Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SUSPENDED ANIMATION-LIKE STATE PROTECTS MICE FROM LETHAL HYPOXIA

Joseph Priestley observed the high burn rate of candles in pure oxygen and wondered if people would "live out too fast" if we were in the same environment. We hypothesize that sulfide, a natural reducer of oxygen that is made in many cell types, acts as a buffer to prevent unrestricted oxygen consumption. To test this, we administered sulfide in the form of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to mice (Mus musculus). As we have previously shown, H2S decreases the metabolic rate of mice by approximately 90% and induces a suspended animation-like state. Mice cannot survive for longer than 20 min when exposed to 5% oxygen. However, if mice are first put into a suspended animation-like state by a 20-min pretreatment with H2S and then are exposed to low oxygen, they can survive for more than 6.5 h in 5% oxygen with no apparent detrimental effects. In addition, if mice are exposed to a 20-min pretreatment with H2S followed by 1 h at 5% oxygen, they can then survive for several hours at oxygen tensions as low as 3%. We hypothesize that prior exposure to H2S reduces oxygen demand, therefore making it possible for the mice to survive with low oxygen supply. These results suggest that H2S may be useful to prevent damage associated with hypoxia.
Risk factors for overweight and obesity in young healthy adults during compulsory military service.

BACKGROUND In view of the rising prevalence of obesity, the identification of young adult populations at risk is important for the formulation of intervention and prevention programs. OBJECTIVES To assess demographic and behavioral factors associated with an increase in body mass index in young healthy adults and to identify the incidence of overweight/obesity in this population. METHODS Data on anthropometric measures, demographic characteristics, and health behaviors were collected retrospectively for a representative sample of young Israeli adults (11,391 men, 11,280 women) on their release from military service (age 20-22 years) between 1989 and 2003. The incidence of overweight (BMI < 25 < or =30 kg/m2), incidence of obesity (BMI > or =30 kg/m2), and increase in BMI during military service were calculated. RESULTS The average increase in BMI during military service was 1.11 kg/m2 in males and 1.08 kg/m2 in females. Agreater increase was positively associated with low paternal education and smoking cessation, and negatively associated with high physical activity. Twelve percent of subjects with a normal BMI on recruitment became overweight, and 21.7% of overweight subjects became obese. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, a higher incidence of overweight was associated with low education level (in both the subject and his or her father) in both genders, and non-use of oral contraceptives and low level of physical activity in females. CONCLUSIONS BMI appears to increase significantly during early adulthood. Intervention programs should be targeted specifically at subjects with low education or who started smoking before age 18, and physical activity (especially among females) should be encouraged.
EVALUATION OF ASTHMA CLINICS IN PRIMARY CARE IN KUWAIT

Aim: To determine the difference between asthmatics followed in asthma clinics , and asthmatics followed in non-asthma clinics in terms of knowledge about asthma definition, knowledge about provokers, proper inhaler technique, proper medication used and impact of asthma on life. Methods: This is a survey study conducted during the period of May 2005 to April 2006. The study included 136 Kuwaiti asthmatics, 12 years and above who are registered in asthma clinics distributed in different health areas. These cases were matched by age and sex with 136 controls collected from non-asthma ordinary primary care clinics. A specially designed questionnaire was developed based on five broad sections: socio-demographic characteristics, asthma history, asthma knowledge, effect of asthma on patient and finally patient satisfaction. Data were collected through interviews with cases in asthma clinics and controls in other clinics who came for asthma or other complaints. Results: The study showed that there is a significant difference between asthmatics in asthma clinics and those in non-asthma clinics in terms of knowledge about asthma as a disease and its most known provokers. They were more on proper medication especially anti-inflammatory and were more proficient in using the inhaler. Conclusion: Expanding asthma clinics can be used as an opportunity to improve asthma care at primary care level.
Two Isoforms of the T-cell Intracellular Antigen 1 (TIA-1) Splicing Factor Display Distinct Splicing Regulation Activities

TIA-1 (T-cell Intracellular Antigen 1) and TIAR (TIA-1-related protein) are RNA-binding proteins involved in the regulation of alternative pre-mRNA splicing and other aspects of RNA metabolism. Various isoforms of these proteins exist in mammals. For example, TIA-1 presents two major isoforms (TIA-1a and TIA-1b) generated by alternative splicing of exon 5 that differ by eleven amino acids exclusive of the TIA-1a isoform. Here we show that the relative expression of TIA-1 and TIAR isoforms varies in different human tissues and cell lines, suggesting distinct functional properties and regulated isoform expression. We report that whereas TIA-1 isoforms show similar subcellular distribution and RNA binding, TIA-1b displays enhanced splicing stimulatory activity compared with TIA-1a, both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, TIAR depletion from HeLa and mouse embryonic fibroblasts results in an increased ratio of TIA-1b/a expression, suggesting that TIAR regulates the relative expression of TIA-1 isoforms. Taken together, the results reveal distinct functional properties of TIA-1 isoforms and the existence of a regulatory network that controls isoform expression.
Changing Incentives to Publish

