Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Erosional truncation of uppermost Permian shallow-marine carbonates and implications for Permian-Triassic boundary events

On shallow-marine carbonate buildups in south China, Turkey, and Japan, uppermost Permian skeletal limestones are truncated by an erosional surface that exhibits as much as 10 cm of topography, including overhanging relief. Sedimentary facies, microfabrics, carbon isotopes, and cements together suggest that erosion occurred in a submarine setting. Moreover, biostratigraphic data from south China demonstrate that the surface postdates the uppermost Permian sequence boundary at the global stratotype section and truncates strata within the youngest known Permian conodont zone. The occurrences of similar truncation surfaces at the mass-extinction horizon on carbonate platforms across the global tropics, each overlain by microbial buildups, and their association with a large negative excursion in δ 13 C further suggest a causal link between erosion of shallow-marine carbonates and mass extinction. Previously proposed to account for marine extinctions, the hypothesis of rapid carbon release from sedimentary reservoirs or the deep ocean can also explain the petrographic observations. Rapid, unbuffered carbon release would cause submarine carbonate dissolution, accounting for erosion of uppermost Permian skeletal carbonates, and would be followed by a pulse of high carbonate saturation, explaining the precipitation of microbial limestones containing upwardgrowing carbonate crystal fans. Models for other carbon-release events suggest that at least 5 × 10 18 g of carbon, released in <100 k.y. , would be required. Of previously hypothesized Permian-Triassic boundary scenarios, thermogenic methane production from heating of coals during Siberian Traps emplacement best accounts for petrographic characteristics and depositional environment of the truncation surface and overlying microbial limestone, as well as an associated carbon isotope excursion and physiologically selective extinction in the marine realm.
Bactericidal Activities of Methoxyfluoroquinolones Gatifloxacin and Moxifloxacin against Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiratory Pathogens in Serum

ABSTRACT Gatifloxacin (Bristol-Myers Squibb) and moxifloxacin (Bayer) are new methoxyfluoroquinolones with broad-spectrum activity against aerobic and anaerobic pathogens of the respiratory tract. In this investigation, we analyzed the bactericidal activity in serum over time of these antimicrobials against three aerobic (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus aureus) and four anaerobic (Peptostreptococcus micros, Peptostreptococcus magnus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Prevotella melaninogenica) bacteria associated with respiratory tract infections. Serum samples were obtained from 11 healthy male subjects following a single 400-mg oral dose of gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin. These samples were collected prior to and at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after the dose of each drug. Gatifloxacin exhibited bactericidal activity for a median of 12 h against Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml), Peptostreptococcus micros (MIC = 0.25 μg/ml), and F. nucleatum (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml) and 24 h against H. influenzae (MIC = 0.03 μg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 0.125 μg/ml), Peptostreptococcus magnus (MIC = 0.125 μg/ml), and Prevotella melaninogenica (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml). Moxifloxacin exhibited bactericidal activity for a median of 24 h against Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC = 0.125 μg/ml), H. influenzae (MIC = 0.015 μg/ml), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 0.06 μg/ml), F. nucleatum (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml), Prevotella melaninogenica (MIC =0.5 μg/ml), Peptostreptococcus magnus (MIC = 0.125 μg/ml), and Peptostreptococcus micros (MIC = 0.25 μg/ml). The results from this pharmacodynamic study suggest that these fluoroquinolones would have prolonged killing activity against these organisms in vivo and may have clinical utility in the treatment of mixed aerobic-anaerobic respiratory tract infections.
Epidemic Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Johannesburg, South Africa

