Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sexual selection and the evolution of secondary sexual traits: sex comb evolution in Drosophila

Sexual selection can drive rapid evolutionary change in reproductive behaviour, morphology and physiology. This often leads to the evolution of sexual dimorphism, and continued exaggerated expression of dimorphic sexual characteristics, although a variety of other alternative selection scenarios exist. Here, we examined the evolutionary significance of a rapidly evolving, sexually dimorphic trait, sex comb tooth number, in two Drosophila species. The presence of the sex comb in both D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura is known to be positively related to mating success, although little is yet known about the sexually selected benefits of sex comb structure. In this study, we used experimental evolution to test the idea that enhancing or eliminating sexual selection would lead to variation in sex comb tooth number. However, the results showed no effect of either enforced monogamy or elevated promiscuity on this trait. We discuss several hypotheses to explain the lack of divergence, focussing on sexually antagonistic coevolution, stabilizing selection via species recognition and nonlinear selection. We discuss how these are important, but relatively ignored, alternatives in understanding the evolution of rapidly evolving sexually dimorphic traits.
Effect of ante-mortem hypoxia on the physicochemical and functional properties of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) muscle stored on ice

The effect of ante-mortem hypoxia on the physicochemical and functional properties of raw and cooked white shrimp was studied. Hue angle was greater (p ≤ 0.05) for stressed raw shrimp compared to control (greener color); whereas a lower angle was detected for cooked stressed shrimp (redder/orange coloration). In addition, hue angle increased (p ≤ 0.05) over the ice storage period for control and stressed shrimp (raw and/or cooked). Muscle hardness and shear force showed no differences when comparing control and stressed shrimp (raw and/or cooked). However, during ice storage, shear force increased (p ≤ 0.05) by 22% and 9% for control and stressed raw shrimp, respectively; in contrast, shear force and muscle hardness decreased for cooked shrimp (p ≤ 0.05). Control showed more (p ≤ 0.05) elasticity than stressed cooked shrimp. Stressed raw shrimp showed a water holding capacity 10.8% lower (p ≤ 0.05) than control. However, during the storage, water holding capacity increased (p ≤ 0.05) reaching similar values to control after day 4. Muscle protein solubility of stressed shrimp was 31% lower than control; however, no differences (p > 0.05) were observed after the second day. The thermal stability of myosin (Tmax) showed differences (p ≤ 0.05) among control and stressed shrimp, whereas no differences for ΔH were observed. Results showed the influence of ante-mortem hypoxia on the physicochemical and functional properties of white shrimp muscle.
All liquid based calibration scheme for microwave dielectrometry

The calibration of a microfluidic microwave sensor is a challenging field of research. While most of the existing strategies still rely on information out of full wave simulations, this work demonstrates an exact method to calibrate such a sensor with only three transmission measurements of known liquids. In this way, a closed formulation that directly maps S-parameters to the complex permittivity value of the material under test was found. Because this calibration scheme is only based on transmission measurements, it has potentially lower requirements concerning the hardware implementation of a sensor. The theory is validated with measurements of different aqueous NaCl solutions as well as albumin solutions up to a frequency of 10 GHz. It is demonstrated, that due to the accurate data extraction small differences of 0,05mol/l can be discriminated very well. This corresponds to a change in permittivity of Δε = while the error is in average Δ = ±1.5%o.
On the achievable information rate with peak-power-limited orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing

This paper addresses the problem of determining the statistical distribution of the peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) transmit signals. In practice, transmission systems are amplitude-limited, thus the large peak values of OFDM signals are clipped and nonlinear distortion follows. In order to avoid the resulting degradations, i.e., spectral widening and increased bit-error rate, a systematic construction of OFDM signals without large peaks is desired. The paper provides new results on the PAR distribution and hence on the achievable information rate with OFDM signals that are peak-limited. In particular, it is shown that in the case of phase-shift-keying (PSK) subcarrier modulation, the frequently applied model of Gaussian data coefficients is not appropriate. By solving an integral equation, new analytic expressions for the PAR and the achievable information rate are derived. Comparison with simulation results confirms that the new model is accurate for all ranges of practical interest.
Osteopontin and bone sialoprotein expression in regenerating rat periodontal ligament and alveolar bone

