Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-sustaining infrapopulation or colony? Redial clonal groups of Himasthla elongata (Mehlis, 1831) (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in Littorina littorea (Linnaeus) (Gastropoda: Littorinidae) do not support the concept of eusocial colonies in trematodes.

Trematode sporocysts and rediae reproduce by parthenogenesis, forming clonal groups in the molluscan host. It has recently become popular to consider these groups as eusocial colonies, with division of labour between rediae morphs: small 'soldiers' incapable of reproduction defend the colony, while large rediae reproduce. Alternatively, clonal groups can be considered as self-sustaining infrapopulations. We tested these two hypotheses in the light of new data on rediae of Himasthla elongata (Mehlis, 1831) from snails Littorina littorea (Linnaeus) concerning ultrastructure, growth character and composition of their groups. Clonal groups under study contained rediae of different age and maturity stages: small (young) rediae, rediae with early cercarial embryos, rediae with late embryonic cercariae, rediae with fully formed motile cercariae, rediae with redial embryos and degenerating rediae. Small rediae had a reproductive organ, the germinal mass, whereas most large rediae with developing cercariae did not, which contradicts the eusocialconcept. Overall distribution of rediae by size and by gut to body length ratio was bimodal, which agrees with the eusocial concept ('soldiers' and 'reproductives' as modal size classes). On closer inspection, however, the bimodal size-frequency distributions (SFD) turned out to be the sum of unimodal SFD of rediae at various stages of maturity. The overall bimodality was determined by the character of redial growth resulting in a relatively low occurrence of intermediate morphs and by the developmental arrest in young rediae. The facts that small rediae can attack other rediae and concentrate in the anterior parts of the mollusc can be explained by age-related feeding preferences and niche segregation. They are unlikely to be associated with the 'colony' defence against invaders. To sum up, clonal groups of H. elongata rediae in our study represented self-sustaining infrapopulations. We failed to find any arguments in favour of their eusocial organisation.
When I and me are different: assimilation and contrast in temporal self‐comparisons

In two studies, we show that comparisons with past or possible future selves shape current self-evaluation and that the direction of this influence is determined by one's current comparison focus. In Study 1, participants primed to focus on similarities versus dissimilarities were asked to remember an introverted or extraverted past self and then to evaluate their current level of extraversion. Participants who focused on similarities assimilated current self-evaluations to the past self, whereas those who focused on dissimilarities contrasted current self-evaluations away from the past self. In Study 2, participants imagined a possible future self that differed from their current self in terms of body weight. Participants who imagined a moderate weight change exhibited assimilation to the possible self, whereas those who imagined an extreme weight change exhibited contrast. These studies highlight the important role cognitive factors such as comparison focus play in shaping the consequences of temporal self-comparisons. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of cylindrical and spherical dielectric resonators in cavities by means of finite elements

In this work, a finite elements code, for resonant structures in cavities based on bodies of revolution, is implemented. A semiautomatic mesher allows to change the geometrical parameters in a easy way. Resonance frequencies(fn) and quality factors (Q) of the modes are computed by means of several post-processing modules. Field distributions of modes are also calculated and they are visualized. New geometries used in microwave integrated circuits (MIC), such as dielectric spheres and hemispheres on substrate, are also studied.
Termination patterns of individual X‐ and Y‐cell axons in the visual cortex of the cat: Projections to area 18, to the 17/18 border region, and to both areas 17 and 18

Horseradish peroxidase was injected intracellularly into single, physiologically identified X‐ and Y‐cell geniculocortical axons that projected to area 18, to the 17/18 border region, or to both areas 17 and 18 via branching axons. The axon terminal fields in cortex were labeled anterogradely, and the cell bodies of the axons in the A‐laminae, lamina C. and the medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN) of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) were labeled retrogradely.
Active Private Equity Real Estate Strategy

Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Authors. Part I: Market Analysis and Forecasts. Chapter 1: Overview of the U.S. Real Estate Market (Tim Wang and David Lynn). Chapter 2: Forecasting the U.S. Market (David Lynn). Chapter 3: Recession Simulation and its Effects on Real Estate (Tim Wang, Alison Sauer, David Lynn). Chapter 4: Subprime Fallout: The Impact on Commercial Real Estate (Tim Wang and David Lynn). Chapter 5: Capital Markets: Dramatic Shifts and Opportunities (David Lynn and Tim Wang). Chapter 6: The Bid-Ask Problem and Game Theory (Jeff Organisciak, Tim Wang, David Lynn). Part II: Active Strategies. Chapter 7: Residential Land Investment (Bohdy Hedgcock and David Lynn). Chapter 8: The U.S. Hotel Market and Strategy (Tim Wang, Matson Holbrook, David Lynn). Chapter 9: Global Gateway Industrial Market Investment (Bohdy Hedgcock and David Lynn). Chapter 10: The Opportunity in Senior Housing (Tim Wang and David Lynn). Chapter 11: Active Portfolio Management Using Modern Portfolio Theory (David Lynn and Yusheng Hao). Chapter 12: Derivatives in Private Equity Real Estate (Jeff Organisciak, Tim Wang, David Lynn). Chapter 13: Opportunities in Infrastructure Investment (David Lynn and Matson Holbrook). Appendices. References.
Contributions of the Nurses' Health Studies to Reproductive Health Research.

OBJECTIVES To review the Nurses' Health Study's (NHS's) contribution to identifying risk factors and long-term health consequences of reproductive events. METHODS We performed a narrative review of the NHS I, NHS II, NHS3, and Growing Up Today Study (GUTS) publications between 1976 and 2016. RESULTS Collection of detailed reproductive history to identify breast cancer risk factors allowed the NHS to document an association between menstrual irregularities, a proxy for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The NHS II found that infertility associated with ovulation problems and gestational diabetes are largely preventable through diet and lifestyle modification. It also identified developmental and nutritional risk factors for pregnancy loss, endometriosis, and uterine leiomyomata. As women in NHS II age, it has become possible to address questions regarding long-term health consequences of pregnancy complications and benign gynecologic conditions on chronic disease risk. Furthermore, the NHS3 and GUTS are allowing new lines of research into human fertility, PCOS, and transgenerational effects of environmental exposures. CONCLUSIONS The multigenerational resources of the NHSs and GUTS, including linkages of related individuals across cohorts, can improve women's health from preconception through late adulthood and onto the next generation.
The measuring of the cortical bone thickness in L4 vertebra and comparison with bone mass density

The aim of this work is to identify the cortical bone thickness in L4 vertebra, through a digital methodology using computed tomography and an experimental methodology with the rapid prototyping, and to compare with the body mass density for each vertebra in analysis. The study presents clinic results of 16 women from the Northwest of Portugal, with age between 52 and 83 years, collected from May to June 2011. The patients underwent a dual energy X-ray densitometry scan system (Lunar, DPX Pro, daily calibrated) at L4 vertebra for body mass density determination, and simultaneous a lumbar spine computed tomography scan (Lightspeed Plus, GE Medical System) was performed. All clinical data were obtained in a Medical Imaging Centre of Radiology. Discussions of results regarding the measuring of the cortical bone thickness and the relation with body mass density in L4 vertebra are presented in this work. The L4 vertebra is one of the most common spinal sites that lead to chronic lower back pain. The goal of this study is to acquire accurate values, concerning cortical bone thickness, which could improve the prediction of vertebral fractures.
Etude du rayonnement d'un écoulement hypersonique à basse densité

