Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soil and geography are more important determinants of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal communities than management practices in Swiss agricultural soils

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous soil fungi, forming mutualistic symbiosis with a majority of terrestrial plant species. They are abundant in nearly all soils, less diverse than soil prokaryotes and other intensively studied soil organisms and thus are promising candidates for universal indicators of land management legacies and soil quality degradation. However, insufficient data on how the composition of indigenous AMF varies along soil and landscape gradients have hampered the definition of baselines and effect thresholds to date. Here, indigenous AMF communities in 154 agricultural soils collected across Switzerland were profiled by quantitative real‐time PCR with taxon‐specific markers for six widespread AMF species. To identify the key determinants of AMF community composition, the profiles were related to soil properties, land management and site geography. Our results indicate a number of well‐supported dependencies between abundances of certain AMF taxa and soil properties such as pH, soil fertility and texture, and a surprising lack of effect of available soil phosphorus on the AMF community profiles. Site geography, especially the altitude and large geographical distance, strongly affected AMF communities. Unexpected was the apparent lack of a strong land management effect on the AMF communities as compared to the other predictors, which could be due to the rarity of highly intensive and unsustainable land management in Swiss agriculture. In spite of the extensive coverage of large geographical and soil gradients, we did not identify any taxon suitable as an indicator of land use among the six taxa we studied.
Albinism: its implications for refractive development.

PURPOSE Albinism involves the mutation of one or more of the genes associated with melanin synthesis and has many ramifications for vision. This study focuses on the refractive implications of albinism in the context of emmetropization. METHODS Refractive, biometric, and visual acuity data were collected for a group of 25 albino individuals that included the following: 18 oculocutaneous (13 tyrosine positive, 5 tyrosine negative); 7 ocular (2 autosomal recessive, 5 sex-linked recessive). Their age range was 3 to 51 years. All exhibited horizontal pendular nystagmus. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences relating to albino subtype for any of the measured parameters. All the subjects had reduced visual acuity (mean: 0.90, logMAR) and overall, there was a bias toward hyperopia in their refractive errors (mean: + 1.07 D). However the refractive errors of the group covered a broad range (SD: 4.67 D) and included both high myopia and high hyperopia. An axial origin to the refractive errors is implied by the high correlation between refractive errors and axial lengths. Refractive astigmatism averaged 2.37 D and was consistently with-the-rule and highly correlated with corneal astigmatism, which was also with-the-rule. Meridional analysis of the refractive data indicated that the vertical meridian for hyperopic subjects was consistently nearer emmetropia compared to their horizontal meridian. Myopic subjects showed the opposite trend. CONCLUSIONS The overall refractive profile of the subjects is consistent with emmetropization being impaired in albinism. However, the refractive errors of hyperopic subjects also can be explained in terms of "meridional emmetropization. " The contrasting refractive profiles of myopic subjects may reflect operational constraints of the emmetropization process.
High-Efficiency p-i-n Photodetectors on Selective-Area-Grown Ge for Monolithic Integration

We demonstrate normal incidence p-i-n photodiodes on selective-area-grown Ge using multiple hydrogen annealing for heteroepitaxy for the purpose of monolithic integration. An enhanced efficiency in the near-infrared regime and the absorption edge shifting to longer wavelength is achieved due to 0.14% residual tensile strain in the selective-area-grown Ge. The responsivities at 1.48, 1.525, and 1.55 mum are 0.8, 0.7, and 0.64 A/W, respectively, without an optimal antireflection coating. These results are promising toward monolithically integrated on-chip optical links and in telecommunications.
Predictive accuracy and usefulness of calibration of the ESC SCORE in Switzerland

