Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ecology and Transmission of Listeria monocytogenes Infecting Ruminants and in the Farm Environment

ABSTRACT A case-control study involving 24 case farms with at least one recent case of listeriosis and 28 matched control farms with no listeriosis cases was conducted to probe the transmission and ecology of Listeria monocytogenes on farms. A total of 528 fecal, 516 feed, and 1,012 environmental soil and water samples were cultured for L. monocytogenes. While the overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes in cattle case farms (24.4%) was similar to that in control farms (20.2%), small-ruminant (goat and sheep) farms showed a significantly (P < 0.0001) higher prevalence in case farms (32.9%) than in control farms (5.9%). EcoRI ribotyping of clinical (n = 17) and farm (n = 414) isolates differentiated 51 ribotypes. L. monocytogenes ribotypes isolated from clinical cases and fecal samples were more frequent in environmental than in feed samples, indicating that infected animals may contribute to L. monocytogenes dispersal into the farm environment. Ribotype DUP-1038B was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with fecal samples compared with farm environment and animal feedstuff samples. Ribotype DUP-1045A was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with soil compared to feces and with control farms compared to case farms. Our data indicate that (i) the epidemiology and transmission of L. monocytogenes differ between small-ruminant and cattle farms; (ii) cattle contribute to amplification and dispersal of L. monocytogenes into the farm environment, (iii) the bovine farm ecosystem maintains a high prevalence of L. monocytogenes, including subtypes linked to human listeriosis cases and outbreaks, and (iv) L. monocytogenes subtypes may differ in their abilities to infect animals and to survive in farm environments.
Oxytocin Increases Invasive Properties of Endometrial Cancer Cells Through Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/AKT-Dependent Up-Regulation of Cyclooxygenase-1, -2, and X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein1

ABSTRACT Traditionally, oxytocin (OT) is well known to play a crucial role in the regulation of cyclic changes in the uterus, implantation of the embryo, and parturition. Recently, an additional role for OT has been identified in several types of cancer cells in which OT acts as a growth regulator. In endometrial cancer cells, OT is known to efficiently inhibit cellular proliferation. In the present study, we show that OT increases invasiveness of human endometrial carcinoma (HEC) cells, which are otherwise resistant to the growth-inhibiting effects of OT. Using pharmacological inhibitors, invasion assay, RNA interference, and immunofluorescence, we found that OT enhances the invasive properties of HEC cells through up-regulation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), matrix-metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), and matrix-metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14). In addition, we show that OT-mediated invasion is both cyclooxygenase 1 (PTGS1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (PTGS2) dependent via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT (PIK3/AKT) pathway. PTGS2 knockdown by shRNA resulted in XIAP down-regulation. We also show that OT receptor is overexpressed in grade I to III endometrial cancer. Taken together, our results describe for the first time a novel role for OT in endometrial cancer cell invasion.
DevOps and Its Practices

DevOps aims to reduce the time between committing a system change and placing the change into normal production, while ensuring high quality. The article topics in this theme issue include using DevOps to migrate to microservices, adopting DevOps, and DevOps tools. The Web extra at https://youtu.be/NzX6JmwDS0s is an audio recording of Davide Falessi speaking with Len Bass and George Champlin-Scharff about the IEEE Software May/June 2016 theme issue on DevOps and its practices.
On the H2 and H∞ performance of uncertain positive systems

In this paper, robust H<inf>2</inf> and H<inf>∞</inf> performance analysis of continuous-time and discrete-time positive systems are studied. Necessary and sufficient conditions are presented to ensure H<inf>2</inf> and H<inf>∞</inf> performance of interval positive systems in terms of semi-definite programming and linear programming, respectively. Based on the direct compatibility of L<inf>1</inf> and L<inf>∞</inf> induced norms with linear positive Lyapunov functions, the problem is well-established for L<inf>1</inf> and L<inf>∞</inf> norms, recently. The results of this paper, fill the literature gap by considering robust performance criteria for interval positive systems in terms of H<inf>2</inf> and H<inf>∞</inf> norms.
Predicting Online User Behavior based on Real-Time Advertising Data

Generating economic value from big data is a challenge for many companies these days. On the Internet, a major source of big data is structured and unstructured data generated by users. Companies can use this data to better understand patterns of user behavior and to improve marketing decisions. In this paper, we focus on data generated in real-time advertising where billions of advertising slots are sold by auction. The auctions are triggered by user activity on websites that use this form of advertising to sell their advertising slots. During an auction, so-called bid requests are sent to advertisers who bid for the advertising slots. We develop a model that uses bid requests to predict whether a user will visit a certain website during his or her user journey. These predictions can be used by advertisers to derive user interests early in the sales funnel and, thus, to increase profits from branding campaigns. By iteratively applying a Bayesian multinomial logistic model to data from a case study, we show how to constantly improve the predictive accuracy of the model. We calculate the economic value of our model and show that it can be beneficial for advertisers in the context of cross-channel advertising.
PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF Murraya koenigi AGAINST LEAD INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RAT LIVER, HEART AND KIDNEY: A DOSE RESPONSE STUDY

