Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2 Aid effectiveness and the constraints on growth : a review of the debates 2

This paper explores the impact of foreign aid on firms growth for a panel of 5,640 firms in 29 developing countries, 11 of which in Africa. Using the World Bank Enterprise Surveys data and controlling for firms fixed effects, we find a positive impact of foreign aid on sales growth. This result is robust to various checks, notably to the instrumentation of aid. We then identify the main infrastructure obstacles to firms growth and examine whether foreign aid contributes to relaxing those constraints. We find that electricity and transport are perceived as important constraints which tend to decrease the growth rate of firms, as well as the utilization of their productive capacity. Evidence on the impact of aid on infrastructure obstacles suggests that total aid and aid to the energy sector tend to decrease electricity obstacles. We also show that transport aid projects, geo-localized at the region level, tend to decrease the transport obstacles.
Clinical effectiveness of a silicone foam dressing for the prevention of heel pressure ulcers in critically ill patients: Border II Trial.

OBJECTIVE Critically ill patients are at high risk of developing pressure ulcers (PU), with the sacrum and heels being highly susceptible to pressure injuries. The objective of our study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a new multi-layer, self-adhesive soft silicone foam heel dressing to prevent PU development in trauma and critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHOD A cohort of critically ill patients were enrolled at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Each patient had the multi-layer soft silicone foam dressing applied to each heel on admission to the emergency department. The dressings were retained with a tubular bandage for the duration of the patients' stay in the ICU. The skin under the dressings was examined daily and the dressings were replaced every three days. The comparator for our cohort study was the control group from the recently completed Border Trial. RESULTS Of the 191 patients in the initial cohort, excluding deaths, loss to follow-up and transfers to another ward, 150 patients were included in the final analysis. There was no difference in key demographic or physiological variables between the cohorts, apart from a longer ICU length of stay for our current cohort. No PUs developed in any of our intervention cohort patients compared with 14 patients in the control cohort (n=152; p<0.001) who developed a total of 19 heel PUs. CONCLUSION We conclude, based on our results, that the multi-layer soft silicone foam dressing under investigation was clinically effective in reducing ICU-acquired heel PUs. The findings also support previous research on the clinical effectiveness of multi-layer soft silicone foam dressings for PU prevention in the ICU.
The effect of aquaculture gear and tidal zone on the growth and shape of the oyster Crassostrea virginica during a “finishing period” in Chesapeake Bay.

Title of Thesis: THE EFFECT OF AQUACULTURE GEAR AND TIDAL ZONE ON THE GROWTH AND SHAPE OF THE OYSTER CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA DURING A “FINISHING PERIOD” IN CHESAPEAKE BAY. Laura Landis Thomas, Master of Science, 2016 Thesis directed by: Assistant Professor, Louis V. Plough, Marine Estuarine Environmental Science Research Professor, Jeffrey C. Cornwell, Marine Estuarine Environmental Science This study investigates how gear type and increased wave action as a result of tidal zone location, influenced the shape and weight of Crassostrea virginica during a “finishing” period in Chesapeake Bay. For these experiments, oysters were deployed in three different gear treatments in the intertidal zone: bottom cages, OysterGroTM floats, and rack and bag, and a bottom cage deployed in the subtidal zone as a control treatment. Shell length, width, height, total weight and wet meat weight were measured each month from August to December 2015 and an index of shell shape relative to an idealized 3-2-1 ratio of length, width, and height was calculated. OysterGroTM floats produced significant increases in total weight and wet meat weight. Also, OysterGroTM floats showed less deviation from the ideal 3-2-1 ratio, while only one other treatment (intertidal bottom cage) differed from the control (subtidal bottom cage).
Changes in quality characteristics during cold storage of shucked mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and selected chemical decomposition indicators

