Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Solar radiation and water for emission-free marine mobility

Solar powered boats can provide emission-free water transportation. However, due to uncontrollable radiation of the sun, they cannot reliably be applied to commercial transportation. This paper describes a research hybrid boat which is powered by photovoltaic cells and uses fuel cells as a back-up system. The hydrogen required to operate the fuel cells is produced by stationary photovoltaic cells and stored in a tank. An energy management system provides for optimum use of the hydrogen. Energy production and energy usage is emission free.
Enterprise Restructuring in the Context of Urban Transition

This paper examines Russian enterprise reforms in the context of urban transition.The first part gives an overview of the industrial location structure unique to Russia in comparatively isolated regions, traditionally called “mono-profiling towns” (monoprofil'nye goroda) or “town-building enterprises” (gradoobrazuiushchie predpriiatiia), and depicts the case of Baikal'sk Cellulose and Paper Plant (BCPP) as a typical town-building enterprise. The author documents how the uniqueness of this type of enterprise causes the delay of the restructuring process for both private enterprises and public institutions. Nevertheless, It concludes by suggesting that the relation-ship between enterprise and its community, which were constructed in a symbiotic way, has changed. This is also the case for the “elite cites”, often called closed cities, including academic towns, and secret cities in Russian history. In the last decade, they had lost their stature and many privileges due to financial pressure resulting from changes in economic and social circumstances. It was inevitable for the state in the post-So-viet era to reduce and/or eliminate guaranteed social services.The second part focuses on the impact of urban infrastructure on enterprise reforms. Due to a lack of investments in Russia, existing fixed capital faces obsoles-cence. Municipalization of enterprise-owned urban infrastructure poses further threat to the situation. Therefore, many Russian enterprises keep some social assets (catering services, housing, medical services, sports and recreational facilities, kindergarten etc.) at hand. Although this may serve to mitigate impacts of economic reforms in some respects, “urban infrastructure hoarding”, the other side of“labor hoarding” characteristic of Russian enterprises, may lead to more serious social problems such as dilapidated housing (which had existed since the mid 90s in Russia and ruined blocks in the U.S. metropolis after the oil-shock) . No investment in urban infrastructure, its “mercy killing”, can be realized as part of enterprise restructuring. In light of all these, it is no doubt enterprises need to do the final decision-making.
A Deficiency in Arabinogalactan Biosynthesis Affects Corynebacterium glutamicum Mycolate Outer Membrane Stability

ABSTRACT Corynebacterineae is a specific suborder of Gram-positive bacteria that includes Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Corynebacterium glutamicum. The ultrastructure of the cell envelope is very atypical. It is composed of a heteropolymer of peptidoglycan and arabinogalactan (AG) covalently associated to an outer membrane. Five arabinosyltransferases are involved in the biosynthesis of AG in C. glutamicum. AftB catalyzes the transfer of Araf (arabinofuranosyl) onto the arabinan domain of the arabinogalactan to form terminal β(1 → 2)-linked Araf residues. Here we show that ΔaftB cells lack half of the arabinogalactan mycoloylation sites but are still able to assemble an outer membrane. In addition, we show that a ΔaftB mutant grown on a rich medium has a perturbed cell envelope and sheds a significant amount of membrane fragments in the external culture medium. These fragments contain mono- and dimycolate of trehalose and PorA/H, the major porin of C. glutamicum, but lack conventional phospholipids that typify the plasma membrane, suggesting that they are derived from the atypical mycolate outer membrane of the cell envelope. This is the first report of outer membrane destabilization in the Corynebacterineae, and it suggests that a strong interaction between the mycolate outer membrane and the underlying polymer is essential for cell envelope integrity. The presence of outer membrane-derived fragments (OMFs) in the external medium of the ΔaftB mutant is also a very promising tool for outer membrane characterization. Indeed, fingerprint analysis of major OMF-associated proteins has already led to the identification of 3 associated mycoloyltransferases and an unknown protein with a C-terminal hydrophobic anchoring domain reminiscent of that found for the S-layer protein PS2 of C. glutamicum.
Brain Edema Defined by Cranial Computed Tomography

