Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metabolic plasticity during mammalian development is directionally dependent on early nutritional status

Developmental plasticity in response to environmental cues can take the form of polyphenism, as for the discrete morphs of some insects, or of an apparently continuous spectrum of phenotype, as for most mammalian traits. The metabolic phenotype of adult rats, including the propensity to obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperphagia, shows plasticity in response to prenatal nutrition and to neonatal administration of the adipokine leptin. Here, we report that the effects of neonatal leptin on hepatic gene expression and epigenetic status in adulthood are directionally dependent on the animal's nutritional status in utero. These results demonstrate that, during mammalian development, the direction of the response to one cue can be determined by previous exposure to another, suggesting the potential for a discontinuous distribution of environmentally induced phenotypes, analogous to the phenomenon of polyphenism.
Neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic protein in multiple sclerosis

Objective: To evaluate levels of neurofilament light (NFL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in CSF from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in relation to clinical progress of the disease. Methods: CSF levels of NFL and GFAP were determined by sensitive ELISAs in 99 patients with different subtypes of MS, classified in terms of “ongoing relapse” or “clinically stable disease,” and 25 control subjects. Levels were compared with paraclinical data such as immunoglobulin G index and inflammatory cell count in the CSF, and the levels were related to Expanded Disability Status Scale score and progression index at clinical follow-up evaluations later in the disease course. Results: NFL and GFAP levels were elevated in MS patients as compared with control subjects (p < 0.001). The NFL levels were higher at relapses, whereas GFAP levels were unaffected. High NFL levels correlated with progression in patients with an active relapse (r = 0.49; p < 0.01) and in clinically stable patients (r = 0.29; p < 0.05). GFAP correlated to progression in the total patient cohort (r = 0.24; p < 0.05). Moreover, a strong correlation between NFL levels and inflammatory cell counts was evident in the group of patients with an ongoing relapse (r = 0.52; p = 0.001). Conclusions: CSF levels of neurofilament light and glial fibrillary acidic protein may have prognostic value in multiple sclerosis.
Investigation of microgrid instability caused by time delay

This paper investigates the impact of time delay in the control of a grid-connected microgrid with renewable energy resources. The considered microgrid has a critical load that needs to be powered and protected in the event of grid voltage disturbance while the microgrid maintains connection to the grid. Three case studies are performed considering three different time delays to indicate the advantages of fast communication system in the performance of renewable microgrids. Detailed simulation results illustrate that the proposed communication system using IEC 61850 substation automation standard provides better voltage and current quality to the critical local load with larger phase and gain margins while keeping the microgid connected to main grid.
Resistance to ticarcillin-potassium clavulanate among clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae: role of PSE-1 beta-lactamase and high levels of TEM-1 and SHV-1 and problems with false susceptibility in disk diffusion tests

Thirty-four clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae from the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center appeared resistant to ticarcillin-potassium clavulanate in agar dilution and broth macrodilution tests. Among those isolates producing a single non-class I beta-lactamase, resistance was due to production of high levels of TEM-1, SHV-1, or class IV enzymes. In five Escherichia coli isolates, production of low levels of PSE-1 was responsible for resistance which seemed due to rapid hydrolysis of ticarcillin rather than diminished susceptibility of PSE-1 to inhibition by potassium clavulanate. Comparisons of dilution and disk diffusion tests revealed major discrepancies, with 65% false susceptibility in the disk test. Revision of the interpretive criteria used for disk diffusion tests from less than or equal to 11 to less than or equal to 18 mm for resistance is proposed to resolve these discrepancies until clinical data are obtained which can be used to determine which in vitro test is most predictive of therapeutic outcome. These new criteria would diminish false susceptibility without introducing false resistance.
Acute weight loss followed by an aggressive nutritional recovery strategy has little impact on on-water rowing performance

Objectives: To assess the influence of moderate, acute weight loss on on-water rowing performance when aggressive nutritional recovery strategies were used in the two hours between weigh in and racing. Methods: Competitive rowers (n = 17) undertook three on-water 1800 m time trials under cool conditions (mean (SD) temperature 8.4 (2.0)°C), each separated by 48 hours. No weight limit was imposed for the first time trial—that is, unrestricted body mass (UNR1). However, one of the remaining two trials followed a 4% loss in body mass in the previous 24 hours (WT−4%). No weight limit was imposed for the other trial (UNR2). Aggressive nutritional recovery strategies (WT−4%, 2.3 g/kg carbohydrate, 34 mg/kg Na+, and 28.4 ml/kg fluid; UNR, ad libitum) were used in the first 90 minutes of the two hours between weigh in and performance trials. Results: WT−4% had only a small and statistically non-significant effect on the on-water time trial performance (mean 1.0 second, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.9 to 2.8; p = 0.29) compared with UNR. This was despite a significant decrease in plasma volume at the time of weigh in for WT−4% compared with UNR (−9.2%, 95% CI −12.8% to −5.6%; p<0.001). Conclusions: Acute weight loss of up to 4% over 24 hours, when combined with aggressive nutritional recovery strategies, can be undertaken with minimal impact on on-water rowing performance, at least in cool conditions.
Exploring customer loyalty at bottom of the pyramid in South Asia

