Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of larval nutrition on the endocrinology of mosquito egg development

SUMMARY Reproduction by female mosquitoes is dependent on energy resources but modulated by hormones. Our study focused on blood-meal-dependent, anautogenous Aedes aegypti and autogenous Ochlerotatus atropalpus that rely on larval-derived nutrient stores to develop eggs. To determine how larval nutrition affects the endocrinology of egg development in these females, we manipulated the quantity of larval food and measured in vitro production of juvenile hormone (JH) by corpora allata (CA) and ecdysteroids by ovaries. Newly emerged A. aegypti contain lower larval-derived protein reserves, and their CA produce high amounts of JH, in comparison with similarly staged Oc. atropalpus. Ecdysteroid production was initiated in newly emerged Oc. atropalpus females, which have higher protein reserves and which develop eggs without a blood meal, which is required by A. aegypti females to complete egg development.
Central nervous system vasculitis in children

Purpose of reviewTo review the current literature of primary and secondary central nervous system vasculitis in children, to evaluate the evolving classification and to suggest an approach to diagnosis. Recent findingsCentral nervous system vasculitis in children is a newly recognized inflammatory brain disease, which may develop as a primary condition, or secondary to an underlying systemic disease. Primary angiitis of the central nervous system of childhood (cPACNS) is a reversible cause of severe neurological impairment, including acute ischemic stroke, intractable seizures and cognitive decline. Once clinically suspected, angiography is a key imaging modality. Primary angiitis of the central nervous system of childhood can be divided into large–medium vessel and small-vessel vasculitis, each presenting with distinct clinical and radiological features. Angiogram-negative, small-vessel primary angiitis of the central nervous system of childhood has a broad differential diagnosis that includes both vascular and nonvascular conditions. Recognition of this disease and a thorough diagnostic evaluation is necessary to identify and possibly reverse severe neurological impairment in children. SummaryThis review summarizes the recent data on diagnosis and differential diagnosis of primary and secondary central nervous system vasculitis in children. Increasing recognition of this condition in children allows for greater understanding of the spectrum of disease presentation and differential diagnosis of this reversible cause of severe neurological impairment in children.
The results of pollicization for congenital thumb hypoplasia

We assessed pollicizations performed by one surgeon; compared function of the pollicized digit in patients with and without forearm/wrist anomalies; and determined if hand function changed with age. A total of 42 hands were assessed an average of 5.7 years post-operatively, 21 with a forearm/wrist anomaly (Group 1) and 21 without (Group 2). Fourteen patients with 16 pollicizations were assessed on two occasions 3.5 years apart. Carpometacarpal joint motion was near normal in both groups (decreased retropulsion in Group 1). Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joint flexion, grip, thumb lateral and tip pinch strengths, and Jebsen timed test were superior in Group 2. Subjective assessment by patients/parents found 72% excellent/good results for function and 94% for appearance. Doctor excellent/good assessments were 60% and 70%, respectively. Forearm/wrist anomalies significantly compromised results but are not a contraindication for pollicization. Strength and Jebsen timed test measurements improved at the second assessment of 16 thumbs, but this was consistent with age-related improvement. Level of evidence: 4
Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Invasive Pediatric Abiotrophia and Granulicatella Isolates

ABSTRACT Abiotrophia and Granulicatella species have been associated with various infections. Antimicrobial susceptibility data for these nutritionally variant streptococcus-like organisms, especially for pediatric isolates, are very limited. Little is known about the genetic bases of their resistance mechanisms. We report the results of identification to bacterial species level, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, macrolide resistance testing, and detection of genes encoding that resistance for a collection of 15 pediatric clinical isolates from normally sterile sites. Our results indicate that the prevalence of beta-lactam and macrolide resistance is high and that both erm and mef are found in these isolates.
Clinical utility of apparent diffusion coefficient values obtained using high b‐value when diagnosing prostate cancer using 3 tesla MRI: Comparison between ultra‐high b‐value (2000 s/mm2) and standard high b‐value (1000 s/mm2)

To determine whether the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained using b = 2000 s/mm2 upon 3 Tesla (T) diffusion‐weighted MRI is superior to b = 1000 s/mm2 for discriminating malignant from normal prostate tissue and predicting the aggressiveness of prostate cancer, using histopathological findings of radical prostatectomy as a reference.
Journal of Information Technology Education Known and Unknown Weaknesses in Software Animated Demonstrations (screencasts): a Study in Self-paced Learning Settings

