Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accurate modelling of unsteady flows in collapsible tubes

The context of this paper is the development of a general and efficient numerical haemodynamic tool to help clinicians and researchers in understanding of physiological flow phenomena. We propose an accurate one-dimensional Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RK-DG) method coupled with lumped parameter models for the boundary conditions. The suggested model has already been successfully applied to haemodynamics in arteries and is now extended for the flow in collapsible tubes such as veins. The main difference with cardiovascular simulations is that the flow may become supercritical and elastic jumps may appear with the numerical consequence that scheme may not remain monotone if no limiting procedure is introduced. We show that our second-order RK-DG method equipped with an approximate Roe's Riemann solver and a slope-limiting procedure allows us to capture elastic jumps accurately. Moreover, this paper demonstrates that the complex physics associated with such flows is more accurately modelled than with traditional methods such as finite difference methods or finite volumes. We present various benchmark problems that show the flexibility and applicability of the numerical method. Our solutions are compared with analytical solutions when they are available and with solutions obtained using other numerical methods. Finally, to illustrate the clinical interest, we study the emptying process in a calf vein squeezed by contracting skeletal muscle in a normal and pathological subject. We compare our results with experimental simulations and discuss the sensitivity to parameters of our model.
Imputation of microsatellite alleles from dense SNP genotypes for parentage verification across multiple Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds

To assist cattle producers transition from microsatellite (MS) to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping for parental verification we previously devised an effective and inexpensive method to impute MS alleles from SNP haplotypes. While the reported method was verified with only a limited data set (N = 479) from Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, and Jersey cattle, some of the MS-SNP haplotype associations were concordant across these phylogenetically diverse breeds. This implied that some haplotypes predate modern breed formation and remain in strong linkage disequilibrium. To expand the utility of MS allele imputation across breeds, MS and SNP data from more than 8000 animals representing 39 breeds (Bos taurus and B. indicus) were used to predict 9410 SNP haplotypes, incorporating an average of 73 SNPs per haplotype, for which alleles from 12 MS markers could be accurately be imputed. Approximately 25% of the MS-SNP haplotypes were present in multiple breeds (N = 2 to 36 breeds). These shared haplotypes allowed for MS imputation in breeds that were not represented in the reference population with only a small increase in Mendelian inheritance inconsistancies. Our reported reference haplotypes can be used for any cattle breed and the reported methods can be applied to any species to aid the transition from MS to SNP genetic markers. While ~91% of the animals with imputed alleles for 12 MS markers had ≤1 Mendelian inheritance conflicts with their parents' reported MS genotypes, this figure was 96% for our reference animals, indicating potential errors in the reported MS genotypes. The workflow we suggest autocorrects for genotyping errors and rare haplotypes, by MS genotyping animals whose imputed MS alleles fail parentage verification, and then incorporating those animals into the reference dataset.
TIME DISCRIMINATION IN A MONOTONIC, ISOCHRONOUS SEQUENCE

In acoustic communication timing seems to be an exceedingly important aspect. The just noticeable difference (jnd) for small perturbations of an isochronous sequence of sounds is particularly important in music, in which such sequences frequently occur. This article reviews the literature in the area and presents an experiment designed to resolve some conflicting results in the literature regarding the tempo dependence for quick tempi and relevance of music experience. The jnd for a perturbation of the timing of a tone appearing in an isochronous sequence was examined by the method of adjustment. Thirty listeners of varied musical background were asked to adjust the position of the fourth tone in a sequence of six, such that they heard the sequence as perfectly isochronous. The tones were presented at a constant interonset time that was varied between 100 and 1000 ms. The absolute jnd was found to be approximately constant at 6 ms for tone interonset intervals shorter than about 240 ms and the relative jnd constant at 2.5% of the tone interonsets above 240 ms. Subjects’ musical training did not affect these values. Comparison with previous work showed that a constant absolute jnd below 250 ms and constant relative jnd above 250 ms tend to appear regardless of the perturbation type, at least if the sequence is relatively short.
EL ABSENTISMO EN LA ENSEÑANZA UNIVERSITARIA: UN OBSTÁCULO PARA LA PARTICIPACIÓN Y EL TRABAJO AUTÓNOMO DEL ALUMNADO