National incentive policies relate to increases in research article submissions and publications in Science. Many national governments have implemented policies providing incentives for researchers to publish, especially in highly ranked international journals. Although still the top publishing nation, the United States has seen its share of publications decline from 34.2% in 1995 to 27.6% in 2007 as the number of articles published by U.S. scientists and engineers has plateaued and that of other countries has grown (1, 2). Hicks (3) argues that the two events are not unrelated: The decline in the relative performance of the United States relates to increased international competition engendered by newly adopted incentives that have crowded out some work by U.S. authors.
General Theory versus ENA Theory

General theory attributes criminal behavior primarily to low self-control, whereas evolutionary neuroandrogenic (ENA) theory envisions criminality as being a crude form of status-striving promoted by high brain exposure to androgens. General theory predicts that self-control will be negatively correlated with risk-taking, while ENA theory implies that these two variables should actually be positively correlated. According to ENA theory, traits such as pain tolerance and muscularity will be posi-tively associated with risk-taking and criminality while general theory makes no predictions concerning these relationships. Data from Malaysia and the United States are used to test 10 hypotheses derived from one or both of these theories. As predicted by both theories, risk-taking was positively correlated with criminality in both countries. However, contrary to general theory and consistent with ENA theory, the correlation between self-control and risk-taking was positive in both countries. General theory’s prediction of an inverse correlation between low self-control and criminality was largely supported by the U.S. data but only weakly supported by the Malaysian data. ENA theory’s predictions of positive correlations between pain tolerance, muscularity, and offending were largely confirmed. For the 10 hypotheses tested, ENA theory surpassed general theory in predictive scope and accuracy.
Nitric oxide is involved in the expression of neocortical spike‐and‐wave spindling episodes in DBA/2J mice

This study investigated the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in the development of neocortical spike‐and‐wave spindling episodes (S&W) of DBA/2J mice. The administration of distilled water did not modify either the number or duration of S&W in DBA/2J mice during the whole recording period (240min). l‐NG‐nitro arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) (3–300 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) dose‐dependently reduced the S&W of DBA/2J mice. This effect appeared 30 min after drug administration and lasted for the duration of the recording period (240min). In addition, L‐NAME treatment did not induce significant alterations of stereotyped behaviour such as licking, sniffing, chewing or tremors of the head and body and behavioural excitability, whereas the electroencephalogram desynchronized pattern was also significantly reduced. By contrast d‐NG‐nitro arginine methyl ester at the same doses did not affect S&W of mice. The inhibitory effect of L‐NAME on S&W of mice was dose‐dependently reversed by l‐arginine (L‐ARG, 3–300 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) but not by d‐arginine. Finally, glyceryl trinitrate on its own (3–300 μg/mouse, i.c.v.) significantly increased the S&W of mice and it was also able to reverse the inhibition on S&W of mice operated by L‐NAME. These results provide evidence that NO may play a significant role in the development of brain excitability.
fMRI-Determined Language Lateralization in Patients with Unilateral or Mixed Language Dominance According to the Wada Test

Due to the reported variability of the language laterality index (LI) across fMRI studies, reliable distinction between patients with unilateral and mixed language dominance is currently not possible, preventing clinical implementation of fMRI as a replacement for the invasive Wada test. Variability of the LI may be related to differences in experimental and control tasks, and statistical methodology. The goal of this study was to improve detection power of fMRI for hemispheric language dominance by using a combined analysis of four different language tasks (CTA), that has previously shown more reliable and robust Lls in groups of normal volunteers than individual task analyses (see Ramsey et al). The CTA targets brain areas that are common to different language tasks, thereby focusing on areas that are critical for language processing. Further advantage of the CTA is that it is relatively independent of specific task and control conditions. 18 patients with typical (i.e., left-sided, n = 11) and atypical (i.e., right-sided or mixed, respectively, n = 3 and n = 4) language dominance according to the Wada test underwent fMRI (groups respectively denoted as WadaL, WadaR, and WadaM patients). Statistical methodology (including thresholding of activity maps) was fixed to assure a user-independent approach. CTA yielded better results than any of the individual task analyses: it was more robust (on average 2.5 times more brain activity was detected due to its higher statistical power) and more reliable (concordance for WadaL, WadaM and WadaR patients was respectively 10/11 (91%), 3/4 (75%), and 2/3 patients (67%)). Overall, a significant correlation was observed between frontal and temporoparietal LIs. Remarkably, brain activity for WadaM patients was significantly lower than for WadaL or WadaR patients, and a dissociation in lateralization was observed between frontal (right-sided) and temporoparietal (left-sided) activity in three of four patients. Of the individual task analyses, the verb generation task yielded best results for patients with unilateral language dominance (same concordance as CTA). However, in contrast to CTA results, the verb generation task was unable to identify WadaM patients (concordance in one of four patients). In conclusion, the CTA is a promising approach for clinical implementation of fMRI for the prediction of hemispheric language dominance.
Fine structure of the male genital system of the predatory mite Rhagidia halophila (Rhagidiidae, Prostigmata, Actinotrichida)

