Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progenesis in digenean trematodes: a taxonomic and synthetic overview of species reproducing in their second intermediate hosts

Precocious egg production, i.e. progenesis, has been documented for a number of species in scattered reports throughout the trematode literature. The last 2 extensive studies on the subject date from Buttner in the early 1950s (in French) and from Tang in the early 1980s (in Chinese). Overall, 43 species were then known for their ability to produce eggs at the metacercarial stage while still in the second intermediate host. Here, we update the list, and document the existence of progenesis in a total of 79 digenean trematode species, for which we provide information on the taxonomy of the hosts, the facultative or obligate character of progenesis, relevant references, as well as some other pertinent biological information. We then review the subject by asking 7 questions of fundamental evolutionary importance. These include: What favours progenetic development? What are the associated costs and benefits? How are progenetic eggs released from the host? While exposing the various opinions of previous authors, we attempt to give a synthetic overview and stress on the importance of the metacercarial cyst wall (whether it is present, and if so its thickness) in the evolution and the adoption of a progenetic life-cycle.
Tennis in hot and cool conditions decreases the rapid muscle torque production capacity of the knee extensors but not of the plantar flexors

Objectives To assess the time course of changes in rapid muscle force/torque production capacity and neuromuscular activity of lower limb muscles in response to prolonged (∼2 h) match-play tennis under heat stress. Methods The rates of torque development (RTD) and electromyographic activity (EMG; ie, root mean square) rise were recorded from 0 to 30, –50, –100 and –200 ms during brief (3–5 s) explosive maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the knee extensors (KE) and plantar flexors (PF), along with the peak RTD within the entirety of the torque-time curve. These values were recorded in 12 male tennis players before (prematch) and after (postmatch, 24 and 48 h) match-play in HOT (∼37°C) and COOL (∼22°C) conditions. Results The postmatch core temperature was greater in the HOT (∼39.4°C) vs COOL (∼38.7°C) condition (p<0.05). Reductions in KE RTD occurred within the 0–200 ms epoch after contraction onset postmatch and at 24 h, compared with prematch, independent of environmental conditions (p<0.05). A similar reduction in the KE peak RTD was also observed postmatch relative to prematch (p<0.05). No differences in KE RTD values were observed after normalisation to MVC torque. Furthermore, the rate of KE EMG activity rise remained unchanged. Conversely, the PF contractile RTD and rate of EMG activity rise were unaffected by the exercise or environmental conditions. Conclusions In the KE, a reduction in maximal torque production capacity following prolonged match-play tennis appears to account for the decrease in the rate of torque development, independent of environmental conditions, while remaining unchanged in the PF.
The effects of degree and type of hearing loss on children's performance in class

Abstract This study evaluated school functioning of a sample of children with hearing impairments who were mainstreamed in regular educational settings. Participants comprised 47 children aged 7;2 to 9;3 years with various degrees and types of hearing loss. Teachers evaluated the children using the Hebrew version of the Screening Instrument For Targeting Educational Risks (SIFTER) (Anderson, 1989). Results demonstrated that some children with unilateral hearing loss as well as children with minimal hearing loss showed lower performance than children with more severe hearing loss. Also, children with hearing aids performed better than those without hearing aids. These findings suggest first that professionals need to become more aware of the possible adverse effects of minimal or unilateral hearing loss on students' functioning in the educational system, and second that consideration should be given to increasing the provision of necessary services.
Serotonergic modulation of the P300 event related brain potential

While dopaminergic, noradrenergic, cholinergic and gabaergic effects on the P300 component of the human event‐related brain potential have been largely described, little is known about serotonergic influence. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between P300 and serotonergic activity as reflected by prolactin (PRL) response to flesinoxan, a 5‐HT1A full agonist, among 28 normal subjects. Results showed a significant negative correlation between P300 amplitude and PRL response to flesinoxan (r=−0·47, p=0·01 at Cz; r=−0·45, p=0·01 at Pz). In contrast, both P300 latency and reaction time were not related to endocrine response. This study supports a role for serotonin in the neurobiological modulation of P300 amplitude. Clinical implications of these results are considered. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Paracetamol reduces influenza-induced immunopathology in a mouse model of infection without compromising virus clearance or the generation of protective immunity