Executive Summary Learning about computers continues to be regarded as a rather informal and complex landscape dominated by individual exploratory and opportunistic approaches, even for students and instructors in Computer Science Departments. During the last two decades, software animated demonstrations (SADs), also known as screencasts, have attracted particular attention as a promising platform for the struggling computer users. However, their anticipated groundbreaking success has not yet been verified, while research results have been both limited and inconsistent. In this study, we explore the deficiencies of SADs in a self-paced learning environment for computer science students, with a view to pinpointing design priorities for the enhancement of their learning value. An application containing 161 SADs was developed and distributed to thirty students who participated in three interviews during a period of two months and gave consent to usage logging for research purposes. The results of our study showed that, although computer science students recognized SADs as persuasive and intriguing media, their exploitation of SADs was not a straightforward matter. Problems reported included ineffective support during practice, the absence of encoding opportunities, low exploratory qualities and limited navigation opportunities. Other difficulties concerned pacing conflicts, incomplete self-descriptions, the inconvenience of the required environmental settings, and unexpected exposure to explicit time requirements, all of which challenged students' previously-acquired learning strategies. Students negotiated their study model right through until their last usage sessions because SADs were interruptive and did not encourage or facilitate any specific practice model. Even though these problems were confronted by all students, a significant percentage of them watched the videos in their entirety, developed tricks to overcome SADs disadvantages, overcame the novelty effect, and extracted most of their value. This is a promising sign for the future diffusion of SADs in the acquiring of software skills in information technology education and underlines the need to enhance their form and the affordances provided. Material published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To …
Cue-Elicited Reward-Seeking Requires Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Activation in the Nucleus Accumbens

The motivation to seek out rewards can come under the control of stimuli associated with reward delivery. The ability of cues to motivate reward-seeking behavior depends on the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). The molecular mechanisms in the NAcc that underlie the ability of a cue to motivate reward-seeking are not well understood. We examined whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), an important intracellular signaling pathway in learning and memory, has a role in these motivational processes. We first examined p42 ERK (ERK2) activation in the NAcc after rats were trained to associate an auditory stimulus with food delivery and found that, as a consequence of training, presentation of the auditory cue itself was sufficient to increase ERK2 activation in the NAcc. To examine whether inhibition of ERK in the NAcc prevents cue-induced reward-seeking, we infused an inhibitor of ERK, U0126, into the NAcc before assessing rats' instrumental responding in the presence versus absence of the conditioned cue. We found that, whereas vehicle-infused rats showed increased instrumental responding during cue presentation, rats infused with U0126 showed a profound impairment in cue-induced instrumental responding. In contrast, intra-NAcc U0126 infusion had no effect on rats' food-reinforced instrumental responding or their ability to execute conditioned approach behavior. Our results demonstrate learning-related changes in ERK signaling in the NAcc, and that disruption of ERK activation in this structure interferes with the incentive-motivational effects of conditioned stimuli. The molecular mechanisms described here may have implications for cue-elicited drug craving after repeated exposure to drugs of abuse.
Systems Theory for Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery

Biological networks are comprised of thousands of interacting components, and these networks have complicated patterns of feedback and feed-forward motifs. It is practically impossible to use intuition to determine whether simultaneously modifying multiple pharmaceutical targets has a good therapeutic response. Even when a drug is discovered which is safe in humans and highly-effective against its target, the medical effect on the disease may be underwhelming. This provides a strong impetus for developing a systems theory for pharmaceutical drug discovery. This thesis discusses system theoretic tools which are useful for doing drug discovery. The first class of tools discussed is system identification tools, and case studies of parametric modeling are given. A new statistical system identification procedure which exploits the geometric and hierarchical structure of many biological (and engineering) systems is presented, and this new procedure is applied to engineering and biological systems. The second class of tools discussed is a new set of target selection tools. Given mathematical models of biological networks, these tools select a set of targets for pharmaceutical drugs. The targets are selected to achieve good medical outcomes for patients by reducing the effect of diseases on pathways and ensuring that the targets do not too adversely affect healthy cells. The ultimate goal of the work presented in this thesis is to create a framework which can be used to rationally select new drug targets and also be able to create personalized medicine treatments which are tailored to the particular phenotypic behavior of an individual's disease.
Comparative analysis of different survey methods for monitoring fish assemblages in coastal habitats

