Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Space-Use Patterns of the Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus hemionus): Complementary Insights from Displacement, Recursion Movement and Habitat Selection Analyses

The way in which animals move and use the landscape is influenced by the spatial distribution of resources, and is of importance when considering species conservation. We aimed at exploring how landscape-related factors affect a large herbivore’s space-use patterns by using a combined approach, integrating movement (displacement and recursions) and habitat selection analyses. We studied the endangered Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) in the Negev Desert, Israel, using GPS monitoring and direct observation. We found that the main landscape-related factors affecting the species’ space-use patterns, on a daily and seasonal basis, were vegetation cover, water sources and topography. Two main habitat types were selected: high-elevation sites during the day (specific microclimate: windy on warm summer days) and streambed surroundings during the night (coupled with high vegetation when the animals were active in summer). Distribution of recursion times (duration between visits) revealed a 24-hour periodicity, a pattern that could be widespread among large herbivores. Characterizing frequently revisited sites suggested that recursion movements were mainly driven by a few landscape features (water sources, vegetation patches, high-elevation points), but also by social factors, such as territoriality, which should be further explored. This study provided complementary insights into the space-use patterns of E. hemionus. Understanding of the species’ space-use patterns, at both large and fine spatial scale, is required for developing appropriate conservation protocols. Our approach could be further applied for studying the space-use patterns of other species in heterogeneous landscapes.
Facial Behavior During an Attachment Interview in Patients With Complicated Grief

Abstract The present study investigated differences in various aspects of facial behavior among female patients with complicated grief (CG; n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 18) during the assessment of their attachment representation using the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System. All patients were classified with an unresolved attachment status. On a behavioral level, they demonstrated longer gazing behavior away from the interviewer and the picture stimuli, more speech pauses, less smiling toward the interviewer, and more crying, especially in response to stimuli portraying the theme of loss. Focusing on the in-depth analysis of death-related stimuli using the Facial Action Coding System, patients demonstrated less facial affective behavior, less disgust, and less smiling in response to these stimuli compared with the healthy controls. The impaired capacity of patients with CG responding in an affective appropriate manner regarding bereavement might be interpreted as a specific emotion dysregulation when their attachment and mourning system is activated.
Experiences of Young Adults With Pacemakers and/or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Background:The number of implanted devices (pacemakers [PMs] and implantable cardioverter defibrillators [ICDs]) is increasing. Because of technological advances, these devices are used in greater numbers in children and adolescents. Challenges of having these devices have been well studied in adults, but little is known about the lived experiences from the perspective of young adults. Objective:This study explored the lived experiences, coping behaviors, and challenges of young adults who had cardiac devices implanted during childhood. Methods:A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Purposive sampling was used to identify young adults aged 18 to 29 years, living with a PM and/or ICD. Participants were interviewed about their experiences and challenges related to living with a PM or ICD, with common themes identified and analyzed. Results:A total of 6 participants were interviewed for this study. The challenges of living with a PM and/or ICD included insecurity about physical appearance, device compliance, physical sensations of the device, future uncertainty, and limited support. The identified coping behaviors utilized by the participants were confrontation, acceptance, educating others, spreading awareness, avoidance, and humor. The overall lived experiences described were appreciation for device benefits, fear of device malfunction, and attracting attention. Conclusions:The lived experiences of young recipients often mirror that of older adults; however, it is clear that there are challenges and coping behaviors unique to young adults living with a PM and/or ICD. It is important to educate healthcare providers about the unique challenges that young adults may face so they can provide the appropriate support to this population.
Molecular subtypes of male breast cancer by immunohistochemistry

Male breast cancer is a rare disease, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases worldwide. Compared to female breast cancer, the incidence of male breast cancer has risen in recent years, and the relationship between molecular subtype and clinical behavior has rarely been studied. In this study, we examined the molecular subtypes of male breast cancers based on the expression profile of immunomarkers and their association with clinicopathological features. A total of 98 male breast carcinoma patients were investigated retrospectively using immunostaining for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, Ki-67, and P53. Results were interpreted based on the molecular subtype classification of the 13th St Gallen International Expert Consensus (2013). HER2 expression that was 2+ or 3+ was also evaluated by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for further validation. The luminal subtype A was the most common in all patients (83.7%, 82/98), followed by the luminal subtype B (16.3%, 16/98). HER-2 subtype and basal-like subtype were not detected. Male breast cancers were classified into luminal subtype A and luminal subtype B, and the HER-2 over-expressing and basal-like subtypes were not found in this study.
A Review on Applications of Big Data for Disaster Management