The current studies evaluated whether an aqueous extract of the leaves of Murraya Koenigii (Curry leaves) has the ability to protect against lead – induced oxidative stress in the liver, heart and kidneys of experimental rats. The studies revealed that the extract dose dependently protected the biomarkers of tissue damage, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes from getting altered in the rat tissues following treatment with lead acetate. The results indicate that the aqueous curry leaf extract (CuLE) might have protected the rat tissues from lead acetate induced oxidative stress through antioxidant mechanism(s). As curry leaves form one of the important component of regular diet.
A Closed-Form Algorithm for Converting Hilbert Space-Filling Curve Indices ∗

We use the tensor product theory to for- mulate a closed-form algorithm for converting Hilbert space-filling curve indices of individual points. A two- dimensional Hilbert space-filling curve is specified as a permutation which rearranges two-dimensional 2 n ×2 n data elements stored in the row-major order as in C language or the column-major order as in FOR- TRAN language to the order of traversing a two- dimensional Hilbert space-filling curve. The closed- form algorithm converts the row-major index or the column index of a single point to the index of Hilbert space-filling curve order. The time complexity of the closed-form algorithm is a function of the length of the binary representation of the index and its space complexity is bounded by a constant. In addition, the closed-form tensor product formula can be di- rectly translated into computer programs which can be used in various applications such as image com- pression. The process of program generation is ex- plained in the paper.
Die Messung und Verwendung von impliziten Steuerquoten

Steuerreformdiskussionen werden vielfach vor dem Hintergrund der steuerlichen Belastung einzelner Einkommensquellen oder -verwendungen geführt. Als Argumentationsbasis werden dazu vermehrt „implizite“ Steuerquoten herangezogen. Im Folgenden wird das Konzept der impliziten Steuerquoten dargestellt und auf die wichtigsten methodischen Probleme ihrer Berechnung eingegangen. Anhand eines Vergleichs zwischen Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz werden einfache steuerpolitische Rückschlüsse gezogen.
Possible interaction between USH1B and USH3 gene products as implied by apparent digenic deafness inheritance.

We would like to express our gratitude to Elias Kavakov and his staff members at the Center for Deaf-Blind Persons-Beth David Institute in Tel Aviv. We thank all family members who participated in this study. We also thank Tama Hasson for critical comments on our manuscript. This work was supported in part by an Israel Science Foundation research grant (1140041), a Ministry of Health grant (1140091), and an Applebaum Foundation grant (1140111) (to B.B.T.); and a European Economic Community grant (PL951324; to C.P.). This work was done as part of A. A. 's Ph.D. project.
Aplicação de Modelos de Hidráulica de Poços em Aquíferos Fissurais do Município de Baturité - Ceará

Reservas hidricas subterrâneas sao importantes recursos naturais. Elas provem agua para oabastecimento de comunidades, abastece a industria e a agricultura. Ha muito se busca entender oseu movimento nos aquiferos. Mesmo em Estados como o Ceara, que fez a opcao pela exploracaodos recursos hidricos superficiais, o conhecimento das reservas hidricas subterrâneas eimprescindivel, pois os aquiferos, mesmo os fissurais, podem tornar-se o meio mais economico eeficaz para abastecer pequenas comunidades isoladas, difusamente distribuidas por toda a extensaodo Estado. Neste trabalho, procurou-se verificar, dentre seis modelos de hidraulica de pocos, qualdeles melhor descreveria o fluxo subterrâneo em meio fissural no Estado do Ceara. Para testar ametodologia, foram escolhidos tres pocos de bombeamento perfurados em embasamento cristalinodo referido estado, pertencentes ao municipio de Baturite. Os resultados mostraram que o modeloTheis para aquifero ideal nao deve ser empregado na analise de testes de bombeamento neste tipode formacao. Dos seis modelos testados o que melhor descreveu a hidraulica do aquifero foi omodelo de Papadopulos-Cooper.
The human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) X region encoded protein p13(II) interacts with cellular proteins.

