Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Dusky Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis Occidentalis) Nesting and Nest Success on Artificial Nest Islands of the Western Copper River Delta

Abstract. Decline of the Dusky Canada Goose (Branta canadensis occidentalis; hereafter, Dusky Goose) population on the western Copper River Delta (CRD) prompted the establishment of an artificial nest island (island) program in 1983. A retrospective analysis of the program was conducted to examine general trends in island use and nest success from 1984–2005. A series of candidate models was generated to determine how habitat, island and biological variables were associated with island use and nest success from 1996–2005. Use of islands by Dusky Geese increased between 1987 and 2005 from 10% to 44%; apparent nest success averaged 64 ± 4% and showed no trend with year. Island use was consistently and strongly associated with the previous year's island status. The odds of nesting on an island that contained a successful nest the previous year were four times greater than for islands not used the previous year. Likelihood of island use was highest at moderate shrub cover and increased with shrub height. Likelihood of nest success increased on islands further from shore. The influence of year suggests the presence of alternate prey and predator abundance is more important to nest success than island features. The increasing use of islands while the CRD Dusky Goose population has been declining indicates that islands may be increasingly important to population productivity. However, quantifying the contribution of the island program requires a better understanding of other population metrics, such as gosling mortality.
Premorbid Personality Traits in Alzheimer's Disease: Do They Predispose to Noncognitive Behavioral Symptoms?

The purpose of this study was to examine whether premorbid personality traits predispose to noncognitive symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Munich Personality Test was used to evaluate caregivers' perception of personality prior to symptom onset in 56 outpatients with probable AD. Caregivers also completed the “mood” and “disturbed behavior” scales of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients. A neuropsychiatrist rated depressive symptoms on the Cornell Scale for Depression and the occurrence of personality change in four domains according to ICD-10. Under statistical control of confounding variables, results showed a moderate association between (high) premorbid neuroticism, subsequent troublesome behavior, and personality change, on the one hand, and (low) frustration tolerance and depression, on the other. Premorbid personality traits may indeed predispose to subsequent noncognitive symptoms in AD.
A Role for ATP-Citrate Lyase, Malic Enzyme, and Pyruvate/Citrate Cycling in Glucose-induced Insulin Secretion*

In pancreatic β-cells, metabolic coupling factors generated during glucose metabolism and pyruvate cycling through anaplerosis/cataplerosis processes contribute to the regulation of insulin secretion. Pyruvate/citrate cycling across the mitochondrial membrane leads to the production of malonyl-CoA and NADPH, two candidate coupling factors. To examine the implication of pyruvate/citrate cycling in glucose-induced insulin secretion (GIIS), different steps of the cycle were inhibited in INS 832/13 cells by pharmacological inhibitors and/or RNA interference (RNAi) technology: mitochondrial citrate export, ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), and cytosolic malic enzyme (ME1). The inhibitors of the di- and tri-carboxylate carriers, n-butylmalonate and 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylate, respectively, reduced GIIS, indicating the importance of transmitochondrial transport of tri- and dicarboxylates in the action of glucose. To directly test the role of ACL and ME1 in GIIS, small hairpin RNA (shRNA) were used to selectively decrease ACL or ME1 expression in transfected INS 832/13 cells. shRNA-ACL reduced ACL protein levels by 67%, and this was accompanied by a reduction in GIIS. The amplification/KATP-independent pathway of GIIS was affected by RNAi knockdown of ACL. The ACL inhibitor radicicol also curtailed GIIS. shRNA-ME1 reduced ME1 activity by 62% and decreased GIIS. RNAi suppression of either ACL or ME1 did not affect glucose oxidation. However, because ACL is required for malonyl-CoA formation, inhibition of ACL expression by shRNA-ACL decreased glucose incorporation into palmitate and increased fatty acid oxidation in INS 832/13 cells. Taken together, the results underscore the importance of pyruvate/citrate cycling in pancreatic β-cell metabolic signaling and the regulation of GIIS.
Reduced BMP4 abundance in Gata2 hypomorphic mutant mice result in uropathies resembling human CAKUT

