Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field Measurements Of Touch And Step Voltages

This paper presents the study of a measurement technique for touch and step voltages and the results of measurements obtained inside and outside substations. Details of a low-voltage and a highvoltage method of current injection are given. Setups for measuring the shock touch voltage and shock step voltage are characterized, in which the effect of foot contact resistance is taken into account. Results of field measurements are discussed. They show that touch voltages can exceed the values considered as permissible both inside and outside a substation. New methods of reducing these voltages using inexpensive insulating layers and covers are proposed.
Mechanistic Data and Risk Assessment of Selected Toxic End Points of the Thyroid Gland

Many goitrogenic xenobiotics that increase the incidence of thyroid tumors in rodents exert a direct effect on the thyroid gland to disrupt one of several possible steps in the biosynthesis, secretion, and metabolism of thyroid hormones. This includes (a) inhibition of the iodine trapping mechanism, (b) blockage of organic binding of iodine and coupling of iodothyronines to form thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and (c) inhibition of thyroid hormone secretion by an effect on proteolysis of active hormone from the colloid. Another large group of goitrogenic chemicals disrupts thyroid hormone economy by increasing the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones through an induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes. This group includes central nervous system-acting drugs, calcium channel blockers, steroids, retinoids, chlorinated hydrocarbons, polyhalogenated biphenyls, and enzyme inducers. Thyroid hormone economy also can be disrupted by xenobiotics that inhibit the 5'-monodeiodinase that converts T4 in peripheral sites to biologically active T3. Inhibition of this enzyme by FD&C Red No. 3 lowers circulating T3 levels, which results in a compensatory increased secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), follicular cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and an increased incidence of follicular cell tumors in 2-yr or lifetime studies in rats. Physiologic perturbations alone, such as the feeding of an iodine-deficient diet, partial thyroidectomy, natural goitrogens in certain foods, and transplantation of TSH-secreting pituitary tumors in rodents also can disrupt thyroid hormone economy and, if sustained, increase the development of thyroid tumors in rats. A consistent finding with all of these goitrogens, be they either physiologic perturbations or xenobiotics, is the chronic hypersecretion of TSH, which places the rodent thyroid gland at greater risk to develop tumors through a secondary (indirect) mechanism of thyroid oncogenesis associated with hormonal imbalances.
SIMULTANEOUS X-RAY AND ULTRAVIOLET OBSERVATIONS OF THE SW SEXTANTIS STAR DW URSAE MAJORIS

We present the first pointed X-ray observation of DW Ursae Majoris, a novalike cataclysmic variable (CV) and one of the archetype members of the SW Sextantis class, obtained with the XMM-Newton satellite. These data provide the first detailed look at an SW Sex star in the X-ray regime (with previous X-ray knowledge of the SW Sex stars limited primarily to weak or non-detections in the ROSAT All Sky Survey). It is also one of only a few XMM-Newton observations (to date) of any high mass transfer rate novalike CV, and the only one in the evolutionarily important 3–4 hr orbital period range. The observed X-ray spectrum of DW UMa is very soft, with ∼95% of the detected X-ray photons at energies <2 keV. The spectrum can be fit equally well by a one-component cooling flow model, with a temperature range of 0.2–3.5 keV, or a two-component, two-temperature thermal plasma model, containing hard (∼5–6 keV) and soft (∼0.8 keV) components. The X-ray light curve of DW UMa shows a likely partial eclipse, implying X-ray reprocessing in a vertically extended region, and an orbital modulation, implying a structural asymmetry in the X-ray reprocessing site (e.g., it cannot be a uniform corona). We also obtained a simultaneous near-ultraviolet light curve of DW UMa using the Optical Monitor on XMM-Newton. This light curve is similar in appearance to published optical–UV light curves of DW UMa and shows a prominent deep eclipse. Regardless of the exact nature of the X-ray reprocessing site in DW UMa, the lack of a prominent hard X-ray total eclipse and very low fraction of high energy X-rays point to the presence of an optically and geometrically thick accretion disk that obscures the boundary layer and modifies the X-ray spectrum emitted near the white dwarf.
Calcium regulation of Ndr protein kinase mediated by S100 calcium‐binding proteins

