Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of short-term exposure of two different concentrations of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide mixture on some biochemical parameter of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.).

The effect of elevated level of SO2+NO2 on some physiological and biochemical parameters of Glycine max were examined. Twelve days olds Soybean (Glycine max) seedling were exposed to two different (2% and 3%) levels of SO2+NO2 mixture. Fumigants were applied for 30 minutes per day, 3 days per week for 3 weeks duration. Aeration with enriched SO2+NO2 air resulted in higher phenolic content as compared to plants grown in control condition. However, reduction in leaf total carbohydrate, total protein and total chlorophyll were found in plants grown under elevated levels and the effect were more pronounced at 3% SO2+NO2 exposure as compared to 2% concentration.
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for distal ureteral calculi: what a powerful machine can achieve.

PURPOSE We assessed the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL, Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia) for distal ureteral calculi with the HM3 (Dornier Medical Systems, Inc.) lithotriptor. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 585 consecutive patients with distal ureteral calculi were treated with ESWL using an unmodified HM3 lithotriptor. Of these patients 67 referred for treatment only for whom no followup was available were excluded from further analysis. The remaining 518 cases were followed until they were radiologically documented to be stone-free or considered treatment failures. Before ESWL additional procedures were performed in 144 patients, including stone push back, ureteral catheter or Double-J (Medical Engineering Corp., New York, New York) stent placement, percutaneous nephrostomy, ureteral endoscopic maneuvers or stone basket manipulation. A total of 374 patients needed no preliminary treatment before ESWL. RESULTS Of the 518 patients 469 (91%) were successfully treated with 1 ESWL session, while 49 (9%) needed 2 or 3. Manipulation after ESWL was performed in 22 cases, including stent placement, percutaneous nephrostomy, ureteral endoscopic stone removal and a stone basket procedure. On day 1 after ESWL 327 patients (63%) were stone-free, 158 (30%) had less than 5 mm. fragments and 33 (7%) had more than 5 mm. fragments. At 3 months the stone-free rate increased to 97%. CONCLUSIONS These data show that ESWL for distal ureteral calculi with the powerful unmodified HM3 lithotriptor has a high success rate with a low rate of minimally traumatic manipulations before and after intervention. Results in terms of the re-treatment and stone-free rates are superior to those of any other second or third generation lithotriptor and comparable to the results of the best ureteroscopic series.
The Interfaces Group MIB

This memo discusses the 'interfaces' group of MIB-II, especially the experience gained from the definition of numerous media-specific MIB modules for use in conjunction with the 'interfaces' group for managing various sub-layers beneath the internetwork-layer. It specifies clarifications to, and extensions of, the architectural issues within the MIB-II model of the 'interfaces' group. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Does the index of segregation matter? The composition of secondary schools in England since 1996

This paper presents a new analysis of segregation between schools in terms of pupils living in poverty, for all secondary schools in England from 1996 to 2005. This shows that the clustering of similar pupils in specific schools increased noticeably from 1996 to 2001, but then settled at a level still below that of 1989 when official records began. The analysis uses four estimates of segregation using figures for take-up of, and eligibility for, free school meals compiled to create both the dissimilarity index and what has been termed the Gorard index of segregation. All four estimates give the same substantive results and the findings for the dissimilarity index and the Gorard index of segregation using either measure of free school meals are indistinguishable. The two indices are, therefore, measuring the same thing. However, the Gorard index of segregation is again shown to be more tolerant of the precise measure being used and so more strongly composition invariant than the dissimilarity index. This has important implications both for the past debate on how to measure segregation between schools and for how education authorities go about estimating segregation in the future.
Incidence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children in Southeastern Norway: A Prospective Population-based Study 1990-94

Background: Most incidence studies of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD) have dealt with adults and there are have been few population-based prospective studies of the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence after re-evaluation of the diagnosis of UC and CD in childhood and adolescence in a prospective population-based survey. Methods: From 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1993, all newly diagnosed patients with UC and CD under the age of 16 years were registered. On 1 January 1992 there were 174,482 children in the study population. The diagnosis was based on internationally accepted criteria and all clinical data were reviewed by two gastroenterologists independently of each other. All patients were subjected to a second evaluation 1 year after inclusion in the study. Patients initially diagnosed as indeterminate colitis (IND) were also reassessed. Results: A total of 14 cases of UC, 13 cases of CD and 2 cases of IND were registered during the study period. At re-evaluation of the two patients diagnosed as IND, one was reclassified as having UC and one as having CD. This yielded a mean annual incidence of 2.14 (95% CI 1.20-3.54) per 100,000 for UC and 2.00 (95% CI 1.10-3.36) per 100,000 for CD. The male:female ratio in UC was 4.0 and 1.8 in CD. Median time interval from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 4 months for UC and 5 months for CD. A high proportion of the children with UC (80%; 12/15) had extensive colitis. Four patients with CD had a first-degree relative with IBD. Conclusion: This study does not support an increased incidence of paediatric CD over the past decade. The incidence of paediatric UC seems to have remained stable over the past 30 years. In the CD group, we find a high incidence of IBD in first-degree relatives.
Perceiving 'Walk-on-able' Slopes

