Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomass accumulation and potential nutritive value of some forages irrigated with saline-sodic drainage water

A controlled study using a sand-tank system was conducted to evaluate 10 forage species (bermudagrass, ‘Salado’ and ‘SW 9720’ alfalfa, ‘Duncan’ and ‘Polo’ Paspalum, ‘big’ and ‘narrow leaf’ trefoil, kikuyugrass, Jose tall wheatgrass, and alkali sacaton). Forages were irrigated with sodium-sulfate dominated synthetic drainage waters with an electrical conductivity of either 15 or 25 dS/m. Forage yield was significantly reduced by the higher (25 dS/m) salinity level of irrigation water compared to the lower (15 dS/m) level. There was wide variation in the sensitivity of forage species to levels of salinity in irrigation water as reflected by biomass accumulation. With the exception of bermudagrass, which increased accumulation at the higher level of salinity, and big trefoil, which failed to establish at the higher level of salinity, ranking of forages according to the percent reduction in biomass accumulation due to the higher level of salinity of irrigation water was: Salado alfalfa (54%)= SW 9720 alfalfa (52%) > Duncan Paspalum (41%) > narrow leaf trefoil (30%) > alkali sacaton (24%) > Polo Paspalum (16%) > Jose tall wheatgrass (11%) = kikuyugrass (11%). Bermudagrass and Duncan Paspalum were judged to be the best species in terms of forage yield and nutritive quality. Kikuyugrass, which had the third highest biomass accumulation, was judged to be unacceptable due to its poor nutritional quality. Although narrow leaf trefoil had a relatively high nutritional quality, its biomass accumulation potential was judged to be unacceptably low. Alfalfa cultivar’s biomass accumulations were the most sensitive to the higher level of salinity, among Abbreviations: CP, crude protein; DM, dry matter; dNDF, in vitro digestibility of NDF at 30 h; DW, dry weight; EE, ether extract; IVTD, in vitro true digestibility of DM; ME, metabolizable energy (ME, MJ/kg DM); OM, organic matter; NDF, neutral detergent fibre ∗ Corresponding author. Tel. : +1-530-752-7139; fax: +1-530-752-0175. E-mail address: ggetachew@ucdavis.edu (G. Getachew). 0377-8401/$ – see front matter © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0377-8401(03)00213-X 176 P.H. Robinson et al. / Animal Feed Science and Technology 111 (2004) 175–189 forages that survived at the higher salinity level, although actual accumulations at the higher salinity were high relative to other forages. Increased salinity influenced several forage quality parameters, including organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and in vitro gas production, generally leading to higher nutritional quality at the higher salinity level, although their significance varied amongst species and cuttings. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Lumbar supports for prevention and treatment of low back pain

“Circular patches of hair loss, with no scarring to the affected area, can be a sign of alopecia areata, a distressing condition which can affect all the hair on the scalp and body. We don’t yet understand the cause of alopecia areata but it can start at any age, usually before the age of 20. Men and women are affected equally and it’s a relatively common condition all around the world. Treatments that have been suggested and used include a variety of creams or lotions applied to the scalp such as topical minoxidil, and some ultraviolet light-based therapies. Oral medications, such as corticosteroids, have also been tried. Some of the skin treatments can have unpleasant side effects, including itchiness or hair growth in areas of the body away from where the cream was applied. While, oral steroids in particular may cause serious side effects. And, even if the treatment does lead to hair re-growth, there is no guarantee that this will remain when the treatment is stopped. To complicate matters even more, alopecia areata sometimes clears up without treatment. So, if hair does grow back during treatment, it is difficult to know whether this would have happened anyway. This means that for studies to be reliable, they need to include a control group of people who do not get the treatment. We set out to see if, on balance, these treatments are helpful and found 17 randomised controlled trials, involving 540 participants. The trials were fairly small, ranging in size from just 6 people to 85. They assessed a range of treatments that included topical and oral steroids, topical ciclosporin, photodynamic therapy and topical minoxidil. We found no randomised trials on some other common treatments, such as diphencyprone, dinitrochlorobenzene, intralesional corticosteroids and dithranol. No studies showed long-term beneficial hair growth. Overall, none of the treatments were significantly better than placebo in terms of hair growth; but most of the trials were reported so poorly and were so small that they may have missed clinically important benefits. Answers are still needed. Future studies need to be much larger and to compare the treatment against a placebo. Similarly, because short-term interventions might not ‘cure’ alopecia areata or lead to long-term benefit, these trials should focus on treatments that are safe and sustainable. Future studies should also measure and report the feelings of the participants about their hair growth or quality of life. We would also like to see trials testing good quality wigs and other supportive therapies against pharmaceutical interventions. Such trials, using patient satisfaction outcomes, would be invaluable. ”
Qualitative exploration of the perceived barriers and enablers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing healthcare through one Victorian Emergency Department