The term “disaster management” comprises both natural and man-made disasters. Highly pervaded with various types of sensors, our environment generates large amounts of data. Thus, big data applications in the field of disaster management should adopt a modular view, going from a component to nation scale. Current research trends mainly aim at integrating component, building, neighborhood and city levels, neglecting the region level for managing disasters. Current research on big data mainly address smart buildings and smart grids, notably in the following areas: energy waste management, prediction and planning of power generation needs, improved comfort, usability and endurance based on the integration of energy consumption data, environmental conditions and levels of occupancy. This paper aims presenting a systematic literature review on the applications of big data in disaster management. The paper will first presents the visual definition of disaster management and describes big data; it will then illustrate the findings and gives future recommendations after a systematic literature review.
Prevalence and predictors of placental malaria in human immunodeficiency virus-positive women in Nigeria

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women have alterations in cellular and humoral immunity that increase the risks to placental malaria infection. Aim: This study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictors of placental malaria among HIV-positive women in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: It was a longitudinal cohort study of pregnant women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Peripheral blood sample for packed cell volume estimation and placental blood sample for malaria parasite estimation were collected from each participant at a presentation in labor and upon delivery, respectively. Results: The Prevalence of placenta malaria (68.6%) and anemia (66.7%) in HIV-positive women were significantly higher than the prevalence of placental malaria (35.3%) and anemia (44.1%) in HIV-negative control (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001 respectively). The employment status was the only sociodemographic factor significantly associated with the development of placental malaria in HIV-positive women (odds ratio: 21.60; 95% confidence interval: 7.1–66.2; P< 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of placental malaria is very high among HIV-positive women in Nigeria. Scaling up free distribution of insecticide treated nets in the short term and employment opportunities of HIV-positive women, in the long run, may reduce the prevalence of placental malaria in our population.
Modeling Fragile X Syndrome in Drosophila

Intellectual disability (ID) and autism are hallmarks of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), a hereditary neurodevelopmental disorder. The gene responsible for FXS is Fragile X Mental Retardation gene 1 (FMR1) encoding the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), an RNA-binding protein involved in RNA metabolism and modulating the expression level of many targets. Most cases of FXS are caused by silencing of FMR1 due to CGG expansions in the 5′-UTR of the gene. Humans also carry the FXR1 and FXR2 paralogs of FMR1 while flies have only one FMR1 gene, here called dFMR1, sharing the same level of sequence homology with all three human genes, but functionally most similar to FMR1. This enables a much easier approach for FMR1 genetic studies. Drosophila has been widely used to investigate FMR1 functions at genetic, cellular, and molecular levels since dFMR1 mutants have many phenotypes in common with the wide spectrum of FMR1 functions that underlay the disease. In this review, we present very recent Drosophila studies investigating FMRP functions at genetic, cellular, molecular, and electrophysiological levels in addition to research on pharmacological treatments in the fly model. These studies have the potential to aid the discovery of pharmacological therapies for FXS.
Renal nerve stimulation identifies aorticorenal innervation and prevents inadvertent ablation of vagal nerves during renal denervation

Abstract Purpose: Recently we reported the use of renal nerve stimulation (RNS) during renal denervation (RDN) procedures. RNS induced changes in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate are not fully delineated yet. We hypothesized that electrical stimulation of the sympathetic nerve tissue in the renal artery would lead to an increase in BP and vagal stimulation would cause a decrease in BP. We report the different patterns of BP and heart rate responses elicited by RNS prior to RDN. Methods: 35 patients with drug-resistant hypertension were included. RNS was performed under general anesthesia at four sites in the right and left renal arteries, both before and immediately after RDN. RNS-induced BP and heart rate changes were monitored. Results: A total of 289 RNS sites in 35 patients were analyzed. An increase in systolic BP of >10 mmHg was regarded as a positive BP response to RNS. This pattern of response was observed in 180 sites (62%). 86 RNS sites (30%) showed an indifferent response with BP changes ≤10 mmHg. At 13 sites (4.5%) RNS elicited a decrease in BP up to −8 mmHg. However, 10 RNS sites (3.5%) showed a pronounced vagal response with hypotension and sinus cycle lengths ranging between 4224–10272 milliseconds. These sites were distributed among two patients. Conclusion: RNS identified sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve tissue in the renal arteries. RNS can be potentially used to map nerve bundles and guide selective ablation of sympathetic nerve fibers and prevent inadvertent ablation of parasympathetic nerve tissue during RDN.
Can the biomass-ratio hypothesis predict mixed-species litter decomposition along a climatic gradient?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The biomass-ratio hypothesis states that ecosystem properties are driven by the characteristics of dominant species in the community. In this study, the hypothesis was operationalized as community-weighted means (CWMs) of monoculture values and tested for predicting the decomposition of multispecies litter mixtures along an abiotic gradient in the field. METHODS Decomposition rates (mg g(-1) d(-1)) of litter from four herb species were measured using litter-bed experiments with the same soil at three sites in central France along a correlated climatic gradient of temperature and precipitation. All possible combinations from one to four species mixtures were tested over 28 weeks of incubation. Observed mixture decomposition rates were compared with those predicted by the biomass-ratio hypothesis. Variability of the prediction errors was compared with the species richness of the mixtures, across sites, and within sites over time. KEY RESULTS Both positive and negative prediction errors occurred. Despite this, the biomass-ratio hypothesis was true as an average claim for all sites (r = 0·91) and for each site separately, except for the climatically intermediate site, which showed mainly synergistic deviations. Variability decreased with increasing species richness and in less favourable climatic conditions for decomposition. CONCLUSIONS Community-weighted mean values provided good predictions of mixed-species litter decomposition, converging to the predicted values with increasing species richness and in climates less favourable to decomposition. Under a context of climate change, abiotic variability would be important to take into account when predicting ecosystem processes.
[Genital infection and infertility].