Prospective control of walking and running requires perceiving sloping surfaces that can and cannot support these activities. Two experiments on slant perception were conducted, motivated by the notion of geographical slant rather than optical slant, and by an affordance based description of surface layout. In Experiment 1, participants standing on a horizontal surface (the ground) adjusted the inclination in the frontal plane of a large wooden platform at 0, 2, or 4 m from them until satisfied that it was at the maximal slope at which ordinary walking could be conducted. Subsequent to their judgments, the actual maximum of a "walk-onable" slope was determined for each participant. In Experiment 2, participants adjusted the inclination of the visible platform to match the inclination of the right foot, which was occluded and resting against a small ramp inclined between 0° and 50° to the ground plane. They then judged the visible platform for its walk-inability and were subsequently tested for the maxi.
The contribution of hearing to normal balance

Abstract Introduction: Normal balance relies on three sensory inputs: vision, proprioception and the peripheral vestibular system. This study assessed hearing change and postural control in normal subjects. Materials and methods: Postural control in 20 normal volunteers was assessed using a Nintendo Wii gaming console and balance board. Each subject was tested standing upright for 30 seconds in a clinic room and a soundproof room with their eyes open, eyes closed, whilst standing on and off foam, and with and without ear defenders. Results: There was significantly more postural sway in the following subjects: those standing with their eyes closed vs those with eyes open (normal room, p = 0.0002; soundproof room, p = 0.0164); those standing on foam with eyes open vs those standing normally with eyes open (in both rooms; p < 0.05); those standing with eyes open in a soundproof room vs a normal room (p = 0.0164); and those standing on foam in a soundproof room with eyes open and wearing ear defenders vs those in the same circumstances but without ear defenders. Conclusion: Our results suggest that this method provides a simple, inexpensive tool for assessing static postural control. Whilst it is recognised that visual input and proprioception play a central role in maintaining posture, our findings suggest that ambient sound and hearing may also have a significant influence.
Contribution of Autonomic Nervous System to the Hypertension Induced by Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the adult popu‐ lation. The most common risk condition to almost all cardiovascular diseases is hypertension. The obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome, a growing worldwide sleep-breathing disorder is recognized as an independent risk factor for hypertension and is associated with other cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, pulmonary hypertension, coronary artery disease and stroke. OSA is characterized by repeated episodes of airflow detention during sleep produced by the upper airway collapse. Among the disturbances produced by OSA, the chronic intermittent hypoxia is considered the main factor for the progression of the systemic hyper‐ tension. Although the link between OSA and systemic hypertension is well established, the pathogenic mechanisms responsible for the hypertension are not entirely understood. Autonomic dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation have been proposed as potential hypertensive mechanisms. However, conclusions from studies in OSA patients are controver‐ sial, because of concomitant comorbidities (i.e. obesity, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases), which are confounding factors that increases the cardiovascular risk associated with OSA. Thus, experimental models of rodents exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia, which reproduced several pathologic cardiovascular features of OSA, are the gold-standard to study the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the OSA-induced hypertension. In this chapter, we will review and discuss the evidence supporting an essential role of the carotid body chemo‐ receptor and the contribution of the autonomic nervous system to the progression of the hypertension in OSA patients and animals exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia.
Long-Term Potentiation at the Mossy Fiber–Granule Cell Relay Invokes Postsynaptic Second-Messenger Regulation of Kv4 Channels

