Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic simulations of dependent geological variables in sandstone reservoirs of Neogene age: A case study of Kloštar Field, Sava Depression

The research presented herein is the first attempt to perform geostatistical simulations on three geologic variables, porosity, thickness, and depth to reservoir, in the Croatian Pannonian basin. The data were collected from a reservoir of Lower Pontian age in Klostar Field, located in the western part of the Sava Depression. All three variables were analyzed using sequential Gaussian simulations (SGS). Information regarding present-day depth, thickness, and locations of areas with higher porosity values were used to reconstruct paleo-depositional environments and the distribution of different lithotypes, ranging from medium-grained, to mostly clean sandstones and to pure, basin marls. Estimates of present-day thickness and depth can help to define areas of gross tectonic displacement and the role of major faults that have been mapped in the field. However, since mapping of the raw data (including porosities) does not allow the reconstruction of paleo-depositional environments, sequential indicator simulations (SIS) were applied as a secondary analytical tool. For this purpose, several cutoff values for thickness were defined in an effort to distinguish the orientation of depositional channels (main and transitional). This was accomplished by transforming porosities to indicator values (0 and 1) and by applying a non-linear “indicator kriging” technique as the “zero” map for obtaining numerous indicator realizations by SIS. In the SGS and the SIS approaches, the simulations encompassed 100 realizations. A representative realization was then selected using purely statistical criteria, i.e., two realizations were almost always chosen in accordance with the order of calculation. The 1 st and 100 th realizations were selected for each variable in the SGS and SIS and five “indicator kriging” maps were chosen for the thicknesses cutoffs.
Constructing a World War II America: The Rhetorical Craftsmanship of Franklin D. Roosevelt

In this thesis I add to existing scholarship an explanation of the rhetorical priming work that Franklin D. Roosevelt employed to overcome isolationism in the United States. Roosevelt asked the American people to trust him through the next great world crisis and used his prior two terms as well as strategic enemy construction as support. He framed the memory of his first two terms tightly and told them what to remember from their shared experiences to formulate an America ready for war. His leadership through the Banking Crisis and initiation of many domestic policies to keep America great were the basis upon which Roosevelt would prime the American people to venture through yet another trying crisis with him. The generation who would fight in the noble and good war against the evil Nazi regime was still reeling from the Great Depression and the sting of involvement from the First World War. They would need to be rhetorically primed to be moved out of their isolationist slumber. Constructing a World War II America: The Rhetorical Craftsmanship of Franklin D. Roosevelt by Tiara Foster B.A. Willamette University 2011 M.A. Syracuse University 2013 Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Communication and Rhetorical Studies Syracuse University May 2013 Copyright © Tiara Kay Foster 2013 All Rights Reserved
Dynamics of Calcium Clearance in Mouse Pancreatic β-Cells

Pancreatic β-cells maintain glucose homeostasis by their regulated Ca2+-dependent secretion of insulin. Several cellular mechanisms control intracellular Ca2+ levels, but their relative significance in mouse β-cells is not fully known. We used photometry to measure the dynamics of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) clearance after brief, depolarization-induced Ca2+ entry. Treatment with thapsigargin or cyclopiazonic acid, inhibitors of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) pumps, nearly doubled the peak and slowed the decay of the depolarization-induced Ca2+ transients. The remaining thapsigargin-insensitive decay was slowed further by inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) and plasma membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) via alkalization of the bath solution, by adding lanthanum, or by substitution of Na+ with Li+. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake contributed little to clearance in thapsigargin-pretreated cells. Together, the SERCA, PMCA, and NCX transport mechanisms accounted for 89 to 97% of clearance in normal solutions. We developed a quantitative model for the dynamic role of removal mechanisms over a wide range of [Ca2+]i. According to our model, 50 to 64% of initial Ca2+ removal is via the SERCA pump, whereas the NCX contributes 21–30% of the extrusion at high [Ca2+]i, and the PMCA contributes 21–27% at low [Ca2+]i.
On the capacity and normalization of ISI channels