The following chemical changes were observed during the cold storage of mussels for 6 days at 4 degrees C. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N, mg N per 100 g) and trimethylamine values (TMA-N, mg N per 100 g) were increased from 22.55 and 5.96 mg per 100 g at day 0 to 12.38 and 0.42 mg per 100 g, respectively, at the end of the storage period. The indole value and putrescine concentration were increased from 15.36 microgram kg(-1) and 24.7 mg kg(-1) to 34.46 microgram kg(-1) and 63.86 mg kg(-1), respectively, on the fourth day of storage. The pH was slightly reduced and tyramine and cadaverine were not detected during storage. TVB-N, TMA-N and indole value could be selected as decomposition indicators for mussels during their cold storage. Acceptable limits of 15 mg per 100 g for TVB-N, 3 mg per 100 g for TMA-N, 35 microgram kg(-1) for indole and 60 mg kg(-1) for putrescine are suggested. Sensory and chemical results indicated that the shelf-life of mussels at 4 degrees C is limited to 4 days.
REVIEW ARTICLE PHYLLANTHUS SP A LOCAL PLANT WITH MULTIPLE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES.

The plants of the genus Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae) are distributed in most tropical and subtropical regions of world. This plant has been long used as a traditional medicine to treat problems such as stomach, intestinal infections, kidney and urinary bladder disturbances, diabetes, and hepatitis B. There has been considerable interest in these plants in recent years. This review discusses the antiviral and anticancer aspects of Phyllanthus species. Scientific studies have demonstrated that extracts and purified isolated compounds (flavonoids, lignans, phenols, and terpenes) obtained from these plants possess antiviral effects against herpes simplex (HSV) and dengue virus infections (DENV). These observations are associated with the disruption of essential proteins needed during viral cycle, thus halting the viral replication. In addition, the Phyllanthus species have also been shown to exert inhibitory effects against selected cancers types. In these studies anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic, anti-angiogenic effects and induced apoptosis of human cancers cell lines were observed. These may be explained by the disruption of multiple survival pathways and differential protein expression. CONLCUSION:As a conclusion, tThe Phyllanthus plant possesses multiple medicinal properties, including antiviral and anticancer activities which may potentially be used as a medicinal source for many disease locally.
Biofilm formation by bacterial associations under various salinities and copper ion stress

Abstract The study addresses the effect of abiotic (medium salinity and copper ions) and biotic (interactions between populations) factors on the formation of structured communities by binary associations consisting of halotolerant bacteria (Alcaligenes sp. 1‐1 or Acinetobacter sp. 1‐19) and a wild-type B. subtilis 2335 strain or a transgenic strain. The results showed that 250 mg l−1 of copper ions inhibit formation of biofilms by monocultures of the tested strains. Binary associations of the strains were more resistant to high concentrations (250 mg l−1) of copper ions. At the lowest NaCl concentration (0.05% and 2.5%) and in the presence of copper ions, bacilli seemed to help halotolerant bacteria survive. Under increased salinity and in the presence of copper ions, structured communities developed due to halotolerant bacteria. Coexistence under stressful conditions was beneficial for the both groups of bacteria.
Expression of Granulocyte Colony‐Stimulating Factor by Human Cell Lines

We have isolated and expressed a cDNA clone that encodes a human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor from the MIA PaCa‐2 cell line. A genomic clone of this factor has been isolated from the CHU‐2 cell line and is reported to encode two alternative transcripts [The EMBO J. 5,575, 1986]; one transcript predicts an amino acid sequence identical to that predicted by our MIA PaCa‐2 cDNA clone; the other transcript predicts a similar protein containing a three amino acid residue insertion. To investigate which types of this colony‐stimulating factor are produced by other cell lines, we used specific oligonucleotides to determine which types of transcripts were present in MIA PaCa‐2, 5637, and LD‐1 cells, all of which have been reported to produce a factor that can stimulate the growth of predominantly granulocyte colonies in human bone marrow cell cultures. Northern analysis with these probes revealed MIA PaCa‐2‐like transcripts in all of these cell lines and failed to detect transcripts that would encode the colony‐stimulating factor that contained the three‐amino‐acid‐residue insertion.
Scanning electrochemical microscopy in Li-ion batteries

