Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autonomie Control of Penile Erection: Modulation by Testosterone in the Rat

The role of testosterone on peripheral autonomie control of penile erection was studied in rats. Erectile response to cavernous nerve stimulation was measured by intracavernous pressure associated with arterial blood pressure monitoring in anesthetized adult males. Comparison was performed between control (Co), castrated (Ox) and castrated, testosterone‐replaced (OxT) rats. Ox rats exhibited smaller erectile responses. Testosterone replacement restored these responses in OxT rats. To identify the peripheral target of testosterone, postganglionic neurons of the major pelvic ganglion, innervating the corpora cavernosa through the cavernous nerves, were separated from the spinal cord by preganglionic axotomy of the pelvic nerves in three other groups of rats (PNx). Erectile response was unchanged in PNx rats, decreased in OxPNx more than in Ox rats, and restored by testosterone replacement (OxPNxT rats). We ruled out the participation of a somatic component in the erectile response in this model as there was no difference between curarized and Co rats. We infer that testosterone enhances the erectile response of cavernous nerve stimulation, acting peripherally to the spinal cord. Arguments are provided that the sites of action for testosterone or its metabolites are situated on neurons rather than on penile erectile tissue. Proerectile postganglionic parasympathetic neurons seem to be the exact target for gonadal steroids.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Japanese ornamental koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and its implication for the history of koi

Abstract Complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences were determined for two individuals of Japanese ornamental koi carp. Interestingly, the obtained mitogenomes (16,581 bp) were both completely identical to the recently reported mitogenome of Oujiang color carp from China. Control region (CR) sequences in DNA database demonstrated that more than half (65%) of the koi carp individuals so far reported had partial or complete CR sequences identical to those from Oujiang color carp. These results might suggest that the Japanese koi carp has been originated from Chinese Oujiang color carp, contrary to the belief in Japan that the koi carps have been developed directly from carp stocks in Japan. In any case, the present results emphasize the importance of analyzing Oujiang color carp when studying the origin of koi carp.
White Sharks Exploit the Sun during Predatory Approaches

There is no conclusive evidence of any nonhuman animal using the sun as part of its predation strategy. Here, we show that the world’s largest predatory fish—the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)—exploits the sun when approaching baits by positioning the sun directly behind them. On sunny days, sharks reversed their direction of approach along an east-west axis from morning to afternoon but had uniformly distributed approach directions during overcast conditions. These results show that white sharks have sufficient behavioral flexibility to exploit fluctuating environmental features when predating. This sun-tracking predation strategy has a number of potential functional roles, including improvement of prey detection, avoidance of retinal overstimulation, and predator concealment.
The Importance of User Ownership and Positive User Attitudes in the Successful Adoption of Community Information Systems

The factors that influence the ultimate level of success or failure of systems development projects have received considerable attention in the academic literature. However, despite the existence of a ‘best practice’ literature many projects still fail. The record of the National Health Service has been particularly poor in this respect. The research reported in this paper proposes that two additional factors; user ownership and positive user attitudes warrant further development and investigation. The current study investigated these two factors in a homogenous organisational sector, Community NHS Trusts, using a common type of information system, in order to eliminate the potentially confounding influences of sector and system. A multiple case-study design incorporating five Community Healthcare Trusts was utilised. The key results from the analysis indicated that both user ownership and positive user attitudes were important mediating variables that were crucial to the success of a CIS. In addition, it was also identified that the adoption of best practice variables had a dual role, directly influencing the level of perceived success but also facilitating the development of user ownership and positive user attitudes. These results will be of particular interest to practising IM&T managers in the NHS and also to the wider academic research community.
Piperlongumine Induces Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Dependent Downregulation of Specificity Protein Transcription Factors

Piperlongumine is a natural product found in the plant species Piper longum, and this compound exhibits potent anticancer activity in multiple tumor types and has been characterized as an inducer of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Treatment of Panc1 and L3.6pL pancreatic, A549 lung, 786-O kidney, and SKBR3 breast cancer cell lines with 5 to 15 μmol/L piperlongumine inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis and ROS, and these responses were attenuated after cotreatment with the antioxidant glutathione. Piperlongumine also downregulated expression of Sp1, Sp3, Sp4, and several pro-oncogenic Sp-regulated genes, including cyclin D1, survivin, cMyc, EGFR and hepatocyte growth factor receptor (cMet), and these responses were also attenuated after cotreatment with glutathione. Mechanistic studies in Panc1 cells showed that piperlongumine-induced ROS decreased expression of cMyc via an epigenetic pathway, and this resulted in downregulation of cMyc-regulated miRNAs miR-27a, miR-20a, and miR-17 and induction of the transcriptional repressors ZBTB10 and ZBTB4. These repressors target GC-rich Sp-binding sites to decrease transactivation. This pathway observed for piperlongumine in Panc1 cells has previously been reported for other ROS-inducing anticancer agents and shows that an important underlying mechanism of action of piperlongumine is due to downregulation of Sp1, Sp3, Sp4, and pro-oncogenic Sp-regulated genes. Cancer Prev Res; 10(8); 467–77. ©2017 AACR.
An Evaluation of the ALOS PALSAR L-Band Backscatter—Above Ground Biomass Relationship Queensland, Australia: Impacts of Surface Moisture Condition and Vegetation Structure