Cranial computed tomography permitted an in vivo classification of brain edema. The distinction of the four basic types of edema (vasogenic, ischemic, cytotoxic, and periventricular) was important in establishing the chronicity, extent, and pathologic basis of cerebral abnormalities. Vasogenic edema (neoplasm, abscess) was readily distinguished from cytotoxic edema by the predominant involvement of the white matter and associated abnormal enhancement following intravenous contrast medium injection. The diminished density of ischemic edema was visualized in both gray and white matter and occurred in a vascular distribution. An absence of enhancement in the cerebral capillary bed and attenuation or nonvisualization of the circle of Willis following the rapid bolus injection of iodinated contrast medium defined an arrest of cerebral circulation as might be seen in brain death. Periventricular interstitial edema was most often a marker of acute or subacute obstructive hydrocephalus.
Long-term allograft acceptance in a patient with posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder: correlation with intragraft viral interleukin-10.

BACKGROUND Viral (v) interleukin (IL)-10 is expressed by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and has pro- and anti-inflammatory actions similar to human IL-10. EBV is also a known factor in the development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLPD) in allograft recipients. We observed a patient with widespread PTLPD 9 months after renal transplantation, who subsequently maintained renal function despite minimal immunosuppression, and we investigated a possible link between these factors. METHODS The patient's chart was reviewed for relevant history. EBV DNA in blood and tissues was assessed by polymerase chain reaction. Human and vIL-10 and gamma-interferon mRNA were evaluated with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using nested primers. RESULTS After the diagnosis of PTLPD, the patient was maintained on prednisone (8 mg/day) as the only immunosuppression with preserved renal function for 17 months until death as a result of pulmonary failure. She had continuously high blood levels of EBV DNA, although only mild persistent intrarenal atypical lymphocytic infiltrates. Human IL-10 mRNA was never present; in contrast, intragraft vIL-10 mRNA was identified and associated with resolution of an intervening episode of severe acute transplant rejection. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the preserved renal function resulted from the anti-inflammatory actions of vIL-10 inhibiting acute rejection in the renal allograft.
Location-routing model of hazardous materials distribution system based on risk bottleneck

During the last two decades or so, modern societies have experienced an increasing public awareness of environmental issues and concern for the long lasting effects that human polluting activities may have on the environment. Under this condition, people begin to focus on the research on mathematical modeling approaches to aid in analyzing hazardous materials (HAZMAT) logistics decisions. Vast literature has been devoted to this field, but people used to neglect the real situation of logistics distribution network. This disadvantage limited the application of these researches. In this paper, we focus on the risk bottleneck of logistics network and do some research on HAZMAT logistics system. First, we analyze three main objectives - cost minimization, potential risk minimization and risk equity maximization and give assumptions and notations used in this paper, and then present a multi-objective approach to assist decision makers in analyzing combined location/routing decisions involving HAZMAT. After that, a heuristic algorithm is proposed and at the end of this paper we give a numerical example.
Application of Hog Fuel for the Bioremediation of Oil Contaminated Soils

Hog fuel is a waste product from the forestry industry where many paper and pulp mills simply dispose of it by burning. In this study, the effect of applying this forestry waste for the remediation of oil contaminated soil was investigated. A field landfarming of soils contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons at an oil and gas facility in western Canada was implemented with the addition of hog fuels. The experiments were conducted for 5 months while the average temperature was 11.4 °C. The results show that landfarming decreased the TPH concentrations in all the four experimental plots. Up to 81% of the petroleum hydrocarbons in the soils were removed in the three experimental plots with addition of hog fuel, as compared to 43% efficiency with no addition of bulking agent in one plot. Thus hog fuel showed significant positive influence on landfarming efficiency in this study.
Antibiotic-Coated Nails in Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery: State of the Art