Mossy fiber afferents to cerebellar granule cells form the primary synaptic relay into cerebellum, providing an ideal site to process signal inputs differentially. Mossy fiber input is known to exhibit a long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic efficacy through a combination of presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. However, the specific postsynaptic mechanisms contributing to LTP of mossy fiber input is unknown. The current study tested the hypothesis that LTP induces a change in intrinsic membrane excitability of rat cerebellar granule cells through modification of Kv4 A-type potassium channels. We found that theta-burst stimulation of mossy fiber input in lobule 9 granule cells lowered the current threshold to spike and increases the gain of spike firing by 2- to 3-fold. The change in postsynaptic excitability was traced to hyperpolarizing shifts in both the half-inactivation and half-activation potentials of Kv4 that occurred upon coactivating NMDAR and group I metabotropic glutamatergic receptors. The effects of theta-burst stimulation on Kv4 channel control of the gain of spike firing depended on a signaling cascade leading to extracellular signal-related kinase activation. Under physiological conditions, LTP of synaptically evoked spike output was expressed preferentially for short bursts characteristic of sensory input, helping to shape signal processing at the mossy fiber–granule cell relay. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cerebellar granule cells receive mossy fiber inputs that convey information on different sensory modalities and feedback from descending cortical projections. Recent work suggests that signal processing across multiple cerebellar lobules is controlled differentially by postsynaptic ionic mechanisms at the level of granule cells. We found that long-term potentiation (LTP) of mossy fiber input invoked a large increase in granule cell excitability by modifying the biophysical properties of Kv4 channels through a specific signaling cascade. LTP of granule cell output became evident in response to bursts of mossy fiber input, revealing that Kv4 control of intrinsic excitability is modified to respond most effectively to patterns of afferent input that are characteristic of physiological sensory patterns.
The Bearing Capacity of Floating Ice Plates Subjected to Static or Quasi-Static Loads

Abstract This paper contains a critical survey of the literature on the bearing capacity of floating ice plates. It consists of a discussion of general questions, a critical survey of analytical attempts to determine the bearing capacity of floating ice plates and a survey of field and laboratory tests on floating ice plates and their relation to the analytical results. It concludes with a systematic summary of the results, a discussion of observed shortcomings, and suggestions for needed investigations.
The additional value of real-time PCR in the quantitative detection of periodontal pathogens.

BACKGROUND AND AIM For the analysis of subgingival plaque, anaerobic bacterial culture has been the gold standard for many years. Currently, molecular microbial techniques have become available to identify and quantify target organisms with high specificity and sensitivity. The technique of real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) provides a new tool to detect oral pathogens both in oral and non-oral human infections. The aim of this study was to compare the RT-PCR and anaerobic culture for detection and quantification of six periodontal pathogens in periodontal health and disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS Subgingival plaque samples from 259 adult patients with periodontitis and 111 healthy controls were analysed with quantitative anaerobic culture and quantitative RT-PCR for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, Micromonas micros and Fusobacterium spp. RESULTS All species were more frequently isolated from patients than controls with both culture and RT-PCR. P. gingivalis, T. forsythia and M. micros appeared significant markers for disease with both techniques. P. intermedia was significantly associated with periodontitis by RT-PCR only (OR 9.7), whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans showed a significant relationship by culture only. The critical differences between culture and RT-PCR were culture-negative/PCR-positive samples which amounted to 7% for A. actinomycetemcomitans, 3% for P. gingivalis, 7% for T. forsythia, 20% for P. intermedia, 6% for M. micros, and 0.8% for Fusobacterium spp. in periodontitis patients and 12%, 3%, 2%, 35%, 14% and 0%, respectively, in the periodontally healthy group. Furthermore, periodontitis individuals had significantly higher amount of all of the test species in the subgingival plaque samples compared with healthy subjects. CONCLUSION RT-PCR provides a new rapid diagnostic tool and opens the opportunity to detect small numbers of oral pathogens in clinical specimens, which are under the detection limit by culture technique.
EVIDENCE OF A HEALTHY ESTROGEN USER SURVIVOR EFFECT

We examined the relation between menopausal estrogen use and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a cohort of over 49,000 women followed between 1979 and 1989 in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project (BCDDP) Follow-Up Study. We found a lower all-cause mortality rate among women who took estrogens [rate ratio (RR) = 0.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.7–0.8], particularly current users (RR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.2–0.4), than among women who never took them. Additional analyses, however, revealed that women who had recently stopped taking estrogens had a higher all-cause mortality rate than women who had never taken them (RR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.2–1.7). Women who had recently stopped taking estrogens also had higher mortality rates from circulatory disease (RR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.0–1.8) and cancer (RR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.2–2.2) than women who never took them. The most likely explanation for these results is that women stop taking estrogens when they develop symptoms of serious illness. As a consequence of this “healthy estrogen user survivor effect,” nonexperimental studies are susceptible to overestimating the benefits of menopausal estrogen use, particularly current use, on mortality.
Derivation of the Norton Surface Wave Using the Compensation Theorem

