Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Natural cytotoxicity against mouse hepatitis virus-infected target cells. I. Correlation of cytotoxicity with virus binding to leukocytes.

Spleen cells from uninfected control mice selectively lysed BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts infected with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a murine coronavirus. Lysis of infected cells occurred within 3 hr, and histocompatibility between effector and target cells was not required. This natural, cell-mediated, virus-associated cytotoxicity differed from NK cell- and T cell-mediated lysis. Spleen cells from animals infected with MHV were enriched in NK activity and were more cytotoxic to YAC-1 target cells, but did not show enhanced cytotoxicity for MHV-infected target cells. Spleen cells from beige mice, which are deficient in NK cell activity, were able to lyse MHV-infected target cells, as were spleen cells from nude mice, which are deficient in T cell activity. Lysis of MHV-infected target cells could be mediated by cells from the spleen and, to a lesser extent, by cells from the bone marrow, but not by resident peritoneal cells or thymocytes. We suggest the term "virus killer (VK) activity" for this phenomenon. VK activity of splenocytes from different mouse strains correlated with the ability of the splenocytes to bind purified radiolabeled MHV virions. MHV virions caused agglutination of spleen leukocytes from susceptible mouse strains, indicating that leukocyte agglutination or adsorption may provide a useful assay for coronaviruses such as MHV which lack hemagglutinating activity. SJL mouse splenocytes did not bind MHV and did not lyse infected targets. MHV bound relatively well to splenocytes of other mouse strains, but poorly to thymocytes and erythrocytes. Binding of MHV to leukocytes was not influenced by 6 mM EDTA or EGTA, indicating a lack of requirement for Mg++ or Ca++. VK activity was also resistant to EDTA and EGTA, in contrast to NK activity, which was sensitive to those chelating agents. VK activity was also unaffected by actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or puromycin, indicating that new protein synthesis was not required for lysis. Antibody to interferon-alpha/beta did not block lysis, nor was there substantially enhanced lysis mediated by leukocytes from mice infected with virus and thus exposed to high levels of interferon. VK activity was blocked by antibody directed against the peplomeric glycoprotein E2 of MHV. VK activity required infected target cells, because cells with adsorbed MHV virions were not lysed by splenocytes. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Improving Compliance With Hand Hygiene in Hospitals

Hand hygiene prevents cross-infection in hospitals, but compliance with recommended instructions often is poor among healthcare workers. Although some previous interventions to improve compliance have been successful, none has achieved lasting improvement. This article reviews reported barriers to appropriate hand hygiene and factors associated with poor compliance. Easy access to hand hygiene in a timely fashion and the availability of skin-care lotion both appear to be necessary pre-requisites for appropriate hand-hygiene behavior. In particular, in high-demand situations, hand rub with an alcohol-based solution appears to be the only alternative that allows a decent compliance. The hand-hygiene compliance level does not rely on individual factors alone, and the same can be said for its promotion. Because of the complexity of the process of change, it is not surprising that solo interventions often fail, and multimodal, multidisciplinary strategies are necessary. A framework that includes parameters to be considered for hand-hygiene promotion is proposed, based on epidemiologically driven evidence and review of the current knowledge. Strategies for promotion in hospitals should include reasons for noncompliance with recommendations at individual, group, and institutional levels. Potential tools for change should address each of these elements and consider their interactivity.
HERZBERG'S TWO FACTORS THEORY ON WORK MOTIVATION: DOES ITS WORK FOR TODAYS ENVIRONMENT?

This paper review the conventional setting of Herzberg Two-Factors Theory and compare with current research finding that implemented the theory. This paper discuss findings from various countries and industries have found contrariwise with the theory, where Extrinsic Factors that should only turn up with job dissatisfactions or neutralize feelings towards jobs have indeed effected respondents’ job satisfactions. The conclusion has presented a motion to combine the two groups of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors as one set of determinants. The remodelling of Two-Factors Theory should be used to determine employees’ job satisfaction factors in order to maximize their job performance.
Infra-Red Thermography for spatially resolved measurements of the temperature distribution on the Acoustic Wave devices

The continuous miniaturization of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices linked with operating frequency increase leads to localized heating which can affect the lifetime and the efficiency. In the case of Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) chips, it is moreover difficult to directly visualize the acoustic wave because of its velocity and its relative low amplitude (some nm). In this paper, we present a method based on infrared observation and leading to observe the propagation path of the SAW with a non-destructive and non-contacting protocol. We show that this technique allows to image the heating of the chip with a good resolution leading to improve the design of SAW devices including, resonators and delay line.
Machiavellianism and psychopathy.

