Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Potassium and Low Sodium Contractures in Sheep Cardiac Muscle

Contractures develop in sheep atrial trabeculae if Tyrode's solution is rapidly replaced by a solution containing elevated potassium, reduced sodium, or both. Two phases of the contracture can be identified on the basis of differences in physiological behavior: a rapid and transient phase that predominates during the first few seconds of the contracture, and a slowly developed phase that is responsible for the steady level of tension reached later in the contracture. The transient phase is particularly prominent if the muscle is stimulated rapidly before the contracture, and reduced or absent if the muscle is not stimulated or if calcium is not present before the contracture. Recovery of the transient phase after a contracture parallels the recovery of twitches. This transient phase appears to reflect the depolarization-induced release of activator (calcium) from an internal store, possibly the same store that is involved in the normal contraction. The slowly developed tension is dependent on the contracture solution used, and is decreased if the calcium concentration is reduced or if the sodium concentration is increased. It does not depend on conditions before the contracture and does not require time to recover. This phase of the contracture may be due to entry of calcium from the extracellular solution.
Foreign Body Granulomas Induced by Intramuscular Leuprorelin Acetate Injection for Prostate Cancer: Clinical Mimics of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

We describe two cases of florid, foreign body granulomatous reaction occurring in the upper arms of males in their eighth decade, who were undergoing treatment with depot injection of leuprorelin acetate for prostatic carcinoma. These patients presented with rapidly enlarging extremity soft tissue masses and were referred to a tertiary sarcoma center with clinical suspicion of a primary soft tissue neoplasm. The occurrence of injection site granulomas secondary to leuprorelin acetate administration is rarely known outside the urological and dermatological communities, and their recognition is important due to the spectrum of clinical differential diagnoses and potential for diagnostic confusion with metastatic prostatic cancer and primary sarcoma and in order to avoid unnecessary stress and clinical intervention for patients.
COUNTER-CURRENT RELATIVE PERMEABILITY AND IMMOBILIZATION OF CO2 IN SALINE AQUIFERS

Relative permeability measurements for twoand three-phase systems have shown that counter-current relative permeability of all phases is less than the corresponding co-current values. However, in numerical simulation of CO2 injection into saline aquifers, one set of relative permeability functions (drainage–imbibition) is commonly assigned to each phase that is based on co-current flow observations. In this study, we combine displacement calculations and experimental observations to investigate the impact of relative permeability reductions during counter-current flow on the migration dynamics of CO2 that is injected into saline aquifers. Our study indicates that both co-current and counter-current relative permeability functions should be used in the prediction of CO2-Brine displacement processes to properly delineate the migration of a CO2 plume in effective design and risk assessment frameworks.
Transactional memory and the birthday paradox

Many word-based Software TransactionalMemory systems (STMs) have been proposed using tagless ownership tables, where read and write permissions are granted at the granularity of all addresses that map to a given ownership table entry. This optimization to reduce overhead potentially results in false conflicts. Using address traces from a multithreaded program, we demonstrate that the frequency of these false conflicts grows superlinearly with both the TM data footprint and concurrency and that increasing the size of the ownership table results in only a sub-linear reduction in conflict rate. These somewhat surprising relationships have a theoretical foundation that is also responsible for the (naively) unintuitive statistical result generally referred to as the "Birthday Paradox. " We present an analytical model based on random population of an ownership table by concurrently executing transactions that correctly predicts the trends in measured data. These results call into question the viability of such an optimization that can undermine the scalability and concurrency claims of software transactional memory.
Lower activities of serum peptidases predict higher depressive and anxiety levels following interferon‐alpha‐based immunotherapy in patients with hepatitis C

Objective: There is evidence that in patients with chronic hepatitis C, immunotherapy with interferon‐alpha (IFNα) may induce depression. A lowered activity of peptidases, such as prolylendopeptidase (PEP) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), occurs in depression. This study examines whether lowered serum PEP or DPP IV activity before starting IFNα‐based immunotherapy predicts the increase in depressive symptoms during immunotherapy.
IMPLICIT PROCESSES IN ADULT ATTACHMENT

In the present study, we examined selective attention for emotional word stimuli as a function of individual differences in attachment style. Participants completed a dot-probe task in which a general threat, attachment-related threat, general positive, or attachment-related positive word was presented together with a neutral word. Results showed that attachment anxiety and avoidance were associated with an attentional bias away from attachment threat words. This attentional avoidance effect was best predicted by the interaction between attachment anxiety and avoidance, and not by their unique main effects. The findings are discussed in relation to attachment theory and the general literature on attentional biases. 1 Based on Dewitte, M. , Koster, E. H. W. , De Houwer, J., & Buysse, A. (2007). Attentive processing of threat and adult attachment: A dot-probe study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 1307-1317.
Spiral chip implantable radiator and printed loop external receptor for RF telemetry in bio-sensor systems

