Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (Tursiops truncatus) Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System Stock 2009

STOCK DEFINITION AND GEOGRAPHIC RANGE The coastal morphotype of bottlenose dolphin is continuously distributed along the Atlantic coast south of Long Island, New York, to the Florida peninsula, including inshore waters of bays, sounds and estuaries. Except for animals residing within the Southern North Carolina and Northern North Carolina Estuarine Systems (e.g., Waring et al. 2007), estuarine dolphins along the U.S. east coast have not previously been included in stock assessment reports. Several lines of evidence support a distinction between dolphins inhabiting coastal waters near the shore and those present in the inshore waters of the bays, sounds and estuaries. Photo-identification (photo-ID) and genetic studies support the existence of resident estuarine animals in several areas of the southeastern United States (e. patterns have been observed in bays and estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico coast (e.g., Wells et al. 1987; Balmer et al. 2008). Recent genetic analyses using both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellite markers found significant differentiation between biopsies collected from bottlenose dolphins along the coast and those collected within the estuarine systems at the same latitude (NMFS unpublished data). Similar results have been reported for the west coast of Florida (Sellas et al. 2005). The Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System (IRLES) stock on the Atlantic coast of Florida extends from Ponce de Leon Inlet in the north to Jupiter Inlet in the south and encompasses all estuarine waters in between, including but not limited to the Intracoastal Waterway, Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River, Banana River and the St. Lucie Estuary. Five inlets and the Cape Canaveral Locks connect the IRLES to the Atlantic Ocean. This definition of the IRLES has been used by a number of researchers (e.g., Kent et al. 2008) and is the most expansive definition. Some researchers truncate the southern border at the St. Lucie Inlet. Multiple studies utilizing varying methods such as freeze-branding, photo-ID and radio telemetry support the designation of bottlenose dolphins in the IRLES as a distinct stock. Odell and Asper (1990) reported that none of the 133 freeze-branded dolphins from the IRLES were observed outside of the system during their 4-year monitoring period from 1979 to 1982 and suggested that there may be an additional discrete group of dolphins in the southern end of the system. A stranded dolphin from the IRLES that was rehabilitated, freeze-branded and released into the IRLES was recaptured 14 years later in the IRLES during a health …
Development of Chinese Version of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ)

Objectives To develop the Chinese version of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ). Research Design and Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan. Eighty women who met the criteria were enrolled: female, age range of 18–45 years, competent in the Chinese language, had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and were regularly followed at outpatient clinics (defined as at least two outpatient visits before enrollment). The PCOSQ was translated and culturally adapted according to standard procedures. A semi-structured interview was applied to assess face validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to determine scale constructs. Measurements of internal consistency via Cronbach’s α, test-retest reliability via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), construct validity, and discriminative validity were performed. Results Five additional items, representing the issues of acne, hair loss, and fear of getting diabetes, were incorporated into the original scale. A six-factor structure emerged as a result of the EFA, explaining 71.9% of the variance observed. The reliability analyses demonstrated satisfactory results for Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.78–0.96, and for ICC ranging from 0.73–0.86. Construct validity was confirmed by significant correlation between the domains of the Chi-PCOSQ and generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures (WHOQOL-BREF, EQ-5D) and clinical parameters (body mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure). The known-group analysis indicated that the Chi-PCOSQ is a discriminative tool that differentiates patients according to their HRQoL. Conclusion The Chi-PCOSQ seems internally consistent, culturally acceptable, and our preliminary evidence suggests that it may be reliable and valid. The Chi-PCOSQ is a promising assessment tool to address the HRQoL of women affected by PCOS in Chinese-speaking countries and to further identify ethnic/cultural differences in the HRQoL of women with PCOS.
Adaptive Fuzzy Output Feedback Dynamic Surface Control of Interconnected Nonlinear Pure-Feedback Systems

In this paper, an adaptive fuzzy decentralized output feedback control design is presented for a class of interconnected nonlinear pure-feedback systems. The considered nonlinear systems contain unknown nonlinear uncertainties and the states are not necessary to be measured directly. Fuzzy logic systems are employed to approximate the unknown nonlinear functions, and then a fuzzy state observer is designed and the estimations of the immeasurable state variables are obtained. Based on the adaptive backstepping dynamic surface control design technique, an adaptive fuzzy decentralized output feedback control scheme is developed. It is proved that all the variables of the resulting closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded, and also that the observer and tracking errors are guaranteed to converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Some simulation results and comparisons with the existing results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and merits of the proposed approach.
Increased Mortality, Postoperative Morbidity, and Cost After Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Patients Having Cardiac Surgery

