainly cellular) than laminar flow-generated biofilms. Conversely, laminar flow-generated biofilms presented higher total and matrix polysaccharide contents. Direct visualisation and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that these different flows generate structurally different biofilms, corroborating the quantitative results. The combination of applied methods provided useful information regarding a broad spectrum of biofilm parameters, which can contribute to control and model biofilm processes.
Incidental Acute Infarcts Identified on Diffusion-Weighted Images: A University Hospital-Based Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pathogenesis of leukoaraiosis is incompletely understood and accumulation of small infarctions may be one of the possible sources of such white matter lesions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the rate of incident infarction as depicted on diffusion-weighted images (DWIs) obtained from a general patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the 4-year study period, a total of 60 patients (36 men and 24 women) had an incidental DWI-defined infarction without overt clinical symptoms suggestive of a stroke or a transient ischemic attack. All of the MR images were obtained by using a similar protocol on 2 identical 1.5T whole-body scanners. The patient's vascular risk factors, as well as the presence of white matter lesions (WMLs) on MR imaging and atheromatous changes on MR angiography, were assessed retrospectively. The incidental DWI-defined infarcts were also characterized in terms of their lateralization, lobe, and specific location. RESULTS: A total of 16,206 consecutive brain MR images were done during the study period; the overall incidence of incidental infarcts was 0.37%. Most of these patients with an incidental infarct had vascular risk factors and WMLs on MR images. Most of these patients (80%) had a single lesion on DWI. A total of 88 lesions were identified; most were located in the white matter of the supratentorial brain, primarily in the frontoparietal lobes. There were also lesions involving the brain stem (n = 2). The lesions involving cerebrum were more commonly located in the right side (right to left = 52:34). CONCLUSION: Small, DWI-defined acute brain infarctions can be found incidentally in an asymptomatic population; this finding may account, at least in part, for the pathogenesis of WMLs identified on MR imaging.
Role of the Drosophila EGF receptor in determination of the dorsoventral domains of escargot expression during primary neurogenesis

Background : Primary neurogenesis in the central nervous system of insects and vertebrates occurs in three dorsoventral domains in each side of the neuroectoderm. Among the three dorsoventral domains of the Drosophila neuroectoderm, the medial and lateral columns express the zinc‐finger gene escargot (esg), whereas the intermediate column does not. We studied esg expression as a probe to investigate the mechanism of neuroectoderm patterning.
Structure and development of Medicago truncatula pod wall and seed coat.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Medicago truncatula has gained much attention as a genomic model species for legume biology, but little is known about the morphology of its pods and seeds. Structural and developmental characteristics of M. truncatula pod walls and seed coats are presented. METHODS Plants of M. truncatula ecotype A17 were grown under controlled conditions in a greenhouse. Flowers were date-tagged at anthesis, so that pods of known age could be collected. Harvested pods were fixed and sectioned for light microscopy. Structural attributes of pod walls and seed coats were characterized at four time points throughout early to mid-stages of pod development (3, 6, 13 and 20 d post-pollination). KEY RESULTS Basic features of the pod wall are an exocarp comprised of a single epidermal layer, a mesocarp with seven to 14 layers of parenchyma cells, and an endocarp composed of an inner epidermal cell layer and three to five layers of sclerenchyma cells adjacent to it. Vascular bundles are abundant in the pod wall and include one lateral carpellary bundle, one median carpellary bundle and nine to 12 vascular bundles, all embedded within the mesocarp parenchyma. Seed coat features include an epidermal layer of macrosclereids, a sub-epidermal layer of osteosclereids, and two to five rows of internal parenchyma cells. The hilar region contains the tracheid bar and the chalazal vascular bundle, the latter of which expands to form only two short branches. CONCLUSIONS This characterization provides a needed understanding of pod structure and development in this model legume, and should facilitate various molecular investigations into legume fruit and seed biology.
Enhancing Information Accessibility of Publications with Text Mining and Ontology

We present an ongoing effort on utilizing text mining methods and existing biological ontologies to help readers to access the information contained in the scientific articles. Our approach includes using multiple strategies for biological entity detection and using association analysis on extracted analysis. The entity extraction processes utilizes regular expression rules, ontologies, and keyword dictionary to get a comprehensive list of biological entities. In addition to extract list of entities, we also apply natural language processing and association analysis techniques to generate inferences among entities and comparing to known relations documented in the existing ontologies. Keywords—component; Information systems applications; Ontology; Text Mining; Association Analysis
Lamprey as an evo‐devo model: Lessons from comparative embryology and molecular phylogenetics