BACKGROUND Genital infection is the most important cause of infertility worldwide, affecting not only Fallopian tubes but all anatomic urogenital sites, both male and female. METHODS We present a randomized,prospective and normalized study about sexually transmitted diseases(STD). We include 487 patients, 376 of whom were infertile and the remaining 111 were not and act as control group. RESULTS 47.3% of infertile patients showed at least one infection: 10.7% had Chlamydia trachomatis infection, whereas only 0.3% had gonococal infection. We found none syphilis. 12.9% of the patients showed yeast belonging to genus Candida, 5% bacterial vaginosis, 3.8% Escherichia coli and 0.3% Klebsiella pneumoniae. The percentage of isolation of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis were 23.5% and 4.8%, respectively. We detected antibodies against Hepatitis B (any serological marker) in 7.8% of the cases. Chlamydial infection and the presence of U. urealyticum were related with infertility (X 12=6,070, p<0.005 and X12=8,782, p<0.005,respectively). CONCLUSIONS We think these results conclude that is necessary to perform routine tests to screen for C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and for infections caused by micoplasma as well, among infertile patients. These patients must be considered of being at risk of acquiring STD, since the percentage of these diseases is higher than the percentage we found among the control group. It is important to insist on prevention and early diagnosis and treatment as a main goal to decrease the number of tubal occlusion and infertile couples.
Dissolved organic carbon release by marine macrophytes C

C. Barrón, E. T. Apostolaki, and C. M. Duarte Department of Global Change Research, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, C/ Miquel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles (Islas Baleares), Spain Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Australia present address: Departamento de Biologı́a, C.A. S.E. M. , Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cádiz, Spain
Alcohol's harm to others' well-being and health: a comparison between Chile and Australia.

AIMS To assess the degree to which relationships with heavy drinkers affect health and well-being of the Chilean population, and how this compares with previously published analyses of an Australian sample in order to establish intercultural differences in the effects of others' heavy drinking. METHOD Data are from a face-to-face survey of 1500 Chileans. Respondents were asked to identify people in their lives who were heavy drinkers. Information on respondents' well-being and health was collected using the Personal Well-Being Index and the EuroQol Group 5-Dimension Self-Report Questionnaire score (EQ-5D) index. Sociodemographic information was also gathered. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether heavy drinkers in the respondents' lives (both living in or out of their household) were related to health and well-being. Results were contrasted with those for Australia reported by Livingston et al. [in (2010) Impact of heavy drinkers on others' health and well-being. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 71: , 778-785]. RESULTS Heavy drinkers inside the household negatively affect the health and well-being of Chileans. Heavy drinkers outside the household have a negative but smaller effect on their health and well-being. This contrasts with Australia where most of the harm seems to arise from heavy drinkers identified outside the household. CONCLUSIONS In both countries, health and well-being are affected by others' heavy drinking. The particular structure of harm may vary across cultures: in Chile, heavy drinkers identified inside the household are the most harmful, whereas in Australia those identified outside the household are the most harmful. This should have an impact on the policy design.
Occurrence and Characterization of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in a Tunisian Hospital.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have become of particular concern, since they were quickly disseminated in various areas in the world. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of carbapenemase production among clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae recovered from the Military Hospital of Tunisia. Bacterial isolates (n = 125) were recovered from patients in diverse services from March 2014 to February 2016 and identified by Vitek II Compact®. The multiplex PCR for blaVIM, blaIMP, blaNDM, blaKPC, and blaOXA-48 with subsequent amplicon detection by reverse hybridization was performed with the Hyplex SuperBug ID test system (AmplexDiagnostics GmbH, Gars-Bahnhof, Germany). The 125 strains showed resistance to carbapenems of which 102 strains (81.6%) were carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae (85.2%), Enterobacter cloacae (9.8%), Escherichia coli (2.9%), Providencia stuartii (0.9%) and Enterobacter aerogenes (0.9%). These strains were isolated mainly from blood, anal, and urine samples. Patients were mainly hospitalized in the intensive care units, surgery, and medical services. All strains were resistant to ertapenem (100%) and 55.8% showed resistance to imipenem. Carbapenemases genes detected in our study were as follows: blaOXA-48 (84 isolates), blaNDM-1 (8 isolates), blaOXA-48 + blaVIM (5 isolates), and blaOXA-48 + blaNDM-1 (5 isolates). Our research provides epidemiological data showing the quick spread of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in our region, which calls for new surveillance strategies and strict hygiene rules.
Different Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Torpor on EEG Slow-Wave Characteristics in Djungarian Hamsters