We investigate the capacity of various intersymbol interference (ISI) channels with additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). Previous papers showed a minimum E/sub b//N/sub 0/ of -4.6 dB, 3 dB below the capacity of a flat channel, is obtained using water-pouring capacity formulas for the 1+D channel. However, these papers did not take into account that the channel power gain can be greater than one when water-pouring is used. We present a generic power normalization method of the channel frequency response, namely, peak bandwidth normalization (PBN), to facilitate the fair capacity comparison of various ISI channels. Three types of ISI channel, i.e., adder channels, RC channels, and magnetic recording channels, are examined. By using our channel power gain normalization, the capacity curves of these ISI channels are shown.
Transplantation of Embryonic and Adult Neural Stem Cells in the Granuloprival Cerebellum of the Weaver Mutant Mouse

Numerous studies have explored the potential of different stem and progenitor cells to replace at‐risk neuronal populations in a variety of neurodegenerative disease models. This study presents data from a side‐by‐side approach of engrafting two different stem/progenitor cell populations within the postnatal cerebellum of the weaver neurological mutant mouse—cerebellar‐derived multipotent astrocytic stem cells and embryonic stem cell–derived neural precursors—for comparative analysis. We show here that both donor populations survive, migrate, and appear to initiate differentiation into neurons within the granuloprival host environment. Neither of these disparate stem/progenitor cell populations adopted significant region‐specific identities, despite earlier studies that suggested the potential of these cells to respond to in vivo cues when placed in a permissive/instructive milieu. However, data presented here suggest that molecular and cellular deficits present within weaver homozygous or heterozygous brains may promote a slightly more positive donor cell response toward acquisition of a neuronal phenotype. Hence, it is likely that a fine balance exists between a compromised host environment that is amenable to cell replacement and that of a degenerating cellular milieu where it is perhaps too deleterious to support extensive neuronal differentiation and functional cellular integration. These findings join a growing list of studies that show successful cell replacement depends largely on the interplay between the potentiality of the donor cells and the specific pathological conditions of the recipient environment, and that emergent therapies for neurological disorders involving the use of neural stem cells still require refinement. STEM CELLS 2009;27:1625–1634
Evidence of genetic overlap of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: Linkage disequilibrium analysis of chromosome 18 in the Costa Rican population

The long‐standing concept that schizophrenia (SC) and bipolar disorder (BP) represent two distinct illnesses has been recently challenged by findings of overlap of genetic susceptibility loci for these two diseases. We report here the results of a linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis of chromosome 18 utilizing subjects with SC from the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Evidence of association (P < 0.05) was obtained in three chromosomal regions: 18p11.31 (D18S63), 18q12.3 (D18S474), and 18q22.3‐qter (D18S1161, D18S70), all of which overlap or are in close proximity with loci previously shown to be in LD with BP, type I in this population. Since both the SC and bipolar samples contained cases with a history of mania and almost all cases of SC and BP had a history of psychosis, we performed an alternative phenotyping strategy to determine whether presence or absence of mania, in the context of psychosis, would yield distinct linkage patterns along chromosome 18. To address this issue, a cohort of psychotic patients (including a range of DSMIV diagnoses) was divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of mania. Regions that showed association with SC showed segregation of association when the sample was stratified by history of mania. Our results are compared with previous genetic studies of susceptibility to SC or BP, in Costa Rica as well as in other populations. This study illustrates the importance of detailed phenotype analysis in the search for susceptibility genes influencing complex psychiatric disorders in isolated populations and suggests that subdivision of psychoses by presence or absence of past mania syndromes may be useful to define genetic subtypes of chronic psychotic illness. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anabolic steroids: the gremlins of sport.