Constitutive loss of transcription factor GATA‐2 leads to embryonic lethality from primitive erythropoietic failure. We serendipitously discovered an essential contribution of GATA‐2 to urogenital development when the hematopoietic deficiency of Gata2 null mutant animals was complemented by a Gata2 yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) transgene; these mice died from a perinatal lethal urogenital abnormality. Here, we report the generation and analysis of Gata2 hypomorphic mutant (Gata2fGN/fGN) mice, which suffered from hydronephrosis and megaureter, as do the YAC‐rescued Gata2 null mutants. Gata2fGN/fGN mutants exhibit anteriorly displaced ureteric budding from the Wolffian duct as well as reduced BMP4 expression in the intermediate mesoderm derivatives in a manner that is temporally coincident with ureteric bud emergence. In Bmp4 mutant heterozygotes, rostral displacement of the initial bud site on the Wolffian duct results in abnormal urogenital development. We show here that Bmp4 mRNA is reduced approximately twofold in Gata2fGN/fGN mice (as in Bmp4 null heterozygotes), and that GATA‐2 trans‐activates a Bmp4 first intron element‐directed reporter plasmid in co‐transfection assays. These experiments taken together implicate GATA‐2 as a direct regulator of Bmp4 transcription. The pathophysiology described in Gata2 hypomorphic mutant animals resembles human congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.
Mitochondrial Telomeres as Molecular Markers for Identification of the Opportunistic Yeast Pathogen Candida parapsilosis

ABSTRACT Recent studies have demonstrated that a large number of organisms carry linear mitochondrial DNA molecules possessing specialized telomeric structures at their ends. Based on this specific structural feature of linear mitochondrial genomes, we have developed an approach for identification of the opportunistic yeast pathogen Candida parapsilosis. The strategy for identification of C. parapsilosis strains is based on PCR amplification of specific DNA sequences derived from the mitochondrial telomere region. This assay is complemented by immunodetection of a protein component of mitochondrial telomeres. The results demonstrate that mitochondrial telomeres represent specific molecular markers with potential applications in yeast diagnostics and taxonomy.
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in the granulomatous fibrosis of rats infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis

Abstract The histomorphology of granuloma formation and gelatinase production were investigated in the brains, hearts, lungs and livers of Sprague–Dawley rats infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The relationships between two gelatinases and granulomatous fibrosis were explored, following infection of each rat with 60 infective larvae of the nematode. Worm recovery from the brain was maximal on day 15 post-inoculation whereas peak recovery from the lungs was maximal 75 days later, on day 90. The granulomatous reactions and fibrosis were marked in the lungs but only mild, if present at all, in the brain, heart and liver. Gelatin zymography revealed that matrix metalloproteinase2 (MMP-2) was present, at all time-points, in the heart and lungs, although only in the lungs was there partial conversion of the 72-kDa pro-enzyme to the 64-kDa active form during granulomatous fibrosis. The activity of the MMP-9 pro-enzyme was significantly higher at the time-points when granuloma formation was observed than at other times. Immuno-histochemistry revealed MMP-2 and MMP-9 within the lung granulomas, around infiltrating leucocytes and the epithelial cells of the alveoli. As the granulomatous fibrosis appeared to be strongly associated with MMP-2 and MMP-9, these enzymes may be useful markers in the lungs of rats infected with A. cantonensis.
Corporate Risk Management and Speculative Motives

We develop a simple framework for analyzing corporate risk management decisions when managers have a directional prediction on future price levels. The optimal hedging strategy with "a view" retains a partial exposure and requires rebalancing. This can help explain the active trading behaviour of some managers, the large cross sectional and time series variation in hedge ratios and the prevalence of partial hedging. In addition to providing a simple account of the stylized facts, the model generates new testable implications for corporate hedging policy. We parameterize and estimate the model using foreign exchange hedging data from a large multinational corporation and find support for the model's predictions.
STUDIES ON THYROTROPHIN RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH EUTHYROID GRAVES' DISEASE

Thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAb) and TSH‐binding inhibitor immunoglobulins (TBII) were assessed in 30 patients with euthyroid Graves' disease. TSAb were detected in 24 cases (80.0%), the incidence being not significantly different from that in hyperthyroid Graves' disease (29/30,97.6%). On the other hand, the incidence of TBII in patients with euthyroid Graves' disease (12/30, 40.0%) was significantly lower than that in patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease (30/30, 100.0%). The mean TSAb and TBII activities in the euthyroid patients were significantly lower than in the hyperthyroid patients (P < 0.f005 and P < 0.001, respectively). Both TBII and, more closely, TSAb activities correlated with T3‐nonsuppressibility and inhibition of serum TSH response to TRH stimulation. The findings supported the stimulation in vivo of the thyroid by these antibodies.
Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Is a Potential Antiangiogenic Target in Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

CONTEXT Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor type with a poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. OBJECTIVE Assess prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression as a potential novel therapeutic target for ACC. DESIGN Expression of PSMA was evaluated in benign and malignant adrenal tumors and 1 patient with metastatic ACC. SETTING This study took place at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Fifty adrenal samples were evaluated, including 16 normal adrenal glands, 16 adrenocortical adenomas, 15 primary ACC, and 3 ACC metastases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Demographics, PSMA expression levels via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography standardized uptake values for 1 patient. RESULTS qPCR demonstrated an elevated level of PSMA in ACC relative to all benign tissues (P < .05). Immunohistochemistry localized PSMA expression to the neovasculature of ACC and confirmed overexpression of PSMA in ACC relative to benign tissues both in intensity and percentage of vessels stained (78% of ACC, 0% of normal adrenal, and 3.27% of adenoma-associated neovasculature; P < .001). Those with more than 25% PSMA-positive vessels were 33 times more likely to be malignant than benign (odds ratio, P < .001). Whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography imaging showed targeting of anti-PSMA Zr89-J591 to 5/5 of the patient's multiple lung masses with an average measurement of 3.49 ± 1.86 cm and a standardized uptake value of 1.4 ± 0.65 relative to blood pool at 0.8 standardized uptake value. CONCLUSIONS PSMA is significantly overexpressed in ACC neovasculature when compared with normal and benign adrenal tumors. PSMA expression can be used to image ACC metastases in vivo and may be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in ACC.
Idiopathic Headache in Children Under Six Years of Age: A Follow‐Up Study

Objective. —To assess the evolution of idiopathic headache with early onset and to investigate the influence of early somatic disorders, “life events,” and psychiatric disorders on the onset and the course of headache. We also studied the possible prognostic role of gender, headache diagnosis at onset, and history of headache in family members on the course of headache. We also investigated the applicability of the ICHD‐II criteria to idiopathic headache in preschool children.
Physiological responses during work in hot humid environments.

Studies have been conducted on 6 young healthy Indians in simulated comfortable, hot humid and very hot humid conditions to evaluate the physiological reactions during work. Physiological responses like exercise oxygen consumption (VO2), pulmonary ventilation (VE) and heart rate (HR) were noted during sub-maximal fixed work rates of 400, 500 and 600 kgM/min. In addition, duration of continuous work at these three rates of work, in the three simulated environments was also noted. Physiological responses i.e. VO2, VE and HR were noted every 15 minutes of work. Besides these responses, rectal temperature (Tr), mean skin temperature (Ts) and mean sweat rate were also noted during the continuous work. Results indicated a significantly higher oxygen cost (VO2) during 400 kgM/min of work in hot and very hot humid environments whereas, in the higher rates of work, the changes were not significant. The cardiac frequency showed a significantly higher rise during different grades of activities in hot and very hot environments except in the highest work rate in hotter environments, possibly due to attainment of maximum heart rate. The duration of continuous physical efforts in various grades of activities decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) in hot humid environments than in the comfortable temperature. During the progression of the work, the mean skin temperature decreased in comfortable temperature but increased in hot humid environments. The mean rectal temperature, increased during work in hot humid environment, and the rate of rise was much faster in higher work rates attaining the target temperature much earlier. The rate of sweating increased significantly as the heat load of the body increased. In hot humid environments, work performance decreased due to early attainment of maximum heart rate, reduction in VO2 max, disproportionate rise in rectal temperature, narrowing of the difference between the core and the skin temperature and attainment of maximum sweating rate.
Optimization of multi-pulse sequences for nonlinear contrast agent imaging using a cMUT array