Lamprey, the living jawless vertebrate, has been regarded as one of the most primitive groups of vertebrates. The evolutionary phylogenetic position of the lamprey promises to provide hints about the origin of the vertebrate genome as well as the origin of the body plan, a part of which may be written in the genome. Since the lamprey split from the gnathostome lineage early in the history of vertebrates, the shared developmental mechanisms in lampreys and gnathostomes can be regarded as possessed by the hypothetical common ancestor of these animals, whereas the gnathostome‐specific developmental mechanisms that are absent from lampreys indicate that they are relatively new, added to the developmental program only after the split of gnathostomes. Thus, the sequential establishment of the gnathostome body plan is inherently related to the history of genomic duplication events. In this review, recent molecular developmental and evolutionary molecular research on the living lampreys are summarized and discussed, taking vertebrate comparative morphology and embryology into consideration. genesis 34:175–183, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
LA ENSEÑANZA DE LAS CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EDUCACIÓN AMBIENTAL EN LAS INSTITUCIONES EDUCATIVAS OFICIALES DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE NARIÑO

En este articulo se da cuenta del trabajo de investigacion titulado “La ensenanza de las ciencias naturales y educacion ambiental en las instituciones educativas oficiales del departamento de Narino” y adelantado por el GIDEP Categoria “C” COLCIENCIAS, a lo largo de los anos 2007 y 2008. Surge de una preocupacion por reconocer la realidad de la vida en las escuelas desde el significado y el sentido que le otorgan profesores y estudiantes a la ensenanza, aprendizaje y construccion de conocimiento en el area de ciencias naturales y educacion ambiental. Se partio del interes explicito por investigar y reflexionar acerca de las concepciones, y creencias tanto de profesores como de estudiantes sobre ciencias y, sus relaciones con las diferentes acciones pedagogicas y didacticas. Asi se encontro que estos llegan a la escuela con unas concepciones que traen implicitas, no solo los vacios y dificultades, sino tambien los anhelos, suenos y potencialidades asociados a los procesos de educacion en ciencias en contextos especificos, en este caso en catorce instituciones educativas oficiales del departamento de Narino. Fue una experiencia que llevo a determinar ? Que piensan? Que escriben en sus planes de area? y ? Que hacen en los procesos: didacticos, de pensamiento y accion profesores y estudiantes? , como punto de partida para emprender una accion colectiva de cambio e innovacion, desde una concepcion metodologica de investigacion accion flexible, desde su vertiente educativa, para develar las concepciones y acciones, que determinan la forma de acceder al conocimiento, de aprender y ensenar en la escuela.
FUNDUS AUTOFLUORESCENCE LIFETIMES AND CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY

Purpose: To quantify retinal fluorescence lifetimes in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and to identify disease specific lifetime characteristics over the course of disease. Methods: Forty-seven participants were included in this study. Patients with central serous chorioretinopathy were imaged with fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) and compared with age-matched controls. Retinal autofluorescence was excited using a 473-nm blue laser light and emitted fluorescence light was detected in 2 distinct wavelengths channels (498–560 nm and 560–720 nm). Clinical features, mean retinal autofluorescence lifetimes, autofluorescence intensity, and corresponding optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were further analyzed. Results: Thirty-five central serous chorioretinopathy patients with a mean visual acuity of 78 ETDRS letters (range, 50–90; mean Snellen equivalent: 20/32) and 12 age-matched controls were included. In the acute stage of central serous chorioretinopathy, retinal fluorescence lifetimes were shortened by 15% and 17% in the respective wavelength channels. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that fluorescence lifetimes were significantly influenced by the disease duration (P < 0.001) and accumulation of photoreceptor outer segments (P = 0.03) but independent of the presence or absence of subretinal fluid. Prolonged central macular autofluorescence lifetimes, particularly in eyes with retinal pigment epithelial atrophy, were associated with poor visual acuity. Conclusion: This study establishes that autofluorescence lifetime changes occurring in central serous chorioretinopathy exhibit explicit patterns which can be used to estimate perturbations of the outer retinal layers with a high degree of statistical significance.
Pathogenicity of a Hong Kong–Origin H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus for Emus, Geese, Ducks, and Pigeons