ABSTRACT Numerous reports have documented isolated transmission events or clonal outbreaks of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, but knowledge of their epidemic spread remains limited. In this study, we evaluated drug resistance, strain diversity, and clustering rates in patients diagnosed with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Central TB Laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa, between March 2004 and December 2007. Phenotypic drug susceptibility testing was done using the indirect proportion method, while each isolate was genotyped using a combination of spoligotyping and 12-MIRU typing (12-locus multiple interspersed repetitive unit typing). Isolates from 434 MDR-TB patients were evaluated, of which 238 (54.8%) were resistant to four first-line drugs (isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and streptomycin). Spoligotyping identified 56 different strains and 28 clusters of variable size (2 to 71 cases per cluster) with a clustering rate of 87.1%. Ten clusters included 337 (77.6%) of all cases, with strains of the Beijing genotype being most prevalent (16.4%). Combined analysis of spoligotyping and 12-MIRU typing increased the discriminatory power (Hunter Gaston discriminatory index [HGDI] = 0.962) and reduced the clustering rate to 66.8%. Resolution of Beijing genotype strains was further enhanced with the 24-MIRU-VNTR (variable-number tandem repeat) typing method by identifying 15 subclusters and 19 unique strains from twelve 12-MIRU clusters. High levels of clustering among a variety of strains suggest a true epidemic spread of MDR-TB in the study setting, emphasizing the urgency of early diagnosis and effective treatment to reduce transmission within this community.
Career satisfaction and future intentions in the hospitality industry: An intrinsic or an extrinsic proposition?

ABSTRACT Job satisfaction is probably one of the most researched topics in the hospitality literature and, whereas career satisfaction, defined as the gratification with the accumulation of career-related experiences over time, has received much less attention. With the intention of enhancing our conceptual understanding and adding to this discourse, this study aims to investigate the effects of both intrinsic and extrinsic job traits on the individual's career satisfaction and subsequent intention to remain in the hospitality industry. The study investigates individuals working as full time employees in hotel establishments in Cyprus. Findings, some of which challenge existing theoretical paradigms, are of interest to stakeholders both in the industry and the academic community.
Misdiagnosis of COPD and Asthma in Primary Care Patients 40 Years of Age and Over

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often misdiagnosed as asthma, leading to inappropriate treatment and suboptimal patient outcomes. As part of a prospective study of patients with a history consistent with obstructive lung disease, we compared prior diagnostic labels with a study diagnosis based on spirometric results. We enrolled persons 40 years of age or older with prior diagnoses or medications consistent with obstructive lung disease. Patients were recruited via random mailing to primary care practices in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Denver, Colorado. Prior diagnoses of chronic bronchitis or emphysema (CBE) and asthma were reported by the subjects. Participants underwent pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. A study diagnosis of COPD was defined using post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) < 0.70. Spirometric examination was complete in 597 patients, of whom 235 (39.4%) had a study diagnosis of COPD. Among subjects with a spirometry-based study diagnosis of COPD, 121 (51.5%) reported a prior diagnosis of asthma without concurrent CBE diagnosis, 89 (37.9%) reported a prior diagnosis of CBE, and 25 (10.6%) reported no prior diagnosis of obstructive lung disease. Despite the availability of consensus guideline diagnostic recommendations, diagnostic confusion between COPD and asthma appears common. Increased awareness of the differences between the two conditions is needed to promote optimal patient management and treatment.
The Structure of Psychological Distress

In this study we describe the factor structure of the Psychological Distress Index used in the Quebec Health Survey and compare a model that includes psychophysiologic symptoms (29 items) with a model restricted to cognitive and affective symptoms only (18 items). Three samples (n = 2,000) were used to test the likelihood of these two models. Confirmatory factor analyses were carried out using LISREL VII. Logistic regression was then used to examine the association of the two versions with demographic variables and health indicators. Analysis indicates that both versions show satisfactory construct validity. Except for age, the associations observed between both versions and respondents' demographic characteristics are similar; however, the 29-item version is more strongly associated with health status indexes, suggesting a possible bias attributable to somatic items.
Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and docetaxel on 3-year survival and resection rate in previously unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

