Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of methylamine and monodansylcadaverine on the susceptibility of McCoy cells to Chlamydia trachomatis infection

We used inhibitors of receptor-mediated endocytosis to study the mechanisms of infectivity, especially the uptake mechanism, of Chlamydia trachomatis for cultured cells. The effect of methylamine and monodansylcadaverine on the different stages of the chlamydial growth cycle in McCoy cells was examined. There was a dose-related decrease in the number of chlamydial inclusions in the presence of these agents. Monodansylcadaverine also decreased the chlamydia-dependent uptake of radioactive amino acids. The agents did not affect the attachment of chlamydiae to the cells, but they increased the protease-removable fraction of cell-bound chlamydiae. The amines reduced the number of inclusions when added at different times during the first 24 h of infection. However, this effect was influenced by host cell density, so that the effect of the amines at the early infectious phase was nullified in confluent monolayers, whereas, during later phases, the effect was comparatively independent of host cell density. This indicates that the amines have different modes of action at different infectious stages. The effect of the amines was reversible, and they had no effect on the infectivity of pretreated chlamydial elementary bodies. These experiments suggest that methylamine and monodansylcadaverine inhibit both the internalization of chlamydiae into McCoy cells and their intracellular development. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that chlamydiae utilize a constitutive cellular process, such as receptor-mediated endocytosis, to enter cells.
Using Pencil Code to Bridge the Gap between Visual and Text-Based Coding (Abstract Only)

This workshop introduces a new educational programming environment Pencil Code, which helps bridge the learning gap between visual programming and text-based coding. The free open-source online tool allows students to work with programs using either blocks or Coffeescript or Javascript text code. Students can switch between visual and text modes at any time. The workshop will begin with a collaborative discussion of the opportunities, challenges, and differences presented when learning with block code and moving to text code. Then we will give a short presentation of how Pencil Code is used in classrooms, with some preliminary findings. The main part of the workshop is a hands-on activity where participants gain experience with Pencil Code. Participants will use the tool with lessons in a curriculum framework, for teaching functions and interactivity using both text code and block code. Finally, there will be a discussion of best practices for teaching students in the transition, and an opportunity to create your own lessons using Pencil Code or other tools. Attendees will come away with an understanding the issues faced by students transitioning to text code for the first time, and they will gain practical experience with teaching lessons with Pencil Code. Participants will receive curriculum material appropriate for middle-school and high-school classrooms. The tool is open-source and free to use at http://pencilcode.net/.
Prophylaxis of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus with oral ibuprofen in very low birth weight infants.

BACKGROUND Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common cause of mortality and morbidity among very low birth weight infants. Oral ibuprofen suspension has been shown to have the same efficacy and safety as intravenous indomethacin in the prevention and treatment of symptomatic PDA. With lower dosage, the prevalence of side effects may decrease without changes in efficacy. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of low dose ibuprofen suspension for prevention of symptomatic PDA in very low birth weight infants. PATIENTS AND METHOD A prospective, double blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on premature neonates with gestational ages between 28-32 weeks, birth weight 1500 grams or less, at the Neonatal Unit, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH) during October 2005 to October 2006. Only infants who had PDA on echocardiogram were included in the study. Three doses of ibuprofen suspension or placebo were randomly given at the dosage of 10, 5, 5 mg/kg every 24 hours. Daily physical examination, serial laboratory evaluation and echocardiogram were used to evaluate symptomatic PDA, complications and side effects. RESULTS Sixty-two infants were recruited in the study and randomly assigned into the study and control group. The gestational age and birthweight of the 2 groups were similar The prevalence of symptomatic PDA was less in the ibuprofen group than in placebo group (9.86% vs. 35.48%; p = 0.015). There were no differences in the prevalence of complications and adverse effects between the two groups. CONCLUSION Prophylactic oral ibuprofen suspension at lower dosage results in less symptomatic PDA without significant side-effects.
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Diagnosis Using PrPsc Immunohistochemistry on Fixed but Previously Frozen Brain Samples

The histological diagnosis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), such as scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), relies on identification in the brain of spongiosis, gliosis, and neuron loss without inflammatory lesions. Because of its sensitivity, immunohistochemistry of abnormal prion protein (PrPsc) is of great help in this diagnosis and can be used on its own or complementary to the biochemical detection of PrPsc. However, in some cases no formalin-fixed material is available, rendering its use as a complementary method impossible. For that purpose, we studied the possibility of detecting PrPsc immunohistochemically in fixed brain samples that had been previously frozen and used for Western blotting analysis. We compared freshly and fixed-frozen brain samples originating from the same sheep, either affected or unaffected with scrapie. We also studied fixed-frozen brain samples from scrapie-affected goats and from cows showing BSE. We showed that in all the species tested, despite damage to the histological structures, PrPsc was still detectable in the fixed-frozen brain sections without unspecific background staining. Notwithstanding the limited number of cases thus far analyzed, we have already demonstrated the possibility of using PrPsc immunohistochemistry on fixed-frozen brain samples with very good efficacy, thus rendering possible its use for diagnostic purposes in TSEs.
Are kidney transplantation outcomes improved in children weighting 15 kilograms or less in the last decades?