Please note that technical editing may introduce minor changes to the text and/or graphics, which may alter content. The journal’s standard Terms & Conditions and the Ethical guidelines still apply. In no event shall the Royal Society of Chemistry be held responsible for any errors or omissions in this Accepted Manuscript or any consequences arising from the use of any information it contains. Accepted Manuscript
Role of Morphometry and Proliferative Activity Markers in Assessment of Endometrial Glandular Lesions

Both benign and malignant lesions of uterine glandular epithelium can have similar presenting feature of abnormal vaginal bleeding. At times, it is difficult to diagnose the nature of the lesion from haematoxylin and eosin stained sections. In such cases morphometry analysis and proliferative studies is expected to differentiate these glandular lesions of endometrium, especially when in dilemma in categorising a lesion benign, premalignant or malignant. This study aims to classify different glandular lesions of endometrium, their prevalence in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, cellular morphometry in different types of lesions in connection with the clinical profile of the patient, analysis of the expression of proliferative markers like PCNA and Ki67 in these lesions that may have prognostic significance. Morphometric study using nuclear parameters like mean nuclear diameter (MND), mean nuclear area (MNA), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP) and N:C ratio was used to differentiate various benign, borderline endometrial glandular lesions from malignant endometrial glandular lesions in both perimenopausal and postmenopausal age group. In this study we found that morphometric parameters showed significant difference (p<0.05) between benign endometrial glandular lesions and malignant endometrial glandular lesions. In cases where proliferative index was high, age-old Morphometry technique emerged as a more useful tool in differentiating endometrial lesions into benign and malignant.
Evaluation of a collaborative photography workshop using the iPad 2 as an accessible technology for participants who are blind, visually impaired and sighted working collaboratively

A workshop using iPads to train photographers who are blind, visually impaired and sighted is evaluated using grounded theory / methodology and a model of inclusive technical capital. It is hypothesized that all participants find iPad apps accessible. It is found that iPads and apps are generally good introductory tools, but experienced participants who are blind and visually impaired prefer specialized cameras.
Tubular adenoma with squamous metaplasia of the sigmoid colon: A case report

A case of tubular adenoma with squamous metaplasia of the sigmoid colon in a 44‐year‐old female is reported. The tumor was a pedunculated polyp with a size of 1.2 × 1.7 × 1.7 cm. Histologically, the tumor showed tubular adenoma with focal squamous metaplasia. Borderline atypia was noted in a part of adenoma without squamous metaplasia and squamous component. It is supposed that squamous epithelial polyp, squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma may be derived from colonic adenoma with squamous metaplasia. Only six cases of the adenoma with squamous metaplasia of the large intestine have been reported previously in the literature.
On iterative learning from different tracking tasks in the presence of time-varying uncertainties

In this paper, we introduce a new iterative learning control (ILC) method, which enables learning from different tracking control tasks. The proposed method overcomes the limitation of traditional ILC in that, the target trajectories of any two consecutive iterations can be completely different. For nonlinear systems with time-varying and time-invariant parametric uncertainties, the new learning method works effectively to nullify the tracking error. To facilitate the learning control system design and analysis, in the paper we use a composite energy function (CEF) index, which consists of a positive scalar function and L/sup 2/ norm of the function approximation error.
Transplanted Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells Expressing a Dominant-Negative FGF Receptor Transgene Fail to Migrate In Vivo