4234 Background: Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat and almost impossible to screen for. Surgical resection offers the best possibility for cure, however, only a small proportion of patients are diagnosed with the disease at a resectable stage. We initiated a clinical phase II study to investigate the down staging and long-term effects of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy using gemcitabine (Gem) and docetaxel (Doc) for patients with locally advanced non-metastasized pancreatic cancer. METHODS 61 patients (age 28 to 81) with confirmed pancreatic cancer (T2-4, Nx, M0) were enrolled after informed consent. Non-resectability was assessed by multi-slice CT or MRI. The trial design included a dose escalation of combination chemotherapy of 5 dose levels (days 1,8,15 q28; Gem 800 to 1000 mg/m2, Doc 25 to 45 mg/). Two or three such cycles were administered for a preoperative treatment duration of 8 to 12 weeks. Patients with then resectable cancers underwent surgery within 4 weeks after chemotherapy. 48/61 patients (79%) were successfully resected after preoperative chemotherapy . All resections were radical (R0); there was no surgical mortality. RESULTS At a median follow up time of 32 months, 36/48 patients with R0 resection are alive (75%). 1-yr survival was 85 per cent; actuarial 3-yr survival was 69 per cent. Both OS and DFS of patients of this were markedly better than that of primarily resected patients (T1-3) without neoadjvuant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of non-resectable pancreatic cancer using gemcitabine and docetaxel leads to major down staging in most patients, leading to resectability on 4 out of 5 patients. In addition, the postoperative survival of patients responding to neoadjuvant chemotherapy markedly exceeds the primary survival pattern of patients who underwent surgery with earlier-stage disease. In addition, distinction between responders and non-responders by molecular markers remains a major goal of research in order to reliably predict response to therapies and subsequent optimization of treatment for individual patients. [Table: see text].
Transformerless cuk derived high boost DC-AC converter for dual PV applications simulation study

This paper presents a 3-level neutral-point-clamped high boost transformerless dc-ac converter for dual photovoltaic applications. General operation waveforms and operation principles are described. Basic processes involved and converter dimensions result from the steady state analysis and the calculation of general component values. Theoretical assumptions are verified by PSIM. Simulation results show the general operation principles and waveforms of the proposed converter. Finally, main areas of application of the converter and the efficiency achievable are discussed.
A four port microstrip testset for network analyzers

This paper describes the design of a microstrip four port testset for use in narrow band network analyzers. The testset configuration comprises of four section branch line couplers and power combiners, which are integrated to realize the testset. It has one port for an RF input, one for an arbitrary DUT, and remaining two ports for incident (reference) and reflected power detectors. The couplers are designed to provide uniform magnitude and phase characteristics that help obtaining isolation above 30 dB between the RF input port and reflected power detector. The power combiners are designed to provide good matching between the couplers and the DUT/reference detector ports, and also to distinguish matched and mismatched loads on Port 2. The designed testset achieves raw uncalibrated load dynamic range of 20 to 59 dB between 1.68 and 2.54 GHz. The high dynamic range makes the designed testset suitable for use in a narrow band network analyzer.
X-Ray Crystallographic and Mutational Studies of Fluoroacetate Dehalogenase from Burkholderia sp. Strain FA1

ABSTRACT Fluoroacetate dehalogenase catalyzes the hydrolytic defluorination of fluoroacetate to produce glycolate. The enzyme is unique in that it catalyzes the cleavage of a carbon-fluorine bond of an aliphatic compound: the bond energy of the carbon-fluorine bond is among the highest found in natural products. The enzyme also acts on chloroacetate, although much less efficiently. We here determined the X-ray crystal structure of the enzyme from Burkholderia sp. strain FA1 as the first experimentally determined three-dimensional structure of fluoroacetate dehalogenase. The enzyme belongs to the α/β hydrolase superfamily and exists as a homodimer. Each subunit consists of core and cap domains. The catalytic triad, Asp104-His271-Asp128, of which Asp104 serves as the catalytic nucleophile, was found in the core domain at the domain interface. The active site was composed of Phe34, Asp104, Arg105, Arg108, Asp128, His271, and Phe272 of the core domain and Tyr147, His149, Trp150, and Tyr212 of the cap domain. An electron density peak corresponding to a chloride ion was found in the vicinity of the Nε1 atom of Trp150 and the Nε2 atom of His149, suggesting that these are the halide ion acceptors. Site-directed replacement of each of the active-site residues, except for Trp150, by Ala caused the total loss of the activity toward fluoroacetate and chloroacetate, whereas the replacement of Trp150 caused the loss of the activity only toward fluoroacetate. An interaction between Trp150 and the fluorine atom is probably an absolute requirement for the reduction of the activation energy for the cleavage of the carbon-fluorine bond.
Methanol clusters (CH3OH)n, n = 3-6 in external electric fields: density functional theory approach.