Ndr is a nuclear serine/threonine protein kinase that belongs to a subfamily of kinases identified as being critical for the regulation of cell division and cell morphology. The regulatory mechanisms that control Ndr activity have not been characterized previously. In this paper, we present evidence that Ndr is regulated by EF‐hand calcium‐binding proteins of the S100 family, in response to changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. In vitro, S100B binds directly to and activates Ndr in a Ca2+‐dependent manner. Moreover, Ndr is recovered from cell lysates in anti‐S100B immunoprecipitates. The region of Ndr responsible for interaction with Ca2+/S100B is a basic/hydrophobic motif within the N‐terminal regulatory domain of Ndr, and activation of Ndr by Ca2+/S100B is inhibited by a synthetic peptide derived from this region. In cultured cells, Ndr is rapidly activated following treatment with Ca2+ ionophore, and this activation is dependent upon the identified Ca2+/S100B‐binding domain. Finally, Ndr activity is inhibited by W‐7 in melanoma cells overexpressing S100B, but is unaffected by W‐7 in melanoma cells that lack S100B. These results suggest that Ndr is regulated at least in part by changes in the intracellular calcium concentration, through binding of S100 proteins to its N‐terminal regulatory domain.
Effect of level of feed intake and gelatin supplementation on growth and quality of hoofs of ponies.

A pelleted ration was fed limited or ad libiturn to two groups of seven Shetland 8month-old ponies for 117 days. During the last 56 days, gelatin was added to the diets of four animals in each of the two intake groups. Gelatin was added at levels of 30 and 90 g per 100 kg body weight for the first and second 28-day periods, respectively. Ponies fed the diet ad libitum consumed 180% more feed, had 50% greater rate of hoof growth (.384 +.009 vs .254 • .008 mm/d), 200% greater increase in height at the withers and 425% greater increase in body weight than ponies fed the limited level. The hoofs of ponies fed ad libitum had 82% greater surface area at the sole border than those fed limited amounts. The addition of gelatin did not affect (P<.05) hoof growth, base area, compression strength (yield point or elasticity), moisture, iron, zinc or nitrogen content. Rate of hoof growth declined with age. Hind hoofs grew faster than front hoofs. Sex of animals did not affect hoof growth or quality. The average compression yield strength of hoof wall was 146 + 5 meganewtons per meter (mN/m2). The tangent modulus of elasticity just prior to failure was 3.722 • . 111 mN/m 2. Neither yield strength nor elasticity were changed by level of diet intake or gelatin supplementation or by iron, zinc, or nitrogen content of the hoof wall. The zinc content of the hoofs of l imited fed ponies (136 + 3 ppm) was higher (P<.01) than those that were fed ad libiturn (114 +2 ppm). Hoof nitrogen, and moisture content were not different (P<.05) between groups. Hoof wall iron content was greater for limited fed ponies. Nitrogen content averaged 17.7 + . 1%. Moisture content of all postmortem hoof samples averaged 27.8 • . 2%. Specific gravity of limb bones was greater (P<.05) for the ponies fed ad tibiturn. (
Potential social interactions are important to social attention

Social attention, or how spatial attention is allocated to biologically relevant stimuli, has typically been studied using simplistic paradigms that do not provide any opportunity for social interaction. To study social attention in a complex setting that affords social interaction, we measured participants’ looking behavior as they were sitting in a waiting room, either in the presence of a confederate posing as another research participant, or in the presence of a videotape of the same confederate. Thus, the potential for social interaction existed only when the confederate was physically present. Although participants frequently looked at the videotaped confederate, they seldom turned toward or looked at the live confederate. Ratings of participants’ social skills correlated with head turns to the live, but not videotaped, confederate. Our results demonstrate the importance of studying social attention within a social context, and suggest that the mere opportunity for social interaction can alter social attention.
Amplification of the COCOMO II regarding Offshore Software Projects

Offshore software development projects comprise of several critical success factors which may jeopardize the success of such a collaborative development project. We therefore require methods that will help in reducing the risk in such offshore outsourcing software development project. This article introduces a Study based on COCOMO II which can be used to estimate the effort of globally distributed projects. This will enable a more accurate estimation than when using the current traditional software development projects methods. It will also help predict the outcome of such collaborative project by reducing the overall risk.
Evaluating the Performance of Nurses: A Multidimensional Approach

This article describes the development—including content, structure, validity, and reliability—of the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance (Six-D Scale), which consists of a series of 52 nurse behaviors grouped into six performance subscales: leadership (5 items), critical care (7 items), teaching/collaboration (11 items), planning/evaluation (7 items), interpersonal relations/communications (12 items), and professional development (10 items). The scale may be used to obtain self-appraisals of performance, employer appraisals of performance, or perceived adequacy of nursing school preparation for performance. The case is made for the construct and pragmatic validity of the Six-D Scale, and all six subscales are shown to be highly reliable. The instrument was found to be suitable for performance evaluation as well as a useful research tool.
In vitro and In vivo Antioxidant Evaluation and Estimation of Total Phenolic, Flavonoidal Content of Mimosa pudica L