El absentismo universitario constituye un problema en la universidad actual, puesto que entra en conflicto con algunas de las premisas basicas que se defienden actualmente en el modelo del Espacio Europeo de Educacion Superior (EEES), tales como el aprendizaje autonomo, el compromiso y la responsabilidad en la gestion de su proceso de aprendizaje. Analizar las causas que estan detras de la baja participacion y el absentismo del alumnado que cursa estudios en Educacion constituye el objetivo central de este trabajo, con el que se pretende esclarecer la realidad academica de estudiantes que estan en distintos momentos de su proceso de aprendizaje y determinar lineas de actuacion para mejorar su participacion, satisfaccion y rendimiento en los estudios
The Correlation Between the Tumor Necrosis and Renal Artery Changes in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Necrosis, cysts, hemorrhage, and calcification represent common findings in renal cell carcinoma. Different lesions, including arteriosclerosis or fibromuscular dysplasia, or both, may involve the main renal artery. This study analyzed the relationship between the presence and extent of necrosis in renal cell carcinoma with renal artery changes in a consecutive series of 112 patients (71 men, 41 women) with mean renal cell carcinoma of 7.7 cm (range, 2 to 20 cm). Necrosis was seen macroscopically and confirmed microscopically in 88 cases (78.6%), with 64 tumors having less than 50% and 24 more than 50% necrosis. Fibromuscular dysplasia was found in 41 patients (36.6%; 17 men, 24 women) and atherosclerotic changes in 21 patients (18.8%; 18 men, 3 women). The results suggest that necrosis of renal cell carcinoma was significantly more common in women with associated fibromuscular dysplasia (especially type I) and men with atherosclerotic changes of renal artery.
Mutations in the nonstructural 5A region of hepatitis C virus and response of chronic hepatitis C to interferon alfa.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Mutations in hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) may correlate with response to interferon in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to examine whether these findings could be expanded to European patients infected with genotypes associated to low (1b) or high (3a) response rates. METHODS Pretreatment serum samples of 66 patients with chronic HCV infection, 48 infected with genotype 1b and 18 with 3a, were analyzed. RESULTS Among patients infected with genotype 3a, 1 of 7 long-term responders and none of 11 nonresponders showed NS5A amino acid mutations. Among patients infected with genotype 1b, all 7 long-term responders, but also 27 of 41 nonresponders, showed NS5A mutations. There was no correlation between number of mutations and response to therapy. In 10 patients, sequences obtained before and after treatment were compared and failed to show any change. Serum HCV RNA levels did not differ between patients with and without mutations in NS5A sequence. CONCLUSIONS No significant correlation was found in patients infected with genotypes 1b or 3a between NS5A sequence and response to interferon alfa. NS5A mutations do not correlate with viral load. Changes in this region were not found during interferon alfa treatment.
Emotional profile and risk behaviours among tattooed and non-tattooed students.

AIM To determine differences in emotional profile and frequencies of certain risk behaviours between tattooed and non-tattooed students. METHODS One hundred students fulfilled personality assessment (trust, timid, depressive, distrust, aggressive, gregarious, controlled, uncontrolled) and questionnaire of socio-demographic data that also included some questions about possession of tattoo (time, place, motive) and about certain risk behaviours (court punishment, consummation of alcohol, psychoactive substances and cigarettes). RESULTS The total number of 35 (out of 100) students had a tattoo, and 67 wished to have a tattoo. There was no statistically significant difference in emotional profile between tattooed and non-tattooed individuals, yet the differences were detected when the group of subjects who wanted a tattoo and those who did not want a tattoo were compared. Higher result on the aggression scale of and lower on control scale was gained by those with the wish for tattooing. Students with bigger tattoos (23) showed higher score on depression scale. Students in the tattooed group more frequently abused drugs and committed traffic offences compared to the students in non-tattooed group. CONCLUSION Results of this research as well as previous research show that the presence of a tattoo could be a rough indicator for possible emotional problems and risk behaviour, which could have significant implications in preventing these behaviours. Future studies are required on a larger and more representative sample as well as to clarify why young people decide to be tattooed.
Differentiation of Clostridium botulinum Serotype A Strains by Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis

ABSTRACT Ten variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) regions identified within the complete genomic sequence of Clostridium botulinum strain ATCC 3502 were used to characterize 59 C. botulinum strains of the botulism neurotoxin A1 (BoNT/A1) to BoNT/A4 (BoNT/A1-A4) subtypes to determine their ability to discriminate among the serotype A strains. Two strains representing each of the C. botulinum serotypes B to G, including five bivalent strains, and two strains of the closely related species Clostridium sporogenes were also tested. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses revealed the genetic diversity among the serotypes and the high degree of similarity among many of the BoNT/A1 strains. The 10 VNTR markers amplified fragments within all of the serotype A strains but were less successful with strains of other serotypes. The composite multiple-locus VNTR analysis of the 59 BoNT/A1-A4 strains and 3 bivalent B strains identified 38 different genotypes. Thirty genotypes were identified among the 53 BoNT/A1 and BoNT/A1(B) strains, demonstrating discrimination below the subtype level. Contaminating DNA within crude toxin preparations of three BoNT/A subtypes (BoNT/A1 to BoNT/A3) also supported amplification of all of the VNTR regions. These markers provide clinical and forensics laboratories with a rapid, highly discriminatory tool to distinguish among C. botulinum BoNT/A1 strains for investigations of botulism outbreaks.
Avaliação seminal, dos recptores de D-manose e reação acrossomica em homens inferteis com varicocele

Introducao: A infertilidade masculina pode acometer entre 30% e 40% dos casais inferteis. Dentre esses fatores esta a varicocele, que afeta 15% da populacao em geral e que nesses homens inferteis chega a 30%-40%, podendo estar relacionada com alteracoes na amostra seminal e consequente fertilidade. Objetivo: Comparar amostras seminais de homens ferteis sem varicocele com homens inferteis com varicocele quanto a(os) parâmetros macroscopicos e microscopicos; recuperacao espermatica apos swim-up; tipos de marcacao dos receptores de D-manose em espermatozoides com acrossoma integro e ocorrencia da reacao acrossomal independente da ligacao de D-manose em dois tempos. Sujeitos e Metodos: foi realizado um estudo corte transversal comparando o grupo de pacientes com queixa de infertilidade e varicocele (N=30) com o de homens ferteis e sem varicocele (N=30) atraves do espermograma, processamento espermatico e testes funcionais nas amostras recem-ejaculadas (zero hora) e apos processamento (uma hora). Os dados foram analisados pelos testes exato de Fisher, Mann-Whitney, quiquadrado e analises repetidas de Friedman. Resultados: O grupo com varicocele apresentou alteracoes significativas em relacao ao grupo-controle na analise seminal quanto a cor (p<0,01), viscosidade aumentada (p<0,01), menor concentracao espermatica (p<0,01), menor motilidade (A+B) (p<0,01), menor vitalidade (p<0,01), menor inchaco hiposmotico (p<0,01) e maior alteracao na morfologia estrita de Kruger (p<0,01). Apos capacitacao espermatica pela tecnica de swim-up, o grupo com varicocele apresentou menor concentracao espermatica (p<0,01) e menor porcentagem de espermatozoides com expressoes dos receptores de Dmanose e nao reagidos acrossomicamente, independente do tempo (p<0,01). Nao houve diferenca significativa das amostras em cada grupo quando avaliadas separadamente, entre os dois momentos independentes do status acrossomal e da presenca da expressao dos receptores para D-manose. Os quatro padroes de marcacao com D-manose e acrossoma integro mais observados no grupo com varicocele foram cabeca manchada (21,1%), peca intermediaria preenchida (13,1%), regiao equatorial preenchida (10,6%) e cabeca preenchida (9,8%). Conclusao: espermatozoides de homens com varicocele apresentaram alteracoes qualitativas, quantitativas e funcionais, podendo comprometer a fertili
A Curated Review of Recent Literature of Biomarkers Used for Assessing Air Pollution Exposures and Effects in Humans