Background Seasonal influenza A infection affects a significant cohort of the global population annually, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies are of limited efficacy, and during a pandemic outbreak would only be available to a minority of the global population. Over-the-counter medicines are routinely taken by individuals suffering from influenza, but few studies have been conducted to determine their effectiveness in reducing pulmonary immunopathology or the influence they exert upon the generation of protective immunity. Methods A mouse model of influenza infection was utilised to assess the efficacy of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in reducing influenza-induced pathology and to examine whether paracetamol affects generation of protective immunity. Results Administration (intraperitoneal) of paracetamol significantly decreased the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the airway spaces, reduced pulmonary immunopathology associated with acute infection and improved the overall lung function of mice, without adversely affecting the induction of virus-specific adaptive responses. Mice treated with paracetamol exhibited an ability to resist a second infection with heterologous virus comparable with that of untreated mice. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that paracetamol dramatically reduces the morbidity associated with influenza but does not compromise the development of adaptive immune responses. Overall, these data support the utility of paracetamol for reducing the clinical symptoms associated with influenza virus infection.
Performance management in police agencies: a conceptual framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define a systematic management structure that helps police practitioners institutionalize performance management and analysis in more rational‐technical ways.Design/methodology/approach – The design is based on Gold's “complete participant” field researcher method.Findings – The findings suggest a performance management model is more rational than the traditional command‐control model and may increase consistency in police management by systematically collecting and reporting on streams of data to measure performance instead of relying on rote compliance.Research limitations/implications – The model is limited because it does not account for important intangible qualities of performance (e.g. attitude, initiative, judgment); in the hands of autocratic managers it can be oppressive and cause more problems than it solves; it may constrain officer discretion; it has not been advanced as a learning instrument; and performance indicators are subject to measurement erro.
Marijuana Use Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men and the HIV Care Continuum: Findings From the uConnect Cohort

ABSTRACT Background: Young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are at highest risk for HIV seroconversion in the United States. Successful movement through the HIV care continuum is an important intervention for limiting onwards HIV transmission. Objective: Little data exists on how substances most commonly used by YBMSM, such as marijuana, are related to the HIV continuum, which represents the primary aim of this study. Methods: A cohort of YBMSM (n = 618) was generated through respondent-driven sampling. Frequency of marijuana use and marijuana use as a sex-drug were assessed across the HIV care continuum using weighted logistic regression models. Results: Study participants reported more intermittent marijuana use (n = 254, 56.2%) compared to heavy use (n = 198, 43.8%). Our sample contained 212 (34.3%) HIV seropositive participants of which 52 (24.5%) were unaware of their HIV positive status. Study participants who were heavy marijuana users were more likely to be unaware of their HIV seropositive status (AOR: 4.18; 95% CI 1.26, 13.89). All other stages in the care continuum demonstrated no significant differences between those who use marijuana intermittently or heavily or as a sex-drug and nonusers. Conclusions: YBMSM who used marijuana heavily were more likely to be HIV-positive unaware than those who never used marijuana. Findings were inconclusive regarding the relationships between marijuana use and other HIV care continuum metrics. However, knowledge of ones’ HIV status is a critical requirement for engaging in care and may have implications for onwards HIV transmission.
A Briefer Reply to Johnson: Re-Affirming the Necessity of a Gender-Neutral Approach to Custody Evaluations

In a recent issue of Journal of Child Custody, Michael Johnson and I were engaged in a debate regarding the use of what I call the “gender paradigm” (Dutton and Nicholls 2005) in custody disputes. The gender paradigm, as I tried to point out, is the collective set of beliefs in the domestic violence field, that intimate partner violence is exclusively or predominantly male perpetrated, when the research data say otherwise. I criticized two books (Bancroft and Silverman 2002; Jaffe, Lemon et al. 2003) and several research papers connecting domestic violence to custody assessments for promoting this view. I will not restate those arguments here. The interested reader can find them, and Johnson’s response to them in the Journal of Child Custody, 2005, volume 2(4). In his “brief reply” Michael Johnson says he “never denied” that women can be intimate terrorists. I suppose technically that’s true. What he did though, as I said in my response to him (Dutton 2005), was to create two categories in the literature “patriarchal terrorism” and “common couple violence” that deflected attention from female initiated intimate partner violence (IPV). Although Johnson claims to have revised this view in
Marriage among the urban poor of Dhaka: instability and uncertainty

Qualitative and quantitative data from the Urban Livelihoods Study (ULS) are used to describe the patterns of marriage, and in particular the rising incidence of marital instability, among the bustee (slum) population of Dhaka. The changing nature of bustee society provides greater options for women compared with their rural counterparts. Reduced social sanctions against divorce, dysfunction of the goshti, weaker familial ties and increased options for labour force participation are giving women greater freedom. Bustee women appear more able to avoid serious domestic violence by rejecting unfavourable marital ties. However, despite these factors, women are faced with a dilemma regarding marriage. Marital discord, insecurity and instability are high and yet marriage remains a necessity. The unstable nature of bustee life, harassment from men, social and economic dependency, the difficulty of returning to the village, and absence of strong kin networks, force women to marry. On balance, women appear to be suffering from the increasingly unstable and uncertain nature of marriage. The experience of marital breakdown has serious social and financial implications. Women living without husbands are poorer than their married counterparts. Children, too, are faring badly. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Friction Identification for Haptic Display