Cette these etudie le transfert de chaleur par rayonnement observe dans les conditions d'ecoulement rarefie, en regime hypersonique qui seraient rencontres au cours d'une mission d'aerocapture dans l'atmosphere de Titan. Des estimations precises du rayonnement hors-equilibre dans des ecoulements a grande vitesse tels que ceux autour des corps de re-entree, sont indispensables pour la conception de systemes de protection thermique plus efficace. Parce que la masse du systeme de protection thermique est une fraction importante de la masse totale du vehicule, il ya un grand interet dans la conception de systemes plus legers et plus efficaces. Les experiences en vol sont couteuses et contraignantes, c'est pourquoi l'essai en laboratoire dans des installations capables de produire des ecoulements hypersoniques est necessaire. Malheureusement, les echelles de longueur generalement impliquees dans les experiences en vol sont trop grandes pour etre testees dans des installations experimentales et donc des modeles reduits de vehicules 'aeroshells' sont generalement testes. Les tubes d'expansion de l'universite de Queensland - X1, X2 et X3 - ont ete largement utilises pour la modelisation a l'echelle reduite des ecoulements hypersoniques (Morgan 2001). Pour les installations d'essais au sol telle que la soufflerie X2, une mise a l'echelle binaire est utilisee pour tester des modeles a echelle reduite de vehicules de vol, ce qui constitue le parametre le plus important a respecter afin de reproduire un vol a haute vitesse. La mise a l'echelle binaire, appele aussi 'mise a l'echelle 'ƒIL', exige que le produit de la densite et de la longueur caracteristique du vehicule soit conserve entre le vol et les conditions experimentales. Toutefois, il a ete montre par Capra (2007) que le transfert de chaleur par rayonnement ne suit pas cette meme loi de mise a l'echelle, et la similitude n'est pas cree pour les cas en vol ou le transfert de chaleur par rayonnement et par convection sont fortement couples. Cela peut entrainer d'importantes erreurs dans les estimations des proprietes d'ecoulement associee et l'estimation du transfert de chaleur due au rayonnement. L'installation X2 a ete modifiee en 2006 pour permettre l'experimentation a basse pression en mode tube a choc non-reflechi. L'utilisation d'un tube a choc non-reflechi a permis la mesure du transfert de chaleur par rayonnement a la densite reelle en vol et supprime les problemes d'echelle lies a la mesure des rayonnements sur les vehicules en modele reduit, au moins pour une partie de l'ecoulement. Des mesures ont ete effectuees dans la region immediatement situee derriere le choc et le long de la ligne mediane de l'ecoulement de base, ou le choc reste plan. Les ecoulements externes, tels que ceux entourant une capsule de re-enntree, n'ont pas ete reproduits. La limite de basse pression d'exploitation etait d'environ 10 Pa, limitee par la croissance de la couche limite sur les murs.
Long-term effects of the family bereavement program on multiple indicators of grief in parentally bereaved children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES This article reports on results from a randomized experimental trial of the effects of the Family Bereavement Program (FBP) on multiple measures of grief experienced by parentally bereaved children and adolescents over a 6-year period. METHOD Participants were 244 youths (ages 8-16, mean age = 11.4 years) from 156 families that had experienced the death of a parent. The sample consisted of 53% boys and 47% girls; ethnicity was 67% non-Hispanic White and 33% ethnic minority. Families were randomly assigned to the FBP (N = 135) or a literature control condition (N = 109). Two grief measures, the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief and the Intrusive Grief Thoughts Scale (IGTS) were administered at 4 times over 6 years: pretest, posttest, and 11-month and 6-year follow-ups. A 3rd measure, an adaptation of the Inventory of Traumatic Grief (ITG) was administered only at the 6-year follow-up. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the FBP group showed a greater reduction in their level of problematic grief (IGTS) at posttest and 6-year follow-up and in the percentage at clinical levels of problematic grief at the posttest. The FBP also reduced scores on a dimension of the ITG, Social Detachment/Insecurity, at 6-year follow-up for 3 subgroups: those who experienced lower levels of grief at program entry, older youths, and boys. CONCLUSION These are the first findings from a randomized trial with long-term follow-up of the effects of a program to reduce problematic levels of grief of parentally bereaved youths.
Hypolipidemic Efficacy of Achyranthes aspera on Lipid Profile in Sesame oil fed Rats

The present study was designed to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic effect of aqueous extract of Achyranthes aspera a in experimental rats fed with diet containing sesame oil. Hyperlipidemia and the effect of Achyranthes aspera in experimental rats were studied by assessing parameters such as cholesterol, phospholipids, freefattyacids and triglycerides in serum, liver, and heart and kidney tissues. The levels of HDL, LDL, VLDL and atherogenic index were assessed. Hyperlipidemia in experimental rats were evidenced by a significant enhancement in the levels of cholesterol phospholipids, freefattyacids and triglycerides in serum, liver heart and kidney tissues by atherogenic diet feeding. A significant fall in HDL in both Anjali and Idhayam oil treated groups were observed in serum. These values retrieved towards normalcy in Achyranthes aspera treated groups. This study unveiled the antihyperlipidemic activity of Achyranthes aspera.
Primary Care Clinicians' Perspectives on Reducing Low-Value Care in an Integrated Delivery System.