Focusing on woody vegetation in Queensland, Australia, the study aimed to establish whether the relationship between Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array L-band SAR (PALSAR) HH and HV backscattering coefficients and above ground biomass (AGB) was consistent within and between structural formations (forests, woodlands and open woodlands, including scrub). Across these formations, 2781 plot-based measurements (from 1139 sites) of tree diameters by species were collated, from which AGB was estimated using generic allometric equations. For Queensland, PALSAR fine beam dual (FBD) 50 m strip data for 2007 were provided through the Japanese Space Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Kyoto and Carbon (K&C) Initiative, with up to 3 acquisitions available for each Reference System for Planning (RSP) paths. When individual strips acquired over Queensland were combined, `banding' was evident within the resulting mosaics, with this attributed to enhanced L-band backscatter following rainfall events in some areas. Reference to Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) data indicated that strips with enhanced L-band backscatter corresponded to areas with increased effective vegetation water content (kg m-2) and, to a lesser extent, soil moisture (g cm-3). Regardless of moisture conditions, L-band HV topographically normalized backscattering intensities backscatter (σfo) increased asymptotically with AGB, with the saturation level being greatest for forests and least for open woodlands. However, under conditions of relative maximum surface moisture, L-band HV and HH σfo was enhanced by as much as 2.5 and 4.0 dB respectively, particularly for forests of lower AGB, with this resulting in an overall reduction in dynamic range. The saturation level also reduced at L-band HH for forests and woodlands but remained similar for open woodlands. Differences in the rate of increase in both L-band HH and HV σfo with AGB were observed between forests and the woodland categories (for both relatively wet and dry conditions) with these attributed, in part, to differences in the size class distribution and stem density between non-remnant (secondary) forests and remnant woodlands of lower AGB. The study concludes that PALSAR data acquired when surface moisture and rainfall are minimal allow better estimation of the AGB of woody vegetation and that retrieval algorithms ideally need to consider differences in surface moisture conditions and vegetation structure.
External-rotor 6–10 switched reluctance motor for an electric bicycle

As a cost-effective, healthy, and environmentally friendly personal mode of transportation, electric bicycles (E-bikes) are gaining an increasing market share from conventional bicycles and automobiles in urban communities. At the same time, the simple structure, high torque and power density, as well as low cost of switched reluctance machines (SRM) make them a strong candidate for E-bikes. This paper presents a 3-phase, external-rotor SRM with 6 stator poles and 10 rotor poles (6-10), designed for an E-bike application. The SRM design and simulation is initiated by evaluation of the bicycle kinematics. Analytic estimates are used to determine machine main dimensions and output power equation, followed by comprehensive finite element analysis (FEA). A torque ripple reduction control is presented and detailed thermal analysis conducted to improve the design.
Microbiological quality of drinking water from dispensers in roadside restaurants of Bangladesh.

The microbiological status of water from dispensers in different roadside restaurants of Dhaka city and Savar area was analyzed in this study. Seven samples from Dhaka and 8 samples of Savar were checked. The heterotrophic plate count was in a range of 1.0 x 10(3) CFU mL(-1) to 2.0 x 10(4) CFU mL(-1) (from new bottles), 1.0 x 10(3) to 1.5 x 10(4) CFU mL(-1) (after dispensation), and 1.5 x 10(3) CFU mL(-1) to 1.0 x l0(5) CFU mL(-1) (from serving glass). In several of the samples, the heterotrophic plate count was higher than the count in water from new bottle or after dispensation, suggesting added contamination from the serving glass. 80% of the samples were contaminated with total and fecal coliform bacteria, which render these waters unacceptable for human consumption. The samples were found to contain gram negative bacteria like E coli, Shigella sp. , Klebsiella sp. , Enterobacter sp. , Pseudomonas sp. , and Salmonella sp. , which are potential pathogens and thus pose a serious threat to public health. This study elucidates the importance of monitoring the bottling companies and the restaurants and put them under strict regulations to prevent future outbreak of any water borne diseases caused by consumption of dispensed water.
Optimal Monetary Policy in an Open Emerging Market Economy