The fact that athletes are now hormonally manipulating themselves in order to enhance their athletic performance has aroused great concern among those who are close to athletics because it is feared that these athletes may be doing irreparable harm to themselves as well as to “sport. ” As Peter Lawson of the Manchester Guardian put it, “Unless something is done soon, international sport will be a competition between circus freaks manipulated by international chemists. ” 1 Even so, the history of drug use by athletes has receive little scholarly attention. Though there are now several popular treatments of the use of anabolic drugs by athletes, most notably Dr. Bob Goldman’s Death in the Locker Room and Dr. William Taylor’s Hormonal Manipulation, neither book contains much discussion of the chronology of this phenomenon or, sad to say, much documentation. * What follows is an attempt to provide a chronology and, perhaps, an insight into this baleful aspect of modern sport. Tam Thompson, a 27 year old graduate student in physical education, has competed in the sport of powerlifting since 1982 and admits having used anabolic steroids to improve her performance. Like many other athletes in an increasingly wide variety of sports, Tam felt that using anabolic steroids (synthetic derivatives of the male hormone, testosterone, which helps in the building of muscle size and strength) would give her a competitive edge. Before using steroids, Tam had never won a national title nor set any official records and she hoped steroids would allow her to catch the top women. In this quest she was ultimately unsuccessful. Two years ago, Tam decided to stop using drugs and the result was a significant drop in her level of strength. The following interview represents one of the few times a woman athlete has discussed her drug usage for the record. 3 Much of what Tam has to say may seem extraordinary to those who are removed from the world of competitive sports, but neither the amounts of drugs she took, her attitude toward those drugs, nor the side effects she experienced are atypical of what many observers
Avulsed Tooth - A Storage Medium Dilemma an Update

Dental traumatic injuries are the most uninvited emergencies causing panic, emotional, aesthetic, functional and psychological disturbances. Avulsion being the most common injury, it deals with exarticulation or total luxation of the tooth out of its socket as a result of sports injuries or fights. While in-vitro studies have shown that teeth can be kept in conditioned media for up to 96 hours and still present optimal healing, clinically emphasis on the extra-oral time and viability of the PDL cells decide the prognosis for the avulsed tooth. Transport or storage media for the tooth is of critical importance for survival of these PDL cells for successful replantation. This article highlights the different storage media available for an avulsed tooth and the most suitable ones to be used depending on their ease of availability for the general population.
Distribution of gonadal steroid receptor–containing neurons in the preoptic–periaqueductal gray–brainstem pathway: A potential circuit for the initiation of male sexual behavior

The present study used anterograde and retrograde tract tracing techniques to examine the organization of the medial preoptic—periaqueductal gray—nucleus paragigantocellularis pathway in the male rat. The location of neurons containing estrogen (alpha subtype; ERα) and androgen receptors (AR) were also examined. We report here that injection of the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) into the medial preoptic (MPO) produced dense labeling within the periaqueductal gray (PAG); anterogradely labeled fibers terminated in close juxtaposition to neurons retrogradely labeled from the nucleus paragigantocellularis (nPGi). Dual immunostaining for Fluoro‐Gold (FG) and ERα or FG and AR showed that over one‐third of MPO efferents to the PAG contain receptors for either estrogen or androgen. In addition, approximately 50% of PAG neurons retrogradely labeled from the nPGi were immunoreactive for either ERα or AR. These results are the first to establish an MPO→PAG→nPGi circuit and further indicate that gonadal steroids can influence neuronal synaptic activity within these sites. We reported previously that nPGi reticulospinal neurons terminate preferentially within the motoneuronal pools of the lumbosacral spinal cord that innervate the pelvic viscera. Together, we propose that the MPO→PAG→nPGi circuit forms the final common pathway whereby MPO neural output results in the initiation and maintenance of male copulatory reflexes. J. Comp. Neurol. 438:191–212, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Trends in the Use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Western Denmark 1996-2000