Coastal ecosystems are among the most productive yet increasingly threatened marine ecosystems worldwide. Particularly vegetated habitats, such as eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds, play important roles in providing key spawning, nursery and foraging habitats for a wide range of fauna. To properly assess changes in coastal ecosystems and manage these critical habitats, it is essential to develop sound monitoring programs for foundation species and associated assemblages. Several survey methods exist, thus understanding how different methods perform is important for survey selection. We compared two common methods for surveying macrofaunal assemblages: beach seine netting and underwater visual census (UVC). We also tested whether assemblages in shallow nearshore habitats commonly sampled by beach seines are similar to those of nearby eelgrass beds often sampled by UVC. Among five estuaries along the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, our results suggest that the two survey methods yield comparable results for species richness, diversity and evenness, yet beach seines yield significantly higher abundance and different species composition. However, sampling nearshore assemblages does not represent those in eelgrass beds despite considerable overlap and close proximity. These results have important implications for how and where macrofaunal assemblages are monitored in coastal ecosystems. Ideally, multiple survey methods and locations should be combined to complement each other in assessing the entire assemblage and full range of changes in coastal ecosystems, thereby better informing coastal zone management.
The putative Poc complex controls two distinct Pseudomonas aeruginosa polar motility mechanisms

Each Pseudomonas aeruginosa cell localizes two types of motility structures, a single flagellum and one or two clusters of type IV pili, to the cell poles. Previous studies suggested that these motility structures arrive at the pole through distinct mechanisms. Here we performed a swimming motility screen to identify polar flagellum localization factors and discovered three genes homologous to the TonB/ExbB/ExbD complex that have defects in both flagella‐mediated swimming and pilus‐mediated twitching motility. We found that deletion of tonB3, PA2983 or PA2982 led to non‐polar localization of the flagellum and FlhF, which was thought to sit at the top of the flagellar localization hierarchy. Surprisingly, these mutants also exhibited pronounced changes in pilus formation or localization, indicating that these proteins may co‐ordinate both the pilus and flagellum motility systems. Thus, we have renamed PA2983 and PA2982, pocA and pocB, respectively, for polar organelle co‐ordinator to reflect this function. Our results suggest that TonB3, PocA and PocB may form a membrane‐associated complex, which we term the Poc complex. These proteins do not exhibit polar localization themselves, but are required for increased expression of pilus genes upon surface association, indicating that they regulate motility structures through either localization or transcriptional mechanisms.
Management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: 2006 position statement of The North American Menopause Society

Objective: To update the evidence-based position statement published by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in 2002 regarding the management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Design: NAMS followed the general principles established for evidence-based guidelines to create this updated document. A panel of clinicians and researchers expert in the field of metabolic bone diseases and/or women's health were enlisted to review the 2002 NAMS position statement, compile supporting statements, and reach consensus on recommendations. The panel's recommendations were reviewed and approved by the NAMS Board of Trustees. Results: Osteoporosis, whose prevalence is especially high among elderly postmenopausal women, increases the risk of fractures. Hip and spine fractures are associated with particularly high morbidity and mortality in this population. Given the health implications of osteoporotic fractures, the primary goal of osteoporosis therapy is to prevent fractures, which is accomplished by slowing or stopping bone loss, maintaining bone strength, and minimizing or eliminating factors that may contribute to fractures. The evaluation of postmenopausal women for osteoporosis risk requires a medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests. Major risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis (as defined by bone mineral density) include advanced age, genetics, lifestyle factors (such as low calcium and vitamin D intake, smoking), thinness, and menopause status. The most common risk factors for osteoporotic fracture are advanced age, low bone mineral density, and previous fracture as an adult. Management focuses first on nonpharmacologic measures, such as a balanced diet, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, adequate exercise, smoking cessation, avoidance of excessive alcohol intake, and fall prevention. If pharmacologic therapy is indicated, government-approved options are bisphosphonates, a selective estrogen-receptor modulator, parathyroid hormone, estrogens, and calcitonin. Conclusions: Management strategies for postmenopausal women involve identifying those at risk of low bone density and fracture, followed by instituting measures that focus on reducing modifiable risk factors through lifestyle changes and, if indicated, pharmacologic therapy.
Low-Power, Low-Phase Noise SiGe HBT Static Frequency Divider Topologies up to 100 GHz

Static 2:1 frequency dividers with different latch configurations were designed and fabricated in two SiGe HBT technologies. The self-oscillation and maximum operation frequency are found to be correlated with the fMAX but not with the fT of the technology. A self-oscillation frequency of 77 GHz, the highest among static dividers in SiGe HBT technology, is achieved with the lowest power consumption of 122 mW from 3.3 V supply. Phase noise measurements of the 100-GHz input and 50-GHz output signals indicate ideal behavior with no measurable noise contribution from the divider. All fabricated dividers feature an integrated single-ended-to-differential transformer for ease of testing, yet broadband 20 GHz-100 GHz operation is maintained
Bigtable Merge Compaction