Structural evolution of cyclic and branched-cyclic methanol clusters containing three to six molecules, under the influence of externally applied uniform static electric field is studied within the density functional theory. Akin to the situation for water clusters, the electric field is seen to stretch the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, and eventually break the H-bonded network at certain characteristic threshold field values of field strength in the range 0.009-0.016 a.u. , yielding linear or branched structures with a lower energy. These structural transitions are characterized by an abrupt increase in the electric dipole moment riding over its otherwise steady nonlinear increase with the applied field. The field tends to rupture the H-bonded structure; consequently, the number of hydrogen bonds decreases with increasing field strength. Vibrational spectra analyzed for fields applied perpendicular to the cyclic ring structures bring out the shifts in the OH ring vibrations (blueshift) and the CO stretch vibrations (redshift). For a given field strength, the blueshifts increase with the number of molecules in the ring and are found to be generally larger than those in the corresponding water cluster counterparts.
NinR- and Red-Mediated Phage-Prophage Marker Rescue Recombination in Escherichia coli

We examined the requirement of λ recombination functions for marker rescue of cryptic prophage genes within the Escherichia coli chromosome. We infected lysogenic host cells with λimm434 phages and selected for recombinant immλ phages that had exchanged the imm434 region of the infecting phage for the heterologous 2.6-kb immλ region from the prophage. Phage-encoded activity, provided by either Red or NinR functions, was required for the substitution. Red− phages with ΔNinR, internal NinR deletions of rap-ninH, or orf-ninC were 117-, 12-, and 5-fold reduced for immλ rescue in a Rec+ host, suggesting the participation of several NinR activities. RecA was essential for NinR-dependent immλ rescue, but had slight influence on Red-dependent rescue. The host recombination activities RecBCD, RecJ, and RecQ participated in NinR-dependent recombination while they served to inhibit Red-mediated immλ rescue. The opposite effects of several host functions toward NinR- and Red-dependent immλ rescue explains why the independent pathways were not additive in a Rec+ host and why the NinR-dependent pathway appeared dominant. We measured the influence of the host recombination functions and DnaB on the appearance of oriλ-dependent replication initiation and whether oriλ replication initiation was required for immλ marker rescue.
Nocturnal blood pressure and silent cerebrovascular lesions in elderly Japanese.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological survey using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and brain MRI in a cohort from northern Japan to determine whether an inappropriately low nocturnal blood pressure, or an excess fall in nocturnal blood pressure, might be responsible for silent cerebrovascular lesions in the elderly. METHODS Untreated subjects over 55 years and under 64 years of age (late middle age; 24 men and 46 women, 60% of eligible people) and over 65 years and under 75 years of age (elderly; 29 men and 52 women, 91% of eligible people) participated in the study. We evaluated the relationship between the amplitude (Daytime Average-Nighttime Average) or the rate ([Daytime Average-Nighttime Average]/Daytime Average) of the fall in nocturnal blood pressure and the incidence of silent cerebrovascular lesions on MRI (number of lacunar infarctions or extent of periventricular hyperintensity). RESULTS The amplitude or the rate of the fall in nocturnal blood pressure in elderly women with one or two lacunar infarctions was significantly higher than that in those without such infarctions. There was a significant positive correlation between the amplitude or the rate of the fall in nocturnal blood pressure and the extent of periventricular hyperintensity in the elderly women. This relationship was observed in women, but not in men, of late middle age; this was not seen in elderly men. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that an inappropriately low nocturnal blood pressure, or an excessive fall in nocturnal blood pressure, is associated with ischemic silent cerebrovascular lesions, at least in elderly women. Treatment of hypertension in such women should be administered with care and with regard to nocturnal blood pressure.
Central and Peripheral Visual Reaction Time of Soccer Players and Nonathletes