An integration of the Machiavellianism (MACH) and psychopathy constructs based on a dimensional view of personality and personality disorders and a recognition of B. Karpman's (1941, 1948) conceptual distinction between primary and secondary psychopathy is presented. Positive associations between MACH and both primary and secondary psychopathy were found. It is concluded that the Mach-IV is a global measure of psychopathy in noninstitutionalized populations (i.e., one that assesses but confounds both primary and secondary psychopathy) and that the primary differences between MACH and psychopathy are not traceable to substantive theoretical issues but to the different professional affiliations they are associated with: personality and social psychology and clinical psychology, respectively.
Simultaneous Measurement of Tissue pCh and Perfusion During Muscular Contraction of the Latissitnus Dorsi

The latissiimis dorsi muscle (LDM) receives its primary blood supply from a single nutrient artery located at its proximal insertion and it has not previously been established whether this effects the regional perfusion and nutrition of the muscle, A microelectrode technique was used to measure local oxygenation and permsion simultaneously at multiple sites in the rabbit LDM at rest, during and after repeated muscular contraction induced by electrical stimulation with a fatigue-testing protocol. In the resting state there were no significant differences in perfusion or oxygenation in different regions of the LDM. However, the proximal perfusion was greater than distal perrusion during muscular contraction (increase from baseline 173 ± 9% and 137 ± 5%) and during the first 20 minutes of recovery. Tissue oxygenation was maintained at constant levels in the proximal region throughout contraction and recovery whereas there was a significant decrease in distal p02 of 10.2 ± S.SmmHg during contraction and of 5.4 ± 4,2mmHg during the first 20 minutes of recovery. The evidence suggests that distal areas of the LDM cannot maintain sufficient perfusion during contraction to prevent a fall in tissue p02-This has important implications on the clinical applications of the LDM as a pedicled muscle flap for cardiac assistance.
Comparison of Five Bacteriophages as Models for Viral Aerosol Studies

ABSTRACT Bacteriophages are perceived to be good models for the study of airborne viruses because they are safe to use, some of them display structural features similar to those of human and animal viruses, and they are relatively easy to produce in large quantities. Yet, only a few studies have investigated them as models. It has previously been demonstrated that aerosolization, environmental conditions, and sampling conditions affect viral infectivity, but viral infectivity is virus dependent. Thus, several virus models are likely needed to study their general behavior in aerosols. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of aerosolization and sampling on the infectivity of five tail-less bacteriophages and two pathogenic viruses: MS2 (a single-stranded RNA [ssRNA] phage of the Leviviridae family), Φ6 (a segmented double-stranded RNA [dsRNA] phage of the Cystoviridae family), ΦX174 (a single-stranded DNA [ssDNA] phage of the Microviridae family), PM2 (a double-stranded DNA [dsDNA] phage of the Corticoviridae family), PR772 (a dsDNA phage of the Tectiviridae family), human influenza A virus H1N1 (an ssRNA virus of the Orthomyxoviridae family), and the poultry virus Newcastle disease virus (NDV; an ssRNA virus of the Paramyxoviridae family). Three nebulizers and two nebulization salt buffers (with or without organic fluid) were tested, as were two aerosol sampling devices, a liquid cyclone (SKC BioSampler) and a dry cyclone (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health two-stage cyclone bioaerosol sampler). The presence of viruses in collected air samples was detected by culture and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Our results showed that these selected five phages behave differently when aerosolized and sampled. RNA phage MS2 and ssDNA phage ΦX174 were the most resistant to aerosolization and sampling. The presence of organic fluid in the nebulization buffer protected phages PR772 and Φ6 throughout the aerosolization and sampling with dry cyclones. In this experimental setup, the behavior of the influenza virus resembled that of phages PR772 and Φ6, while the behavior of NDV was closer to that of phages MS2 and ΦX174. These results provide critical information for the selection of appropriate phage models to mimic the behavior of specific human and animal viruses in aerosols.
The philosophy of logic

what exactly are these logical This essay is the text of a retiring presidential address to the Association for Symbolic Logic. For a number of historical and sociological reasons, the largely mathematical membership of the Association is aware of the three great schools in the philosophy of mathematics at the turn of the 20th century—Platonism, Formalism, and Intuitionism—but unfamiliar with any school of thought in the philosophy of logic. This address was an effort to introduce the range of philosophical views about logic by rough analogy with the big three about mathematics. Along the way, it sketches the positions of Kant, the 19th-century German scientific materialists, Frege, Mill, early Wittgenstein, Carnap, Ayer, Quine, and Putnam, with gestures toward Descartes, Bolzano, and Russell, and ends with a second-philosophical alternative.
Mutational Events in Cefotaximase Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases of the CTX-M-1 Cluster Involved in Ceftazidime Resistance