Abstract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people experience challenges when accessing health care from the emergency department (ED). The aim of this project was to identify the perceived barriers and enablers to accessing health care at one Victorian Emergency Department for the local ATSI community. This qualitative explorative study collected data using focus groups or yarns to investigate the perceptions of the ATSI community presentations to the ED. Data were analysed following the standards of qualitative data analysis procedure. Three themes emerged organisational process, staff interactions and strategies for improvement. Information from this study will assist hospital and ED executives and practitioners to collaborate with the ATSI community in developing and implementing policy and practice changes that enable Aboriginal patients to be identified and receive culturally appropriate care.
A randomized study of gemcitabine/cisplatin versus single-agent gemcitabine in patients with biliary tract cancer.

4579 Background: Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are not common but increasing in the US and Europe, and more prevalent in South America and Asia including Japan. Gemcitabine (G) and cisplatin (C) are now deemed as key drugs based on the accumulated literature. This is the first study to compare GC combination with G alone in Japan, even though one phase 3 trial (ABC-02) is ongoing in UK. METHODS 84 Japanese pts, aged ≥ 20 years, with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced BTC, Performance Status 0 - 1, with adequate bone-marrow, hepatic and renal function were randomized. 83 pts received either C 25 mg/m2 plus G 1000 mg/m2 on days 1, and 8 of each 21-day cycle (GC-arm) or G 1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15 of each 28-day cycle (G-arm). Treatments were repeated up to a maximum of 16 cycles of GC or 12 of G until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. Tumor response was evaluated using RECIST criteria by an independent review committee. The primary end-point of the study was 1- year survival rate. Safety, response rate, duration of progression-free survival were also evaluated. RESULTS A total of 83 pts (19 extrahepatic bile duct cancer, 28 intrahepatic bile duct cancer, 32 gallbladder cancer and 4 ampullary carcinoma) were eligible for the study protocol defined analysis set (Full Analysis Set, FAS); GC-arm n=41 and G-arm n=42. Baseline characteristics were similar between the two arms: median ages were 65.0 vs 66.5, females were 56.1 vs 50.0%. All pts completed at least one cycle of therapy, yielding a total of 247 cycles (median 6) in GC vs 203 (median 4) in G. The overall response rates were 19.5% (95% CI: 8.8, 34.9) vs 11.9 (95% CI: 4.0, 25.6). The results on survival will be determined and presented at the meeting. The most commonly reported grade 3 or 4 toxicities were: neutropenia (56.1 vs 38.1%), thrombocytopenia (39.0 vs 7.1%), leukopenia (29.3 vs 19.0%), hemoglobin decrease (36.6 vs 16.7%) and γ-GTP increase (29.3 vs 35.7%). Grade 3 acute renal failure was reported in 1 pt on GC. CONCLUSIONS The combination therapy of GC would be an effective and well-tolerated chemotherapy regimen for Japanese pts with advanced BTC. [Table: see text].
Evaluation of extraction methods for the identification of proteins from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seed and flesh