Osteopontin (OPN) and bone sialoprotein (BSP) are differentially expressed over time in bone formation and remodelling. We have examined the expression of these proteins as phenotypic markers in studies of periodontal ligament (PL) and alveolar bone (AB) regeneration.
GSK3B polymorphisms alter transcription and splicing in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a combination of motor symptoms. We identified two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in the glycogen synthase kinase‐3β gene (GSK3B). A promoter single nucleotide polymorphism (rs334558) is associated with transcriptional strength in vitro in which the T allele has greater activity. An intronic single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6438552) regulates selection of splice acceptor sites in vitro. The T allele is associated with altered splicing in lymphocytes and increased levels of GSK3B transcripts that lack exons 9 and 11 (GSKΔexon9+11). Increased levels of GSKΔexon9+11 correlated with enhanced phosphorylation of its substrate, Tau. In a comparison of PD and control brains, there was increased in frequency of T allele (rs6438552) and corresponding increase in GSKΔexon9+11 and Tau phosphorylation in PD brains. Conditional logistic regression indicated gene–gene interaction between T/T genotype of rs334558 and H1/H1 haplotype of microtubule‐associated protein Tau (MAPT) gene (p = 0.009). There was association between a haplotype (T alleles of both GSK3B polymorphisms) and disease risk after stratification by Tau haplotypes ((H1/H2+H2/H2 individuals: odds ratio, 1.64; p = 0.007; (H1/H1 individuals: odds ratio, 0.68; p < 0.001). Ours results suggest GSK3B polymorphisms alter transcription and splicing and interact with Tau haplotypes to modify disease risk in PD. Ann Neurol 2005;58:829–839
Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of a Novel Potassium Channel Opener, SKP‐450, in Healthy Volunteers

To evaluate the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characteristics of SKP‐450, a novel K+ channel opener, a single blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, dose‐rising, parallel‐group study was conducted in 28 healthy volunteers. The volunteers were randomly allocated to dosage groups of 50 μg, 100 μg, 200 μg, and 300 μg. Single doses of SKP‐450 were administered orally, after overnight fasting, and serial blood sampling and pharmacodynamic measurements were performed up to 48 hours after the drug was administered. The 200 μg group was further studied for food interactions in a crossover fashion. Drug concentrations in plasma were determined by HPLC. Hemodynamic changes after drug administration were evaluated by serial measurements of blood pressure (BP), pulse rate (PR), cardiac index (CI), and total peripheral resistance (TPR), using computerized impedance cardiography. Changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone concentrations (PAC) were determined 4 and 24 hours after drug administration. Both SKP‐450 and SKP‐818, an active metabolite, showed linear pharmacokinetic characteristics, and food intake did not significantly affect the pharmacokinetic characteristics of either compound. Dose‐related pharmacological effects were obvious for both the 200 μg and 300 μg groups. Hemodynamic parameters related to vasodilation and reflex tachycardia, such as maximum changes in diastolic BP, PR, CI, and TPR, showed significant dose‐dependent changes. The area under the time‐effect curve (AUEC) of the parameters also showed a similar dose‐dependent pattern. The PRA and PAC exhibited significant changes 4 hours after drug administration in the 300 μg group. Adverse effects, such as headaches, were more frequently observed at the higher dose levels. SKP‐450 was generally well tolerated by these normotensive subjects. The antihypertensive efficacy of SKP‐450 needs to be evaluated in hypertensive patients after multiple dosing.
Exclamation marks and other trichoscopic signs of chemotherapy‐induced alopecia

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) represents one of the major unresolved problems in clinical oncology. It is still considered one of the most traumatic factors in cancer patient care and occurs with an estimated incidence of 65%. It is a medical issue requiring more research for further clarification of its pathogenesis and management. In 1960, by means of a microscopic examination of epilated scalp hairs, Crounse and Van Scott first described the effect of a wide range of cytotoxic drugs on the hair shafts. Trichoscopy is a non-invasive technique that has been recently used to facilitate the diagnosis and management of hair and scalp disorders. To our knowledge, there are still no published data on the trichoscopic findings of CIA. We report here our findings, including those on exclamation mark hairs, considered by many authors to be pathognomonic of alopecia areata (AA).
Six-Sigma Application in the Hotel Industry: Is It Effective for Performance Improvement?

Six-Sigma (6 σ) is a quality improvement strategy that provides a clear roadmap for organizations to deliver nearly perfect products and services. After initial success in manufacturing organizations, Six-Sigma has gradually gained widespread application in service organizations, including hotels and lodging. Although the hotel industry has an increased interest in Six-Sigma implementation and many hotels have yielded tangible benefits from this approach, the literature is limited. Moreover, the relationship between Six-Sigma implementation and its performance improvement outcomes is a rarely examined subject in the hospitality context. Therefore, this study attempts to assess the effectiveness of Six-Sigma and examine its impacts on various performance measures of upscale hotels in Egypt, seeking for what values and benefits it brings to improve the overall performance. To achieve this objective, the researcher surveyed 123upscale hotels in Egypt. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 18). The results indicated that only 31 percent of the respondent hotels are actively involved in a documented Six-Sigma project. A notable proportion of these hotels have less than three years experience with the Six-Sigma approach. This clearly illustrates that Six-Sigma is a relatively new approach within the Egyptian hotel industry. The findings indicated that Six-Sigma implementation is positively and significantly associated with the operational and competitive performance of the surveyed hotels. Hotels implementing Six-Sigma have achieved more benefits as compared to other hotels implementing other quality management programs (i.e. TQM and ISO 9001). Therefore, it seems advisable for Egyptian hotels to be involved in formal Six-Sigma projects in order to improve their overall performance.
Importance of the Alternative Five and Trait Emotional Intelligence for Agentic and Communal Domains of Satisfaction