The majority of households across emerging market economies are excluded from the financial markets and cannot smooth consumption. I analyze the implications of this for optimal monetary policy and the corresponding choice of domestic versus external nominal anchor in a small open economy framework with nominal rigidities, aggregate uncertainty and financial exclusion. I find that, if set optimally, monetary policy smooths the consumption of financially excluded agents by stabilizing their income. Even though Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation targeting approximates optimal monetary policy when financial inclusion is high, targeting the exchange rate is appropriate if financial inclusion is limited. Nominal exchange rate stability, upon shocks that create trade-offs for monetary policy, directly stabilizes the import component of financially excluded agents’ consumption baskets, which smooths their consumption and reduces macroeconomic volatility. This study provides a counterpoint to Milton Friedman’s long-standing argument for a float.
Pseudohysteresis in a Universal AV Sequential Pacemaker

We describe pacemaker pauses and pseudohysteresis resulting from sensing of retrograde P waves in a patient with an implanted AV sequential universal pacemaker. Although retrograde P waves are usually followed by a ventricular spike and therefore create the possibility for “endless loop tachycardia,” in our patient some retrograde P waves which followed premature ventricuiar contractions or junctional beats produced pacemaker pauses. The reason for the occurrence of this phenomenon is that the sum of the VA conduction time and the AV delay is shorter than the pacemaker's hardware rate limit. Therefore, the ventricular spike that should follow the retrograde P wave is inhibited. In the pacemaker used by us, the atrial refractory period is only initiated by an atrial event, allowing the pacemaker to sense retrograde P waves occurring after premature junctional or ventricular depolarizations. Although no therapy is needed for the phenomenon described, it is important to understand its true significance and to avoid unnecessary surgical procedures.
The Impact of Medical Marijuana Legalization on Violent Crime

Since the mid 90s 20 US states and DC have legalized medical marijuana, and similar reforms are being contemplated in several other states. To evaluate the pros and cons of medical marijuana reform it is important to know its impact on the well being of society as a whole. In the present thesis I hypothesize that medical marijuana legalization has lead to lower violence rates, based on a review of prior research suggesting that stricter illicit drug law enforcement may increase violence rates, and evaluate this hypothesis empirically. The impact of legalization on various city level violence rates as well as heroin/cocaine distribution and possession is estimated using a robust fixed effects framework. Additionally the synthetic control group approach is used to estimate the impact on the state homicide rate. The data employed is a panel of 540 US cities divided over 12 legalizing and 34 non-legalizing states (1980-2010). The results suggest that medical marijuana legalization is on average associated with a drastic decrease in drug-related and alcohol induced homicides and a large contraction of the heroin/cocaine market. The estimated impacts on these variables are larger in states with lenient medical marijuana legislation and high user rates, and significantly negative and very large estimated impacts are found in some of these states also for the overall homicide rate. The impact of legalization is null or in some cases even positive in states with stricter medical marijuana laws. These results indicate that medical marijuana reform can produce substantial positive externalities to violence rates and hard drug use, but suggest that these will not be realized if the boundaries of medical marijuana legalization are too clearly defined and/or legalization is coupled with stricter enforcement of hard drug laws.
Intentional injury mortality in the European Union: how many more lives could be saved?