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the under-researched area of social responsibility of small scale individual entrepreneurs (SIEs) and how that impacts on customer loyalty at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) in the context of South Asia. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing from the literature, the paper expands and builds on the previous work of Azmat and Samaratunge on SIEs and develops a set of propositions that provide insights into the probable link between customer awareness, responsible business practices of SIEs and customer loyalty at the BoP level. Findings - Findings highlight the uniqueness of SIEs, BoP customers and the contextual variables in developing countries. The authors further contribute to knowledge by developing the concept of blind customer loyalty, where SIEs are likely to experience customer loyalty regardless of being socially responsible. Research limitations/implications - Given the limited literature on the social responsibility practices of SIEs, this paper makes a significant contribution to two different but important inter-related discourses on SIEs and their adoption of socially responsible practices, as well as to the BoP literature. Practical implications - The paper concludes by outlining the implications for SIEs, policy-makers, and practitioners, advancing the agenda of social responsibility for future research in the fields of both the BoP and SIEs. Originality/value - Given their unique characteristics and realities, SIEs in developing countries are involved with customers at the BoP on a day-to-day basis. However, there is a significant knowledge gap in the literature on their social responsibility and customer loyalty. This paper is the first of this kind to address and link this critical issue.
Temporal Dynamics of the Microbial Community Composition with a Focus on Toxic Cyanobacteria and Toxin Presence during Harmful Algal Blooms in Two South German Lakes

Bacterioplankton plays an essential role in aquatic ecosystems, and cyanobacteria are an influential part of the microbiome in many water bodies. In freshwaters used for recreational activities or drinking water, toxic cyanobacteria cause concerns due to the risk of intoxication with cyanotoxins, such as microcystins. In this study, we aimed to unmask relationships between toxicity, cyanobacterial community composition, and environmental factors. At the same time, we assessed the correlation of a genetic marker with microcystin concentration and aimed to identify the main microcystin producer. We used Illumina MiSeq sequencing to study the bacterioplankton in two recreational lakes in South Germany. We quantified a microcystin biosynthesis gene (mcyB) using qPCR and linked this information with microcystin concentration to assess toxicity. Microcystin biosynthesis gene (mcyE)-clone libraries were used to determine the origin of microcystin biosynthesis genes. Bloom toxicity did not alter the bacterial community composition, which was highly dynamic at the lowest taxonomic level for some phyla such as Cyanobacteria. At the OTU level, we found distinctly different degrees of temporal variation between major bacteria phyla. Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes showed drastic temporal changes in their community compositions, while the composition of Actinobacteria remained rather stable in both lakes. The bacterial community composition of Alpha- and Beta-proteobacteria remained stable over time in Lake Klostersee, but it showed temporal variations in Lake Bergknappweiher. The presence of potential microcystin degraders and potential algicidal bacteria amongst prevalent Bacteroidetes and Alphaproteobacteria implied a role of those co-occurring heterotrophic bacteria in cyanobacterial bloom dynamics. Comparison of both lakes studied revealed a large shared microbiome, which was shaped toward the lake specific community composition by environmental factors. Microcystin variants detected were microcystin-LR, -RR, and -YR. The maximum microcystin concentrations measured was 6.7 μg/L, a value still acceptable for recreational waters but not drinking water. Microcystin concentration correlated positively with total phosphorus and mcyB copy number. We identified low abundant Microcystis sp. as the only microcystin producer in both lakes. Therefore, risk assessment efforts need to take into account the fact that non-dominant species may cause toxicity of the blooms observed.
Primary Care Providers' Views of Precepting Nurse Practitioner Students

Purpose To explore perceived barriers to and facilitators of precepting as viewed by experienced community‐based preceptors. Data Sources Twenty‐four nurse practitioner and physician preceptors participated in a 20‐minute telephone interview, using a semi‐structured format. The interviews were audio‐taped and transcribed. Constant comparative analysis was used to organize the preceptors' responses into thematic categories. Conclusions Overall, most preceptors were satisfied with the precepting experience; however, many preceptors cited increasing difficulty with teaching students in primary care sites due various organizational constraints such as the imperative to increase productivity. Good communication with school of nursing faculty was cited as the key factor to continued willingness to precept. Implications for Practice Understanding factors that are important for preceptors continuing in their clinical teaching role is important for schools of nursing, especially given the increasing time‐limitations that many providers face due to social and economic changes in health‐care delivery.
A microhand: modeling, manufacturing, and demonstration

