Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cell size‐proliferation relationship in rat glioma cells

The homeostasis of the central nervous system is highly controlled by glial cells and is dramatically altered in the case of glioma. In this respect, the complex connection between cell size and division is of particular importance and needs clarifying. In order to investigate this connection, cell number and volume were measured in C6 rat glioma cells under different experimental conditions, including continuous cell culture, Cl− channel blockade, and anisotonicity, and in the presence of an inhibitory conditioned medium collected from cell cultures or in a medium containing a low level of fetal calf serum. The rate of cell proliferation changed with cell volume in a bell‐shaped manner, so that it is optimal within a cell volume window and appears to be controlled by low and high cell size checkpoints. The cell size‐proliferation relationship can be defined by Boltzmann‐like equations, which may reflect the effects of macromolecular crowding on proteins controlling the cell cycle progression. Altogether, these observations indicate that glioma cell proliferation is controlled predominantly but not exclusively by cell size‐dependent mechanisms. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
AIS Electronic

The widespread use of wearables for self-tracking activities despite potential privacy risks is an intriguing phenomenon. For firms, the data collected from individuals’ wearable use are highly valuable for generating in-depth customer insights. Accordingly, firms have an increasing desire for these data. Despite the undisputed relevance of self-tracking activities in practice, there is scarce knowledge among information systems (IS) scholars about the perceived values of wearables that drive individuals’ use and the reasons why these values prevail over the privacy risks. Against this background, our research set out to better understand why people use wearables despite privacy risks by investigating the perceived values of wearables that drive individuals’ use and disclosure of data and the reasons why these values prevail over privacy risks of wearable use. Based on the concept of the privacy calculus and concepts from behavioural decision-making, we conducted in-depth interviews with 22 wearable users from Switzerland. As a result, we reveal eight values that individuals perceive through the use of wearable devices. Furthermore, we illustrate the low awareness regarding privacy risks and explain how the reliance on prominent dimensions and heuristics are influencing individuals’ value-risk assessment.
Physiological and Growth Responses of Riparian Sedge Transplants to Groundwater Depth

Understanding of the influence of groundwater depth on the physiology and growth of transplanted sedges is needed to improve revegetation efforts in degraded riparian meadows. In a greenhouse experiment, we exposed transplants of Carex lanuginosa, Carex nebrascensis, and Carex rostrata to three simulated groundwater depths (4, 19, and 35 cm). Groundwater depth was manipulated over two phases: (1) water depths were held constant for 16 wk and (2) water depths were then increased over the next 6 wk. Leaf gas exchange, water relations, and shoot growth were measured periodically during each phase, and aboveground and belowground biomass were measured at the end of each phase. All species adjusted rooting depth to groundwater depth in response to the constant groundwater treatments, and groundwater depth had no effect on net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance. Net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of all species initially increased when groundwater levels dropped but decreased rapidly after 4 wk of lowering groundwater. This response indicates that anaerobic conditions hindered leaf gas exchange under shallow but constant groundwater depths and also indicates that transplants may be less tolerant of shallow groundwater than naturally established sedges because of their smaller root systems. Compared with the other species, net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of C. rostrata were more sensitive to declines in leaf water potential, and this species allocated proportionately more root growth to saturated soil zones. Carex rostrata’s growth and physiological characteristics indicate that its transplants have lower tolerance to dry soil and water stress than C. lanuginosa and C. nebrascensis.
Bilateral cochlear implantation: Current concepts, indications, and results

The optimal treatment for bilateral hearing loss continues to evolve as cochlear implant (CI) and hearing aid technologies advance, as does our understanding of the central auditory system. Ongoing discussions continue on the validity and feasibility of bilateral CI in terms of performance, justification of need, medical/surgical safety concerns, and economics. The purpose of this review article is to provide an update on the advantages and disadvantages of bilateral CI and to provide a discussion on timing (simultaneous vs. sequential), technology (bimodal vs. binaural) and feasibility. Binaural advantages are found in both adult and pediatric bilateral CI recipients, the greatest being the head shadow effect and improvements in localization and loudness summation. This theoretically offers an advantage over their unilateral implanted counterparts in terms of improved sound localization and enhanced speech perception under noisy conditions. Most investigators agree that bilateral stimulation during critical periods of development is paramount for optimizing auditory functioning in children. Currently, bilateral CI is widely accepted as a safe and effective means of bilateral auditory stimulation. Laryngoscope, 2009
Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards in Developing Countries: The Case of Nigeria