CONTEXT Perceptions about low-value care (eg, medical tests and procedures that may be unnecessary and/or harmful) among clinicians with capitated salaries are unknown. OBJECTIVE Explore clinicians' perceived use of and responsibility for reducing low-value care by focusing on barriers to use, awareness of the Choosing Wisely campaign, and response to reports of peer-comparison resource use and practice patterns. METHODS Electronic, cross-sectional survey, distributed in 2013, to 304 salaried primary care physicians and physician assistants at Group Health Cooperative. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Attitudes, awareness, and barriers of low-value care strategies and initiatives. RESULTS A total of 189 clinicians responded (62% response rate). More than 90% believe cost is important to various stakeholders and believe it is fair to ask clinicians to be cost-conscious. Most found peer-comparison resource-use reports useful for understanding practice patterns and prompting peer discussions. Two-thirds of clinicians were aware of the Choosing Wisely campaign; among them, 97% considered it a legitimate information source. Although 88% reported being comfortable discussing low-value care with patients, 80% reported they would order tests or procedures when a patient insisted. As key barriers in reducing low-value care, clinicians identified time constraints (45%), overcoming patient preferences/values (44%), community standards (43%), fear of patients' dissatisfaction (41%), patients' knowledge about the harms of low-value care (38%), and availability of tools to support shared decision making (37%). CONCLUSIONS Salaried clinicians are aware of rising health care costs and want to be stewards of limited health care resources. Evidence-based initiatives such as the Choosing Wisely campaign may help motivate clinicians to be conscientious stewards of limited health care resources.
[Blood flow in the umbilical vein and artery in pregnancy].

Transplacental gas exchange and supply of nutritive substances to the foetus is guaranteed by an increase of umbilical blood flow (Qnv). It was investigated, whether the umbilical blood flow (Qnv) is influenced by physiological conditions during pregnancy and if changes occur in the umbilical blood flow velocity wave forms. In this study, 31 pregnant women between the 24th to 40th week of gestation were examined with a pulsed wave duplex scanner ADR Kranzbühler 8150. The mean flow velocity (Vnv) of the umbilical vein and the diameter of the vessel were parameters, which were included in the calculation of the umbilical blood flow. The flow profile of the umbilical artery allowed determination of the maximum systolic frequency (Fmax) and the end-diastolic frequency (Fmin). Based on these data, three indices--RI, PI, S/D ratio were calculated. The blood flow of the umbilical vein (Qnv) shows a linear increase up to the 36th week of gestation and remains at this level thereafter. The increase of umbilical blood flow (Qnv) is mainly caused by an increase of the diameter of the umbilical vein (81%, 26th-40th week of gestation) and to a lesser degree by an increase of the mean flow velocity (Vnv) (18%, 26th-40th week of gestation). The diameter of the vein is highly correlated both with the foetal birth weight (r = 0.60) and the umbilical blood flow (Qnv) (r = 0.73). Throughout pregnancy, flow velocity waveforms showed significant changes of the maximum systolic frequency (Fmax) from 973 Hz (SD 128 Hz; 26th week of gestation) to 1130 Hz (SD 152 Hz; 40th week of gestation) and an increase of the end-diastolic frequency (Fmin) from 246 Hz (SD 58 Hz; 26th week of gestation) to 423 Hz (SD 91 Hz; 40th week of gestation). The higher increase of the end-diastolic frequency (Fmin) results in a decrease of the resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) and SD-ratio. None of the investigated cases showed an end-diastolic frequency (Fmin) of less than 200 Hz. These results reveal, that determination of the blood flow of the umbilical vein mainly depends on measuring the diameter of the vessel rather than on measurements of the blood flow velocity (Qnv) of the vein. With the presently available equipment, accurate measurements of the diameter are very difficult. The increase of blood flow of the umbilical vein is not proportional to the foetal growth; moreover, it remains constant from the 36th week of gestation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Instructions for use Title Performance characterization of the Inveon preclinical small-animal PET / SPECT / CT system formultimodality imaging