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) technology provides advantages such as wide frequency bandwidth, which can be exploited for contrast agent imaging. Nevertheless, the efficiency of traditional multi-pulse imaging schemes, such as pulse inversion (PI), remains limited because of the intrinsic nonlinear character of cMUTs. Recently, a new contrast imaging sequence, called bias voltage modulation sequence (BVM), has been specifically developed for cMUTs to suppress their unwanted nonlinear behavior. In this study, we propose to optimize contrast agent detection by combining the BVM sequence with PI and/or chirp reversal (CR). An aqueous dispersion of lipid encapsulated microbubbles was exposed to several combinations of multi-pulse imaging sequences. Approaches were evaluated in vitro using 9 inter-connected elements of a cMUT linear array (excitation frequency of 4 MHz; peak negative pressure of 100 kPa). For sequences using chirp excitations, a specific compression filter was designed to compress and extract several nonlinear components from the received microbubble responses. A satisfactory cancellation of the nonlinear signal from the source is achieved when BVM is combined with PI and CR. In comparison with PI and CR imaging modes alone, using sequences incorporating BVM increases the contrast-to-tissue ratio by 10.0 dB and 4.6 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the combination of BVM with CR and PI results in a significant increase of the contrast-to-noise ratio (+29 dB). This enhancement is attributed to the use of chirps as excitation signals and the improved preservation of several nonlinear components contained within the contrast agent response.
Penalized single-index quantile regression

The single-index (SI) regression and single-index quantile (SIQ) estimation methods product linear combinations of all the original predictors. However, it is possible that there are many unimportant predictors within the original predictors. Thus, the precision of parameter estimation as well as the accuracy of prediction will be effected by the existence of those unimportant predictors when the previous methods are used. In this article, an extension of the SIQ method of Wu et al. (2010) has been proposed, which considers Lasso and Adaptive Lasso for estimation and variable selection. Computational algorithms have been developed in order to calculate the penalized SIQ estimates. A simulation study and a real data application have been used to assess the performance of the methods under consideration.
Cell dynamics and developmental bias in the ontogeny of a complex sexually dimorphic trait in Drosophila melanogaster

SUMMARY The Drosophila sex comb (SC) has been hailed as a powerful tool for integrative studies in development, evolution, and behavior, but its ontogeny is poorly understood, even in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. Using 4D live imaging and other techniques, we carried out a detailed analysis of the cellular events that take place during the development of the SC. We showed that the comb and other contiguous bristle formations assemble from noncontiguous precursor cells, which join together through intercalation. Most of the rotation of the SC (which has a longitudinal orientation in D. melanogaster but is initially transverse) occurs after this stage, when the structure is a single unit. We have provided evidence that male‐specific convergent extension through cell rearrangement is responsible for both this rotation and another sexually dimorphic bristle trait. Contiguous bristle formations act as barriers to cell movement within the epithelium, and we demonstrated that a particularly rapid rotation of the proximal region of the comb is associated with the presence of a constricted area between a portion of the SC and a transverse row of contiguous bristle precursors. Our results suggest that the cell dynamics in the neighborhood of the SC may have biased its evolution.
Using the same CIDR up to three times for estrus synchronization and artificial insemination in dairy goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reusing a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device for up to three times in the reproductive performance of dairy goats raised in the semi-arid zone of northeastern Brazil. Forty-five goats were allocated into three hormone treatments, as follows: CIDR1x, treated with new CIDR during nine days. Two days prior to device removal, injections of 75 g d-cloprostenol and 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) were administrated. For the other treatments, the same hormone protocol was used, differing only by the use of the same CIDR for a second time in CIDR2x and for a third time in CIDR3x. The interval from device removal to the onset of estrus (13.3  1.1h vs. 13.8  2.6h vs. 13.3  1.4h), as well as estrus duration (33.6  7.3h vs. 29.6  3.2h vs. 32.8  4.5h), did not differ (p > 0.05) among groups CIDR1x, CIDR2x and CIDR3x, respectively. All synchronized females were found to be in estrus. The overall fertility and prolificacy after artificial insemination were 82.2% and 1.9 kids, respectively, without significant difference (p > 0.05) among treatments. The use of the same CIDR for up to three times was effective using 9-day estrus synchronization protocols in dairy goats.
Remote substituent effects on N-X (X = H, F, Cl, CH3, Li) bond dissociation energies in para-substituted anilines.