Visual Reaction Time (RT) was measured by presenting three different sizes of stimulus to the central and peripheral fields of vision in 6 soccer players and 6 nonathletes. An electromyogram was recorded from the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle of the responding forearm. Peripheral visual RT was longer in comparison to central visual RT due to an increment in Premotor Time. The soccer players showed shorter Premotor Times during central and peripheral visual RT tasks than nonathletes, suggesting that the soccer players are better able to respond quickly to a stimulus presented to peripheral as well as central positions.
Current and charge Integral equation formulation

A new stable frequency domain surface integral equation formulation is proposed for the three dimensional electromagnetic scattering of composite metallic and dielectric objects. The developed formulation does not suffer from the low frequency breakdown and leads to a well balanced and stable system on a wide frequency band. Surface charge densities are used as unknowns in addition to the traditional surface current densities. The balance of the system is achieved by using normalized field quantities and by enforcing the continuity of the fields across the boundaries with carefully chosen scaling factors. The linear dependence between the currents and charges is taken into account with an integral operator, and the linear dependence in charges is removed with the deflation method. A combined field integral equation form of the formulation is proposed to remove the internal resonance problem associated to the closed metallic objects. Due to the good balance in the new formulation, fast converging iterative solutions on a very wide frequency band can be obtained. The new formulation and its convergence is verified with numerical examples.
The Demand for Housing in Scotland: New Estimates from the Scottish House Condition Survey

Earlier empirical housing studies of demand experienced conceptual and empirical problems (downward bias, measurement problems, sample selection bias, etc.). This paper builds on an earlier approach by Ermisch, et al (1996), and reports new empirical research which estimates the price and income elasticity of demand for housing using the 1996 Scottish House Condition Survey. The distinctive aspects of this paper are that it constructs a new hedonic price index, and develops a three-stage model of demand. The mobility decision is isolated from the tenure choice decision and the actual housing consumption decision incorporating Heckman’s sample selection technique to overcome any biases in the data. The focus of the paper is on the robustness of the derived results, stressing the sensitivity of the results in terms of its various components.
Dental evidence for ontogenetic differences between modern humans and Neanderthals

Humans have an unusual life history, with an early weaning age, long childhood, late first reproduction, short interbirth intervals, and long lifespan. In contrast, great apes wean later, reproduce earlier, and have longer intervals between births. Despite 80 y of speculation, the origins of these developmental patterns in Homo sapiens remain unknown. Because they record daily growth during formation, teeth provide important insights, revealing that australopithecines and early Homo had more rapid ontogenies than recent humans. Dental development in later Homo species has been intensely debated, most notably the issue of whether Neanderthals and H. sapiens differ. Here we apply synchrotron virtual histology to a geographically and temporally diverse sample of Middle Paleolithic juveniles, including Neanderthals, to assess tooth formation and calculate age at death from dental microstructure. We find that most Neanderthal tooth crowns grew more rapidly than modern human teeth, resulting in significantly faster dental maturation. In contrast, Middle Paleolithic H. sapiens juveniles show greater similarity to recent humans. These findings are consistent with recent cranial and molecular evidence for subtle developmental differences between Neanderthals and H. sapiens. When compared with earlier hominin taxa, both Neanderthals and H. sapiens have extended the duration of dental development. This period of dental immaturity is particularly prolonged in modern humans.