Objective: To explore the scope for reducing the number of intentional injury deaths, hypothesizing that all European Union (EU) countries are able to match the experience of the country with the lowest mortality rate for intentional injuries. Design: Intentional injury mortality data for the three last available years and denominator population estimates were obtained from the World Health Organisation mortality database for the 22 EU countries with more than one million population. To estimate the potential saving of lives, the yearly average age adjusted injury mortality rates were calculated. This issue done for children (0–14), adults (15–64), and elderly people (65 and over), both including and excluding deaths from undetermined cause. Main outcome measures: Number of lives that might potentially be saved if all EU member states matched the lowest intentional injury rate reported by an EU member state. Results: Over 73% of all intentional injury deaths could have been avoided if all EU countries matched the country with the lowest intentional injury mortality rate. EU member states would have suffered about 600 fewer intentional injury deaths in children, about 40 000 fewer adult deaths, and over 14 000 fewer intentional injury deaths in the elderly. This amounts to over 55 000 lives in a single year. Conclusions: Many lives lost through injury might be saved if all countries were to achieve the lowest intentional injury mortality rates reported in the EU. How this theoretical observation might be translated into practice needs to be further explored as the international variation in intentional injury mortality rates in the EU results from a range of factors.
Epigenetics and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic modifications, including changes in DNA methylation, covalent modifications of histone tails, and gene silencing mediated by non-coding RNA molecules, play a substantial role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and might be seen as the result of environmental insults that trigger these conditions. Studies in cells and tissues of patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), and particularly in Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), are increasingly revealing altered epigenetic marks and resultant deregulation of gene expression levels, but the available data are still limited to be translated into the clinical settings. Particularly, genome-wide methylation and histone tail modification screenings are limited to a few studies in GD patients, and the diagnostic values of the observed epigenetic changes or their potential prognostic utility are still unclear. Similarly, data concerning microRNA expression in AITD patients are largely descriptive and not yet translated into the clinics. In addition, studies relating certain environmental exposures to specific epigenetic changes in AITD and studies evaluating the crosstalk between different epigenetic mechanisms are largely missing. In summary, despite that there is a clear evidence of epigenetic impairment in AITD, further research is required for a better understanding of the epigenetic networks involved in disease pathogenesis, thereby opening the way for potential diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as for epigenetic interventions in the patients.
The Therapeutic Potential of the Internet: Exploring Self-Help Processes in an Internet Forum for Young People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The Internet has provided new opportunities for young people with inflammatory bowel disease to access diverse information and support, and communicate with fellow sufferers through the means of online patient support groups. The study presented in this article is the first to examine communication processes in an online support group for young people with inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of the study was to examine the frequency and use of self-help mechanisms in communication within the online group. Content analysis was performed on a sample of 1,505 messages posted to the online support group. Results revealed that similar to face-to-face support groups, the online group offered patients the opportunity to utilize a variety of self-help mechanisms. Specifically, the group seemed to provide a unique avenue through which participants could connect with other young people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease and share personal experiences and information related to their condition. These findings suggest that online support groups may provide a novel and beneficial medium through which young people with inflammatory bowel disease can fulfill their support needs, and those involved in their care, such as nurses, may play an important role in discussing the advantages or disadvantages of this increasingly popular form of support. Further research is needed to examine the psychosocial effects of accessing such groups.
PACE trial claims for recovery in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome – true or false? It’s time for an independent review of the methodology and results

The PACE trial set out to discover whether cognitive behaviour therapy and graded exercise therapy are safe and effective forms of treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. It concluded that these interventions could even result in recovery. However, patient evidence has repeatedly found that cognitive behaviour therapy is ineffective and graded exercise therapy can make the condition worse. The PACE trial methodology has been heavily criticised by clinicians, academics and patients. A re-analysis of the data has cast serious doubts on the recovery rates being claimed. The trust of patients has been lost. The medical profession must start listening to people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome if trust is going to be restored.
A diagnostic nomogram for delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction in sickle cell disease

Diagnosis of delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions (DHTR), one of the most dreaded complications of transfusion in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), is challenging and not straightforward. Current diagnostic approaches are complex and not consensual; they are based on assessment of hemoglobin (Hb) drop and enhanced hemolysis, features also seen during classical vaso‐occlusive events. In this observational study, we tested the hypothesis that the rate of decline in HbA after an index transfusion is a surrogate marker for the destruction of transfused RBC, which could be used diagnostically. We examined 421 transfusion episodes (in 128 patients of a French referral center for SCD) for which an Hb electrophoresis was obtained within 1 week following an index transfusion and repeated within 2 months (before a subsequent scheduled transfusion or during an acute complication). Chart review found DHTR to be present in 26 cases (6.2%), absent in 389 cases (92.4%), and possible in six cases (1.4%). As expected, DHTR was associated with accelerated hemolysis (increased serum bilirubin and lactic dehydrogenase concentrations) and a decline in total Hb as compared to the early post‐transfusion value. However, the decline in HbA concentration appeared more effective in segregating between patients without DHTR and others. We propose a diagnostic nomogram for DHTR based on Hb A as a biologic marker of the survival of transfused RBCs. Am. J. Hematol. 91:1181–1184, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spousal caregiver confidence and recovery from ambulatory activity limitations in stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether spousal confidence in care-recipient recovery can predict recovery from activity limitations following stroke and how spousal confidence relates to stroke survivor self-efficacy for recovery. DESIGN A prospective design was used. Measures were gathered from stroke survivor/spouse dyads at two time points, both postdischarge from the hospital following stroke (N=109). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The dependent variable was recovery from ambulatory activity limitations over 6 weeks, as measured by the Functional Limitations Profile. A single spousal confidence item was tailored to an ambulatory behavior that the stroke survivors could not perform at Time 1. RESULTS Spousal confidence was correlated with ambulation recovery (r=-0.23, p<.05) and stroke survivor self-efficacy for recovery (r=.25, p<.05). Higher spousal confidence was associated with a better recovery and greater stroke survivor self-efficacy for recovery, but not with initial health status or practical support received. CONCLUSION The relationship between caregiver confidence, care-recipient self-efficacy for recovery, and recovery outcomes needs further elucidation.