Abstract It has been shown previously in Djungarian hamsters that the initial electroencephalography (EEG) slow‐wave activity (power in the 0.5‐4.0 Hz band; SWA) in non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep following an episode of daily torpor is consistently enhanced, similar to the SWA increase after sleep deprivation (SD). However, it is unknown whether the network mechanisms underlying the SWA increase after torpor and SD are similar. EEG slow waves recorded in the neocortex during sleep reflect synchronized transitions between periods of activity and silence among large neuronal populations. We therefore set out to investigate characteristics of individual cortical EEG slow waves recorded during NREM sleep after 4 h SD and during sleep after emergence from an episode of daily torpor in adult male Djungarian hamsters. We found that during the first hour after both SD and torpor, the SWA increase was associated with an increase in slow‐wave incidence and amplitude. However, the slopes of single slow waves during NREM sleep were steeper in the first hour after SD but not after torpor, and, in contrast to sleep after SD, the magnitude of change in slopes after torpor was unrelated to the changes in SWA. Furthermore, slow‐wave slopes decreased progressively within the first 2 h after SD, while a progressive increase in slow‐wave slopes was apparent during the first 2 h after torpor. The data suggest that prolonged waking and torpor have different effects on cortical network activity underlying slow‐wave characteristics, while resulting in a similar homeostatic sleep response of SWA. We suggest that sleep plays an important role in network homeostasis after both waking and torpor, consistent with a recovery function for both states.
Growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor antagonists inhibit human gastric cancer through downregulation of PAK1–STAT3/NF-κB signaling

Significance Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading and lethal malignancy in the world. Unfortunately, therapeutics targeting GC lag behind those of many other cancers, and the effective treatment options are limited. Here we report that increased expression of growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRH-R) in tumor specimens is significantly associated with tumorigenic progression and poor clinical outcome of GC patients. MIA-602, a highly potent GHRH-R antagonist, effectively inhibits GC growth in vitro and in vivo. The anti-neoplastic effects were mediated by blockage of the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)–signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) axis. Thus, GHRH-R presents a molecular marker and therapeutic target of GC, and MIA-602 demonstrates excellent therapeutic potential against human GC. Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fourth most frequent in incidence and second in mortality among all cancers worldwide. The development of effective treatment approaches is an urgent requirement. Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and GHRH receptor (GHRH-R) have been found to be present in a variety of tumoral tissues and cell lines. Therefore the inhibition of GHRH-R was proposed as a promising approach for the treatment of these cancers. However, little is known about GHRH-R and the relevant therapy in human GC. By survival analyses of multiple cohorts of GC patients, we identified that increased GHRH-R in tumor specimens correlates with poor survival and is an independent predictor of patient prognosis. We next showed that MIA-602, a highly potent GHRH-R antagonist, effectively inhibited GC growth in cultured cells. Further, this inhibitory effect was verified in multiple models of human GC cell lines xenografted into nude mice. Mechanistically, GHRH-R antagonists target GHRH-R and down-regulate the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inflammatory pathway. Overall, our studies establish GHRH-R as a potential molecular target in human GC and suggest treatment with GHRH-R antagonist as a promising therapeutic intervention for this cancer.