ABSTRACT CTX-M β-lactamases, which show a high cefotaxime hydrolytic activity, constitute the most prevalent extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) type found among clinical isolates. The recent explosive diversification of CTX-M enzymes seems to have taken place due to the appearance of more efficient enzymes which are capable of hydrolyzing both cefotaxime and ceftazidime, especially among the CTX-M-1 cluster. A combined strategy of in vitro stepwise evolution experiments using blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-3, and blaCTX-M-10 genes and site-directed mutagenesis has been used to evaluate the role of ceftazidime and other β-lactam antibiotics in triggering the diversity found among enzymes belonging to this cluster. Two types of mutants, P167S and D240G, displaying high ceftazidime MICs but reduced resistance to cefotaxime and/or cefepime, respectively, were identified. Such an antagonistic pleiotropic effect was particularly evident with P167S/T mutations. The incompatibility between P167S and D240G changes was demonstrated, since double mutants reduced susceptibility to both ceftazidime and cefotaxime-cefepime; this may explain the absence of strains containing both mutations in the clinical environment. The role of A77V and N106S mutations, which are frequently associated with P167S/T and/or D240G, respectively, in natural strains, was investigated. The presence of A77V and N106S contributes to restore a high-level cefotaxime resistance phenotype, but only when associated with mutations P167S and D240G, respectively. However, A77V mutation increases resistance to both cefotaxime and ceftazidime when associated with CTX-M-10. This suggests that in this context this mutation might be considered a primary site involved in resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporins.
Two‐dimensional dopant profiling of submicron metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor using nonlinear least squares inverse modeling

We present an inverse modeling technique to determine the two‐dimensional (2D) dopant profile of a metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor from electrical measurements. In our method, the profile is formulated using two tensor product splines (TPSs). This analytical representation is general, compact, and flexible. It simplifies the profile determination problem to the extraction of the TPS coefficients from experimental data. We show the results of applying the new technique on data collected from a sub‐0.5 μm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology with various source/drain implants. We also compare the measured and simulated I–V and C–V characteristics. The results illustrate the importance of accurate 2D dopant profiles for short‐channel device simulation and modeling.
The Impact of Formal Decision Processes on e-Government Projects

This paper studies associations between the use of formal decision-making processes in e-Government projects and the outcomes of these projects. By doing so, this study contributes to the decision sciences as well as to the fields of e-Government, information systems and public administration. Data were collected using a survey conducted among Swedish national government agencies and municipalities. Variables that have been investigated are the defining and weighting of objectives, resource allocation and assessment of whether objectives are met, as well as to what extent risk analysis was conducted. The results reveal that successful projects distinguish themselves by involving more activities related to formal decision-making procedures, especially with respect to stakeholder inclusion and weighting of objectives. These initiatives also manage more types of risks, including organizational issues. Future research should continue to explore the possible benefits of formal decision-making and risk analysis in e-Government.
Effects of mammography positioning on the autonomic nervous function

The physical and psychological burden on patients during mammography was analyzed using the autonomic function index in 34 adult females. The indices included heart rate (HR), high frequency (HF) of the R-R interval on an electrocardiogram, and the ratio of HF to LF (low frequency) (LF/HF). HR is an indicator of the degree of mental and physical activity, HF indicates the parasympathetic index and LF/HF indicates the sympathetic index. For the mediolateral oblique (MLO) view in mammography, autonomic function indices were measured before and during mammography. Statistical analysis was performed by the Mann-Whitney U test and the significance level was set at 5%. The autonomic function indices were compared before and during mammography and all showed no significant differences. The average value before imaging and the reference value at rest were compared. The results showed that HR increased 1.3-fold, HF increased 0.4-fold, and LF/HF increased 3.2-fold over reference values. Chronological changes during mammography showed that HF increased and LF/HF decreased from 120 seconds after the start of imaging. From these observations, it is evident that the state before mammography is not the same as the resting state and that the sympathetic index is dominant before imaging. They also suggest that some aspects of the psychological burden experienced during mammography are not due to the pain of breast compression alone.
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and incident hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohorts.