The paper describes the operation of a patented wireless RF telemetry system, consisting of a bio-MEMS implantable sensor and an external hand held unit, operating over the frequency range of a few hundreds of MHz. A MEMS capacitive pressure sensor, integrated with a miniature inductor/antenna, together constitute the implantable sensor. Signal processing circuits collocated with a printed loop antenna together form the hand held unit, capable of inductively powering and also receiving the telemetry signals from the sensor. The paper, in addition, demonstrates a technique to enhance the quality factor and inductance of the inductor in the presence of a lower ground plane and also presents the radiation characteristics of the loop antenna.
A Head-Weighted Gap-Sensitive Correlation Coefficient

Information retrieval systems rank documents, and shared-task evaluations yield results that can be used to rank information retrieval systems. Comparing rankings in ways that can yield useful insights is thus an important capability. When making such comparisons, it is often useful to give greater weight to comparisons near the head of a ranked list than to what happens further down. This is the focus of the widely used τAP measure. When scores are available, gap-sensitive measures give greater weight to larger differences than to smaller ones. This is the focus of the widely used Pearson correlation measure (ρ). This paper introduces a new measure, τGAP, which combines both features. System comparisons from the TREC 5 Ad Hoc track are used to illustrate the differences in emphasis achieved by τAP, ρ, and the proposed τGAP.
Applying content analysis to Web based content

This paper discusses the potential opportunities and challenges of applying content analysis to Web based content, in particular the content available on Web 2.0 sites. The relative strengths and limitations of the method are described. To illustrate how content analysis may be applied to web-based content we provide a brief overview of a case study that investigates cultural impacts on the use of design features with regards to self-disclosure on the blogs of South Korean and United Kingdom's users. In this study we followed the steps proposed by Neuendorf for conducting the content analysis. Based on our experience in using content analysis in that study we made several suggestions on how content analysis of the Web based content can be improved.
Genitals Evolve Faster Than Other Traits In Anolis Lizards

Male genitalia are thought to be particularly rapidly evolving morphological structures, but there have been few quantitative interspecific comparisons between the evolutionary rates of genital and nongenital traits. We characterize the morphology of hemipenes in 25 Caribbean Anolis lizard species, and compare rates of hemipenial evolution to those of traits related to ecology or visual signaling. Using phylogenetically based comparisons of rates of evolutionary divergence, we show that genital traits evolve more rapidly than nongenital traits in anoles.
Clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis from the Murine Genital Mucosa Does Not Require Perforin-Mediated Cytolysis or Fas-Mediated Apoptosis

ABSTRACT The molecular mechanisms of resistance to genital infection with the mouse pneumonitis (MoPn) strain of Chlamydia trachomatis are unknown. A role for major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted, interleukin-12-dependent CD4+T cells has been established, but the functional activity of these cells does not depend on secretion of gamma interferon. Here we examined the potential contribution of T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and apoptosis to mucosal clearance of MoPn by using mice deficient in the molecular mediators of target cell lysis. Animals lacking perforin, Fas, Fas ligand, or both perforin and Fas ligand were infected genitally with C. trachomatis MoPn and monitored for expression of immunity to chlamydial antigens and clearance of MoPn from the genital mucosa. In each case, the profile of spleen cytokine production, the magnitude of the host antibody response, and the kinetics of chlamydial clearance were similar to those of genetically intact controls. Compensatory overproduction of tumor necrosis factor alpha, an alternate mediator of apoptosis in certain cell types, did not appear to account for the ability of mutant mice to resolveChlamydia infections. These results fail to support CD4+ T-cell-mediated apoptosis or CD8+T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity as being critical to the clearance ofC. trachomatis MoPn urogenital infections.
Boosting the error performance of suboptimal tailbiting decoders

Tailbiting is an attractive method to terminate convolutional codes without reducing the code rate. Maximum-likelihood and exact a posteriori probability decoding of tailbiting codes implies, however, a large computational complexity. Therefore, suboptimal decoding methods are often used in practical coding schemes. It is shown that suboptimal decoding methods work better when the slope of the active distances of the generating convolutional encoder is large. Moreover, it is shown that considering quasi-cyclic shifts of the received channel output can increase the performance of suboptimal tailbiting decoders. The findings are most relevant to tailbiting codes where the number of states is not small relative to the block length.
On the development of lexical and non-lexical spelling procedures of French-speaking, normal and disabled children.