The proliferation, migration, survival, and differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, precursors to myelin-forming oligodendrocytes in the CNS, are controlled by a number of polypeptide growth factors in vitro. The requirement and roles for individual factors in vivo, however, are primarily unknown. We have used a cell transplantation approach to examine the role of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in oligodendrocyte developmentin vivo. A dominant-negative version of the FGF receptor-1 transgene was introduced into oligodendrocyte progenitorsin vitro, generating cells that were nonresponsive to FGF but responsive to other mitogens. When transplanted into the brains of neonatal rats, mutant cells were unable to migrate and remained within the ventricles. These results suggest a role for FGF signaling in establishing a motile phenotype for oligodendrocyte progenitor cell migration in vivo and illustrate the utility of a somatic cell mutagenesis approach for the study of gene function during CNS development in vivo.
Retroperitoneal and Genital Lymphangioma Therapeutic Challenges in a Developing Country

Background: Lymphangiomas occur most commonly in the head and neck region, while other sites are rarely affected. A combination of retroperitoneal and genital lymphangioma is very rare indeed. Though congenital, it may persist into adulthood due to missed diagnosis and inadequate or total lack of treatment. Materials and methods: A report of a 22-year-old male student who presented with recurrent multiloculated genital, thigh, groin and retroperitneal lymphangioma. He underwent surgical excision and adjuvant sclerotherapy using ethylene-diamine tetra acetic acid. Results and Conclusions: There was an initial recurrence after surgery which responded satisfactorily to sclerotherapy. Complete surgical excision of lymphangioma may be precluded by vital structures but sclerotherapy produces satisfactory resolution. The difficulties in management with limited facilities for diagnosis and treatment are highlighted.
Spread of neuronal degeneration in a dopaminergic, Lrrk-G2019S model of Parkinson disease

Flies expressing the most common Parkinson disease (PD)-related mutation, LRRK2-G2019S, in their dopaminergic neurons show loss of visual function and degeneration of the retina, including mitochondrial abnormalities, apoptosis and autophagy. Since the photoreceptors that degenerate are not dopaminergic, this demonstrates nonautonomous degeneration, and a spread of pathology. This provides a model consistent with Braak’s hypothesis on progressive PD. The loss of visual function is specific for the G2019S mutation, implying the cause is its increased kinase activity, and is enhanced by increased neuronal activity. These data suggest novel explanations for the variability in animal models of PD. The specificity of visual loss to G2019S, coupled with the differences in neural firing rate, provide an explanation for the variability between people with PD in visual tests.
INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6) IN SEMINAL PLASMA OF INFERTILE MEN, AND LIPID PEROXIDATION OF THEIR SPERM

Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor- f (TNF- f ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in seminal fluid, as well as levels of sperm lipid membrane peroxidation, were investigated in fertile and infertile men. Semen samples, obtained by masturbation from 37 infertile and 14 fertile men, were examined for the presence of TNF- f and IL-6. The level of lipid peroxidation of the sperm membrane was measured by determining malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. The correlation between the IL-6 and the TNF- f concentrations in seminal plasma with the levels of lipid peroxidation of the sperm membranes was statistically evaluated. The IL-6 concentration in seminal plasma of infertile men was significantly higher than that of fertile men ( p <. 05). Similarly, the level of membrane lipid peroxidation was higher for the semen of infertile men than that of fertile men ( p <. 001). A significant positive correlation was found between IL-6 levels in seminal plasma and membrane sperm lipid peroxidation ( p <. 002), but not between this parameter and TNF- f levels in seminal plasma. These findings suggest a possible association between IL-6 seminal plasma levels and lipid peroxidation of sperm membrane. Stimulation of reactive species production by human sperm and leucocytes, induced by the high levels of IL-6, could explain these results.
Isokinetic profile of elbow flexion and extension strength in elite junior tennis players.