This paper presents a tutorial exposition of the derivation of the Norton surface wave using the compensation theorem. Only the case of a vertical electric dipole above an infinite ground plane satisfying an impedance boundary condition is treated. This is the most interesting case in practice, and the one on which applications such as MF AM broadcasting and HF surface-wave radar rely. It is attractive to use the compensation theorem to treat this relatively complex problem. This theorem, itself simply derived starting from Lorentz reciprocity, is easily understood, and the development that follows draws only on ideas already familiar in at least some context to almost all electrical engineers. This makes it for the most part easier to follow than equivalent alternative presentations. While not the first such derivation to have appeared in the literature, and to some extent paralleling these earlier developments to allow direct comparison, the present paper aims to differentiate itself both by being easier to follow and in removing some errors.
False negative polymerase chain reaction on cerebrospinal fluid samples in tuberculous meningitis

OBJECTIVES To determine the occurrence of celiac disease in a population of ataxic patients without definite diagnosis and to characterise distinctive features which may help to differentiate cerebellar ataxia with and without celiac disease. METHODS Twenty four ataxic patients without definite diagnosis (group A) and 23 ataxic patients with definite diagnosis (group B) were screened for antigliadin (AGAs) and antiendomysium antibodies (EMAs). Patients with a positive AGA or EMA test underwent endoscopic biopsy of the duodenal mucosa. RESULTS There was an increased prevalence of celiac disease in group A (3/24) compared with group B (0/23). None of the celiac patients presented gastrointestinal symptoms or malabsorption signs. None of the ataxic patients with celiac disease had early onset ataxia. CONCLUSIONS Celiac disease is associated with ataxic syndromes without definite diagnosis, suggesting that it plays a part in the pathogenesis of some ataxic syndromes. The absence of distinctive neurological features in ataxic patients with celiac disease suggests that a search should be made for celiac disease markers in all ataxic patients without definite diagnosis.
Optical coherence tomography findings in commotio retina

A 16‐year‐old boy presented with diminished visual acuity of 6/60 following blunt trauma to his right eye with a cricket ball. Fundus examination showed commotio retinae. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated increased reflectivity with small optically clear spaces in the area corresponding to the photoreceptor outer segment. At 2‐month follow up the visual acuity improved to 6/6. A small area of retinal opacification persisted nasally, and OCT of the corresponding area continued to show increased reflectivity in the area of photoreceptor outer segment. Increased reflectivity on OCT in eyes with commotio retinae probably denotes photoreceptor outer segment disruption and seems to be reversible to a variable extent.
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND IT USAGE : THE IMPACT OF TRAITS

In many IT studies, the system’s perceived usefulness and ease of use have emerged as important factors influencing the usage of information technologies. A similar amount of work has been directed to investigating their determinants, such as organizational factors, environmental factors, demographic factors, etc., but very often overlooked are the unique traits of users or user groups. The current research adopts the technology acceptance model (TAM) in examining the relationship between IT usage, the system’s usefulness and ease of use, and the entrepreneurial traits (such as innovativeness, risk-taking propensity, perseverance, and flexibility) of women entrepreneurs. The results show that perceived usefulness has influence on information technology usage. Perceived ease of use has an indirect influence (via perceived usefulness) on usage. Contrary to TAM, no significant direct relationship was found between perceived ease of use and usage. Innovativeness, risk-taking propensity, and flexibility were found to determine perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use is determined by innovativeness, and marginally by flexibility. Important implications for theory and practice are discussed.
The main sequence of three red supergiant clusters

Massive clusters in our Galaxy are an ideal testbed to investigate the properties and evolution of high-mass stars. They provide statistically significant samples of massive stars of uniform ages. To accurately determine the intrinsic physical properties of these stars, we need to establish the distances, ages and reddening of the clusters. One avenue to achieve this is the identification and characterization of the main-sequence (MS) members of red supergiant (RSG) rich clusters. Here, we utilize publicly available data from the UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey. We show that point spread function photometry in conjunction with standard photometric decontamination techniques allows us to identify the most likely MSmembers in the 10-20 Myr old clusters RSGC 1-3. We confirm the previous detection of the MS in RSGC 2 and provide the first MS detection in RSGC 1 and RSGC 3. There are in excess of 100 stars with more than 8Mâ? identified in each cluster. These MS members are concentrated towards the spectroscopically confirmed RSG stars. We utilize the J-K colours of the bright MS stars to determine the K-band extinction towards the clusters. The differential reddening is three times as large in the youngest cluster RSGC 1 as compared to the two older clusters RSGC 2 and RSGC 3. Spectroscopic follow-up of the cluster MS stars should lead to more precise distance and age estimates for these clusters as well as the determination of the stellar mass function in these high-mass environments. Â© 2013 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.