The French orthography, despite some peculiarities, belongs to the family of deep orthographic systems (Gak, 1976; Catach, 1980), as opposed to shallow or superficial ones. Shallow systems represent language at the phonological level. Deep systems partially represent language at the phonological level too, but simultaneously include aspects of morphology and syntax (Klima, 1972; Gleitman & Rozin, 1977). This often creates conflicting situations. For example, to represent the morphology of French verbs, unpronounced letters are added. As a result, different spellings are associated to some homophonous members of the same morphosyntactic paradigm: These examples show that morphological and syntactic aspects of language that are not marked at the phonological level are, nevertheless, orthographically represented. French orthography also presents complexities at the phonological level, as shown in the following examples:
Racial differences in birth outcomes: the role of general, pregnancy, and racism stress.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the role of psychosocial stress in racial differences in birth outcomes. DESIGN Maternal health, sociodemographic factors, and 3 forms of stress (general stress, pregnancy stress, and perceived racism) were assessed prospectively in a sample of 51 African American and 73 non-Hispanic White pregnant women. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The outcomes of interest were birth weight and gestational age at delivery. Only predictive models of birth weight were tested as the groups did not differ significantly in gestational age. RESULTS Perceived racism and indicators of general stress were correlated with birth weight and tested in regression analyses. In the sample as a whole, lifetime and childhood indicators of perceived racism predicted birth weight and attenuated racial differences, independent of medical and sociodemographic control variables. Models within each race group showed that perceived racism was a significant predictor of birth weight in African Americans, but not in non-Hispanic Whites. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further evidence that racism may play an important role in birth outcome disparities, and they are among the first to indicate the significance of psychosocial factors that occur early in the life course for these specific health outcomes.
Soluble Adenylyl Cyclase Activity Is Necessary for Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival and Axon Growth

cAMP is a critical second messenger mediating activity-dependent neuronal survival and neurite growth. We investigated the expression and function of the soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC, ADCY10) in CNS retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We found sAC protein expressed in multiple RGC compartments including the nucleus, cytoplasm and axons. sAC activation increased cAMP above the level seen with transmembrane adenylate cyclase (tmAC) activation. Electrical activity and bicarbonate, both physiologic sAC activators, significantly increased survival and axon growth, whereas pharmacologic or siRNA-mediated sAC inhibition dramatically decreased RGC survival and axon growth in vitro, and survival in vivo. Conversely, RGC survival and axon growth were unaltered in RGCs from AC1/AC8 double knock-out mice or after specifically inhibiting tmACs. These data identify a novel sAC-mediated cAMP signaling pathway regulating RGC survival and axon growth, and suggest new neuroprotective or regenerative strategies based on sAC modulation.
Variabilidade teste-reteste na audiometria tonal: comparação entre dois transdutores

Purpose To characterize the test-retest variability with supra-aural and insert earphones and compare the pure tone thresholds between the transducers.Methods Seventy-four individuals of both genders with normal hearing and tympanometric curve of type A were selected. All subjects underwent anamnesis, meatoscopy, air conduction pure tone audiometry, either with the supra-aural earphone, or with insert earphone and speech audiometry. After this initial evaluation Acoustic Impedance Testswere performed. Finally, pure tone audiometry procedures were repeated with both transducers.Results Supra-aural earphone produced higher test-retest variability when compared to the insert earphones. Comparing a transducer with each other, the responses were sometimes similar and sometimes favoring one or the other transducer considering the first and second evaluations.Conclusion There is a greater test-retest variability with supra-aural earphones comparing with insert earphones. However, better thresholds were obtained in the retest condition for both transducers.
Simultaneous measurements of high-frequency pump-enhanced airglow and ionospheric temperatures at auroral latitudes

Simultaneous measurements of enhanced airglow at 6300 A and plasma temperatures from transmitting a powerful high frequency electromagnetic pump wave from the EISCAT-Heating facility into the ionospheric F region at auroral latitudes are reported. The airglow was detected with the Auroral Large Imaging System in northern Sweden and the background plasma parameter values were obtained with the EISCAT-UHF incoherent scatter radar. The multi-station imaging technique enables triangulation of the height and position of the enhanced airglow volume. By using a tomography inversion technique it is found that the shape of the airglow cloud is roughly spherical but varies. Further, the airglow enhancement is correlated with large pump-induced electron temperature enhancements of up to 250%. These temperature enhancements extend several hundred kilometers above and several tens of kilometers below the airglow cloud.
Periodicity of 151 days in outer heliospheric anomalous cosmic ray fluxes

Statistically significant variations have been observed in the differential flux of ∼27-MeV anomalous cosmic ray (ACR) oxygen, helium, and protons at the Voyager 1 spacecraft during 1998 and 1999 (at a helioradius of ∼73 AU). The quasiperiodic variations are in phase, with oxygen and helium having periods near 151 days, while protons exhibit a period of ∼146 days. The Voyager 1 ACRs vary by ∼30% with respect to the trend, and similar galactic cosmic ray variations, if they exist, must be less than ∼5%, probably much less. No similar, significant periodicities have been detected for these same ACR species at Voyager 2 (at 57 AU) during this period. We report on these and other periodicities in the Voyager Low Energy Charged Particle experiment measurements and address the possible connection between this ∼151-day ACR periodicity and the previously discovered ∼154-day periodicities in solar flares, the interplanetary magnetic field, and other phenomena.
9. Effects of Erosion Control Practices on Nutrient Loss