Background— Red blood cell transfusion can both benefit and harm. To inform decisions about transfusion, we aimed to quantify associations of transfusion with clinical outcomes and cost in patients having cardiac surgery. Methods and Results— Clinical, hematology, and blood transfusion databases were linked with the UK population register. Additional hematocrit information was obtained from intensive care unit charts. Composite infection (respiratory or wound infection or septicemia) and ischemic outcomes (myocardial infarction, stroke, renal impairment, or failure) were prespecified as coprimary end points. Secondary outcomes were resource use, cost, and survival. Associations were estimated by regression modeling with adjustment for potential confounding. All adult patients having cardiac surgery between April 1, 1996, and December 31, 2003, with key exposure and outcome data were included (98%). Adjusted odds ratios for composite infection (737 of 8516) and ischemic outcomes (832 of 8518) for transfused versus nontransfused patients were 3.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.60 to 4.40) and 3.35 (95% CI, 2.68 to 4.35), respectively. Transfusion was associated with increased relative cost of admission (any transfusion, 1.42 times [95% CI, 1.37 to 1.46], varying from 1.11 for 1 U to 3.35 for >9 U). At any time after their operations, transfused patients were less likely to have been discharged from hospital (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.67) and were more likely to have died (0 to 30 days: HR, 6.69; 95% CI, 3.66 to 15.1; 31 days to 1 year: HR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.68 to 4.17; >1 year: HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.64). Conclusions— Red blood cell transfusion in patients having cardiac surgery is strongly associated with both infection and ischemic postoperative morbidity, hospital stay, increased early and late mortality, and hospital costs.
Bioadhesive Films Containing Fluconazole for Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

Fluconazole is a broad spectrum antifungal agent that has been extensively applied for the management of oral, pharyngeal and cutaneous candidiasis. Fluconazole has a high volume of distribution (0.55–0.65 l/kg) and has systemic toxicity due to high drug-drug interaction. The present study focuses on the formulation of bioadhesive film as a controlled release carrier for fluconazole. The formulation was intended to provide localized delivery of fluconazole exclusively at the site of infection, thereby reducing its total dose and hence, dose-related toxicities. Bioadhesive films were prepared by solvent casting method using sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol alone as well as in various combinations. Prepared films were evaluated for physical characteristics like, weight and content uniformity, film thickness, swelling index, microenvironment pH and folding endurance. In vitro drug release, in vitro and ex vivo residence time, bioadhesive strength and skin irritation were also studied. Accelerated stability study was conducted on the optimized formulation as per ICH guidelines. Weight of all the films were not more than 20 mg. Thickness of the films ranged between 0.09 to 0.15 mm whereas swelling indices showed a high extent of variation. Films composed of polyvinyl alcohol alone provided a swelling index of 6%. Bioadhesive strength was found to be more than 18 g. Microenvironment pH was near to 7.0 for most of the formulations. Ex vivo residence time of optimized batch was more than 5 h and it provided controlled drug release up to 8 h. As revealed in FT-IR and DSC studies, drug was found to be compatible with the excipients used in this study.
Sex Ratios under Asymmetrical Local Mate Competition: Theory and a Test with Parasitoid Wasps

Sex ratio theory allows unparalleled opportunities for testing how well animal behavior can be predicted by evolutionary theory. For example, Hamilton’s theory of local mate competition (LMC) is well understood and can explain variation in sex allocation across numerous species. This allows more specific predictions to be developed and tested. Here we extend LMC theory to a situation that will be common in a range of species: asymmetrical LMC. Asymmetrical LMC occurs when females lay eggs on a patch asynchronously and male offspring do not disperse, leading to relatively weaker LMC for males emerging from later broods. Varying levels of LMC then lead to varying optimal sex ratios for females, depending on when and where they oviposit. We confirm the assumptions of our theory using the wasp Nasonia vitripennis and then test our predictions. We show that females adjust their offspring sex ratios in the directions predicted, laying different sex ratios on different hosts within a patch. Specifically, there was a less female‐biased sex ratio when ovipositing on an unparasitized host if another host on the patch had previously been parasitized and a less female‐biased sex ratio on parasitized hosts if females also oviposited on an unparasitized host.
Melanin production by Rhizobium meliloti GR4 is linked to nonsymbiotic plasmid pRmeGR4b: cloning, sequencing, and expression of the tyrosinase gene mepA