As perinatal and postnatal care of neonates with impaired kidney function is constantly improving, the number of infants needing renal replacement therapy is increasing. Consequently, the general attitude of clinicians to offer renal replacement therapy (RRT) during the first year of life is changing gradually. The ideal renal replacement modality for children and adolescents is renal transplantation (RTX), as both the short-term and long-term medical complications of hemo- and peritoneal dialysis confer inferior survival rates compared to RTX to this patent group. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Guidelines to Classify Female Subject Groups in Sport-Science Research.

AIM To review current cycling-related sport-science literature to formulate guidelines to classify female subject groups and to compare this classification system for female subject groups with the classification system for male subject groups. METHODS A database of 82 papers that described female subject groups containing information on preexperimental maximal cycle-protocol designs, terminology, biometrical and physiological parameters, and cycling experience was analyzed. Subject groups were divided into performance levels (PLs), according to the nomenclature. Body mass, body-mass index, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), peak power output (PPO), and training status were compared between PLs and between female and male PLs. RESULTS Five female PLs were defined, representing untrained, active, trained, well-trained, and professional female subjects. VO2max and PPO significantly increased with PL, except for PL3 and PL4 (P < .01). For each PL, significant differences were observed in absolute and relative VO2max and PPO between male and female subject groups. Relative VO2max is the most cited parameter for female subject groups and is proposed as the principal parameter to classify the groups. CONCLUSION This systematic review shows the large variety in the description of female subject groups in the existing literature. The authors propose a standardized preexperimental testing protocol and guidelines to classify female subject groups into 5 PLs based on relative VO2max, relative PPO, training status, absolute VO2max, and absolute PPO.
The role of Helicobacter pylori eradication in the treatment of diffuse large B-cell and marginal zone lymphomas of the stomach

Purpose of review This review is focused on the effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication with antibiotics in patients with primary gastric lymphomas of indolent and aggressive nature. Recent findings Gastrointestinal lymphoma is the most common form of extranodal lymphoma, involving primarily the stomach in 60–75% of cases. The most common histological subtypes are diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type. H. pylori infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric MALT lymphoma; its role in gastric DLBCL remains controversial. Recently, international guidelines established that patients with gastric MALT lymphoma should be treated with upfront H. pylori-eradicating antibiotic therapy and that residual microscopic or molecular disease does not need for additional antiblastic treatment. The excellent prognosis of patients with gastric DLBCL managed with conservative chemo-radiotherapy led some investigators to test H. pylori eradication as exclusive treatment in prospective trials, keeping chemo-radiotherapy for unresponsive patients. This conservative strategy was well tolerated and active in patients with limited-stage DLBCL (±MALT areas) of the stomach. Summary H. pylori eradication is a suitable strategy as exclusive upfront treatment for both patients with MALT-type lymphomas or with DLBCL of the stomach. Additional trials are needed to elucidate related controversial issues.
Cooperative Algorithm for Cognitive Radio Networks Which is Based on Adaptive Election

Recently many researchers devote themselves to scheming new protocols for sensing, mining and managing spectrum efficiently. In this paper, we identify the trends that mobility of cognitive users should be considered in near future and fixed cooperation models have limited value in multiple cognitive user networks. Associated with smart antenna communication system approach, we propose an intelligent cooperation model which is based on adaptive election rules. Besides, we present how to search useful relay notes when cognitive user are finding good partners to detect primary user. Furthermore, we illustrate this new method and show you how to accelerate the process of searching optimal relay user and promote detection agility. Finally, we simulate our algorithm by using network simulation platform and conclude with several open research issues of this new algorithm
Searching far away from the lamp-post: An agent-based model

This article presents insights from a laboratory experiment on human problem solving in a combinatorial task. I rely on a hierarchical rugged landscape to explore how human problem-solvers are able to detect and exploit patterns in their search for an optimal solution. Empirical findings suggest that solvers do not engage only in local and random distant search, but as they accumulate information about the problem structure, solvers make ‘model-based’ moves, a type of cognitive search. I then calibrate an agent-based model of search to analyse and interpret the findings from the experimental setup and discuss implications for organizational search. Simulation results show that, for non-trivial problems, performance can be increased by a low level of persistence, that is, an increased likelihood to quickly abandon unsuccessful paths.
A modified S-V clustering channel model for the UWB indoor residential environment