Background Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at the individual level should rely on the assessment of absolute risk using population-specific risk tables. Objective To compare the predictive accuracy of the original and the calibrated SCORE functions regarding 10-year cardiovascular risk in Switzerland. Design Cross-sectional, population-based study (5773 participants aged 35-74 years). Methods The SCORE equation for low-risk countries was calibrated based on the Swiss CVD mortality rates and on the CVD risk factor levels from the study sample. The predicted number of CVD deaths after a 10-year period was computed from the original and the calibrated equations and from the observed cardiovascular mortality for 2003. Results According to the original and calibrated functions, 16.3 and 15.8% of men and 8.2 and 8.9% of women, respectively, had a 10-year CVD risk ≥ 5%. Concordance correlation coefficient between the two functions was 0.951 for men and 0.948 for women, both P < 0.001. Both risk functions adequately predicted the 10-year cumulative number of CVD deaths: in men, 71 (original) and 74 (calibrated) deaths for 73 deaths when using the CVD mortality rates; in women, 44 (original), 45 (calibrated) and 45 (CVD mortality rates), respectively. Compared to the original function, the calibrated function classified more women and fewer men at high-risk. Moreover, the calibrated function gave better risk estimates among participants aged over 65 years. Conclusion The original SCORE function adequately predicts CVD death in Switzerland, particularly for individuals aged less than 65 years. The calibrated function provides more reliable estimates for older individuals. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 15:402-408© 2008 The European Society of Cardiology
Closely Related Plasmid Replicons Coexisting in the PhytopathogenPseudomonas syringae Show a Mosaic Organization of the Replication Region and Altered Incompatibility Behavior

ABSTRACT Many Pseudomonas syringae strains contain native plasmids that are important for host-pathogen interactions, and most of them contain several coexisting plasmids (pPT23A-like plasmids) that cross-hybridize to replication sequences from pPT23A, which also carries a gene cluster coding for the phytotoxin coronatine inP. syringae pv. tomato PT23. In this study, three functional pPT23A-like replicons were cloned from P. syringae pv. glycinea race 6, suggesting that the compatibility of highly related replicons is a common feature of P. syringae strains. Hybridization experiments using three separate incompatibility determinants previously identified from pPT23A and the rulAB (UV radiation tolerance) genes showed that the organization of the replication region among pPT23A-like plasmids from several P. syringae pathovars is poorly conserved. The putative repA gene from four pPT23A-like replicons from P. syringae pv. glycinea race 6 was amplified by using specific primers. The restriction profiles of the resulting PCR products for the race 6 plasmids were more similar to each other than they were to that of pPT23A. These data, together with the existence of other cross-hybridizing DNA regions around the replicon among the race 6 pPT23A-like plasmids, suggest that some of these plasmids may have originated from duplication events. Our results also imply that modifications of the repA sequences and the poor conservation of putative maintenance determinants contribute to the suppression of incompatibility among members of the pPT23A-like family, thus enhancing the genomic plasticity of P. syringae.
Utility of daily routine portable chest radiographs in mechanically ventilated patients in the medical ICU.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine whether there is any difference in diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome efficacy between protocols utilizing daily (ie, routine) chest radiographs (CXRs) and those utilizing clinically indicated (ie, nonroutine) CXRs in mechanically ventilated patients. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, observational study. SETTING A 20-bed medical ICU at a university hospital. PATIENTS Adult patients who had been receiving mechanical ventilation for > 48 h. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Ninety-four patients who had been intubated for at least 48 h were randomized to receive either routine or nonroutine CXRs and were observed until extubation or death. The percentage of CXRs with new findings was significantly larger in the nonroutine CXR group (53.1%; 120 CXRs) compared to that in the routine CXR group (33.4%; 98 CXRs; odds ratio [OR], 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16 to 2.18; p = 0.004). The number of CXRs with new findings that resulted in interventions was significantly larger in the nonroutine CXR group (26.5%; 60 CXRs) compared to that in the routine CXR group (13.3%; 39 CXRs; OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.29 to 3.08; p = 0.002). There was no difference in the mean duration of mechanical ventilation (routine CXR arm, 7.93 days; nonroutine CXR arm, 6.76 days; p = 0.2606), length of ICU stay (routine CXR arm, 11.93 days; nonroutine CXR arm, 9.55 days; p = 0.1936), and total length of hospital stay (routine CXR arm, 19.34 days; nonroutine CXR arm, 16.45 days; p = 0.2199) between the two groups. Although patients in the nonroutine arm of the study received fewer CXRs, adverse outcomes (eg, length of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, length of ICU stay, and mortality) did not increase (p = 0.818). Using the number of CXRs per patient as a surrogate, there was a statistically significant cost savings and decreased radiation exposure in the nonroutine CXR group. CONCLUSIONS For mechanically ventilated patients, a strategy calling for daily routine CXRs compared to CXRs obtained based on clinical indications alone was not associated with reduced ICU or hospital length of stay or with reduced mortality.
Bone marrow CD34+ cells expanded on human brain endothelial cells reconstitute lethally irradiated baboons in a variable manner