New antiretroviral drugs, expanding knowledge of their long-term toxic effects and the large number of patients with treatment failure have increased the demand for new strategies in the antiretroviral treatment of HIV-infected patients. The present study was conducted as part of the HIV Cohort Study in western Denmark to reveal trends in the use of antiretrovirals in the region. The cohort includes all patients attached to those centers treating HIV patients in western Denmark. A total of 537 patients who started highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were included. The number of patients receiving HAART increased dramatically in 1996 and 1997 before leveling off, with 45-75 patients initiating treatment annually thereafter. Median follow-up time after initiation of HAART was 151 weeks. An estimated 45.1% of patients had the initial HAART regimen modified during the first year of follow-up. Side-effects and treatment failure were the main reasons for treatment modifications. Major new strategies implemented in the region in 1999 and 2000 included treatment with boosted protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
Associations of Macro- and Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction With Subclinical Ventricular Dysfunction in End-Stage Renal Disease

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) suffer high rates of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, and we lack a thorough understanding of what, if any, modifiable factors contribute to cardiac dysfunction in these high-risk patients. To evaluate endothelial function as a potentially modifiable cause of cardiac dysfunction in ESRD, we investigated cross-sectional associations of macro- and microvascular dysfunction with left and right ventricular dysfunction in a well-controlled ESRD cohort. We performed comprehensive echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging and speckle-tracking echocardiography of the left and right ventricle, in 149 ESRD patients enrolled in an ongoing prospective, observational study. Of these participants, 123 also underwent endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (macrovascular function). Microvascular function was measured as the velocity time integral of hyperemic blood flow after cuff deflation. Impaired flow-mediated dilation was associated with higher left ventricular mass, independently of age and blood pressure: per 2-fold lower flow-mediated dilation, left ventricular mass was 4.1% higher (95% confidence interval, 0.49–7.7; P=0.03). After adjustment for demographics, blood pressure, comorbidities, and medications, a 2-fold lower velocity time integral was associated with 9.5% higher E/e′ ratio (95% confidence interval, 1.0–16; P=0.03) and 6.7% lower absolute right ventricular longitudinal strain (95% confidence interval, 2.0–12; P=0.003). Endothelial dysfunction is a major correlate of cardiac dysfunction in ESRD, particularly diastolic and right ventricular dysfunction, in patients whose volume status is well controlled. Future investigations are needed to determine whether therapies targeting the vascular endothelium could improve cardiac outcomes in ESRD.
Survey of rotavirus G and P types associated with human gastroenteritis in São Paulo, Brazil, from 1986 to 1992

Rotavirus strains causing gastroenteritis in Brazilian children were characterized by PCR-based typing assays. In addition to strains bearing the major human G and P types, large numbers of strains bearing P3 (M37-like), P6 (HCR3-like), untypeable P and G types, and complex mixtures of P and G types not previously recognized were present in the community.
Association between fetal weight and amniotic fluid index in women of Central India

Background : The placenta is important for fetal growth and well-being. Defective placentation and impaired placental circulation may result in anomalies in fetal growth. Placental volume in the second trimester appears to be closely related to the neonatal weight. The association of body weight with urine output has been observed in human neonates. Our goal is to assess the association of the amniotic fluid index (AFI) with the estimated fetal weight (EFW). Materials and Methods : Thirteen hundred and ninety-three pregnant women were prospectively studied by means of an ultrasound over a 12-month period. The fetal weight (FW) was estimated using a combination of fetal parameters - bi-parietal diameter, fetal trunk cross-sectional area, and femur length. AFI was assessed using the four quadrant method. The level of statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Result s: There was no statistically significant association between AFI and EFW (P > 0.05; r = 0.413). We also did not find a significant association between AFI and EFW for all subdivisions of gestation age, except in the 24 - 28 weeks and 29 - 32 weeks′ groups. Conclusion : The FW calculations and amniotic index show a variation in values in late pregnancy. There does not appear to be a linear association between the ultrasound estimate of FW and the amniotic index. The implication of this is that the fetal size need not be taken into cognizance when alterations in amniotic fluid values are noted.
Randomized controlled trial of early zoledronic acid in men with castration-sensitive prostate cancer and bone metastases: results of CALGB 90202 (alliance).