Melanin production by Rhizobium meliloti GR4 is linked to nonsymbiotic plasmid pRmeGR4b (140 MDa). Transfer of this plasmid to GR4-cured derivatives or to Agrobacterium tumefaciens enables these bacteria to produce melanin. Sequence analysis of a 3.5-kb PstI fragment of plasmid pRmeGR4b has revealed the presence of a open reading frame 1,481-bp that codes for a protein whose sequence shows strong homology to two conserved regions involved in copper binding in tyrosinases and hemocyanins. In vitro-coupled transcription-translation experiments showed that this open reading frame codes for a 55-kDa polypeptide. Melanin production in GR4 is not under the control of the RpoN-NifA regulatory system, unlike that in R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli 8002. The GR4 tyrosinase gene could be expressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the lacZ promoter. For avoiding confusion with mel genes (for melibiose), a change of the name of the previously reported mel genes of R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli and other organisms to mep genes (for melanin production) is proposed.
Scaling properties of a non-Fowler-Nordheim tunneling junction

Recent experimental work [1] has shown that there is a simple scaling function for the current I in a sharp tunneling junction as a function of the tip anode distance d. When the emitter has a large radius of curvature R the tunneling potential depends linearly on the field and scaling the latter with d obviously leads to the scaling of the current. But when the emitter is sharp and the barrier is of a non-Fowler-Nordheim type, scaling the field does not necessarily lead to scaling of the current with d. Here we show that for d>>R it does.
X-ray observations of the hot phase in Sagittarius A*

Context. We analyse 134 ks Chandra ACIS-I observations of the Galactic Centre (GC) performed in July 2011. The X-ray image with the field of view 17 � × 17 � contains the hot plasma surrounding the Sgr A*. The obtained surface brightness map allows us to fit the Bondi hot accretion flow to the innermost hot plasma around the GC. Aims. Contrary to the XMM-Newton data where a strong 6.4 keV iron line was observed andinterpreted as a reflection from molecular clouds, we search here for the diffuse X-ray emission with prominent 6.69 keV iron line. We found a surface brightness profile that allowed us to determine the stagnation radius of the flow around Sgr A*. Methods. We fitted spectra from the region up to 5 �� from Sgr A* using a thermal bremsstrahlung model and four Gaussian profiles responsible for Kα emission lines of Fe, S, Ar, and Ca. The X-ray surface brightness profile up to 3 �� from Sgr A* found in our data image was successfully fitted with the dynamical model of Bondi spherical accretion. Results. We show that the temperature of the hot plasma derived from our spectral fitting is of the order of 2.2−2.7 keV depending on the choice of background. By modelling the surface brightness profile, we derived the temperature and number density profiles in the vicinity of the black hole. The best fitted model of spherical Bondi accretion shows that this type of flow works only up to 3 �� and implies that the outer plasma density and temperature are n out = 18.3 ± 0. 1c m −3 and T out e = 3.5 ± 0.3 keV, respectively. Conclusions. We show that the Bondi flow can reproduce observed surface brightness profiles up to 3 �� from Sgr A* in the Galactic centre. This result strongly suggests the position of stagnation radius in the complicated dynamics around GC. The temperature at the outer radius of the flow is higher by 1 keV than the value found by our spectral fitting of thermal plasma within the circle of 5 �� . T he Faraday rotation computed from our model towards the pulsar PSR J1745-2900 near the GC agrees with the observed one, recently reported. We speculate here that the emission lines observed in spectra up to 5 �� can be interpreted as the reflection of the radiation from two-phase regions occurring at distances between 3−5 �� of the flow. The hot plasma in Sgr A* illuminated in the past by a strong
Pleiotropic Benefit of Monomeric and Oligomeric Flavanols on Vascular Health - A Randomized Controlled Clinical Pilot Study

Background Cardiovascular diseases are expanding to a major social-economic burden in the Western World and undermine man's deep desire for healthy ageing. Epidemiological studies suggest that flavanol-rich foods (e.g. grapes, wine, chocolate) sustain cardiovascular health. For an evidenced-based application, however, sound clinical data on their efficacy are strongly demanded. Methods In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study we supplemented 28 male smokers with 200 mg per day of monomeric and oligomeric flavanols (MOF) from grape seeds. At baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks we measured macro- and microvascular function and a cluster of systemic biomarkers for major pathological processes occurring in the vasculature: disturbances in lipid metabolism and cellular redox balance, and activation of inflammatory cells and platelets. Results In the MOF group serum total cholesterol and LDL decreased significantly (P≤0.05) by 5% (n = 11) and 7% (n = 9), respectively in volunteers with elevated baseline levels. Additionally, after 8 weeks the ratio of glutathione to glutathione disulphide in erythrocytes rose from baseline by 22% (n = 15, P<0.05) in MOF supplemented subjects. We also observed that MOF supplementation exerts anti-inflammatory effects in blood towards ex vivo added bacterial endotoxin and significantly reduces expression of inflammatory genes in leukocytes. Conversely, alterations in macro- and microvascular function, platelet aggregation, plasma levels of nitric oxide surrogates, endothelin-1, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, prostaglandin F2alpha, plasma antioxidant capacity and gene expression levels of antioxidant defense enzymes did not reach statistical significance after 8 weeks MOF supplementation. However, integrating all measured effects into a global, so-called vascular health index revealed a significant improvement of overall vascular health by MOF compared to placebo (P≤0.05). Conclusion Our integrative multi-biomarker approach unveiled the pleiotropic vascular health benefit of an 8 weeks supplementation with 200 mg/d MOF in humans. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00742287
Increase in waist circumference over 6 years predicts subsequent cardiovascular disease and total mortality in nordic women