Increased cell dose has a positive impact on the therapeutic outcome of bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant. However, methods to successfully expand BM HSCs have yet to be achieved. It has been shown previously that ex vivo expansion of BM cells using porcine microvascular endothelial cells can rescue a baboon from a lethal dose of radiation. However, in a prior study, baboons that received CD34+ cell doses less than 4 × 106 cells/kg body weight failed to achieve hematopoietic reconstitution. In our present study we used human brain endothelial cells (HUBECs) and cytokines to expand BM cells, and examined their ability to provide hematopoietic reconstitution in three lethally irradiated baboons following autologous transplant as a surrogate preclinical model. After ex vivo culture, the grafts represented a 1.8- to 2.1-fold expansion of CD34+ cells, a 3.7- to 13.2-fold increase of colony-forming cells, and a 1.9- to 3.2-fold increase of cobblestone area-forming cells, in comparison to the input cell numbers. Despite transplanting CD34+ cell grafts displaying a comparable degree of expansion, there was an obvious variability in the kinetics of hematopoietic reconstitution. The variation in hematopoietic reconstitution cannot be fully explained by the properties tested in expanded CD34+ cells, and warrant caution against taking into account such attributes as cell dose, expression of adhesion molecules, and migration as a measure of successful expansion of HSCs.
PARTICIPATION AND NORMS OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP: A discussion on Romania and youth

Norms of citizenship describe how individuals understand their connection to community and to the broader political context. They are part of the attitudinal drives for participation and activism. Likewise, the attachment to various images of good citizenship may be linked to individuals’ life experiences and reinforced by the actual practice of citizenship. This paper provides an exploratory research of norms of citizenship in Romania, asking whether age influences the way people understand good citizenship. Age is found to be a much weaker predictor than the actual habits of participation and the attitudinal backgrounds of individuals. The commitment to different images of good citizenship is best predicted by attitudinal factors, specifically the perceived efficacy of unconventional/conventional forms of participation.
Efficacy of micafungin alone or in combination against experimental pulmonary aspergillosis.

Mortality from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis approaches 80% with few useful therapeutic options available. In these studies, we examined the efficacy of micafungin (MICA) alone or in combination with other antifungals in a model of pulmonary aspergillosis in immunosuppressed DBA/2 mice infected intranasally with conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus 10AF. In the initial study, groups of mice were given saline, or 1, 3 or 10 mg kg(-1) of MICA b.i. d. , s.c. All saline controls, and 90% of untreated mice succumbed to infection. The efficacy of MICA was difficult to assess because of an apparent toxicity at 10 mg kg(-1). MICA given at 1 mg/kg significantly prolonged survival over the saline controls (P = 0.008). MICA at 3 or 10 mg kg(-1) versus the saline controls approached significance. No treatment regimen differed in efficacy. The efficacy of combination therapy was assessed, with mice given either no treatment, MICA at 1 mg/kg/dose, 0.8 mg kg(-1) of intravenous amphotericin B (AMB), 100 mg kg(-1) of oral itraconazole (ICZ), or 100 mg/kg/dose of twice-daily subcutaneous nikkomycin Z (NIK). AMB alone and MICA + AMB or MICA +NIK significantly prolonged survival (P < 0.05 - 0.02) over that of the controls. ICZ alone, ICZ+MICA and NIK alone did not significantly prolong survival. MICA alone at 1 mg/kg approached significance in prolonging survival. The combination of MICA and ICZ appeared to be potentially antagonistic. Although AMB+MICA was efficacious, no synergistic activity was noted for any of the regimens. Overall, these results indicate that MICA has moderate activity against pulmonary aspergillosis and might be useful in combination with conventional AMB.
Deep learning based intelligent intrusion detection