This is a cross-sectional review of biomarkers used in air pollution research from January 2009 through December 2012. After an initial keyword search in PubMed retrieving 426 articles, a comprehensive abstract review identified 54 articles of experimental design that used biomarkers of exposure or effect in human studies in the area of air pollution research during this specified time period. A thorough bibliographic search of the included articles retrieved an additional 65 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. This review presents these 119 studies and the 234 biomarkers employed in these air pollution research investigations. Data presented are 70 biomarkers of exposure with 54% relating to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 36% volatile organic carbons, and 10% classified as other. Of the 164 biomarkers of effect, 91 and 130 were used in investigating effects of short-term and chronic exposure, respectively. Results of biomarkers used in short-term exposure describe different lag times and pollutant components such as primary and secondary pollutants, and particle number associated with corresponding physiological mechanisms including airway inflammation, neuroinflammation, ocular, metabolic, early endothelial dysfunction, coagulation, atherosclerosis, autonomic nervous system, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. The review presents three different exposure scenarios of chronic, occupational, and extreme exposure scenarios (indoor cooking) with associated biomarker findings presented in three broad categories of (1) immune profile, (2) oxidative stress, and (3) DNA damage. This review offers a representation of the scope of data being explored by air pollution researchers through the use of biomarkers and has deliberately been restricted to this particular subject rather than an extensive or in-depth review. This article provides a contextualization of air pollution studies conducted with biomarkers in human subjects in given areas while also integrating this complex body of information to offer a useful review for investigators in this field of study.
Application of plant growth regulators at pre-harvest for fruit development of 'PÊRA' oranges

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effects of auxins and gibberellins when applied at pre-harvest to the fruit development, and to the ripening and natural fall of the fruit, in 'Pera' oranges. Trees of Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Pera, 5 years old, were utilized. The treatments applied were: GA3 + 2,4-D 12.5mg L-1 of each; GA3 + 2,4-D 25mg L-1 ; GA3 + 2,4-D 37.5mg L-1; GA3 + NAA 12.5mg L-1; GA3 + NAA 25mg L-1; GA3 + NAA 37.5mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D 12.5mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D 25mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D 37.5mg L-1; and water (control). The treatments were applied 3 times, at intervals of 45 days. The variables evaluated were: rate of natural fall (%), fruit length and diameter (mm), and fresh fruit weight (g). None of the treatments promoved alterations in the development of the fruits, but they did reduce the natural fall rate, when compared to control, up to 78.05%, inhibiting the fruits' abscision as much as 3 months.
Dose‐dependent decrease in rat plasma amino acids after acute administration of ethanol