Many studies supported the importance of trait emotional intelligence (EI) for subjective well-being but specific domains of life-satisfaction were rarely of interest. Our study investigated whether emotional intelligence is more important for interpersonal or communal-related domains (e.g. satisfaction with friends, intimate partners) than for agentic domains of satisfaction (e.g. satisfaction with finances, work). Due to the problematic differential validity of trait EI from personality, the relationship between trait EI and domains of satisfaction was controlled for by personality. Slovene students and young adults (N=442) completed the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire, and rated their satisfaction with 12 aspects of life. Principal component analysis of these domains revealed three components, explaining 62% of total variance. The communal domains included self-reported satisfaction with popularity, respect, influence on others, family relationships, and intimate relationship. The agentic domains included satisfaction with professional carrier, financial situation, academic education, and achieved goals. The physical domains component was comprised of satisfaction with appearance, fitness, and health. After accounting for personality, trait EI explained 16% of variance in communal domain and 10% of variance in agentic domain, thus suggesting greater importance of trait EI for interpersonal domains. However, trait EI seems to play an important role for satisfaction in the agentic domains also, as successful management of our emotions can help us reach our goals and thus be more satisfied.
Clinical update Central blood pressure : current evidence and clinical importance

Pressure measured with a cuff and sphygmomanometer in the brachial artery is accepted as an important predictor of future cardiovascular risk. However, systolic pressure varies throughout the arterial tree, such that aortic (central) systolic pressure is actually lower than corresponding brachial values, although this difference is highly variable between individuals. Emerging evidence now suggests that central pressure is better related to future cardiovascular events than is brachial pressure. Moreover, anti-hypertensive drugs can exert differential effects on brachial and central pressure. Therefore, basing treatment decisions on central, rather than brachial pressure, is likely to have important implications for the future diagnosis and management of hypertension. Such a paradigm shift will, however, require further, direct evidence that selectively targeting central pressure, brings added benefit, over and above that already provided by brachial artery pressure.
Carbonic anhydrase and 2', 3' cyclic nucleotide 3'‐phosphohydrolase activity in normal human brain and in demyelinating diseases

The activities of carbonic anhydrase and 2', 3' cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase (CNPase) were measured in gray and white matter and in myelin from human brains obtained at autopsy. Carbonic anhydrase activity increased with age, and at all ages a major part of the activity was associated with membrane fractions. The percentage of membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase was lower than normal in white matter from Krabbe disease and adrenoleukodystrophy; isolated myelin had a low specific activity in these diseases. CNPase activity was decreased in both white matter and myelin, but was somewhat higher than normal in gray matter. Although the yield of myelin from a case of metachromatic leukodystrophy was markedly reduced, changes in the enzyme activities were minimal.
Activation of the IκB kinase complex is sufficient for neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells

We examined the role of the IκB kinase complex in nerve growth factor (NGF)‐induced neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells. We showed that neurite outgrowth is accompanied by an activation of the IKK complex and a delayed elevation of NF‐κB‐dependent transcription. Ectopic expression of a constitutively active form of IKK2 but not of IKK1 promoted neurite outgrowth in the absence of NGF. In addition, increased expression of Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐xL and resistance to apoptosis upon serum withdrawal were found. The IKK2‐driven neurite outgrowth was not blocked by MEK1/2 and PI3K inhibitors but was repressed by the SN50 peptide suggesting that NF‐κB activation is critical for this differentiation process. Transdominant mutants of IκBα (32/36‐SS/AA) and IKK1 only marginally reduced NGF‐driven neuritogenesis. However, a dominant negative mutant of IKK2 or an IκBα protein lacking the complete N‐terminus was able to repress neuritogenesis. We also detected tyrosine phosphorylation of IκBα during differentiation. Consequently, PC12 cells expressing mutant IκBα (Y42F) show an impaired neuritogenesis. Furthermore, PC12 cells ectopically expressing p65 show almost no signs of neurite outgrowth which is, however, found to some extent in c‐Rel‐expressing cells. Our data suggest that NGF‐induced PC12 differentiation includes activation of IKK2 which may promote the release of c‐Rel‐containing dimers.
Recreating Life: Toward a Theory of Relationship Development in Acute Home Care