The male genital system of the actinotrichid mite Rhagidia halophila is described and compared with other mites and arachnids. The large testes are composed of germinal and glandular parts and produce numerous small sperm cells. The glandular parts are connected via a testicular bridge. Spermiogenesis occurs in cysts containing spermatids in equal stages of development. Cysts of spermatids are embedded in huge somatic cells. The nuclei of the spermatids loose their envelope. Mature sperm cells are simple exhibiting a ring‐shaped chromatin body and lacking an acrosomal complex. They are most similar to the sperm cells of the related mite Linopodes motatorius. The spermatopositor contains the ejaculatory duct divided into a dorsal channel and a ventral channel that are connected via a narrow passage. At its distal end, the spermatopositor is divided into three eugenital lips. The function of the spermatopositor during deposition of the peculiar thread‐like spermatophores is discussed. Details of the sensilla of the spermatopositor and the progenital lips are reported. The genital papillae located on the inner side of the progenital lips exhibit characteristics of cells performing transport of ions and/or water. The results confirm the overall similarity of actinotrichid genital systems, which is profoundly different from that of anactinotrichid mites. With reference to other Arachnida it is corroborated that testes and sperm structure of Actinotrichida are most similar to that of Solifugae. However, synapomorphies between sperm cells of Rhagidia and Solifugae that could suggest a closer relationship between these two taxa as was suggested in earlier studies were not recognizable. On the contrary, the sperm cells of Rh. halophila being devoid of an acrosomal complex appeared to be more apomorphic than those of many other actinotrichid mites as well as Solifugae. J. Morphol. 276:832–859, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Political Economy of Financial Systems: Evidence from Suffrage Reforms in the Last Two Centuries

Initially, voting rights were limited to wealthy elites providing political support for stock markets. The franchise expansion induces the median voter to provide political support for banking development as this new electorate has lower financial holdings and benefits less from the uncertainty and financial returns from stock markets. Our panel data evidence covering 1830-1999 shows that tighter restrictions on the voting franchise induce a greater stock market development, whereas a broader voting franchise is more conducive towards the banking sector, consistent with Perotti and von Thadden (2006). Our results are robust to controlling for other political determinants and endogeneity.
Mental health of workers and volunteers responding to events of 9/11: review of the literature.

BACKGROUND Disaster workers responding to the events of September 11th were exposed to traumatic events. No study has systematically investigated the diverse mental health status and needs of the heterogeneous population of disaster workers responding to the events of September 11th. METHODS Using PubMed and Medline and the search terms of "September 11, 2001" or "September 11" or "9/11"or "WTC" or "World Trade Center", the authors reviewed all articles that examined the mental health outcomes of workers at one of the three September 11th crash sites or the Fresh Kills landfill in New York City. RESULTS In total, 25 articles met study inclusion criteria, often using different methodologies. The articles described varying degrees of mental health symptomatology, risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes, and utilization of mental health services. CONCLUSIONS The mental health needs of workers exposed to the events of September 11th ranged from little to no care to pharmacotherapy. A range of risk factors, including exposures at the WTC site and occupational activities, impacted on these needs but the role of specific mental health interventions was less clear. These findings suggest the need for a future program for disaster workers consisting of an accessible mental health treatment service supported by comprehensive postdisaster surveillance and emphasis on pre-disaster mental wellness. A number of areas for further consideration and study were identified, including the need for a more diverse exploration of involved responder populations as well as investigation of potential mental health outcomes beyond post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Entorhinal theta phase precession sculpts dentate gyrus place fields

It is known that the hippocampus facilitates memory formation and spatial representation and that hippocampal place cells establish spatial representations with firing activity modulated in terms of ‘theta phase precession’. Clarifying how these spatial and temporal activities interact to process information is essential for a more coherent understanding of the way the hippocampus works. Recently, it has been reported that layer II entorhinal cortical cells, which mediate the majority of the cortical inputs to the dentate gyrus (DG), located at the gate of the hippocampus, fire with theta phase precession according to a grid‐like pattern. Here we hypothesize that the temporal code of entorhinal grid neurons firing with theta phase precession provides selectivity in input integration of dentate neurons to support the emergence of place fields. Our large‐scale network model analyses demonstrated that, by assuming coincidence detection properties of dentate neurons, grid fields are reliably transformed to place fields in a novel environment. Furthermore, global remapping of place fields in sequential experiences of environments can be obtained in agreement with known experimental observation. These findings indicate a critical role of temporal coding for space computation in the entorhinal‐hippocampal system. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Output tracking of a class of stochastic nonlinear systems via output-feedback control