ABSTRACT Date fruits are well known to be very nutritious. Nevertheless, the protein contents of the fruit, particularly the seed and flesh, are still understudied, largely due to their difficult physical characteristics. This study was conducted to compare three different protein extraction methods which were the trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-acetone (TCA-A), phenol (Phe), and TCA-acetone-phenol (TCA-A-Phe), and to perform proteomic analysis on date palm seed and flesh. Phe extraction method showed the highest protein yields for both seed (8.26 mg/g) and flesh (1.57 mg/g). Through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Phe, and TCA-A-Phe extraction methods were shown to be efficient in removing interfering compounds and gave well-resolved bands over a wide range of molecular weights. Following liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis, about 50–64% of extracted proteins were identified with known functions including those involved in glycolysis, Krebs cycle, defense, and storage. Phe protein extraction method was proven to be the optimal method for date flesh and seed.
Variation in slip on intersecting normal faults : Implications for paleostress inversion

Numerical models based on linear elasticity theory predict asymmetric slip distribution with a steep slip gradient near the line of intersection of intersecting normal faults. They also predict a discrepancy between the direction of slip on the fault plane and the direction of resolved shear stress. Both variations in slip magnitude and direction are due to mechanical interaction between the faults with intersecting patterns. These interactions cause local perturbations of the shear stress field acting on the plane of the adjacent fault. Field observations from the Chimney Rock area of central Utah show that slickensides on normal faults cutting the Navajo Sandstone change rake away from the expected downdip direction as the intersection line with adjacent faults is approached. The sense and magnitude of this change in orientation are similar to those computed by using the numerical models. The good correspondence between field observations and theoretical results from this paper not only provides insight into the mechanics of intersecting faults, but suggests that care is required when using standard inverse methods to compute paleostresses from slickenside data. The slickenside orientation near intersection lines will generally not be in the direction of the remote maximum shear stress as resolved on the fault plane. A parameter study of this change in orientation provides helpful results for evaluating field data prior to a paleostress analysis.
Confirmatory analysis of opinions regarding the pros and cons of mammography.

This investigation extends prior research to apply decision-making constructs from the transtheoretical model (TTM) of behavior change to mammography screening. Study subjects were 8,914 women ages 50-80, recruited from 40 primarily rural communities in Washington State. Structural equation modeling showed that favorable and unfavorable opinions about mammography (i.e., pros and cons) fit the observed data. Analysis of variance supported the associations between readiness to obtain screening (i.e., stage of adoption) and opinions about mammography (i.e., decisional balance) previously found in research using smaller samples from another geographic region. This report extends these earlier studies by using structural equation modeling, opinion scales based both on principal component analyses and on a priori definitions, a developmental sample and a confirmatory sample, and by sampling from a different geographic region. It is recommended that future research examine whether opinions regarding the cons of mammography are more individually specific than the pros.
Mechanisms of Clock Output in the Drosophila Circadian Pacemaker System

Molecular oscillations that underlie the circadian clock are coupled to different output signals by which daily rhythms in downstream events are evoked and/or synchronized. Here the authors review the literature that describes circadian output mechanisms in Drosophila. They begin at the most proximal level, within oscillator cells themselves, by surveying studies of rhythmic gene expression within Drosophila heads. Next the authors describe the several neuron groups that compose the circadian pacemaker network underlying rhythmic locomotor activity, and they detail current models of how that network is organized and coordinated. The authors outline the body of evidence that describes a role for the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) as a circadian transmitter in the fly brain. Finally, in the context of PDF, they consider studies that address mechanisms of signaling from the circadian pacemaker network to downstream neurons and nonneuronal cells that directly control rhythmic outputs.
An International, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Study of Valacyclovir for the Suppression of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Genital Herpes in Newly Diagnosed Patients