The study focused on the adoption process of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on a developing economy, with particular reference to Nigeria. The paper is based on the data obtained from literature survey and archival sources in the context of the globalization of International Financial Reporting and the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Nigeria has embraced IFRS in order to participate in the benefits it offers, including attracting foreign direct investment, reduction of the cost of doing business, and cross border listing. In implementing IFRS Nigeria will face challenges including the development of a legal and regulatory framework, awareness campaign, and training of personnel. Recommendations were made to forestall such challenges which include strengthening education and training, establishment of an independent body to monitor and enforce accounting and auditing standards.
Gap Analysis of Infection Control Practices in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

BACKGROUND Healthcare-associated infection rates are higher in low- and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries, resulting in relatively larger incidence of patient mortality and disability and additional healthcare costs. OBJECTIVE To use the Infection Control Assessment Tool to assess gaps in infection control (IC) practices in the participating countries. METHODS Six international sites located in Argentina, Greece, Hungary, India, Nepal, and South Africa provided information on the health facility and the surgical modules relating to IC programs, surgical antibiotic use and surgical equipment procedures, surgical area practices, sterilization and disinfection of equipment and intravenous fluid, and hand hygiene. Modules were scored for each country. RESULTS The 6 international sites completed 5 modules. Of 121 completed sections, scores of less than 50% of the recommended IC practices were received in 23 (19%) and scores from 50% to 75% were received in 43 (36%). IC programs had various limitations in many sites and surveillance of healthcare-associated infections was not consistently performed. Lack of administration of perioperative antibiotics, inadequate sterilization and disinfection of equipment, and paucity of hand hygiene were found even in a high-income country. There was also a lack of clearly written defined policies and procedures across many facilities. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that adherence to recommended IC practices is suboptimal. Opportunities for improvement of IC practices exist in several areas, including hospital-wide IC programs and surveillance, antibiotic stewardship, written and posted guidelines and policies across a range of topics, surgical instrument sterilization procedures, and improved hand hygiene. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(10):1208–1214
Wavelet-based noise reduction

A novel method for enhancement of noisy speech is presented. Frames of speech samples are split into low and high frequency bands and projected onto a library of bases consisting of local trigonometric functions and wavelet packets. Coefficients thought to represent only the speech are selected by means of the minimum description length (MDL) criterion, and used to synthesize an estimate of the original speech. A tracking algorithm uses MDL values to choose between the MDL processor and alternate processors which reject audible artifacts. Preliminary results indicate that the new algorithm may be useful in applications requiring a single-microphone noise reduction system for speech.
Initial symptoms and reactions to trauma‐related stimuli and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder

We investigated laboratory and experimental variables as predictors of the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Evoked heart rate response to trauma‐related pictures, attentional bias in the dot‐probe task, and viewing time were assessed in 35 victims of a traumatic event and again after 3 months. Data was compared to 26 control participants. At first assessment trauma victims showed heart rate (HR) acceleration and controls showed HR deceleration to trauma‐related material. The group of trauma victims improved clinically over time. Predictors of the number of PTSD symptoms after 3 months were re‐experiencing (33% of the variance) and amplitude of the evoked HR reaction to trauma‐related pictures (15%). The two variables were highly correlated. Trauma victims were also more anxious, viewed trauma‐related pictures for a longer time, and had a longer reaction time in the dot‐probe task (but no distinct attentional bias) than control participants. Results indicate that specific fear responses and re‐experiencing contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Depression and Anxiety 21:61–70, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of Chronic Stress on Norepinephrine Clearance in the CA3 Region of the Hippocampus

The pathology between chronic stress, deregulation of serotonergic (5-HT) and noradrenergic (NE) neurotransmission and the onset of psychiatric disorders is poorly understood. Using in vivo chronoamperometry our previous findings showed 5-HT clearance is dramatically slower in chronically stressed wild-type mice, and that this reduction in clearance does not result from the loss of serotonin transporter (SERT) expression or function. NE transporters (NET) express a low affinity and high capacity for 5-HT uptake, and so can regulate 5-HT neurotransmission when high concentration of 5-HT are present in the extracellular fluid (EFC). Due to this relation, we hypothesized the reduced 5-HT clearance in stressed mice results from a downregulation in NET function and/or expression. To test this hypothesis, in vivo chronoamperometry was used to measure the clearance rate (μM/sec) of locally applied NE from ECF in the CA3 region of the hippocampus of anesthetized mice. Additionally, quantitative autoradiography was completed to establish if overall NET expression in the CA3 region had decreased. The forced swim test (FST, 10 minutes daily for 14 consecutive days) was administered as the stress paradigm, while unhandled mice served as controls. All experiments were conducted 24 hours after the last FST, or at matched times for non-stressed mice. Results show chronically stressed mice clear exogenously (externally) applied NE at a significantly faster rate than non-stressed controls, yet overall NET expression does not differ between the two conditions. Given the data, it is possible NET plasmallemmal expression has been upregulated in chronically stressed mice although overall protein expression has remained unchanged. Additionally, the reciprocal effects of chronic stress on 5-HT and NE clearance may be in part due to another transporter system with a low affinity for 5-HT being compromised instead of NET. In order to further elucidate the effects of chronic stress on serotonergic and noradrenergic transmission individually and in relation to their regulatory effects on each other, future studies will include administering selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and/or a cocktail mixture (SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and SNRI) to index the functional tone of NETs in vivo in stressed and non-stressed conditions.
Hematology and blood biochemistry in infant baboons (Papio hamadryas)