A method of identifying the friction of real devices for haptic display is presented. The method is suitable for identifying both the friction and inertia of a system simultaneously. This paper begins with a brief survey of common friction models and identification procedures. After the identification method is outlined, results are presented for experiments conducted to identify the friction and mass of an aluminum block sliding on sheets of brass, teflon, and rubber.
Whole Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Extensive Unspliced mRNA in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Men with metastatic prostate cancer who are treated with androgen deprivation therapies (ADT) usually relapse within 2 to 3 years with disease that is termed castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). To identify the mechanism that drives these advanced tumors, paired-end RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on a panel of CRPC bone marrow biopsy specimens. From this genome-wide approach, mutations were found in a series of genes with prostate cancer relevance, including AR, NCOR1, KDM3A, KDM4A, CHD1, SETD5, SETD7, INPP4B, RASGRP3, RASA1, TP53BP1, and CDH1, and a novel SND1:BRAF gene fusion. Among the most highly expressed transcripts were 10 noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including MALAT1 and PABPC1, which are involved in RNA processing. Notably, a high percentage of sequence reads mapped to introns, which were determined to be the result of incomplete splicing at canonical splice junctions. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), a series of genes (AR, KLK2, KLK3, STEAP2, CPSF6, and CDK19) were confirmed to have a greater proportion of unspliced RNA in CRPC specimens than in normal prostate epithelium, untreated primary prostate cancer, and cultured prostate cancer cells. This inefficient coupling of transcription and mRNA splicing suggests an overall increase in transcription or defect in splicing. Implications: Inefficient splicing in advanced prostate cancer provides a selective advantage through effects on microRNA networks but may render tumors vulnerable to agents that suppress rate-limiting steps in splicing. Mol Cancer Res; 13(1); 98–106. ©2014 AACR.
Rhythmic Training and Its Relationship to the Synchronization of Motor-Rhythmic Responses

M OTOR-RHYTHMIC RESPONSES to music have become an important part of the music education of children.l This has developed particularly since the school of eurhythmics became fashionable in the 1920s. Several theories exist concerning the nature of rhythmic responses. Lundin2 classifies these into three main types: instinctive theories, physiological theories, and motor theory. Of the three, the motor theory is best supported by scientific research. In view of this, the present investigation was based on this theory. The questions to be answered by this study were: 1. Does rhythmic training affect children's abilities to synchronize bodily movements with rhythmic stimuli? 2. Does the home musical background of children affect the synchronizing of bodily movements to rhythmic stimuli? 3. Does the motor ability of children affect the synchronizing of bodily movements with rhythmic stimuli? 4. Is sex a factor irl the synchronization of bodily movements with rhythmic stimuli? 5. Is personal social adjustment a factor in the synchronization of bodily movements with rhythmic stimuli? This study was based on the hypothesis that there is no difference in the ability to synchronize body movements with rhythmic stimuli between children who have had and those who have not had rhythmic
THE ILLUSION OF REGULATORY COMPETENCE

ABSTRACT The illusion of explanatory depth, which has been identified by cognitive psychologists, may play a prominent role in encouraging regulatory action. This special type of overconfidence would logically lead regulators to believe that they are aware of the relevant causes and consequences of the activities they might regulate, and of the unintended side effects of the regulatory actions they are contemplating. So, as with other cognitive biases, the illusion of explanatory depth is likely to lead to mistakes. And unlike the biases that have been the focus of so much behavioral economics, the illusion of explanatory depth is uniquely resistant to correction by those who are aware of it as a general problem and rigorously attempt to keep it under control.
Injury Patterns at a Large Western United States Ski Resort With and Without Snowboarders