Objective: Mimosa pudica Linn. (Mimosaceae) is traditionally used as a folk medicine to treat various ailments including convulsions, alopecia, diarrhea, dysentery, insomnia, tumor, wound healing, snake bite, etc., Here, the study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of M. pudica leaves extract against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (in vitro) and its modulatory effect on rat brain enzymes. Materials and Methods: Total phenolic, flavonoid contents, and in vitro antioxidant potential against DPPH radical were evaluated from various extracts of M. pudica leaves. In addition, ethyl acetate extract of Mimosa pudica leaves (EAMP) in doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day were administered orally for 7 consecutive days to albino rats and evaluated for the oxidative stress markers as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) from rat brain homogenate. Results: The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest total phenolic content and total flavonoid content among other extracts of M. pudica leaves. The percentage inhibition and IC 50 value of all the extracts were followed dose-dependency and found significant (P < 0.01) as compared to standard (ascorbic acid). The oxidative stress markers as SOD, CAT, and GSH were increased significantly (P < 0.01) at 200 and 400 mg/kg of EAMP treated animals and decreased significantly the TBARS level at 400 mg/kg of EAMP as compared to control group. Conclusion: These results revealed that the ethyl acetate extract of M. pudica exhibits both in vitro antioxidant activity against DPPH and in vivo antioxidant activity by modulating brain enzymes in the rat. This could be further correlated with its potential to neuroprotective activity due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic contents in the extract.
Optimal Enhancement Configuration of Silica Nanoparticles for Ultrasound Imaging and Automatic Detection at Conventional Diagnostic Frequencies

Objectives:To experimentally investigate the acoustical behavior of silica nanoparticles within conventional diagnostic ultrasound fields and to determine a suitable configuration, in terms of particle size and concentration, for their employment as targetable contrast agents. We also assessed the effectiveness of a novel method for automatic detection of targeted silica nanoparticles for future tissue typing applications. Materials and Methods:Silica nanospheres of variable size (160, 330, and 660 nm in diameter) and concentration (1010–1013 part/mL) were dispersed in different custom-designed agarose-based gel samples and imaged at 7.5 MHz with a conventional echograph linked to a research platform for radiofrequency signal acquisition. Off-line analysis included evaluation of backscattered ultrasound amplitude, image brightness, and nanoparticle automatic detection through radiofrequency signal processing. Results:Amplitude of nanoparticle-backscattered signals linearly increased with particle number concentration, but image brightness did not show the same trend, because the logarithmic compression caused the reaching of a “plateau” where brightness remained almost constant for further increments in particle concentration. On the other hand, both backscatter amplitude and image brightness showed significant increments when particle diameter was increased. Taking into account particle size constraints for tumor targeting (pore size of tumor endothelium and trapping effects because of reticulo-endothelial system limit the dimension of effectively employable particles to less than 380 nm), a suitable compromise is represented by the employment of 330-nm silica nanospheres at a concentration of about 1 to 2 × 1011 part/mL. These particles, in fact, showed the best combination of number concentration and diameter value to obtain an effective enhancement on conventional echographic images. Furthermore, also the sensitivity of the developed method for automatic nanoparticle detection had a maximum (72.8%) with 330-nm particles, whereas it was lower with both bigger and smaller particles (being equal to 64.1% and 17.5%, respectively). Conclusions:Silica nanoparticles at a diameter of about 330 nm are very promising contrast agents for ultrasound imaging and specific tumor targeting at conventional diagnostic frequencies, being in particular automatically detectable with high sensitivity already at low doses. Future studies will be carried out to assess the acoustic behavior of nanoparticles with different geometries/sizes and to improve sensitivity of the automatic detection algorithm.
Chapter 2 Thyroid Hormone Synthesis And Secretion

The main function of the thyroid gland is to make hormones, T4 and T3, which are essential for the regulation of metabolic processes throughout the body. As at any factory, effective production depends on three key components adequate raw material, efficient machinery, and appropriate controls. Iodine is the critical raw material, because 65% of T4 weight is iodine. Ingested iodine is absorbed and carried in the circulation as iodide. The thyroid actively concentrates the iodide across the basolateral plasma membrane of thyrocytes by the sodium/iodide symporter, NIS. Intracellular iodide is then transported in the lumen of thyroid follicles. Meanwhile, the thyrocyte endoplasmic reticulum synthesizes two key proteins, TPO and Tg. Tg is a 660kDa glycoprotein secreted into the lumen of follicles, whose tyrosyls serve as substrate for iodination and hormone formation. TPO sits at the apical plasma membrane, where it reduces H2O2, elevating the oxidation state of iodide to an iodinating species, and attaches the iodine to tyrosyls in Tg. H2O2 is generated at the apex of the thyrocyte by Duox, a NADPH oxydase. Initial iodination of Tg produces MIT and DIT. Further iodination couples two residues of DIT, both still in peptide linkage, to produce T4, principally at residues 5 in the Tg polypeptide chain. When thyroid hormone is needed, Tg is internalized at the apical pole of thyrocytes, conveyed to endosomes and lysosomes and digested by proteases, particularly the endopeptidases cathepsins B, L, D and exopeptidases. After Tg digestion, T4 and T3 are released into the circulation. Nonhormonal iodine, about 70% of Tg iodine, is retrieved intrathyroidally by DEHAL1, an iodotyrosine deiodinase and made available for recycling within the gland. TSH is the stimulator that affects virtually every stage of thyroid hormone synthesis
Amphibian Breeding and Climate Change