Despite solid evidence of an association between centralized body fatness and subsequent disease risk, little is known about the consequences of changes in body fat distribution. Recently it was shown that large hip circumference (HC), measured once, was protective against total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in women but that gain or loss in HC was unrelated to these outcomes. This study examines whether a 6‐year change in waist circumference (WC) predicts mortality and CVD in the same study sample.
European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Stalk Tunneling on Root-Knot Nematode (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae) Fitness on Corn

ABSTRACT Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2004–2006 to examine the reciprocal effects of aboveground herbivory by European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and belowground herbivory by root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae), on one another at three corn, Zea mays L. , growth stages. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of aboveground herbivory by O. nubilalis on the number of M. incognita juvenile penetration/root system and eggs/root system. In the first experiment, the O. nubilalis infestation level by plant growth stage main effect interaction was not significant for either M. incognita juvenile penetration or eggs. The overall effect of stalk tunneling by O. nubilalis resulted in 48.9% fewer juvenile penetration and 40.0% fewer eggs than in the respective controls. In the second experiment, the main effects interaction was significant for juvenile penetration (P = 0.0422) and eggs (P = 0.0134). At the eight- and 10-leaf growth stages, the combined effect of one and three O. nubilalis larvae per plant resulted in 41.2 and 44.7% significantly fewer juvenile penetration than in the respective controls. Similarly, the combined effect of stalk tunneling (with the exception of one larvae per plant at the 10-leaf growth stage) at the six-, eight-, and 10-leaf growth stages resulted in 46.3, 53.3, and 55.2% fewer eggs than in the respective controls. In all instances, M. incognita juvenile penetration and eggs were significantly negatively correlated with O. nubilalis tunnel length. In a reciprocal experiment conducted two times, no significant (P > 0.05) effect of M. incognita inoculation level on stalk tunneling was found in either experiment.
Numerical Simulation of Complex Wetting

Many multiphase-flows are governed by capillarity and wettability such as spray painting and ink-jet printing applications, cooling devices of small scaled microchips and inside internal combustion engines referring to the fuel injection. The contact angle is a decisive parameter when such a system is analyzed. If the contact angle is in the bounds of the hysteresis, the contact line is pinned (immobile). An accurate numerical simulation is not trivial because of the contact line singularity, a good measure of the contact line velocity as well as the realization of pinning. In this study, the implementation of the dynamic contact angle is extended, accounting for contact line pinning as well as the dynamic behavior in the advancing and receding phase. In short, the whole contact angle hysteresis is realized. The implementation has been validated by considering the cases of a drop impact on a horizontal surface, the simulation of drops on inclined surfaces and drops exposed to a shear flow. Moreover, the wetting of geometrically complex surfaces has been investigated and an approach for the modeling of the geometrical influence on a flat wall by a boundary condition is presented.
Does the Cerebellum Provide a Common Computation for Diverse Tasks? A Timing Hypothesis a

The cerebellum provides a temporal computation for a number of tasks. We have found that the accuracy in timing motor responses is correlated across different motor effectors. Moreover, perceptual acuity in judging durations of auditory intervals is correlated with motoric measures of timing. These results suggest a common process underlying timing of different sorts, and that this process may depend on a specific neural system. Our data indicate that damage to the cerebellum impairs motor and perceptual timing. Patients with cerebellar lesions are also impaired at judging the velocity of a moving visual stimulus, a process that would appear to require precise timing. Furthermore, the lateral cerebellum has been implicated in classical “eyeblink” conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response. Because classical conditioning of discrete, adaptive responses is precisely timed, we argue that the cerebellum is the conditioning site for this response because of the need for temporal computation. Classical conditioning of responses such as of heart rate, which is not so precisely timed, does not depend on the cerebellum. The cerebellar influence on locomotion may also be one of providing temporal information. Clumsy children appear as a group to have poor timing, not only on motor production but on perception as well, as would be expected if a general computation is impaired. Because of the importance of the discovery of a cerebellar role in classical conditioning, we begin our argument with respect to classical conditioning.