PURPOSE Zoledronic acid decreases the risk for skeletal-related events (SREs) in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer and bone metastases but its role earlier in the natural history of the disease is unknown. This phase III study evaluated the efficacy and safety of earlier treatment with zoledronic acid in men with castration-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Men with castration-sensitive prostate cancer and bone metastases whose androgen-deprivation therapy was initiated within 6 months of study entry were randomly assigned in a blinded 1:1 ratio to receive zoledronic acid (4 mg intravenously every 4 weeks) or a placebo. After their disease progressed to castration-resistant status, all patients received open-label treatment with zoledronic acid. The primary end point was time to first SRE, defined as radiation to bone, clinical fracture, spinal cord compression, surgery to bone, or death as a result of prostate cancer. Target accrual was 680 patients. Primary analysis was planned after 470 SREs. The study was discontinued prematurely (645 patients; 299 SREs) after the corporate supporter withdrew study drug supply. RESULTS Early zoledronic acid was not associated with increased time to first SRE. The median time to first SRE was 31.9 months in the zoledronic acid group (95% CI, 24.2 to 40.3) and 29.8 months in the placebo group (95% CI, 25.3 to 37.2; hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0 to 1.17; one-sided stratified log-rank P = .39). Overall survival was similar between the groups (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.12; P = .29). Rates of adverse events were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION In men with castration-sensitive prostate cancer and bone metastases, early treatment with zoledronic acid was not associated with lower risk for SREs.
Oxygen in the Cultivation of Stem Cells

Abstract: Cultivation of stem cells, like all cells in culture, is performed under conditions that cannot and do not replicate normal physiologic conditions. For example, direct exposure of cultured monolayer cells to serum contents is normally prevented in vivo by the vasculature. The heterogeneity of cells and signals between different cell types in an organ is certainly not captured when a single cell type is grown and studied in vitro. Gases, in particular, are not accounted for in routine tissue culture. Oxygen is fundamental for life and its concentration is an important signal for virtually all cellular processes. Nonetheless, oxygen is rarely taken into account in culturing stem and other cells. This review will summarize work that highlights the importance of considering oxygen conditions for culturing and manipulating stem cells. Emphasis is placed on major phenotypic changes in response to oxygen, recognizing that oxygen‐mediated transcriptional and post‐translational effects are enormously complex, and beyond the scope of this review. The review emphasizes that oxygen is an important signal in all major aspects of stem cell biology including proliferation and tumorigenesis, cell death and differentiation, self‐renewal, and migration.
Phytochemical Analysis of Hybanthus enneaspermus using UV, FTIR and GC- MS

The present study was carried out to characterize the bioactive constituents present in ethanolic extracts of Hybanthus enneaspermus using UV, FTIR and GC-MS. The crude extracts were scanned in the wavelength ranging from 300-1100 nm by using Perkin Elmer Spectrophotometer and the characteristic peaks were detected. For GC-MS analysis, 20 g sample is extracted with 50 ml ethanol, filtered in ash less filter paper with 4 g sodium sulphate and the extract is concentrated to 1 ml by bubbling nitrogen into the solution. The compound detection employed the NIST Ver. 2.0 - Year 2005 library. The biological activities are based on Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases by Dr. Jim Duke of the Agricultural Research Service/USDA. The UV profile showed different peaks ranging from 300-1100 nm with different absorption respectively. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of phenols, alcohols, alkanes, alkyl halides, carboxylic acids, aromatics, nitro compounds and amines in ethanolic extract. The results of the GC-MS analysis provide different peaks determining the presence of phytochemical compounds with different therapeutic activities. The major phytoconstituents were (5E,13E)-5,13-Docosadienoic acid (20.90%) and Cedran-diol, 8S, 14- (13.02) which are possessing many biological activities. hence this study creates a platform to screen many bioactive components to treat many diseases.