First paragraph: Soil erosion by water is caused by the detachment of soil particles by the direct action of raindrops and runoff water, and the transport of these particles by splash and very shallow overland flow to small channels or rills. Detachment of soil particles also occurs in rills due to the force exerted by the flowing water. When rills join together and form larger channels, they may become gullies. These gullies can be either temporary (ephemeral) or permanent (classical). Non-erodible channels might include grassed waterways, or designed channels that limit flow conditions so that channel erosion does not occur.
Thromboxane A2 in Vasomotor Effects of Phenylephrine, Acetylcholine, and Bradykinin in Rat Mesenteric Bed

In vessels, pharmacological agents displace the balance between relaxing and contracting factors. A cross-talk between those factors has been shown in some vascular beds. To examine whether NO may regulate the vascular tone by modulating prostanoid synthesis or release, we analyzed the response of resistance rat mesenteric arterial bed to vasoactive agents. Phenylephrine, bradykinin (BK), and acetylcholine (ACH) were administered in the absence or in the presence of either NO synthesis inhibition (NG–nitro-L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME]), cyclo-oxygenase inhibition (indomethacin), and/or a thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptor antagonist (S18886), or a combination thereof. In the presence of L-NAME, the response to phenylephrine was markedly increased. Indomethacin limited these changes, which are attributed to TXA2 release since they were abolished by S18886 and a marked increase in TXB2 release (stable metabolite of TXA2) was found during phenylephrine infusion under NO blockade. Similarly, BK response under NO blockade was markedly attenuated with an improved response with indomethacin and a restoration of vasorelaxation with S18886. In contrast, indomethacin decreased further the response to ACH during L-NAME treatment, and TXA2 inhibition had no effect. Thus, in pathophysiological conditions where an endothelial dysfunction is present, TXA2 stimulation induced by NO release impairment may contribute to an altered response to phenylephrine or BK.
Renal function, erythropoietin, and anemia of older persons: the InCHIANTI study.

BACKGROUND In the older population, anemia has been associated with poor outcomes including disability and mortality. Understanding the mechanisms leading to anemia is essential to plan better treatment and prevention strategies. We tested the hypothesis that the age-related decline in kidney function is associated with an increased prevalence of anemia and that such an increase is accompanied by a concomitant decrement in erythropoietin levels. METHODS Data were from the InCHIANTI study, a population-based study performed in a sample of community-dwelling older (> or = 65 years) persons living in Italy. This analysis included 1005 participants with complete data on hemoglobin and erythropoietin levels and markers of renal function. RESULTS The prevalence of anemia according to the World Health Organization criteria (hemoglobin level < 12 g/dL for women and < 13 g/dL for men) was 12.0% and increased with age in both sexes. After adjusting for age, diseases, and other confounders, only participants with a creatinine clearance (CrCl) of 30 mL/min or lower (< or = 0.50 mL/s) had a higher prevalence of anemia compared with those with a CrCl higher than 90 mL/min (> 1.50 mL/s) (P<.01). Consistently, participants with a CrCl of 30 mL/min or lower (< or = 0.50 mL/s) had significantly lower age- and hemoglobin-adjusted erythropoietin endogenous levels. After excluding men and women with CrCl of 30 mL/min or lower (< or = 0.50 mL/s) and adjusting for confounders, we found a trend toward an increase in prevalence of anemia with decreasing renal function; however, it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Severe age-related decline in renal function is associated with a reduced erythropoietin secretion and anemia. Whether moderate kidney impairment in older persons is associated with a progressively increasing risk of anemia remains to be determined.
Lytic and Lysogenic Infection of DiverseEscherichia coli and Shigella Strains with a Verocytotoxigenic Bacteriophage

ABSTRACT A verocytotoxigenic bacteriophage isolated from a strain of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157, into which a kanamycin resistance gene (aph3) had been inserted to inactivate the verocytotoxin gene (vt2), was used to infect Enterobacteriaceae strains. A number ofShigella and E. coli strains were susceptible to lysogenic infection, and a smooth E. coli isolate (O107) was also susceptible to lytic infection. The lysogenized strains included different smooth E. coli serotypes of both human and animal origin, indicating that this bacteriophage has a substantial capacity to disseminate verocytotoxin genes. A novel indirect plaque assay utilizing an E. coli recA441 mutant in which phage-infected cells can enter only the lytic cycle, enabling detection of all infective phage, was developed.