Optimal management of deep infections in orthopedic and trauma surgery is often challenging. Traditional prophylactic and treatment approaches are based on the systemic administration of relatively high doses of antibiotics, which may result in a number of side effects. Furthermore, systemically administered antimicrobials may not reach adequate concentration at the desired site. Finally, traditional approaches are based on two-step protocols, thus delaying definite fixation. In recent years, antibiotic-coated intramedullary nails (ACINs) have been introduced, which offer the advantage of delivering antibiotics locally, thus increasing their local concentrations and length of action. In addition, ACINs offer the great advantage of combining antimicrobial prophylaxis / treatment and stabilization in a single step. Preliminary evidence by small clinical studies appears to support the effectiveness of ACINs in the management of chronic osteomyelitis and infected non-unions, with high rates of infection eradication and bone union. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to definitely establish ACINs' effectiveness and safety.
Clinical efficacy of lidocaine, mepivacaine, and articaine for local infiltration.

AIM To assess and compare the efficacy of single buccal and palatal infiltration of lidocaine, mepivacaine, or articaine with 1:100 000 epinephrine by maxillary anesthetic injection. METHODS A double-blinded, randomized, clinical trial was conducted with 33 patients undergoing upper premolar extraction. The patients were randomly allocated into one of three groups, according to the local anesthetic agent used: 2% lidocaine, 2% mepivacaine, or 4% articaine, all with 1:100 000 epinephrine, and were blinded to the anesthetic used. The extent of anesthetization, pulpal anesthetization in adjacent teeth, pain on injection, and adverse effects of the anesthetic agents were assessed. RESULTS The extent of anesthetization produced by 4% articaine (42 mm) was statistically more significant (P ≤ 0.05) than 2% lidocaine (33 mm) and 2% mepivacaine (32.5 mm). The successful anesthetization of adjacent teeth occurred more often in the articaine group than in the lidocaine and mepivacine groups, although not to a statistically-significant extent. The pain scores for the injections were comparable between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS Local anesthetization using 4% articaine with 1:100 000 epinephrine covers a wider area of soft tissue and adjacent teeth than 2% lidocaine or 2% mepivacaine with 1:100 000 epinephrine, which is sufficient for the extraction of one or two teeth.
Humoral Immune Response against Tumoral Mucin 1 (MUC1) in Breast Cancer Patients

The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the IgG humoral immune response to breast cancer cells is directed to the aberrant mucin-1 (MUC1) associated to this type of cancer. To this aim, an adaptation of immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on samples of 45 breast cancer tissues, 12 benign disease tissues, and 31 normal tissues, incubated with matched serum samples from the same patients. Each serum sample was also incubated, with a modified immunocytochemistry (ICC), with MCF7 cells. In both techniques, serum was employed instead of the primary antibody. In the case of IHC, the reactivity with sera diminished when added after previous incubation of the tumor/tissue with an anti-MUC1 mAb; the reduction in reactivity was: from 93% to 44% in breast cancer tissues, and from 100% to 67% in benign disease tissues. The reactivity of normal samples (36%) remained unchanged. In the case of ICC, the reactivity with sera decreased after incubation with anti-MUC1 mAb from 71% to 16% in breast cancer tissues, from 83% to 0% in benign disease tissues, and from 52% to 10% in normal serum samples. These results were confirmed employing siRNA MUC1 transient gene knockdown. By Western blot analysis – after immunoprecipitation (IP) of the circulating MUC1– and ELISA, the TF antigen was detected in circulating MUC1 in all breast cancer and benign samples while Tn was detected in 38% of the samples. The existence of IgG autoantibodies against aberrantly glycosylated MUC1 may have a protective role and may contribute to a better prognosis in some patients. Enhancement of this natural immune response may constitute an alternative therapeutic strategy.
Are long‐term widespread avian body size changes related to food availability? A test using contemporaneous changes in carotenoid‐based color