Interactions between the Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) gene product p13(II) and cellular proteins were investigated using the yeast two-hybrid system. Variant forms of p13(II) were derived from two HTLV-I molecular clones, K30p and K34p, that differ in both virus production and in vivo and in vitro infectivity. Two nucleotide differences between the p13 from K30p (p13K30) and K34p (p13K34) result in a Trp-Arg substitution at amino acid 17 and the truncation of the 25 carboxyl-terminal residues of p13K34. A cDNA library from an HTLV-I-infected rabbit T-cell line was screened with p13K30 and p13K34 as bait. Products of two cDNA clones, C44 and C254, interacted with p13K34 but not with p13K30. Interactions were further confirmed using the GST-fusion protein coprecipitation assay. Sequence analysis of C44 and C254 cDNA clones revealed similarities to members of the nucleoside monophosphate kinase superfamily and actin-binding protein 280, respectively. Further analysis of the function of these two proteins and the consequence of their interaction with p13 may help elucidate a role for p13 in virus production, infectivity, or the pathogenesis of HTLV-I.
Patient partnership in quality improvement of healthcare services: Patients' inputs and challenges faced

This research focuses on the perception of patients who participated in Continuous Quality Improvement Committees (CIC) regarding their contribution, lessons learned, and challenges encountered. The committees are engaged in a care partnership approach where patients are recognized for their experiential knowledge and treated as full members of the clinical team. Based on patient interviews, we conclude tha experience. They identify themselves as real partners in the care process and are grateful for the opportunity to improve the care provided to other patients by using their own experience and by brin relationship, particularly in terms of communication. They also become better acquainted with the complexity of the health system and its organization. However, their participation in CICs raised two challenges. The availability, as their professional schedules did not always allow them to participate in meetings. The second was their frustration with the slow decision-making process and implementation of necessary measures for quality improvement of healthcare and services. This study highlights the contribution of successful patient participation to quality of care improvement.
Randomized control trial of immunosuppression in paraquat poisoning.

in confirming the efficacy of an IED, which has already been established in trauma patients (as Impact) (6) and in head-trauma rats (as Crucial) (7). A study including this additional group (i.e., Crucial without GLN) would have clarified the results: i) had Crucial not been better than Replete, then this would again have raised questions as to the relevance of comparing two IEDs (this same problem was identified in the study by Saffle et al. (8) in burn patients); ii) had Crucial proved better than Replete, this would have raised the idea that GLN supplementation has adverse effects on IED-mediated effects. It is particularly important to underline that GLN and arginine (ARG) share a common metabolic pathway in the intestine and both control ureagenesis (9). In other words, providing simultaneously the substrate and the end-product of the given metabolic pathway may lead to unexpected (either beneficial or detrimental) effects. However, there still remains a lack of data on ARG/ GLN interactions. Note also that there are few if any studies supporting the concept of supplying large amounts of both ARG and GLN in an IED, such as in Stresson (which is no longer marketed) or Impact glutamine. In other words, until we have available robust pharmacokinetic data and strong pharmacologic studies establishing the existence of interactions, e.g., between GLN and chromium and between GLN and ARG, large multicenter trials such as performed by Schulman et al. (1) largely represent a misdirection of time and money. Finally, there are strong medical claims concerning pharmaconutrients, such as GLN and ARG. They should, therefore, be considered as drugs, and as such, these molecules should be studied as drugs and not only as nutrients, requiring well-performed studies with appropriate design. Dr. Cynober has consulted for and received grant funds from Nestle.
Exploratory studies of Zwicker's "negative afterimage" in hearing.

This paper describes several exploratory experiments on a subjective tone that Zwicker discovered and referred to as the “negative afterimage. ” Zwicker described the tone as audible upon cessation of a band‐rejected noise or band‐rejected pulse train stimulus, and as having a pitch corresponding to a frequency within the rejected band. We worked exclusively with noise stimuli. Our principal finding is that the minimum adequate stimulus appears to be a spectral edge rather than a rejected band, and that a low‐pass edge is more effective than a high‐pass edge. Other findings are as follows. Most people hear the tone, but susceptibility varies widely and the effect is labile. With favorable stimulus parameters, precision of matching to its pitch is on the order of 5% to 10% of the mean. The principal determinant of pitch is the location of the edge of the low‐pass component of the stimulus; the pitch corresponds to a frequency about 23 oct above that edge. Energy in the high‐pass component of the inducing st.
Does the combination with handgrip increase the sensitivity of dipyridamole‐echocardiography test?