In this paper, a new modified Saleh-Valenzuela (S-V) clustering channel model is proposed based on the measurement data collected in various types of high-rise apartments under different propagation scenarios in the ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency band of 3-10 GHz. A new distribution, namely, mixtures of two Poisson processes is proposed to model the ray arrival times. This new distribution fits the empirical data much better than the single Poisson process proposed in the conventional S-V model. The measurement procedure allows the small-scale amplitude fading statistics to be studied. Analysis results show that they can be well modeled by either lognormal, Nakagami or Weibull distributions whose parameters i.e. standard deviation, m-parameter and b-shape parameter, respectively, are lognormal distributed random variables. These parameters are found to be invariant across the excess delay. Additionally, the temporal correlation between adjacent path amplitudes is also investigated. The amplitude temporal correlation coefficients are found to be relatively small and thus, can be assumed to be negligible in reality. The proposed model can provide a more realistic simulation platform for the UWB communication systems.
Regulation of Nucleolar Chromatin by B23/Nucleophosmin Jointly Depends upon Its RNA Binding Activity and Transcription Factor UBF

ABSTRACT Histone chaperones regulate the density of incorporated histone proteins around DNA transcription sites and therefore constitute an important site-specific regulatory mechanism for the control of gene expression. At present, the targeting mechanism conferring this site specificity is unknown. We previously reported that the histone chaperone B23/nucleophosmin associates with rRNA chromatin (r-chromatin) to stimulate rRNA transcription. Here, we report on the mechanism for site-specific targeting of B23 to the r-chromatin. We observed that, during mitosis, B23 was released from chromatin upon inactivation of its RNA binding activity by cdc2 kinase-mediated phosphorylation. The phosphorylation status of B23 was also shown to strongly affect its chromatin binding activity. We further found that r-chromatin binding of B23 was a necessary condition for B23 histone chaperone activity in vivo. In addition, we found that depletion of upstream binding factor (UBF; an rRNA transcription factor) decreased the chromatin binding affinity of B23, which in turn led to an increase in histone density at the r-chromatin. These two major strands of evidence suggest a novel cell cycle-dependent mechanism for the site-specific regulation of histone density via joint RNA- and transcription factor-mediated recruitment of histone chaperones to specific chromosome loci.
Corporate social responsibility in global and local companies of Southeast Europe

The aim of this work is the analysis of theoretical assumptions and empirical research to find the answer to the question on how the activities in the field of corporate social responsibility in the region of Southeast Europe are present in the business of global and local companies market. Whether and to what extent to implement socially responsible behavior of companies with a different ownership structure, the revenue volume, market share, market activities and markets where it operates, and if the objectives of the companies are in line with the goals of social communities. they offer other than legal, and more benefits for their employees and provide them extra protection, whether, and to what extent, the state helps in carrying out socially useful activities and the compliance of the company's positive legal norms and international standards? The result of the research offered the conclusion that social responsibility activities in companies market of SE Europe are present in an increasing scope, a CSR program contributes to the awareness of the importance and necessity of such activities in the construction of a positive corporate image and relations of the companies with communities and stakeholders in the region.
Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Nuclear "Weapons": A Survey of Registered Voters in Los Angeles County in 1985.

This exploratory study, based on analysts of data generated by mailing a 53 -item questionnaire to 750 adults in Loa Angeles County, examined the relationship between knowledge, attitudas and baliafs with respect to nuclear issues, including the nuclear freeze_ proposal, the controversial MX missile, "Star Wars," and the like. The sample was drawn from the County's list of registered voters. Of the respondents, 64% were male, 53% were married, 68% had some collage background, 24% only graduated high school, 82% were Caucasian, 41% were Republican, and 40N were Democrats. Fourteen items on the questionnaire assessed attitudes; 23 items measured extent of knowledge. Correlations (controlling for education, income and age) between knowledge and attitudes revealed that voters with more knowledge were significantly more likely to hold an attitudinal position which involved supporting a bilateral and/or unilateral nuclear freeze, opposing building more missiles, and opposing the funding of Star Wars research (a < .004).
Changing Gender Roles in Agriculture?: Evidence from 20 Years of Data in Ghana

At a time when donors and governments are increasing efforts to mainstream gender in agriculture, it is critical to revisit long-standing wisdom about gender inequalities in agriculture to be able to more efficiently design and evaluate policy interventions. Many stylized facts about women in agriculture have been repeated for decades. Did nothing really change? Is some of this conventional wisdom simply maintained over time, or has it always been inaccurate? We use longitudinal data from Ghana to assess some of the facts and to evaluate whether gender patterns have changed over time. We focus on five main themes: land, cropping patterns, market participation, agricultural inputs, and employment. We add to the literature by showing new facts and evidence from more than 20 years. Results are varied and highlight the difficulty of making general statements about gender in agriculture.
Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in surface soils of Novi Sad and bank sediment of the Danube River