A device, approximately 1 mm in fist diameter, has been developed by using monolithic micromachining technology to mimic the human hand in microscale. The microhand consists of four microfingers and each of the four microfingers has multiple phalanges made of silicon and active joints made of polymer balloons. Activating the microfingers by inflating and deflating the balloon joints allows the microhand to perform the motions of flexion and extension. This device, driven pneumatically, operates both in air and aqueous environments and demonstrates grasping and detaching of tiny biological objects from a capelin egg to a nerve bundle, suggesting promising applications in biology and medicine.
Drypetdimer A: A New Flavone Dimer from Drypetes gerrardii

A new flavone dimer, drypetdimer A (1), was isolated from Drypetes gerrardii J. Hutch. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis such as 1H, 13C NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC and HREIMS.
High Susceptibility of Human Dendritic Cells to Invasion by the Intracellular Pathogens Brucella suis, B. abortus, and B. melitensis

ABSTRACT Bacteria from the Brucella genus are able to survive and proliferate within macrophages. Because they are phylogenetically closely related to macrophages, myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) constitute potential targets for Brucella bacteria. Here we report that DCs display a great susceptibility to Brucella infection. Therefore, DCs might serve as a reservoir and be important for the development of Brucella bacteria within their host.
Comparative Role of Antibiotic and Proton Pump Inhibitor in Experimental Clostridium difficile Infection in Mice

Clostridium difficile inoculated BALB/c mice were investigated to assess the comparative role of antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor. They were examined for colonization and toxin production by C. difficile as well as myeloperoxidase activity and histopathological changes in the intestinal tract. The C. difficile count, toxin A and B titres and myeloperoxidase activity were significantly higher (P>0.05) in ampicillin and lansoprazole receiving groups as compared to the control and the C. difficile receiving groups. Similarly they showed significant difference (P>0.05) for epithelial damage, oedema and neutrophilic infiltrate in colons. In addition to antibiotic, PPI also acts as an independent risk factor for C. difficile infection in experimental studies.
Heurísticas para el problema de empaquetamiento con conflictos

En el problema de empaquetamiento con conflictos (BPC) el objetivo es asignar elementos a la mı́nima cantidad de contenedores posibles, sujeto no solo a la capacidad de carga de los contenedores sino al hecho de que ciertos elementos no pueden ser asignados al mismo contenedor. El BPC se presenta en varias aplicaciones reales de asignación en donde los elementos a asignar presentan algún tipo de conflicto. En [6] se trata un problema de asignaciones de materias a peŕıodos, en donde ciertas materias no pueden ser asignadas al mismo peŕıodo por compartir algún recurso, pudiendo ser estos profesores, alumnos o aulas particularmente equipadas. En [5] se busca asignar tareas a diferentes procesadores. Sin embargo como algunas tareas requieren recursos particulares, se deben tener en cuenta dichos conflictos más allá de simplemente la capacidad de procesamiento del procesador a asignar. En [1] y [3] se pueden encontrar otros problemas particulares en donde aparece el BPC. Existen algunos trabajos previos en la literatura sobre el BPC. Desde el punto de vista heuŕıstico se destaca el trabajo [4], en el cual se proponen seis diferentes heuŕısticas para el problema y se las analiza sobre un conjunto de instancias generadas a partir de la introducción de conflictos a instancias de benchmark vastamente utilizadas en la literatura del problema de empaquetamiento clásico. Además, en [2], [7] y [8] se presentan algoritmos exactos del tipo Branch-and-Price para el problema. En este trabajo se proponen varias heuŕısticas para el problema y se realiza una comparación con los resultados existentes en la literatura del mismo. La comparación realizada muestra que los enfoques utilizados consiguen buenos resultados, mejorando las anteriores aproximaciones al problema en las instancias clásicas de prueba.
Multioperator Teleoperation of Multirobot Systems with Time Delay: Part IAids for Collision-Free Control

In this paper, various coordinated control schemes are explored in Multioperatormultirobot (MOMR) teleoperation through a communication network with time delay. Over the past decades, problems and several notable results have been reported mainly in the Single-OperatorSingle-Robot (SOSR) teleoperation system. Recently, the need for cooperation has rapidly emerged in many possible applications such as plant maintenance, construction, and surgery, because multirobot cooperation would have a significant advantage over a single robot in such cases. Thus, there is a growing interest in the control of multirobot systems in remote teleoperation, too. However, the time delay over the network would pose a more difficult problem to MOMR teleoperation systems and seriously affect their performance. In this work, our recent efforts devoted to the coordinated control of the MOMR teleoperation is described. First, we build a virtual experimental test bed to investigate the cooperation between two telerobots in remote environments. Then, different coordinated control aids are proposed to cope with collisions arising from delayed visual feedback from the remote location. To verify the validity of the proposed schemes, we perform extensive simulations of various planar rearrangement tasks employing local and remote graphics simulators over an ethernet LAN subject to a simulated communication delay.
Teoría de grafos y algunas de sus aplicaciones a la topología