Abstract— Male rats were given three different doses of ethanol in i.p. injections (0.66, 1.33 and 200 g kg−1). A dose‐dependent decrease in the concentrations of most plasma amino acids was observed. For the total amino acid concentration this decrease was 5, 16 and 22%, respectively, compared with a saline‐treated control group. It has previously been suggested that the oxidation of ethanol plays an important role in the amino acid decreasing effect of ethanol. In this study the lowest dose used (0.66 g kg−1) was calculated to be high enough to keep the enzyme systems involved in ethanol oxidation saturated during the 60 min course of the experiment. The observation that the ethanol‐induced decrease in plasma amino acid levels was more pronounced with higher ethanol doses indicates that not only the oxidation of ethanol but also ethanol itself is important in the effect of ethanol on plasma amino acid concentrations.
Utilization of empirically supported psychotherapy treatments for individuals with eating disorders: A survey of psychologists.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the primary methods used by psychotherapists in treating individuals with eating disorders and to determine the extent to which certain empirically supported psychotherapies (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT] and interpersonal psychotherapy [IPT]) are used in clinical settings. METHOD Surveys developed for this study were sent to 500 psychologists randomly selected from a list of all licensed doctoral-level psychologists in an upper midwestern state. RESULTS Despite the findings that CBT techniques were reported to be frequently used, most respondents identified something other than CBT or IPT as their primary theoretical approach. In addition, the majority of respondents indicated not having received training in the use of manual-based, empirically supported treatment approaches for working with individuals with eating disorders, although most reported a desire to obtain such training. CONCLUSIONS Although commonly referred to as the "treatments of choice" in research literature, manual-based, empirically supported approaches to working with individuals with eating disorders has not received adequate dissemination.
Pathology of natural cases of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (Jaagsiekte) in goats

The pathological findings and the immunohistochemical and molecular diagnosis of two natural cases of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in goats are described. Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA), a contagious lung tumor, caused by an exogenous Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus (JSRV), is reported commonly in sheep and rarely in goats. The affected lungs had a focally extensive and firm nodule or multiple nodules on the cranioventral region. On the cut surface, the nodules were greyish, granular and moist, resembling classical form of OPA. Microscopically, the lung sections showed unencapsulated nodules of neoplastic epithelial cells, from alveoli and bronchioles, forming papillary projections or acini. On the immunohistochemical analysis, JSRV capsid protein was demonstrated in the neoplastic epithelial cells. Genomic DNA was extracted from the lung tumor tissues and was subjected to U3-hn-PCR that further confirmed the presence of JSRV. The pathological findings in goats were similar to that of OPA affecting lungs of sheep and, to the author’s knowledge, this is the first report of the disease in goats with immunohistochemical and PCR confirmation of JSRV.
Generalizing the Fano inequality

The Fano inequality gives a lower bound on the mutual information between two random variables that take values on an M-element set, provided at least one of the random variables is equiprobable. The authors show several simple lower bounds on mutual information which do not assume such a restriction. In particular, this ran be accomplished by replacing log M with the infinite-order Renyi entropy in the Fano inequality. Applications to hypothesis testing are exhibited along with bounds on mutual information in terms of the a priori and a posteriori error probabilities. >
Stock market integration and financial crises: the case of Asia

This study examines long-run relationships and short-run dynamic causal linkages among the US, Japanese, and ten Asian emerging stock markets, with the particular attention to the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis. Extending related empirical studies, comparative analyses of pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis periods are conducted to comprehensively evaluate how stock market integration is affected by financial crises. In general, the results for the case of Asia show that both long-run cointegration relationships and short-run causal linkages among these markets were strengthened during the crisis and that these markets have generally been more integrated after the crisis than before the crisis. Detailed country-by-country analyses are provided, which yield a variety of new results concerning the roles of individual countries in international stock market integration. An important implication of our findings is that the degree of integration among countries tends to change over time, especially around periods marked by financial crises.
A Miniaturized CPW-Fed Capacitor-Loaded Slot-Loop Antenna

A simple and efficient approach for antenna miniaturization is proposed in this paper. A slow wave structure, which applies to the concept of increasing the propagation constant in the resonant path and so results in the decreased resonant frequencies, is used for implementation. In this paper, we present a CPW-fed slot-loop antenna periodically loaded with capacitors to effectively increase the propagation constant for the purpose of antenna miniaturization. The equivalent transmission line circuit model for the established antenna was utilized as an approach for analysis and it predicted the slow-wave behavior well when compared to the full-wave simulation. Both simulation and measurement demonstrate a physical size reduction of about six times with respect to an unloaded slot-loop antenna.