The contents of 16 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and six so-called indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in the surface zone (0–5 cm) of soil and sediment samples, taken from different locations in the city of Novi Sad, capitol of Vojvodina Province (North of the Serbia) covering residential and commercial area, recreational and arable zone. The total organochlorine pesticides concentration in soil varied from 2.63 to 31.78 ng g−1 dry weight, while the level in sediment was 10.35 ng g−1 dry weight. Maximum content of identified individual organochlorine pesticide in soil samples was 10.40 ng g−1 dry weight for p, p-DDE in the market garden and 6.31 ng g−1 dry weight for p, p'-DDT in sediment of the Danube River, although their application is restricted in Serbia. Some of investigated PCBs were identified only in the soil samples from a park-school backyard in the city downtown (0.32 ng g−1 dry weight) and market garden (0.22 ng g−1 dry weight), and also in sediment sample from left bank of the Danube River (0.41 ng g−1 dry weight). Data of the OCPs and PCBs present in this study were compared with the ones found for soils and river sediments throughout the world, and with limit values set by soil and sediment quality guidelines. Also, correlation between the levels of certain pesticides and soil characteristics (organic matter, pH and clay content) was investigated.
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IN TURKEY: FUTURE EXPECTATIONS REGARDING THE RAILWAY

| Transportation sector in Turkey, in the early years of the Republic, short range railway and seaway transportation is observed to be made in the Western Anatolia. Upon the establishment of the Republic, much importance was put on railway transportation and the railway systems which would provide east-west and north-south connection were built. In recent years, Turkey has been experiencing important developments related with railway transportation. Due to playing great role of railway transportation in Turkey’s effectiveness in carrying international cargo, being on an important location in the international corridor, increasing the public investments and allowances for the railway transportation, works have been started especially in terms of international cargo transportation. In this study, by examining the overall structure of the transport sector in Turkey, foresight of railway transportation until 2025 has been aimed to be made
Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2015

This year's report reveals new insights about digital news consumption based on a YouGov survey of over 20,000 online news consumers in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Brazil, Japan and Australia. This year's data shows a quickening of the pace towards social media platforms as routes to audiences, together with a surge in the use of mobile for news, a decline in the desktop internet and significant growth in video news consumption online.
A New Fuzzy Firefly Algorithm with Adaptive Parameters

Firefly algorithm is a swarm based algorithm that can be used for solving optimization problems. This paper proposed an improved fuzzy adaptive firefly algorithm (FAFA). In the proposed FAFA, a fuzzy system is used to adapt Firefly Algorithm’s parameters in order to improve its ability in global and local searches. Also, we used different fireflies initializing intervals and different iteration numbers to show the algorithm capability to find global optima. Results focus on the two case study categories of function optimization (seven benchmark functions) and presented a novel optimal multilevel thresholding approach for histogram-based image segmentation by using proposed FAFA and Otsu method. Evidence indicates that the optimization results of proposed FAFA approach are so better than the standard FA.
Pharmacy clarification of prescriptions ordered in primary care: a report from the Applied Strategies for Improving Patient Safety (ASIPS) collaborative.

INTRODUCTION Prescription errors threaten patient safety and pharmacists often contact providers for prescription clarification. This study describes the principal reasons pharmacies call primary care practices to clarify prescriptions and subsequent implications for quality and patient safety improvement. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 22 primary care practices participating in a patient safety study was performed. Callbacks from pharmacies were logged for 2 weeks to determine reasons for callbacks, most frequently involved drug classes, whether issues were resolved on the same day of the call, and variability of callbacks among practice types. Analyses were performed using frequencies, t tests, and chi(2) tests. RESULTS Practices recorded 567 clarification calls, most frequently for prior authorization issues (n = 209; 37%), formulary issues (n = 148; 26%), and unclear/missing prescription dosages (n = 117; 21%). Drug classes most frequently requiring clarifications were gastrointestinal (n = 122; 21.7%), cardiovascular (n = 278; 13.9%), and analgesic/anesthetic (n = 74; 13.2%) agents. Issues were resolved on the same day 62% of the time. Residency practices averaged more issues per call (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Clarification calls made to primary care practices involve administrative and clinical issues, potentially impacting patient safety. Pharmacy callback data can identify potential prescription concerns, thereby helping practices develop interventions aimed at reducing errors and improving patient safety.