NoSQL databases are widely used for massive data storage and real-time web applications. Yet important aspects of these data structures are not well understood. For example, NoSQL databases write most of their data to a collection of files on disk, meanwhile periodically compacting subsets of these files. A compaction policy must choose which files to compact, and when to compact them, without knowing the future workload. Although these choices can affect computational efficiency by orders of magnitude, existing literature lacks tools for designing and analyzing online compaction policies --- policies are now chosen largely by trial and error. Here we introduce tools for the design and analysis of compaction policies for Google Bigtable, propose new policies, give average-case and worst-case competitive analyses, and present preliminary empirical benchmarks.
Indexing fuzzy data

Providing efficient query processing in database systems is one step in gaining acceptance of such systems by end users. We propose several techniques for indexing fuzzy sets in databases to improve the query evaluation performance. Three of the presented access methods are based on superimposed coding, while the fourth relies on inverted files. The efficiency of these techniques was evaluated experimentally. We present results from these experiments, which clearly show the superiority of the inverted files.
Event-Related Potential and Behavioral Correlates of Semantic Processing in Alzheimer′s Patients and Normal Controls

In normal young adults, N400 amplitude varies inversely with the extent to which a word has been primed by its preceding semantic context. Based on a series of behavioral studies, it appears that in Probable Alzheimer's patients (PAD) the organization of semantic memory is disrupted such that specific items within a category lose their distinction, although superordinate information remains relatively intact. The present study examined whether the N400 gradient which has been found with normal young adults would also reflect this loss of discriminability among semantically related items in PAD patients. Ten normal young adults, 10 normal elderly, and 6 "mild" PAD patients made speeded (but accurate) sense/nonsense decisions to the terminal words of a series of highly constrained sentence contexts. The terminal words belonged to one of four stimulus types which varied as a function of relatedness to a highly expected word. Counter to our predictions, N400 amplitude was identically responsive to semantic relatedness in the young normal and PAD groups, but was characterized differently in the normal elderly. Given the significantly greater number of errors committed by PAD patients, we concluded that their disruption in semantic processing occurs at some point between the elicitation of N400 and the generation of the reaction time response. The anomalous N400 pattern in the normal elderly appeared to be strategy related and superimposed upon an otherwise normal semantic network.
Gene transfer by guanidinium‐cholesterol: dioleoylphosphatidyl‐ethanolamine liposome‐DNA complexes in aerosol

A major challenge of gene therapy is the efficient transfer of genes to cell sites where effective transfection can occur. The impact of jet nebulization on DNA structural and functional integrity has been problematic for the aerosol delivery of genes to pulmonary sites and remains a serious concern for this otherwise promising and noninvasive approach.
Practical Glossing by Prioritised Tining

We present the design of a practical context-sensitive glosser, incorporating current techniques for lightweight linguistic analysis based on large-scale lexical resources. We outline a general model for ranking the possible translations of the words and expressions that make up a text. This information can be used by a simple resource-bounded algorithm, of complexity O(n log n) in sentence length, that determines a consistent gloss of best translations. We then describe how the results of the general ranking model may be approximated using a simple heuristic prioritisation scheme. Finally we present a preliminary evaluation of the glosser's performance.
Auxin: regulation, action, and interaction.

BACKGROUND The phytohormone auxin is critical for plant growth and orchestrates many developmental processes. SCOPE This review considers the complex array of mechanisms plants use to control auxin levels, the movement of auxin through the plant, the emerging view of auxin-signalling mechanisms, and several interactions between auxin and other phytohormones. Though many natural and synthetic compounds exhibit auxin-like activity in bioassays, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is recognized as the key auxin in most plants. IAA is synthesized both from tryptophan (Trp) using Trp-dependent pathways and from an indolic Trp precursor via Trp-independent pathways; none of these pathways is fully elucidated. Plants can also obtain IAA by beta-oxidation of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), a second endogenous auxin, or by hydrolysing IAA conjugates, in which IAA is linked to amino acids, sugars or peptides. To permanently inactivate IAA, plants can employ conjugation and direct oxidation. Consistent with its definition as a hormone, IAA can be transported the length of the plant from the shoot to the root; this transport is necessary for normal development, and more localized transport is needed for tropic responses. Auxin signalling is mediated, at least in large part, by an SCFTIR1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that accelerates Aux/IAA repressor degradation in response to IAA, thereby altering gene expression. Two classes of auxin-induced genes encode negatively acting products (the Aux/IAA transcriptional repressors and GH3 family of IAA conjugating enzymes), suggesting that timely termination of the auxin signal is crucial. Auxin interaction with other hormone signals adds further challenges to understanding auxin response. CONCLUSIONS Nearly six decades after the structural elucidation of IAA, many aspects of auxin metabolism, transport and signalling are well established; however, more than a few fundamental questions and innumerable details remain unresolved.