The aim of this research was to explain some processes used by family caregivers and care recipients with acute conditions to develop and maintain satisfying care relationships in home settings. Grounded theory method was used to develop a beginning theory of individual and relationship growth and development. From a sample obtained through two home health agencies, 9 dyads (e.g., care recipient and family caregiver) were interviewed once, 4 dyads twice, and 1 dyad three times. The substantive theory that emerged-recreating life-suggests that caregivers and care recipients respond to disrupted realities caused by illness through redefining self and redefining the relationship. Four mitigating factors affecting the developmental process were identified: (a) prognosis, (b) progress, (c) social support, and (d) professional support.
Adenosine 5'‐triphosphate modulates membrane potassium conductance in guinea‐pig myenteric neurones.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from myenteric neurones isolated from the guinea‐pig small intestine to study actions of adenosine 5'‐triphosphate (ATP). ATP was applied by superfusion (10 nM‐100 microM) or pressure ejection from ATP‐containing glass pipettes. 2. Myenteric neurones have been classified into two groups: type I/S neurones and type II/AH neurones. ATP produced a membrane hyperpolarization in 80% of AH neurones and a membrane depolarization in 90% of S neurones in a dose‐dependent manner. Adenosine caused responses similar to those induced by ATP in both AH and S neurones, but was less effective than ATP. 3. The ATP‐induced hyperpolarization was associated with a fall in input resistance, but the ATP‐induced depolarization was accompanied by an increase in input resistance. Both responses reversed in polarity near the potassium equilibrium potential (‐84 to ‐87 mV) and the reversal potential varied with extracellular potassium concentration, as predicted by the Nernst equation. These results indicate that the hyperpolarization is due to an increase, while the depolarization is due to a decrease in potassium conductance. 4. Both the hyperpolarization and the depolarization induced by ATP persisted in calcium‐free solution containing 1.2 mM‐magnesium, but were markedly reduced or abolished in calcium‐free solutions containing 3.7‐10 mM‐magnesium and by 1 mM‐nickel or cobalt. Both responses to ATP persisted in tetraethylammonium (1‐10 mM) or tetrodotoxin (1‐3 microM)‐containing solutions. 5. Quinine and quinidine (1‐100 microM) reversibly depressed both the ATP‐induced responses. Caffeine (100 microM), theophylline (100 microM) and 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine (1‐10 microM) did not significantly affect the ATP‐induced depolarization but did reversibly depress the ATP‐induced hyperpolarization. 6. These results suggest that the ATP‐induced hyperpolarization may be due to activation, and the ATP‐induced depolarization to inactivation, of a calcium‐sensitive potassium conductance.
Secondary somatosensory cortex is important for the sensory discriminative dimension of pain: A functional MRI-study

A complex cortical network is believed to encode the multidimensionality of the human pain experience. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine whether the brain's processing of noxious stimuli differs with different psychophysical properties. Painful mechanical impact and heat stimulations of equal stimulus intensity were applied to the forearm of 14 subjects in a randomized order. Concomitantly, subjects had to evaluate the corresponding sensory‐discriminative and affective‐motivational pain dimensions. fMRI revealed an increased activation of bilateral secondary somatosensory cortices (S2) during mechanical impact pain compared with heat pain. Activations in S2 were significantly correlated with scores for the sensory‐discriminative component during mechanical impact pain. By contrast, corresponding scores for the affective‐motivational pain dimension did not differ between both conditions. In summary, we conclude that S2 plays an important role in the sensory‐discriminative dimension of pain.
Point:Counterpoint: Satellite cell addition is/is not obligatory for skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Myofiber size is dynamically regulated, increasing and decreasing depending on muscle use. Hypertrophy is defined by increases in myofiber cross-sectional area and mass as well as myofibrillar protein content. Myofibers contain many hundreds of nuclei, each of which has a nuclear domain. A nuclear
Leadership Styles and Information Security in Small Businesses

Purpose – The objective of this study is to examine information security issues within small businesses and determine whether and to what degree any relationship exists between leadership styles and the level of concern for information security problems.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents an empirical study of 122 small business owners from the state of Hawaii with regards to their leadership styles and information security concerns.Findings – The results of this study showed a significant correlation between transactional and transformational leadership styles and the level of concern towards information security problems within small businesses.Practical implications – This research suggests that small businesses leaders need to demonstrate more than one leadership style to broaden their preparation against a range of information security issues and problems.Originality/value – The findings may be applicable to small business leaders who proactively search for a cost‐effective and optimal .