This paper addresses the problem of output feedback tracking control for a class of stochastic high-order nonlinear systems. By using the homogeneous domination technique, an output tracking controller is designed to guarantee that the tracking error can be made arbitrarily small while all the states of the closed-loop system remain to be bounded in probability. Finally, a simulation example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design scheme.
Methylselenocysteine – a promising antiangiogenic agent for overcoming drug delivery barriers in solid malignancies for therapeutic synergy with anticancer drugs

Introduction: Despite progress, chemotherapeutic response in solid malignancies has remained limited. Although initial results of the use of antiangiogenic agents in combination chemotherapy indicated an enhanced therapeutic response, recent data indicate that the surviving cancer is not only able to surmount therapy, but also actually able to adapt a more aggressive metastatic phenotype. Thus, selecting an antiangiogenic agent that is less likely to lead to tumor resurgence is a key to future therapeutic success of antiangiogenic agents in a combinatorial setting. Areas covered: Against the broad spectrum of antiangiogenic agents used at present in the clinic, the putative benefits of the use of organoselenium compounds, such as methylselenocysteine (MSC), are discussed in this review. Expert opinion: MSC, being part of the mammalian physiology, is a well-tolerated, versatile and economical antiangiogenic agent. It downregulates multiple key upstream tumor survival markers, and enhances tumor drug delivery, at a given systemic dose of an anticancer agent, while protecting normal tissue from cytotoxic adverse effects. Further clinical trials, especially in poorly differentiated cancers, are warranted.
An Empire's New Holy Land: The Byzantine Period

Here we learn of the transformation of a poor step-child into a favored daughter. The archaeology of the Byzantine Period used to be "too late" for those interested in the Biblical periods and "too early" for those scholars specialized in the remains of Islamic civilization. Now that situation has been totally transformed by a wide-ranging burst of archaeological energy involving a broad range of specialists and perspectives. In his detailed summary of the main currents and fruits of research into the material remains of Byzantine Palestine, Tom Parker begins his historical review with Diocletian to provide a more well-founded sense of the political processes that shaped the transformation of culture in the region. A summary of significant inscriptions and the implications to be drawn from the sophisticated archaeological surveys that have been accomplished in recent years leads to a review of excavations, including that new focus on smaller, rural settlements. Then the treatment shifts to the architecture, pottery and other material remains that have now been recovered, concluding with an evaluation of the impact of archaeological research on historical understandings of the period.
Salience and contrast effects in reference resolution: The interpretation of Dutch pronouns and demonstratives

We report three experiments on reference resolution in Dutch. The results of two off-line experiments and an eye-tracking study suggest that the interpretation of different referential forms—in particular, “emphatic” strong pronouns, weak pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns—cannot be satisfactorily explained in terms of a single feature of the antecedent. The findings show that while the different preferences of demonstratives pronouns and nonemphatic personal pronouns correlate with the antecedent's grammatical role, the distinction between strong/emphatic personal pronouns and weak personal pronouns cannot be satisfactorily explained by grammatical role. The results suggest that the strong form is sensitive to the presence of contrastive, switched topics. These findings indicate that the form-specific multiple-constraints approach (e.g., Kaiser & Trueswell, 2008) can be extended to the strong/weak distinction and contrast sensitivity. We also discuss the implications of these results for the nature of the form-function mapping in anaphoric paradigms from a Gricean perspective.
Phytochemical and antioedematogenic studies of commercial copaiba oils available in Brazil

The composition of eight samples of commercial copaiba oils, used in the Amazonian region as antiinflammatory agents and available in popular markets, were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HRGC‐MS). Major differences were observed in their chemical composition and some adulterations were pointed out. When tested in vivo oils 1 and 3, and to a lesser extent oil 6, significantly inhibited bradykinin‐induced oedema formation. The other tested oils had no effect. When assessed in carrageenan‐induced oedema formation, oils 1, 2 and 6, but not oil 3, significantly attenuated the oedema formation. The other tested oils failed to affect carrageenan‐induced paw oedema. Oils 1 and 6 were further fractionated and several sesquiterpenes and diterpenes were detected. It is suggested that the naturally occurring sesquiterpenes present in the copaiba oils seem to be responsible for the antiinflammatory action reported in the folk medicine. Furthermore, our results clearly show an adulteration in copaiba oils available in Brazil. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.