Background: Antiviral suppressive therapy of genital herpes is often initiated based on the established pattern of recurrences in an individual. Because most persons with first episode herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection experience recurrences and because viral shedding occurs frequently in the first year after infection, we examined the strategy of initiating suppressive therapy shortly after diagnosis of genital HSV-2 infection. Subjects and Methods: From June 16, 2004 to July 26, 2006, 384 subjects from 74 sites in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile who were newly diagnosed with a first recognized episode of genital herpes at the time of the screening visit or within 3 months before the screening visit were randomized (2:1) to receive valacyclovir 1 g once daily or placebo for 24 weeks. Subjects were instructed to return to clinic during suspected genital herpes outbreaks for clinician confirmation of recurrences. Results: Valacyclovir significantly prolonged the time to first recurrence of HSV-2 genital herpes in newly diagnosed subjects compared with placebo, with approximately 43% of subjects on placebo and 71% of subjects on valacyclovir recurrence-free at 24 weeks (P <0.001). Valacyclovir significantly reduced the mean number of genital HSV-2 recurrences per month occurring during the 24-week study period (0.11 for valacyclovir, 0.48 for placebo, P <0.001). Adverse events were comparable in the valacyclovir and placebo arms. Conclusion: Valacyclovir 1 g once daily administered for 24 weeks was well-tolerated and effective in suppressing genital herpes recurrences in immunocompetent newly diagnosed persons without an established recurrence pattern.
C4b-binding Protein Inhibits the Factor V-dependent but not the Factor V-independent Cofactor Activity of Protein S in the Activated Protein C-mediated Inactivation of Factor VIIIa

Summary Activated protein C (APC) is an important inactivator of coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. In the inactivation of factors Va and VIIIa, protein S serves as a cofactor to APC. Protein S can bind to C4b-binding protein (C4BP), and thereby loses its cofactor activity to APC. By modulating free protein S levels, C4BP is an important regulator of protein S cofactor activity. In the factor VIIIa inactivation, protein S and factor V act as synergistic cofactors to APC. We investigated the effect of C4BP on both the factor V-independent and factor V-dependent cofactor activity of protein S in the factor VIIIa inactivation using a purified system. Protein S increased the APC-mediated inactivation of factor VIIIa to 60% and in synergy with protein S, factor V at equi-molar concentrations increased this effect further to 90%. The protein S/factor V synergistic effect was inhibited by preincubation of protein S and factor V with a four-fold molar excess of C4BP. However, C4BP did not inhibit the factor V-independent protein S cofactor activity in the purified system whereas it inhibited the cofactor activity in plasma. We conclude that C4BP-bound protein S retains its cofactor activity to APC in the factor VIIIa inactivation.
An fMRI study comparing brain activation between word generation and electrical stimulation of language‐implicated acupoints

We compared the brain activation on functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during word generation with the activation during electrical stimulation of two language‐implicated acupoints in 17 healthy, Mandarin‐speaking, Chinese male volunteers (age 19–26 years). All subjects were strongly right handed according to a handedness inventory. Using a standard functional MRI procedure and a word‐generation paradigm, significant activation was seen in the left and right inferior frontal gyri (BA 44, 45) as well as the left superior temporal gyrus (BA 22, 42). Stronger activation with a larger volume was seen in the left hemisphere. Electrical stimulation of either one of the two language‐implicated acupoints, SJ 8 (11 subjects) and Du 15 (6 subjects), without the word‐generation paradigm in the same cohort, produced significant activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 44, 46) and in the left and right superior temporal gyri (BA 22, 42), respectively. Nevertheless, no activation was seen in the left inferior frontal gyrus. In addition, electrical stimulation of the adjacent non‐acupoints did not produce any significant brain activation. Although our results support the notion of acupoint–brain activation, applying acupuncture at SJ 8 or Du 15 does not activate the typical language areas in the left inferior frontal cortex. Hum. Brain Mapping 18:233–238, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evidence of Wastewater Treatment Plant Worker Biohazard Exposure and Health Symptom Responses