UB3LYP/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* and ROMP2/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* methods were used to calculate (i) N-X bond dissociation energies (BDE) in 4-YC6H4NH-X and (ii) N-H BDEs in 4-YC6H4NU-H, where Y = H, Me, OCH3, SMe, NH2, NMe2, SiMe3, F, Cl, CN, COOH, CF3, and NO2, X = H, CH3, F, Cl, and Li, and U = H, F, and CH(3). It was found that N-H BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH2 have a positive correlation with the substituent sigma(p+) constants. The slope (rho+) is about 3.0-4.3 kcal/mol, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. It was also found that the substituent effects on N-X BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH-X change considerably when X changes. rho(+)values for N-CH3, N-F, N-Cl, and N-Li BDEs were calculated to be 3.1-4.6, 1.3-1.9, 1.8-2.6, and 4.9-6.8 kcal/mol, respectively. The reason for the variation of substituent effects was proposed to be the ground-state effect, i.e., the interaction between the intact NH-X moiety and the parasubstituents. Finally, alpha-substitution was found to be able to significantly change the substituent effects. rho(+)values for N-H BDEs of 4-C6H4NCH3(-)H and 4-C6H4NF-H are 2.5-4.0 and 1.7-1.9 kcal/mol, respectively.
Polledness intersex syndrome in goats – molecular and histological aspects

Polledness intersex syndrome (PIS) is a phenomenon associated with 2 distinct conditions occurring in goats, namely polledness and intersexuality. The first is a trait exhibiting complete dominance, whereas the latter is recessive. The extreme case of intersexualism is complete sex reversal, which is observed only in females (60,XX). The trait PIS is inherited in a recessive manner and caused by deletion of 11.7 kbp DNA on chromosome 1q43. Female goats with PIS exhibit a broad range of developmental abnormalities of the sexual system, from only subtle changes to complete sex reversal. The phenotypic diversity in goats with PIS is most likely an effect of complexity of the sexual differentiation process, in which the gene-dosage effect may potentially play a crucial role, in addition to the numerous molecular factors regulating the developmental pathway. The occurrence may explain different degrees of masculinization. Nevertheless, the sex reversal phenomenon appearing in female goats (60,XX) with PIS is not considered a serious problem in breeding programs because properly planned selection of individuals for reproduction can allow for complete exclusion of risk of occurrence of this syndrome in offspring. On the other hand, female goats with PIS are still one of the most suitable animal models for studying complex processes of determination and differentiation of sex in mammals.
Optimal Mortgage Refinancing: A Closed Form Solution

We derive the first closed-form optimal refinancing rule: Refinance when the current mortgage interest rate falls below the original rate by at least [Formula: see text] In this formula W(.) is the Lambert W-function, [Formula: see text]ρ is the real discount rate, λ is the expected real rate of exogenous mortgage repayment, σ is the standard deviation of the mortgage rate, κ/M is the ratio of the tax-adjusted refinancing cost and the remaining mortgage value, and τ is the marginal tax rate. This expression is derived by solving a tractable class of refinancing problems. Our quantitative results closely match those reported by researchers using numerical methods.