The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of increasing the sensitivity of dipyridamoleechocardiography testing (DET:2‐D echo monitoring during dipyridamole infusion) by combining this procedure with handgrip testing. Dipyridamole‐handgrip test (DHT) was therefore performed in 24 patients with rest/effort angina, negative DET, and negative handgrip‐echo (without dipyridamole pretreatment). DHT consisted of 4.5 min of sustained 25% maximum grip strength, started 4 min after the end of dipyridamole infusion (0.56 mg/kg for 4 min). Interpretable studies were obtained in all patients. Of the 24 patients tested (10 without and 14 with significant coronary artery disease, CAD), only one CAD patient had a positive DHT, which indicates an increased sensitivity of 7% versus DET alone. In conclusion, DHT is feasible in all patients and—if compared to DET—has the same specificity. However, in spite of the theoretical premises, it provides only a modest step up in sensitivity.
Variable expressivity in a Japanese family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa closely linked to chromosome 19q.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical features of a Japanese family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, the locus of which has been mapped on chromosome 19q. DESIGN Ophthalmologic testing, including visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and fundus examinations, for all family members examined. Selected members underwent kinetic visual field testing, electroretinography, and fluorescein angiography. PATIENTS Eleven symptomatic members, two asymptomatic obligate carriers, and nine nonaffected members in four generations of a single family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. RESULTS Asymptomatic carriers showed mildly affected fundus and fluorescein angiographic images. Visual field testing disclosed restricted central and midperipheral fields. Electroretinograms disclosed reduced amplitudes of rod-isolated responses in both of these family members, indicating functional abnormalities. CONCLUSION Marked variability in expressivity of the retinitis pigmentosa phenotype was found in a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa linked to chromosome 19q.
Retrieved Human Allografts: A Clinicopathological Study

Background: We studied seventy-three massive preserved human allografts, retrieved from two to 156 months after implantation, to provide insight into the mechanisms of their repair. Methods: The specimens were studied with radiographic and histological techniques that permitted time-related quantitative analysis of the reparative mechanisms of union, cortical repair, soft-tissue attachment, fracture, and characteristics of the allograft-cement interface and the articular cartilage. Results: Union at cortical-cortical junctions occurred slowly (approximately twelve months) by host-derived external callus that bridged the junction and filled the gap between abutting cortices. The bone in the gap did not undergo stress-oriented remodeling even after many years, and, when the union was intentionally disrupted, failure occurred at the cement line that marked the allograft-host junction. Repair of the necrotic graft matrix was both external and internal. External repair consisted of the apposition of a thin seam of host bone on the outer surface of the graft, coating about 40% of the surface at one year and 80% at two years. Internal repair was confined to the ends and the periphery of the cortices and penetrated so slowly that only 15% to 20% of the graft was repaired by five years, after which deeper repair seldom occurred. Graft fractures in specimens retrieved soon after fracture showed only necrotic bone adjacent to the fracture site, whereas those retrieved after fracture-healing showed a marked increase in internal repair of the bone about the fracture site. When bone cement had been used to fix a prosthesis, there was no evidence of bone resorption or loosening of the device. The osteoarticular specimens showed no survival of chondrocytes in the articular cartilage. However, the architecture of the acellular cartilage was well preserved after two to three years and occasionally after as many as five years. Late degenerative changes in the articular cartilage coincided with subchondral revascularization and fragmentation, and the articulating surfaces became covered by a pannus of fibrovascular reparative tissue. Degenerative changes in articular cartilage occurred earlier and were more advanced in specimens retrieved from patients with an unstable joint than in those retrieved from patients with a stable joint. Conclusions: Repair of massive human allografts is an indolent process that follows a fairly predictable course during the first few years and is influenced by other biological activities, such as fracture repair, supplementary autografting, and tumor recurrence. Clinical Relevance: These observations provide a clear, detailed picture of the extent, timing, and deficiencies in the incorporation and repair of large human allografts preserved by conventional banking techniques. As such, they provide a basis for comparative studies of the efficacy of the recently developed osteoinductive substances currently under investigation.
Non-invasive genetic sampling and individual identification

Individual identification via non-invasive sampling is of prime importance in conservation genetics and in behavioural ecology. This approach allows for genetics studies of wild animals without having to catch them, or even to observe them. The material used as a source of DNA is usually faeces, shed hairs, or shed feathers. It has been recently shown that this material may lead to genotyping errors, mainly due to allelic dropout. In addition to these technical errors, there are problems with accurately estimating the probability of identity (PI, or the probability of two individuals having identical genotypes) because of the presence of close relatives in natural populations. As a consequence, before initiating an extensive study involving non-invasive sampling, we strongly suggest conducting a pilot study to assess both the technical difficulties and the PI for the genetic markers to be used. This pilot study could be carried out in three steps: (i) estimation of the PI using preliminary genetic data; (ii) simulations taking into account the PI and choosing the technical error rate that is sufficiently low for assessing the scientific question; (iii) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments to check if it is technically possible to achieve this error rate.