Abstract Recent changes in global climate have been linked with changes in animal body size. While declines in body size are commonly explained as an adaptive thermoregulatory response to climate warming, many species do not decline in size, and alternative explanations for size change exist. One possibility is that temporal changes in animal body size are driven by changes in environmental productivity and food availability. This hypothesis is difficult to test due to the lack of suitable estimates that go back in time. Here, we use an alternative, indirect, approach and assess whether continent‐wide changes over the previous 100 years in body size in 15 species of Australian birds are associated with changes in their yellow carotenoid‐based plumage coloration. This type of coloration is strongly affected by food availability because birds cannot synthesize carotenoids and need to ingest them, and because color expression depends on general body condition. We found significant continent‐wide intraspecific temporal changes in body size (wing length) and yellow carotenoid‐based color (plumage reflectance) for half the species. Direction and magnitude of changes were highly variable among species. Meta‐analysis indicated that neither body size nor yellow plumage color showed a consistent temporal trend and that changes in color were not correlated with changes in size over the past 100 years. We conclude that our data provide no evidence that broad‐scale variation in food availability is a general explanation for continent‐wide changes in body size in this group of species. The interspecific variability in temporal changes in size as well as color suggests that it might be unlikely that a single factor drives these changes, and more detailed studies of museum specimens and long‐term field studies are required to disentangle the processes involved.
Subclassification of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors: alpha 2D-autoreceptors and alpha 2D-adrenoceptors modulating release of acetylcholine in guinea-pig ileum.

The study was designed to classify in terms of alpha 2A, alpha 2B, alpha 2C and alpha 2D the presynaptic alpha 2-autoreceptors, as well as the alpha 2-receptors modulating the release of acetylcholine, in the myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle (MPLM) preparation of the guinea-pig ileum. A set of antagonists was chosen that was able to discriminate between the four subtypes. Small pieces of the MPLM preparation were preincubated with 3H-noradrenaline or 3H-choline and then superfused and stimulated electrically. The stimulation periods used (3H-noradrenaline: 3 trains of 20 pulses, 50 Hz, train interval 60 s; 3H-choline: single trains of 30 pulses, 0.2 Hz) did not lead to alpha 2-autoinhibition or inhibition of 3H-acetylcholine release by endogenous noradrenaline. The alpha 2-selective agonist 5-bromo-6-(2-imidazolin-2-ylamino)-quinoxaline (UK 14,304) reduced the evoked overflow of tritium in both 3H-noradrenaline and 3H-choline experiments. Most (3H-noradrenaline) or all (3H-choline) of the 10 antagonists shifted the concentration-inhibition curves of UK 14,304 to the right. pKd values of the antagonists were calculated from the shifts. pKd values from 3H-noradrenaline experiments correlated with pKd values from 3H-choline experiments (r = 0.981). It is concluded that alpha 2-autoreceptors and alpha 2-heteroreceptors modulating the release of acetylcholine in the MPLM preparation are of the same subtype. Comparison with antagonist affinities for prototypic native alpha 2 binding sites, binding sites in cells transfected with alpha 2 subtype genes, and previously classified presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors--all taken from the literature--indicates that both are alpha 2D. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Epidermal TRPM8 channel isoform controls the balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in a cold-dependent manner

Significance Epidermis, the outer layer of skin, is a protective barrier and a sensing interface. Although deviation of the ambient temperature is one of the most ubiquitous stimuli affecting the skin, the influence of mild cold on epidermal homeostasis is not well understood. Using a large range of techniques, we identified a novel mild-cold sensor protein in keratinocytes and demonstrate its location in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, a major calcium store of the cell, which forms a Ca2+-permeable ion channel. Activation of this channel links the Ca2+ release to mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and, thereby, modulates synthesis of ATP and superoxide involved in control of epidermal homeostasis. Molecular inactivation of this mild-cold sensor protein in mice impairs normal epidermal homeostasis. Deviation of the ambient temperature is one of the most ubiquitous stimuli that continuously affect mammals’ skin. Although the role of the warmth receptors in epidermal homeostasis (EH) was elucidated in recent years, the mystery of the keratinocyte mild-cold sensor remains unsolved. Here we report the cloning and characterization of a new functional epidermal isoform of the transient receptor potential M8 (TRPM8) mild-cold receptor, dubbed epidermal TRPM8 (eTRPM8), which is localized in the keratinocyte endoplasmic reticulum membrane and controls mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]m). In turn, [Ca2+]m modulates ATP and superoxide (O2•−) synthesis in a cold-dependent manner. We report that this fine tuning of ATP and O2•− levels by cooling controls the balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Finally, to ascertain eTRPM8’s role in EH in vivo we developed a new functional knockout mouse strain by deleting the pore domain of TRPM8 and demonstrated that eTRPM8 knockout impairs adaptation of the epidermis to low temperatures.
Identification and Characterization of a Novel Outer Membrane Protein (OMP J) of Moraxella catarrhalis That Exists in Two Major Forms