BACKGROUND The role of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) that contain free or bound fructose in the pathogenesis of hypertension remains unclear. OBJECTIVE We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to quantify the association between fructose-containing SSBs and risk of hypertension. DESIGN MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane registry were searched from conception through 11 November 2014. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the quality of studies (with the use of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale). Risk estimates of extreme quantiles of SSB intake (lowest compared with highest) for hypertension incidence were generated with the use of generic inverse-variance methods with random-effects models and expressed as risk ratios with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q statistic and quantified with the I(2) statistic. RESULTS Six prospective cohort studies (n = 240,508) with 79,251 cases of hypertension observed over ≥3,197,528 person-years of follow-up were included. SSB consumption significantly increased the risk of developing hypertension by 12% (risk ratio: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.17) with evidence of significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 62%, P = 0.02) when highest [≥1 serving (6.7, 8, or 12 oz)/d] and lowest (none) quantiles of intake were compared. With the use of a dose-response analysis, a significant 8.2% increase in risk of every additional SSB per day from none to ≥1 SSB/d (β = 0.0027, P < 0.001) was identified. Limitations include unexplained heterogeneity and residual confounding. The results may also have been subject to collinearity effects from aspects of a Western dietary pattern. CONCLUSIONS SSBs were associated with a modest risk of developing hypertension in 6 cohorts. There is a need for high-quality randomized trials to assess the role of SSBs in the development of hypertension and its complications. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01608620.
Chimeras of receptors for gibbon ape leukemia virus/feline leukemia virus B and amphotropic murine leukemia virus reveal different modes of receptor recognition by retrovirus

Glvr1 encodes the human receptor for gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) and feline leukemia virus subgroup B (FeLV-B), while the related gene Glvr2 encodes the human receptor for amphotropic murine leukemia viruses (A-MLVs). The two proteins are 62% identical in their amino acid sequences and are predicted to have 10 transmembrane domains and five extracellular loops. A stretch of nine amino acids (region A) in the predicted fourth extracellular loop was previously shown to be critical for the function of Glvr1 as receptor for GALV and FeLV-B. Glvr1 and -2 show clusters of amino acid differences in several of their predicted extracellular loops, with the highest degree of divergence in region A. Chimeras were made between the two genes to further investigate the role of Glvr1 region A in defining receptor specificity for GALV and FeLV-B and to map which regions of Glvr2 control receptor specificity for A-MLVs. Region A from Glvr1 was sufficient to confer receptor specificity for GALV upon Glvr2, with the same chimera failing to act as a receptor for FeLV-B. However, introduction of additional N- or C-terminal Glvr1-encoding sequences in addition to Glvr1 region A-encoding sequences resulted in functional FeLV-B receptors. Therefore, FeLV-B is dependent on Glvr1 sequences outside region A for infectivity. The receptor specificity of Glvr2 for A-MLV could not be mapped to a single critical region; rather, N-terminal as well as C-terminal Glvr2-encoding sequences could confer specificity for A-MLV infection upon Glvr1. Surprisingly, though GALV/FeLV-B and A-MLV belong to different interference groups, some chimeras functioned as receptors for all three viruses.
Preliminary study on the freeze-drying of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Long-term preservation and easy transportation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) will facilitate their application in medical treatment and bioengineering. A pilot study on the freeze-drying of hBM-MSCs was carried out. hBM-MSCs were loaded with trehalose. The glass transition temperature of the freeze-drying suspension was measured to provide information for the cooling and primary drying experiment. After freeze-drying, various rehydration processes were tested. The highest recovery rate of hBM-MSCs was (69.33±13.08)%. Possible methods to improve freeze-drying outcomes are discussed. In conclusion, the present study has laid a foundation for the freeze-drying hBM-MSCs.
Optimal capacity placement for path restoration in STM or ATM mesh-survivable networks

The total transmission capacity required by a transport network to satisfy demand and protect it from failures contributes significantly to its cost, especially in long-haul networks. Previously, the spare capacity of a network with a given set of working span sizes has been optimized to facilitate span restoration. Path restorable networks can, however, be even more efficient by defining the restoration problem from an end to end rerouting viewpoint. We provide a method for capacity optimization of path restorable networks which is applicable to both synchronous transfer mode (STM) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) virtual path (VP)-based restoration. Lower bounds on spare capacity requirements in span and path restorable networks are first compared, followed by an integer program formulation based on flow constraints which solves the spare and/or working capacity placement problem in either span or path restorable networks. The benefits of path and span restoration, and of jointly optimizing working path routing and spare capacity placement, are then analyzed.
Object Extraction Using Image Segmentation and Adaptive Constraint Propagation

— Object Extraction is a closely related issue with the segmentation process. Image Segmentation is a process of dividing an image into sub partition based on some characteristics like color, intensity etc. The main goal of object extraction is to change the representation of an image into something more meaningful. To extract an object from the image first we have to segment the entire image. User select the region as background and foreground by using the markers and then the algorithm will segment the image and the foreground region will be extracted from the image. The key to success in interactive image segmentation is to preserve characteristics of the user’s interactive information and maintain global data effectively. This paper provides a review on current trends in object or foreground extraction together with a study on technologies implemented by some researchers in this area. This will help to predict, pointing towards a number of areas of future research in the field of Object extraction with Image segmentation.