To study the characteristics and performance of the deep learning in intelligent intrusion detection, two hybrid algorithms, which combine restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) with support vector machine (SVM) and deep belief network (DBN) respectively, are used to analyze the accuracy, false positive rate, false negative rate and testing time with the data set used for The Third International Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Tools Competition (KDDCup99). Compared with each other and traditional hybrid intrusion detection algorithm, DBN performs better than the other both in the accuracy and speed, which is attributed to the unsupervised learning of RBM networks and the combination of the neural networks at the bottom.
Cdc42 Interacts with the Exocyst and Regulates Polarized Secretion*

Polarized delivery and incorporation of proteins and lipids to specific domains of the plasma membrane is fundamental to a wide range of biological processes such as neuronal synaptogenesis and epithelial cell polarization. The exocyst complex is specifically localized to sites of active exocytosis and plays essential roles in secretory vesicle targeting and docking at the plasma membrane. Sec3p, a component of the exocyst, is thought to be a spatial landmark for polarized exocytosis. In a search for proteins that regulate the localization of the exocyst in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we found that certain cdc42 mutants affect the polarized localization of the exocyst proteins. In addition, we found that these mutant cells have a randomized protein secretion pattern on the cell surface. Biochemical experiments indicated that Sec3p directly interacts with Cdc42 in its GTP-bound form. Genetic studies demonstrated synthetically lethal interactions between cdc42 and several exocyst mutants. These results have revealed a role for Cdc42 in exocytosis. We propose that Cdc42 coordinates the vesicle docking machinery and the actin cytoskeleton for polarized secretion.
Fibrillogenesis in tendon healing: an experimental study.

The aim of this study was the histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis of reparative fibrillogenesis in experimental lesions of Achilles' tendon. Subtotal tenotomy of Achilles' tendon was performed in twenty Wistar rats. The scar tissue was analysed 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 days post-operatively. Histochemical, (resorcin-fuchsin, aldehyde-fuchsin, iron haematoxylin and Fullmer and Lillie's methods) immunohistochemical (antibody against collagen I, II and elastin) and ultrastructural analyses were performed. Three phases in the healing process were distinguished: 1) inflammatory, 2) proliferative, and 3) remodelling phase. The inflammatory phase was characterised by haematoma, fibrin deposition, inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, beginning of collagen fibrillogenesis (200-400 A ø fibrils) and oxytalan fibrils. The proliferative phase was characterised by angiogenesis and fibroblast proliferation. Collagen fibres displayed a random arrangement and had a diameter of 400-600 A. Immature elastic fibres reached maximum tissutal concentration. In the remodelling phase, hypocellularity, normal vascularisation, tendon crimps, collagen fibres (800-1,000 A ø), elastic fibres with increased elastin deposition and reduction in oxytalan fibres were observed. In the course of the healing process collagen and elastic fibre fibrillogenesis exhibited consistent quantitative and qualitative variations (i.e. differences in the type and diameter of fibrils). The present study suggests that, together with other matrix macromolecules, also elastic fibres (oxytalan, elaunin and mature) are synthesised in significantly higher amounts during reparative fibrillogenesis and play a role in cell-matrix interaction.
Habitat characteristics of Anopheles gambiae s.s. larvae in a Kenyan highland

Abstract. Anopheline larval habitats associated with a swamp, were examined in a highland area (1910 m elevation) of western Kenya. A significant association was found between occurrence of Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae and two factors, habitat size and vegetation type. Over 80% of An. gambiae s.s. larvae were found in small isolated pools, characterized by short plants, occurring in both swamp margins and roadside ditches. However, Anopheles gambiae s.s. was not found in habitats marked by papyrus and floating plants. The larval habitat of An. gambiae s.s. was characterized by warmer daytime temperatures of water, which were significantly affected by habitat size and plant size. The density of indoor resting An. gambiae s.s. was 0.22 per house and negatively associated with distance from the swamp. These results indicate that the practice of swamp cultivation, in populated areas of the African highlands, increases availability and enhances habitat conditions for the malaria vector.
Nickel–Tin Transient Liquid Phase Bonding Toward High-Temperature Operational Power Electronics in Electrified Vehicles