El contenido de este trabajo abarca diversos temas muy diferenciados entre ellos se intenta dar un breve pero detallado resumen de las definiciones mas usadas y los resultados relacionados con ellas; luego nos adentramos en el estudio de la Teoria de Grafos y algunas de sus Aplicaciones a la Topologia. La Teoria de Grafos es una rama relativamente nueva de las matematicas, pues su nacimiento tuvo lugar en el ano 1736 de la mano del matematico Leonhard Euler. Su objetivo era encontrar una solucion al famoso problema de los siete puentes de Konigsberg y usando una simple pero efectiva herramienta matematica de su invencion, descubrio que dicho problema no tenia solucion. Esta herramienta se ha ido desarrollando por diversos matematicos, entre ellos el propio Euler, y es lo que ahora conocemos como la Teoria de Grafos. Aunque simple en su planteamiento o definiciones basicas, la teoria de Grafos es aun un campo en pleno desarrollo del que quedan muchos problemas por resolver y por demostrar. Asi el objetivo principal del trabajo estara enfocado en el estudio de la teoria de grafos y algunas de sus aplicaciones a la topologia, apoyandonos de las definiciones de teoria de grafos.
Reconnaissance et correspondance de formes 3D pour des systèmes intelligents de vision par ordinateur. (3D shape recognition and matching for intelligent computer vision systems)

Cette these porte sur la reconnaissance et l’appariement de formes 3D pour des systemes intelligents de vision par ordinateur. Elle decrit deux contributions principales a ce domaine. La premiere contribution est une implementation d'un nouveau descripteur de formes construit a la base de la geometrie spectrale de l'operateur de Laplace-Beltrami ; nous proposons une signature de point globale avancee (AGPS). Ce descripteur exploite la structure intrinseque de l'objet et organise ses informations de maniere efficace. De plus, AGPS est extremement compact puisque seulement quelques paires propres etaient necessaires pour obtenir une description de forme precise. La seconde contribution est une amelioration de la signature du noyau d'onde ; nous proposons une signature du noyau d'onde optimisee (OWKS). La perfectionnement est avec un algorithme heuristique d'optimisation par essaim de particules modifie pour mieux rapprocher une requete aux autres formes appartenant a la meme classe dans la base de donnees. L'approche proposee ameliore de maniere significative la capacite discriminante de la signature. Pour evaluer la performance de l'approche proposee pour la recuperation de forme 3D non rigide, nous comparons le descripteur global d'une requete aux descripteurs globaux du reste des formes de l'ensemble de donnees en utilisant une mesure de dissimilarite et trouvons la forme la plus proche. Les resultats experimentaux sur differentes bases de donnees de formes 3D standards demontrent l'efficacite des approches d'appariement et de recuperation proposees par rapport aux autres methodes de l'etat de l'art.
Stimulation of Menaquinone-Dependent Electron Transfer in the Respiratory Chain of Bacillus subtilis by Membrane Energization

ABSTRACT At a pH of ≤7, respiration of Bacillus subtilis cells on endogenous substrates shut down almost completely upon addition of an uncoupler (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone [CCCP]) and a K+-ionophore (valinomycin). The same effect was observed with cell spheroplasts lacking the cell wall. The concentration of CCCP required for 50% inhibition of the endogenous respiration in the presence of K+-valinomycin was below 100 nM. Either CCCP or valinomycin alone was much less efficient than the combination of the two. The inhibitory effect was easily reversible and depended specifically on the H+ and K+ concentrations in the medium. Similar inhibition was observed with respect to the reduction of the artificial electron acceptors 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine cation (TMPD+), which intercept reducing equivalents at the level of menaquinol. Oxidation of the reduced DCPIP or TMPD in the bacterial cells was not sensitive to uncoupling. The same loss of the electron transfer activities as induced by the uncoupling was observed upon disruption of the cells during isolation of the membranes; the residual activities were not further inhibited by the uncoupler and ionophores. We conclude that the menaquinone-dependent electron transfer in the B. subtilis respiratory chain is facilitated, thermodynamically or kinetically, by membrane energization. A requirement for an energized state of the membrane is not a specific feature of succinate oxidation, as proposed in the literature, since it was also observed in a mutant of B. subtilis lacking succinate:quinone reductase as well as for substrates other than succinate. Possible mechanisms of the energy-dependent regulation of menaquinone-dependent respiration in B. subtilis are discussed.