ABSTRACT Moraxella catarrhalis is a common commensal of the human respiratory tract that has been associated with a number of disease states, including acute otitis media in children and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults. During studies to investigate the outer membrane proteins of this bacterium, two novel major proteins, of approximately 19 kDa and 16 kDa (named OMP J1 and OMP J2, respectively), were identified. Further analysis indicated that these two proteins possessed almost identical gene sequences, apart from two insertion/deletion events in predicted external loops present within the putative barrel-like structure of the proteins. The development of a PCR screening strategy found a 100% (96/96) incidence for the genes encoding the OMP J1 and OMP J2 proteins within a set of geographically diverse M. catarrhalis isolates, as well as a significant association of OMP J1/OMP J2 with both the genetic lineage and the complement resistance phenotype (Fisher's exact test; P < 0.01). Experiments using two ΔompJ2 mutants (one complement resistant and the other complement sensitive) indicated that both were less easily cleared from the lungs of mice than were their isogenic wild-type counterparts, with a significant difference in bacterial clearance being observed for the complement-resistant isolate but not for its isogenic ΔompJ2 mutant (unpaired Student's t test; P < 0.001 and P = 0.32). In this publication, we characterize a novel outer membrane protein of Moraxella catarrhalis which exists in two variant forms associated with particular genetic lineages, and both forms are suggested to contribute to bacterial clearance from the lungs.
Osteomalacia associated with adult Fanconi's syndrome: clinical and diagnostic features *

OBJECTIVE Osteomalacia associated with adult acquired Fanconi's syndrome is thought to result from hypophosphataemia and relative 1,25‐dihydroxy vitamin D deficiency. We have followed the clinical and diagnostic features of patients with osteomalacia associated with adult Fanconi's syndrome, with particular emphasis on their responses to treatment with calcium, phosphate and vitamin D.
Assessment of mortality risk in elderly patients after proximal femoral fracture.

Mortality after hip fracture is a major problem in the Western world, but its mechanisms remain uncertain. This study assessed the 2-year mortality rate after hip fracture in elderly patients by including hospital factors (eg, intervention type, surgical delay), underlying health conditions, and, for a subset, lifestyle factors (eg, body mass index, smoking, alcohol). A total of 828 patients (183 men) 70 to 99 years old experiencing a hip fracture in 2009 in the province of Varese were included in the study. The risk factors for death were assessed through Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Hip fracture incidence per 1000 persons was higher in women (8.4 vs 3.7 in men) and in elderly patients (12.4 for 85-99 years vs 4.4 for 70-84 years). The mortality rate after 1, 6, 12, and 24 months was 4.7%, 16%, 20.7%, and 30.4%, respectively. For the province of Varese, sex (hazard ratio, 0.39 for women), age group (hazard ratio, 2.2 for 85-99 years), and Charlson Comorbidity Index score (hazard ratio, 2.06 for score greater than 1) were found to be statistically significant. The 2-year mortality rate in hip fractures is associated with sex, age, and comorbidities. Male sex, age older than 85 years, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score greater than 1 are associated with a higher risk. Surgical delay was significant in the Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis but not in the Cox hazard analysis, suggesting that early surgery reduces risk in patients with numerous comorbidities.