SUMMARY. The H5N1 type A influenza viruses that emerged in Hong Kong in 1997 are a unique lineage of type A influenza viruses with the capacity to transmit directly from chickens to humans and produce significant disease and mortality in both of these hosts. The objective of this study was to ascertain the susceptibility of emus (Dramaius novaehollandiae), domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus), domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), and pigeons (Columba livia) to intranasal (i.n.) inoculation with the A/chicken/Hong Kong/220/97 (H5N1) highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. No mortality occurred within 10 days postinoculation (DPI) in the four species investigated, and clinical disease, evident as neurologic dysfunction, was observed exclusively in emus and geese. Grossly, pancreatic mottling and splenomegaly were identified in these two species. In addition, the geese had cerebral malacia and thymic and bursal atrophy. Histologically, both the emus and geese developed pancreatitis, meningoencephalitis, and mild myocarditis. Influenza viral antigen was demonstrated in areas with histologic lesions up to 10 DPI in the geese. Virus was reisolated from oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and from the lung, brain, and kidney of the emus and geese. Moderate splenomegaly was observed grossly in the ducks. Viral infection of the ducks was pneumotropic, as evidenced by mild inflammatory lesions in the respiratory tract and virus reisolation from oropharyngeal swabs and from a lung. Pigeons were resistant to HK/220 infection, lacking gross and histologic lesions, viral antigen, and reisolation of virus. These results imply that emus and geese are susceptible to i.n. inoculation with the HK/220 virus, whereas ducks and pigeons are more resistant. These latter two species probably played a minimal epidemiologic role in the perpetuation of the H5N1 Hong Kong–origin influenza viruses.
Attachment, spreading and short-term proliferation of human osteoblastic cells cultured on chitosan films with different degrees of acetylation

Chitosan (Ch) is being actively investigated as a non-protein template for the growth of an increasing number of anchorage-dependent cells, including chondrocytes and bone cells. In the present work, Ch films with degrees of N-acetylation (DAs) in the range of 4 to 49% were evaluated with respect to the attachment, spreading and short-term proliferation of osteoblasts, using human osteoblastic MG-63 cells. The films were characterized in terms of surface morphology and surface charge by atomic force microscopy and streaming potential measurements, respectively. Cell attachment was assessed after 3 and 24 h of cell culture. After 24 h of incubation, cell attachment was found to be dependent on the DA, lower DAs favouring cell adhesion. With time, cell spreading and cytoskeleton organization were only attained for DAs ≤ 13%. Regarding cell proliferation, cells grown on films with the lowest DA (4%) revealed a higher specific growth rate as compared to those grown on films with higher DAs. Films with a DA of 49% failed to sustain cell proliferation. In addition, a longer lag-phase was observed on Ch, as compared to TCPS, in accordance to an observed delay of cell spreading. The present findings revealed that differences in the DA as small as 9% may be critical in terms of the osteoblast response to two-dimensional Ch-based matrices.
Comprehensive optimization for energy loss reduction in distribution networks

An efficient method for capacitor placement and network reconfiguration is presented in this paper to reduce energy loss in distribution networks over intervals of time. The concept of system state characterization and its relevant algorithm are introduced in order to develop a general, analytical method for solving network reconfiguration and capacitor placement problems and determining the conditions for energy loss minimization. Consequently, the computational effort required in solving such large-scale dynamic optimization problems is decreased greatly by converting the original problems into some simpler static optimization problems with appropriate linearization and stepwise correction idea. Based on sensitivity analysis, loop-analysis and superimpose theorem, the problem formulations are set in a realistic and robust framework so that the method is applicable to various electrical networks with complete or incomplete measurement allocations. A case study of IEEE 33-bus system demonstrates the rationality and validity of strategies proposed in this paper, and the results illustrate that this approach has a substantial reduction in computational expense while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
Assessment Of Regional Biomass-soil Relationships Using Vegetation Indexes

The development of photosynthetic active biomass in different ecological conditions, as indicated by normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVIs) is compared by performing a stratified sampling (based on soil assocations) on data acquired over Indiana. Data from the NOAA-10 AVHRR were collected for the 1987 and 1988 growing seasons. An NDVI transformation was performed using the two optical bands of the sensor (0.58-0.68 microns and 0.72-1.10 microns). The NDVI is related to the amount of active photosynthetic biomass present on the ground. Samples of NDVI values over 45 fields representing eight soil associations throughout Indiana were collected to assess the effect of soil conditions and acquisition date on the spectral response of the vegetation, as shown by the NDVIs. Statistical analysis of results indicate that land-cover types (forest, forest/pasture, and crops), soil texture, and soil water-holding capacity have an important effect on vegetation biomass changes as measured by AVHRR data. Acquisition dates should be selected with condideration of the phenological stages of vegetation. Sampling of AVHRR data over extended areas should be stratified according to physiographic units rather than man-made boundaries. This will provide more homogeneous samples for statistical analysis.