Abstract: Climate changes may be influencing the breeding patterns of certain organisms. Effects on breeding activities could eventually lead to significant changes in population structure that may be reflected in population declines of species that are especially sensitive, such as some amphibians. Thus, climate changes may have affected the timing of breeding in some European amphibian species. To further test whether amphibian reproductive cycles in temperate countries are responding to climate changes, we conducted an analysis of the breeding phenology of four species of North American anurans for which we have long‐term data sets. Populations of at least two of these species have been declining, and it has been suggested that they and other amphibians may be especially sensitive to climate change. Our results suggest that climate change has not influenced the timing of breeding in amphibians in North America. At one site, in Oregon, a trend (nonsignificant) for western toads ( Bufo boreas) to breed increasingly early was associated with increasing temperature. At four other sites, however, neither western toads nor Cascades frogs ( Rana cascadae) showed statistically significant positive trends toward earlier breeding. At three of four of these sites, breeding time was associated with warmer temperatures. The spring peeper ( Pseudacris crucifer) in Michigan did not show a statistically significant trend toward breeding earlier but did show a significant positive relationship between breeding time and temperature. Fowler's toad ( Bufo fowleri) in eastern Canada did not show a trend toward breeding earlier, and there was no positive relationship between breeding time and temperature. It did however, show a strong but statistically insignificant trend toward breeding later. The broad pattern emerging from available studies is that some temperate‐zone anuran populations show a trend toward breeding earlier, whereas others do not. It is important to track the breeding patterns of amphibians with long‐term data sets to more fully understand how we can manage threatened populations.
Development of intracranial approaches for craniopharyngiomas: an analysis of the first 160 historical procedures.

OBJECT The development of surgical procedures for the removal of craniopharyngiomas (CPs) was greatly influenced by the enormous topographical and morphological heterogeneity displayed by these lesions. In this study the authors reviewed the intracranial approaches designed to treat CPs during the early historical period (1891-1938) with the aim of finding the CP topographical and pathological features that influence patient outcomes. METHODS The authors conducted a systematic retrospective review of well-described cases of surgically treated CPs in publications from the period 1891-1938. Valuable information regarding the diagnosis of the lesion, type of craniotomy performed, CP topography, and outcome was selected from 418 reports included in medical publications from this period. The type of surgical procedure used, degree of tumor removal, CP position and histological variety, and clinical evidence of postoperative hypothalamic injury were the variables analyzed with the aim of defining their influence on the final patient outcome. RESULTS A collection of 160 cases was eligible for analysis. Craniopharyngioma topography was significantly related to the existence of postoperative hypothalamic damage and the degree of tumor removal achieved (p < 0.001). The infundibulo-tuberal, or not strictly intraventricular, topography was associated with the highest rate of hypothalamic injury (84%) and impossibility of tumor removal (51%). This topography also showed the worst prognosis (p = 0.001). Additional variables correlated with patient outcome were the presence of hypothalamic damage, type of surgical approach used, and degree of tumor removal. Patients having a poor outcome, suffering from permanent coma, or dying after surgery presented with symptoms of hypothalamic injury in 40% of cases (p < 0.001). The surgical approach associated with the best outcome was the transsphenoidal (58%), followed by the subfrontal (45%) and the transcallosal (45%). Subtotal resection of the lesion yielded the best postoperative results, with only 17% of patients dying or suffering from a poor outcome, in contrast to the 39% reported for gross-total removal of the lesion (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Two major variables influenced the results of early surgical experience with CPs for the period from 1891 to 1938: 1) the inaccuracy in defining CP topography with the diagnostic methods available at that time; and 2) the ignorance about the risks associated with the dissection of lesions showing tenacious adherence to the hypothalamus. The degree of functional and morphological disturbance of the hypothalamus caused by a CP remains a fundamental variable helping the surgeon to predict the risks associated with the radical excision of the tumor and patient outcome.