Raw sewage ordinarily contains various biohazards (disease-causing organisms and their products), such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths, and protozoa. Types, concentrations and survival of biohazards in sewage vary greatly depending on geographical and seasonal factors, and treatment levels within a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). A review was undertaken to identify evidence of biohazard exposures and health symptom responses in WWTP workers who may be at increased occupational risk compared to the general population. Studies from 1990 onwards identified the following WWTP equipment or tasks as the most important for biohazard exposures: pre-treatment equipment (either indoors or in confined areas), sludge dewatering equipment, worker tasks involving water used for cleaning and contact with raw sewage. Twenty-eight epidemiological observational studies were identified that compared various markers
Heterogeneity in turnover: The effect of relative compensation dispersion of firms on the mobility and entrepreneurship of extreme performers

We explore the strategic implications of firm compensation dispersion on the heterogeneous turnover outcomes of employee mobility and entrepreneurship. We theorize that individuals' turnover decisions are affected by the interaction of individual performance with the firm's compensation dispersion relative to its competitors. We test our theory using linked employer‐employee data from the legal services industry. We find that individuals with extreme high performance are less likely to leave firms that offer higher compensation dispersion than competitors, however, if they do leave these employers, they are more likely to create new ventures. In contrast, employees with extreme low performance are more likely to leave firms with more compensation dispersion than competitors, and these individuals are less likely to engage in new venture creation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A deuterium-hydrogen exchange study of inhibitor-induced conformational changes in ribonuclease A.

Deuterium-hydrogen exchange has been used to detect possible conformational changes accompanying the interaction of ribonuclease A with two competitive inhibitors: cytidine 3′-phosphate (Cyd-3′-P) and cytidine 2′-phosphate (Cyd-2′-P). An improvement of the cryosublimation technique was employed and combined with mass spectrometry measurements of sample deuterium content. Exchange kinetics were followed from 1 min to 24 h, at pH 6.5, and 38 °C (0.1 M NaCl). Two methods were used to present the data: a graphical exponential-curve-fitting and a numerical analysis. They both lead to the same conclusions. Four different classes of hydrogens were found. Among them, the one involving the instantaneously exchanged atoms is increased by about ten hydrogens after the binding of these inhibitors; the number of unexchanged hydrogens (within 24 h) is hardly altered in the presence of Cyd-3′-P whereas it is decreased by one third after the fixation of Cyd-2′-P. These exchange results suggest that both inhibitors induce in ribonuclease A conformational changes which may be correlated with inhibitor strength.
Tuberculous Spondylitis and Pyogenic Spondylitis: Comparative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features

Study Design. We retrospectively compared magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of tuberculous (TB) spondylitis and pyogenic spondylitis. Objective. To identify differences between the diseases. Summary of Background Data. Clinical and imaging findings of the 2 diseases are hard to distinguish. MRI may show important differences and aid in early diagnosis and treatment. Methods. We compared 22 MRI parameters in 33 patients with TB spondylitis (average age, 66 years) and in 33 patients with pyogenic spondylitis (average age, 65 years). Results. Seventeen parameters significantly differed between the groups. The most important were local and heterogeneous enhancement of the vertebral body in all patients with TB spondylitis, diffuse and homogeneous enhancement of the vertebral body in 94% of patients with pyogenic spondylitis, vertebral intraosseous abscess with rim enhancement (TB vs. pyogenic, 79% vs. 0%), disc abscess with rim enhancement (9% vs. 64%), and well-defined paraspinal abnormal signal intensity (82% vs. 18%). Conclusions. Most parameters occurred in both diseases. Distinctive findings were a pattern of bone destruction with relative disc preservation and heterogeneous enhancement for TB spondylitis and a diskitis pattern (disc destruction) with peridiscal bone destruction and homogeneous enhancement for pyogenic spondylitis. These MRI parameters may facilitate the differential diagnosis of these diseases.
Isolation and Characterization of Herbicide Resistant Mutants in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus R 2

für Naturforschung in cooperation with the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Dieses Werk wurde im Jahr 2013 vom Verlag Zeitschrift für Naturforschung in Zusammenarbeit mit der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. digitalisiert und unter folgender Lizenz veröffentlicht: Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 Lizenz. Isolation and Characterization of Herbicide Resistant Mutants in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus R2