STUDY DESIGN Descriptive study. OBJECTIVES To determine whether bilateral differences exist in concentric elbow flexion and extension strength in elite junior tennis players. BACKGROUND The repetitive nature of tennis frequently produces upper extremity overuse injuries. Prior research has identified tennis-specific strength adaptation in the dominant shoulder and distal upper extremity musculature of elite players. No previous study has addressed elbow flexion and extension strength. METHODS AND MATERIALS Thirty-eight elite junior tennis players were bilaterally tested for concentric elbow flexion and extension muscle performance on a Cybex 6000 isokinetic dynamometer at 90 degrees/s, 210 degrees/s, and 300 degrees/s. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to test for differences between extremities, muscle groups, and speed. RESULTS Significantly greater (P<0.002) dominant-arm elbow extension peak torque values were measured at 90 degrees/s, 210 degrees/s, and 300 degrees/s for males. Significantly greater (P<0.002) dominant-arm single-repetition work values were also measured at 90 degrees/s and 210 degrees/s for males. No significant difference was measured between extremities in elbow flexion muscular performance in males and for elbow flexion or extension peak torque and single-repetition work values in females. No significant difference between extremities was measured in elbow flexion/extension strength ratios in females and significant differences between extremities in this ratio were only present at 210 degrees/s in males (P<0.002). CONCLUSION These data indicate muscular adaptations around the dominant elbow in male elite junior tennis players but not females. These data have ramifications for clinicians rehabilitating upper extremity injuries in patients from this population.
Evaluation of surface roughness of orthodontic wires by means of atomic force microscopy.

OBJECTIVE To compare the surface roughness of different orthodontic archwires. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four nickel-titanium wires (Sentalloy(®), Sentalloy(®) High Aesthetic, Titanium Memory ThermaTi Lite(®), and Titanium Memory Esthetic(®)), three β-titanium wires (TMA(®), Colored TMA(®), and Beta Titanium(®)), and one stainless-steel wire (Stainless Steel(®)) were considered for this study. Three samples for each wire were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Three-dimensional images were processed using Gwiddion software, and the roughness average (Ra), the root mean square (Rms), and the maximum height (Mh) values of the scanned surface profile were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post hoc test (P < .05). RESULTS The Ra, Rms, and Mh values were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. Among as-received archwires, the Stainless Steel (Ra = 36.6 ± 5.8; Rms = 48 ± 7.7; Mh = 328.1 ± 64) archwire was less rough than the others (ANOVA, P < .05). The Sentalloy High Aesthetic was the roughest (Ra = 133.5 ± 10.8; Rms = 165.8 ± 9.8; Mh = 949.6 ± 192.1) of the archwires. CONCLUSIONS The surface quality of the wires investigated differed significantly. Ion implantation effectively reduced the roughness of TMA. Moreover, Teflon(®)-coated Titanium Memory Esthetic was less rough than was ion-implanted Sentalloy High Aesthetic.
Molecular basis of factor IXa recognition by heparin-activated antithrombin revealed by a 1.7-Å structure of the ternary complex

Factor (f) IXa is a critical enzyme for the formation of stable blood clots, and its deficiency results in hemophilia. The enzyme functions at the confluence of the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways by binding to fVIIIa and rapidly generating fXa. In spite of its importance, little is known about how fIXa recognizes its cofactor, its substrate, or its only known inhibitor, antithrombin (AT). However, it is clear that fIXa requires extensive exosite interactions to present substrates for efficient cleavage. Here we describe the 1.7-Å crystal structure of fIXa in its recognition (Michaelis) complex with heparin-activated AT. It represents the highest resolution structure of both proteins and allows us to address several outstanding issues. The structure reveals why the heparin-induced conformational change in AT is required to permit simultaneous active-site and exosite interactions with fIXa and the nature of these interactions. The reactive center loop of AT has evolved to specifically inhibit fIXa, with a P2 Gly so as not to clash with Tyr99 on fIXa, a P4 Ile to fit snugly into the S4 pocket, and a C-terminal extension to exploit a unique wall-like feature of the active-site cleft. Arg150 is at the center of the exosite interface, interacting with AT residues on β-sheet C. A surprising crystal contact is observed between the heparin pentasaccharide and fIXa, revealing a plausible mode of binding that would allow longer heparin chains to bridge the complex.