Abstract: Although published normative reference standards for hematologic and clinical chemistry measures are available for adult baboons, their applicability to infants has not been addressed. We analyzed these measures in 110 infant baboons (55 females and 55 males) from a large breeding colony at the Southwest Regional Primate Research Center in San Antonio, Texas. The sample consists of olive baboons and olive/yellow baboon hybrids, 1 week to 12 months of age. We produced cross‐sectional reference values and examined the effects of age, sex, and subspecies on these variables. Hematology reference ranges for infant baboons are similar to, but wider than, those for adults. Reference ranges for blood biochemistry measures are generally more dissimilar to adults, indicating that for many variables, reference ranges for adult baboons are not adequate for infants. Although sex and subspecies differences are rare, age accounts for more than 10% of the variance in many of the variables.
Simple Dacryops: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

In this prospective, small case series, 3 patients with simple dacryops were analyzed along with a review of literature. All 3 patients in this series had classical clinical features of simple dacryops. All of them underwent complete cyst removal with the aid of a cryoprobe. Histopathology was compatible with dacryops. In 2 of the 3 patients, the cyst revealed calcification, which to the best of our knowledge has not been reported. None of the patients developed a recurrence. In conclusion, simple dacryops is an easily recognized clinical entity. This entity has been infrequently reviewed in the older literature, and in the last decade only 6 cases have been reported. Most of the patients underwent complete excision of the cyst with no recurrences.
Antisense Intergenic Transcription Precedes Igh D-to-J Recombination and Is Controlled by the Intronic Enhancer Eμ

ABSTRACT V(D)J recombination is believed to be regulated by alterations in chromatin accessibility to the recombinase machinery, but the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. We previously proposed that antisense intergenic transcription, activated throughout the mouse Igh VH region in pro-B cells, remodels chromatin for VH-to-DJH recombination. Using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, we now show that antisense intergenic transcription occurs throughout the Igh DHJH region before D-to-J recombination, indicating that this is a widespread process in V(D)J recombination. Transcription initiates near the Igh intronic enhancer Eμ and is abrogated in mice lacking this enhancer, indicating that Eμ regulates DH antisense transcription. Eμ was recently demonstrated to regulate DH-to-JH recombination of the Igh locus. Together, these data suggest that Eμ controls DH-to-JH recombination by activating this form of germ line Igh transcription, thus providing a long-range, processive mechanism by which Eμ can regulate chromatin accessibility throughout the DH region. In contrast, Eμ deletion has no effect on VH antisense intergenic transcription, which is rarely associated with DH antisense transcription, suggesting differential regulation and separate roles for these processes at sequential stages of V(D)J recombination. These results support a directive role for antisense intergenic transcription in enabling access to the recombination machinery.
The clinical diversity of postchemotherapy germ cell teratoma

The notably high durable cure rates associated with germ cell tumors of the testis are unique among all solid tumors. Over the last 40 years, the 5-year survival rate for men with germ cell tumors has improved from 63% to 95%, largely because of meaningful advances, such as cisplatin-based multiagent chemotherapy, defining the anatomic patterns of extragonadal metastatic spread, risk-appropriate therapy, integrated multidisciplinary care, and randomized trials to optimize treatment efficacy. This unparalleled success should not lead to complacency but rather serve as motivation to solve other pertinent and unresolved issues, such as chemotherapy-refractory tumors, late recurrences, and treatment toxicity. Teratoma is a poorly understood, chemoresistant, and biologically unpredictable pathologic entity. It is associated with late recurrences, can lead to an increased treatment burden, and has a wide array of prognostic and treatment implications. Derived from 2 or more germ cell layers (endoderm, ectoderm, or mesoderm), teratoma is capable of striking histologic and phenotypic diversity. Although it is unclear whether teratoma originates from non-neoplastic germ cells or from germ cell tumor components, such as yolk sac or embryonal carcinoma, 2 major histologic variants of teratoma exist. Mature teratoma consists of differentiated elements, and immature teratoma has fetal-appearing, undifferentiated characteristics. Although these variants are distinct visually and embryologically, neither prognosis nor treatment differs. Teratoma often is referred to as ‘benign’, a misnomer that, unfortunately, may contribute to preventable adverse outcomes. This misconception dates back at least 100 years, and has been substantiated both genetically and clinically. Teratomas can be aneuploid and contain genetic alterations similar to viable germ cell elements, such as isochrome 12p. When they are present as metastases in the retroperitoneum, teratomas have a clonal origin similar to that of germ cell elements both in the retroperitoneum and within the primary testicular lesion. Clinically, teratomas are capable of expansive local growth, can transform into somatic malignancies, and lead to late recurrences, all of which are associated with poor outcomes. Growing teratoma syndrome is an entity that refers to rapidly enlarging sites of metastatic teratoma. Surgical excision is the only
Phenotypic methods for determination of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus spp. from health care workers

INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus spp. is an important healthcare-associated pathogen and the identification of methicillin-resistant strains in samples of colonization may provide data to assist in the antimicrobial therapy success. OBJECTIVES: To determine the occurrence of colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. (MRS), through the detection of the mecA gene and to evaluate different phenotypic methods for the presumptive detection of methicillin resistance in samples of the anterior nasal cavity and hands of the health care personnel of a university hospital in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. METHODS: We selected the 28 isolates of Staphylococcus spp. , which showed an intermediate or resistant phenotypic profile for oxacillin, detected by the Kirby Bauer technique. The methods used were disk-diffusion tests for cefoxitin, minimal inhibitory concentration by E-test for oxacillin, screening for oxacillin resistance and mecA gene detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: About the phenotypic methods utilized, only the E-test of oxacillin did not show a statistically significant difference in relation to PCR for the mecA gene detection, considered the gold standard. CONCLUSION: The E-test of oxacillin was the best of the phenotypic methods utilized. It is necessary to correctly detect MRS in healthy individuals, because they can act as carriers and can therefore be a potential source of microorganisms involved in hospital infections.
HAEMATOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ERYTHROCYTE INDICES IN DIFFERENT BREEDS OF POULTRY

ABSTRACT The present study was undertaken to evaluate haematological profile viz. Haemoglobin (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Red Blood Cell (RBC) count and erythrocyte indices viz. Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) in different species of poultry and this could be used for clinico pathological diagnosis and further studies. The present study were carried out from 18 birds in each different species of poultry viz. Guinea fowl, Turkey, Japanese quail, Kadakanath, Nicobari, Aseel, Rhode Island Red (RIR),White Leghorn (WLH) and Geese. All these birds were reared in pens under uniform standard managemental conditions. Mean values for hemoglobin (g/dl) were differed significantly (P
Angiotensin(1–7) potentiates bradykinin-induced vasodilatation in man

Background It has been clearly demonstrated that angiotensin(1–7) potentiates the vasodilating effect of bradykinin in isolated vessels of animals. Objective To investigate the interaction between angiotensin(1–7) Ang(1–7) and bradykinin in human forearm resistant vessels of normotensive healthy men in vivo, by the measurement of forearm blood flow using venous occlusion, strain-gauge plethysmography with intra-arterial infusions of peptides in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. Methods In eight men, bradykinin was infused intra-arterially twice; placebo, Ang(1–7), or angiotensin II was co-infused with the second infusion. The effect of inhibition of nitric oxide synthase on the interaction between Ang(1–7) and bradykinin was also tested in eight other individuals. The effects of Ang(1–7) were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and by the ratios of individually derived areas under the dose–response curves (AUC) of bradykinin, adjusted for changes in the AUCs by repeated infusions of bradykinin with placebo. Results Ang(1–7) (1000 pmol/min) significantly potentiated the vasodilating effect of bradykinin compared with the effect of saline (P = 0.0471, ANOVA) and in a dose-dependent manner (adjusted AUC ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)] 2.75 (1.72 to 3.78) with 1000 pmol/min, 1.62 (1.31 to 1.93) with 100 pmol/min, and 0.98 (0.80, to 1.09) with 10 pmol/min). This effect was completely abolished by co-infusion of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine [AUC ratio 0.98 (0.90 to 1.04)]. Ang(1–7) did not affect the vasodilating effects of either acetylcholine or sodium nitroprusside. Conclusions Ang(1–7) potentiates the vasodilating effect of bradykinin, possibly through a mechanism(s) involving nitric oxide release, in human forearm resistance vessels.
Stroma, Stroma Everywhere (Far More Than You Think)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas with high stromal content are shown to have greatly reduced overall survival, consistent with previous reports that stroma may limit drug delivery. In contrast to expectations, metastatic lesions were found to harbor as much stroma as primary tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 21(15); 3366–8. ©2015 AACR. See related article by Whatcott et al., p. 3561