This paper presents the concept, fabrication, and evaluation for quality and reliability of nickel-tin transient liquid phase (Ni-Sn TLP) bonding that provides high reliability for high-temperature operational power electronics in electrified vehicles. The need for automotive power electronics to operate at high-temperature presents significant challenges in terms of packaging and bonding technology used. TLP bonding is one attachment approach that addresses these challenges and facilitates high remelting temperatures while allowing processing to occur at relatively low temperatures and pressures. In particular, the Ni-Sn TLP bonding process exhibits a number of desirable characteristics for power electronics, including popularity in conventional power electronics, low cost, and uniform and homogeneous alloy formation. The work herein presents Ni-Sn TLP bonding (ready for high-temperature operation) as applied to silicon power devices of relatively large size (12 mm × 9 mm). The quality and reliability of the developed bonding process was characterized using material, optical, and electrical analysis. Analysis indicates that the resulting bondline is uniformly composed of Ni3Sn4 alloy throughout the bond area. This bonding approach has exhibited excellent reliability for bonded devices after thermal cycling from -40°C to 200°C. Electrical properties of the bonded insulated gate bipolar transistor power devices demonstrated that Ni-Sn TLP bonding exhibits electrical performance comparable with conventional solder and is reliable at high-temperature operation.
Effects of competitive NMDA receptor antagonists on excitatory amino acid‐evoked currents in mouse spinal cord neurones

Abstract— The effects of CGP 37849 [DL‐(E)‐2‐amino‐4‐methyl‐5‐phosphono‐3‐pentenoatel and its ethylester CGP 39551 on whole‐cell currents evoked by the endogenous excitatory amino acids, L‐glutamate and L‐aspartate, were studied in cultured mouse spinal cord neurones. Although CGP 37849 was the more potent compound, both antagonists inhibited 20 μM L‐aspartate or 2 μM L‐glutamate currents concentration‐dependently and reversibly. We calculated IC50 values of 370 ± 180 nM for CGP 37849 and 2200 ± 140 nM for CGP 39551 (inhibition of L‐aspartate current), and 210 ± 25 nM for CGP 37849 and 6000 ± 4700 nM for CGP 39551 (inhibition of L‐glutamate current). Both CGP 37849 and CGP 39551 selectively blocked N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA)‐evoked inward current. Current evoked by 5 μM kainate or 5 μM α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) was unaffected by 10 μMM CGP 39551. Current evoked by NMDA was concentration‐dependently blocked by CGP 39551 with an IC50 of 2100 ± 220 nM. After application of 10 μM CGP 37849, 17 ± 6% of the current evoked by 5 μM L‐glutamate remained. This residual current was due to non‐NMDA receptor activation since application of 25 μM 2‐amino‐5‐phosphonovalerate (APV) together with CGP 37849 did not significantly alter the residual current, whereas application of 6‐cyano‐7‐nitroquinoxaline‐2,3‐dione (CNQX) with CGP 37849 did significantly inhibit this current. Clamping cells at potentials ranging from −80 to +60 mV showed a linear potential‐current relationship for the 20 μM L‐aspartate‐evoked current with reversal potential around 0 mV. The proportion of the L‐aspartate current antagonized by CGP 37849 or CGP 39551 appeared to be independent of clamping potential. The concentration‐current relationship of L‐aspartate in the absence of the antagonists showed an EC50 of 49 ± 14 μM. Upon application of 1 μM CGP 37849 and 10 μM CGP 39551, the L‐aspartate concentration‐current curve shifted to higher concentrations, and resulted in a 5‐ and 13‐fold increase in the EC50 of L‐aspartate, respectively, whereas Imax was not changed by application of the antagonists. Thus, the potent NMDA antagonists CGP 37849 and CGP 39551 were shown to inhibit excitatory amino acid responses specifically by competitive binding to the neurotransmitter recognition site of the NMDA receptor. Selective, competitive antagonism of L‐glutamate‐ and L‐aspartate‐evoked NMDA receptor responses probably underlies the effects of CGP 37849 and CGP 39551 such as their anticonvulsant, neuroprotcctant and antidepressant actions.