Title Performance characterization of the Inveon preclinical small-animal PET/SPECT/CT system for multimodality imaging Author(s) Magota, Keiichi; Kubo, Naoki; Kuge, Yuji; Nishijima, Ken-ichi; Zhao, Songji; Tamaki, Nagara Citation European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 38(4): 742-752 Issue Date 2011-04 Doc URL http://hdl.handle. net/2115/48719 Right The original publication is available at www.springerlink. com
SU-F-J-171: Robust Atlas Based Segmentation of the Prostate and Peripheral Zone Regions On MRI Utilizing Multiple MRI System Vendors.

PURPOSE Automatically generated prostate MRI contours can be used to aid in image registration with CT or ultrasound and to reduce the burden of contouring for radiation treatment planning. In addition, prostate and zonal contours can assist to automate quantitative imaging features extraction and the analyses of longitudinal MRI studies. These potential gains are limited if the solutions are not compatible across different MRI vendors. The goal of this study is to characterize an atlas based automatic segmentation procedure of the prostate collected on MRI systems from multiple vendors. METHODS The prostate and peripheral zone (PZ) were manually contoured by an expert radiation oncologist on T2-weighted scans acquired on both GE (n=31) and Siemens (n=33) 3T MRI systems. A leave-one-out approach was utilized where the target subject is removed from the atlas before the segmentation algorithm is initiated. The atlas-segmentation method finds the best nine matched atlas subjects and then performs a normalized intensity-based free-form deformable registration of these subjects to the target subject. These nine contours are then merged into a single contour using Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE). Contour comparisons were made using Dice similarity coefficients (DSC) and Hausdorff distances. RESULTS Using the T2 FatSat (FS) GE datasets the atlas generated contours resulted in an average DSC of 0.83±0.06 for prostate, 0.57±0.12 for PZ and 0.75±0.09 for CG. Similar results were found when using the Siemens data with a DSC of 0.79±0.14 for prostate, 0.54±0.16 and 0.70±0.9. Contrast between prostate and surrounding anatomy and between the PZ and CG contours for both vendors demonstrated superior contrast separation; significance was found for all comparisons p-value < 0.0001. CONCLUSION Atlas-based segmentation yielded promising results for all contours compared to expertly defined contours in both Siemens and GE 3T systems providing fast and automatic segmentation of the prostate. Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: AS Nelson is a partial owner of MIM Software, Inc. AS Nelson, and A Swallen are current employees at MIM Software, Inc.
Suppression of retinal degeneration in Drosophila by stimulation of ER-associated degradation

Mutations in the rhodopsin gene that disrupt the encoded protein's folding properties are a major cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP). This disease is faithfully modeled in Drosophila where similar mutations in the ninaE gene, encoding rhodopsin-1 (Rh-1), cause ER stress and dominantly trigger age-related retinal degeneration. In addition, mutant flies bearing certain ninaE alleles have dramatically reduced Rh-1 protein levels, but the underlying mechanism for this reduction and significance of its contribution to the ADRP phenotype remains unclear. To address this question, we specifically analyzed the role of Drosophila genes homologous to the known yeast and animal regulators of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, a process that reduces levels of misfolded proteins in the ER through proteasomal degradation. We found that loss-of-function of these putative ERAD factors resulted in increased levels of Rh-1 in ninaE mutant flies. Conversely, in an ER stress assay where mutant or wild-type Rh-1 were overexpressed in developing imaginal discs beyond the ER protein folding capacity of those cells, co-expression of certain ERAD factors was sufficient to reduce Rh-1 protein levels and to completely suppress ER stress reporter activation. Significantly, those ERAD factors that specifically reduced misfolded Rh-1 in the imaginal disc assay also delayed age-related retinal degeneration caused by an endogenous ninaE allele, indicating that ERAD acts as a protective mechanism against retinal degeneration in the Drosophila model for ADRP. These results suggest that manipulation of ERAD may serve as a powerful therapeutic strategy against a number of diseases associated with ER stress.