Background: Differences in injury patterns among alpine skiers and snowboarders have previously been recognized, and controversy remains about the safety implications that snowboarding may pose to a ski resort. A change of policy at Taos Ski Valley provides a unique and modern perspective on the effect that snowboarders have on ski resort injuries. Hypothesis: The addition of snowboarders to a large ski resort may result in a significant change in both the rate and pattern of injuries treated. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Patient records from the Mogul Medical Clinic at Taos Ski Valley were reviewed from the 2006-2007 ski season through the 2009-2010 season (approximately 2 years before and after snowboarding was allowed) and recorded for age, sex, diagnosis, body region, anatomic location, injury type, and sport (skiing, snowboarding). The total numbers of mountain visits for the time periods with and without snowboarding were used to determine injury rates. Results: The overall rate of persons injured increased from 206.7 per 100,000 mountain visits without snowboarders to 233.8 with snowboarders. The relative risk ratio was 1.131, also represented as a 13.1% increased risk of injury (IRI) (statistically significant; 95% CI, 3.5%-23.6%). Increases were seen in the rate of upper extremity injuries (IRI, 39.1%; 95% CI, 14.3-69.4) and head/neck injuries (IRI 30.8%; not significant), while lower extremity and trunk/pelvis injuries remained relatively constant. Distal radius fractures, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations showed statistically significant increases with the addition of snowboarding. The most frequent injuries among snowboarders were distal radius fractures, wrist sprains, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations. The most frequent injuries among skiers were anterior cruciate ligament tears, knee sprains, closed head injuries, and gastrocnemius tears. The median age of injured persons decreased from 39 years (range, 4-100 years) without snowboarders to 31 years (range, 4-99 years) with snowboarders, and this was significant. Approximately 45% of injured persons were female, and this did not change with the addition of snowboarders. Conclusion: In this study, there was a small but statistically significant increase in the likelihood of injury with the addition of snowboarding to a large ski resort. It is likely that factors such as younger demographic, elevated risk-taking behavior, or increased mountain crowding are involved. The difference in injuries is largely because of a significant increase in distal radius fractures, closed head injuries, and acromioclavicular separations. On mountain safety precautions such as widening of runs and streamlining of high traffic areas, training medical providers to recognize and treat sport-specific injuries, and promoting the use of wrist guards and helmets may be useful in reducing the effect that snowboarders have on ski resort injuries.
Robust control oriented identification of errors-in-variables models based on normalised coprime factors

A robust control oriented identification approach is proposed to deal with the identification of errors-in-variables models (EIVMs), which are corrupted with input and output noises. Based on normalised coprime factor model (NCFM) representations, a frequency-domain perturbed NCFM for an EIVM is derived according to a geometrical explanation for the v-gap metric. As a result, identification of the EIVM is converted into that of the NCFM. Besides an identified nominal NCFM, its worst case error has to be quantified. Unlike other traditional control-oriented identification methods, the v-gap metric is employed to measure the uncertainties including a priori information on the disturbing noises and the worst case error for the resulting nominal NCFM. Since this metric is also used as an optimisation criterion, the associate parameter estimation problem can be effectively solved by linear matrix inequalities. Finally, a numerical simulation shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.
RESPONSE OF CIRCULATING SOMATOSTATIN, INSULIN, GASTRIN AND GIP, TO INTRADUODENAL INFUSION OF NUTRIENTS IN NORMAL MAN

We have studied the effect of direct infusion of nutrients into the duodenum of normal subjects on circulating plasma somatostatin, insulin, gastrin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) levels. Six normal subjects were given on four separate occasions 150 ml of isotonic solutions containing 100 calories of carbohydrate, protein, or fat, and a control solution of saline, by infusion into the second part of the duodenum. Plasma somatostatin rose slightly after carbohydrate, mean basal 30 ± 3 pg/ml, peak 46±16 pg/ml at 15 min; and more markedly after protein, peak 57 ± 9 pg/ml at 30 min. However, fat was the most potent intraduodenal stimulus to plasma somatostatin release into circulation, peak 101 ± 11 pg/ml at 30 min. The plasma insulin rise was greatest after carbohydrate, peak 68 ± 10 i.u. , but there was a significant rise after protein also, peak 34 ±6 i.u. Plasma gastrin rose significantly after protein only, peak 70 ± 22 pg/ml. Plasma GIP rose markedly after carbohydrate, basal 506 ± 50 pg/ml, peak 1480 ± 120 pg/ml. Protein was also a potent stimulus of circulating plasma GIP release, peak 1200 ± 190 pg/ml, while fat was the least potent, peak 730±190 pg/ml. Thus, calorie for calorie, fat is the most potent intraduodenal nutrient stimulus of circulating somatostatin. We postulate therefore that somatostatin may be an enterogastrone–a circulating hormone released by intraduodenal fat which inhibits gastric acid secretion. Fat is the least potent intraduodenal nutrient stimulus of circulating GIP release. This is evidence against the hypothesis that circulating GIP acts as an enterogastrone.