Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Big gulps require high drag for fin whale lunge feeding

Fin whales Balaenoptera physalus exhibit one of the most extreme feeding methods among aquatic vertebrates. Fin whales, and other rorquals (Balaenopteridae), lunge with their mouth fully agape, thereby generating dynamic pressure to stretch their mouth around a large volume of prey-laden water, which is then filtered by racks of baleen. Despite their large body size, fin whales appear to be limited to short dive durations, likely because of the energetic cost associated with large accelerations of the body during several lunges at depth. Here, we incorporate kinematic data from high-resolution digital tags and morphological data of the engulfment apparatus in a simple mechan- ical model to estimate the drag acting on a lunge-feeding fin whale. This model also allowed us to quantify the amount of water and prey obtained in a single lunge. Our analysis suggests that the reconfiguration and expansion of the buccal cavity enables an adult fin whale to engulf approxi- mately 60 to 82 m 3 of water, a volume greater than its entire body. This large engulfment capacity, however, comes at a high cost because the drag, work against drag, and drag coefficient dramatically increase over the course of a lunge. As a result, kinetic energy is rapidly dissipated from the body, and each subsequent lunge requires acceleration from rest. Despite this high cost, living bal- aenopterids are not only among the largest animals on earth, but are relatively speciose and exhibit diverse prey preferences. Given this ecological diversity, we frame our results in an evolutionary con- text, and address the implications of our results for the origin of lunge feeding.
Patterns of cytokine production in psoriatic synovium.

OBJECTIVE To determine patterns of cytokine production and mRNA expression in synovium from patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and to compare the profile of cytokine production in PsA explants with those derived from rheumatoid (RA) and osteoarthritic (OA) synovia and psoriatic skin. METHODS Cytokine levels were measured in supernatants from synovial and dermal explant cultures at Day 10 by ELISA. Cytokine mRNA expression in PsA whole tissue was determined by multi-gene assay. Cytokine levels in explant supernatants were compared between PsA, RA and OA, and psoriatic skin. Synovial tissues were scored histologically by a pathologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis. RESULTS PsA explants released elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, but not IL-4 or IL-5. A similar pattern of gene expression was detected in whole synovial tissue. These cytokine levels were greater in PsA than RA, despite higher histopathologic scores in RA explants. Production of IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 were strongly correlated. Levels of IFN-gamma, IL-1beta, and IL-10 were higher in psoriatic synovium than psoriatic dermal plaques. CONCLUSION The cytokine profile in PsA is characterized by the presence of Th1 cytokines and the monokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and very elevated levels of IL-10. The higher levels of these cytokines in PsA compared to RA suggest the presence of different underlying mechanisms.
Nonenhancing breast malignancies on MRI: sonographic and pathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to describe the sonographic appearance and histopathologic basis of those malignancies of the breast that show non-enhancement on MRI. CONCLUSION Breast malignancies with suspicious features on sonography may not be detected on MRI due to non-enhancement of the lesions. In such cases, we suggest the use of tissue sampling to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions.
Gender Differences in HIV/AIDS Knowledge/Awareness among Adventist University Students in Arusha, Tanzania

The objective of this study was to assess university students’ knowledge gender differences regarding HIV/AIDS at an Adventist institution in Arusha, Tanzania. This was undertaken on the ground that knowing about HIV/AIDS is one of the main ways by which the formidable disease can be controlled. The sample comprised 97 male (49) and female (48) participants who were administered an HIV/AIDS questionnaire consisting of 15 questions/statements. The data analysis comprised frequency, percentage, chi-square and level of probability. The results showed that on the basis of knowledgeability participants fell under those who scored high followed by those who were above average, average and below average. Similarly on the basis of gender differences, there were two categories, namely in a couple of questions, female participants performed better than their counterparts. In the second category, there was parity of genders, as their performance was equally good or unsatisfactory. In view of HIV/AIDS misconceptions and gender differences observed, it was concluded that the HIV/AIDS knowledge students commanded was not sufficient to lead to reduction in HIV/AIDS transmission. Thus calling for more public HIV/AIDS education in institutions of higher learning in Tanzania. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n27p726
Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharges Under Unipolar and Bipolar HV Excitation in View of Chemical Reactivity in Afterglow Conditions

This paper deals with atmospheric pressure DBDs driven under unipolar and bipolar pulsed excitation, in a context of chemical reactivity in flowing afterglow conditions. The resulting discharges in air and nitrogen are examined via electrical and optical diagnostics. Then, their yield in the production of active species (ozone for the air afterglow-atomic Nitrogen and N2(A) metastables for the N2 afterglow) is compared. An effort is made to illustrate the key discharge parameters that are likely to influence the concentrations of neutral active species in afterglow conditions.
Teaching evidence-based medical care: description and evaluation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This paper describes and evaluates several years of a seminar series designed to stimulate residents to seek evidence-based answers to their clinical questions and incorporate this evidence into practice. METHODS At the first session, 86 of 89 (97%) residents completed a baseline needs assessment questionnaire. Post-course self-assessment questionnaires measured change from the first to the final seminar session in six domains of interest and skill, as well as residents' preferred sources of information for clinical problem solving up to 2 years after the course. RESULTS Before the seminars, 48% of residents reported that textbooks were their most important source of information for solving clinical problems. A total of 58 of 75 (77%) residents completed the first post-course questionnaire. Residents reported significant increases in skill at formulating clinical questions and searching for evidence-based answers, appraising reviews, and deciding when and how to incorporate new findings into practice. Use of secondary sources of information such as "Best Evidence," moved up in importance from before the course to after the course. CONCLUSIONS First-year family practice residents who completed our seminar series have reported increased skill at blending consideration of a clinical problem with the use of secondary sources of information to access evidence to support their health care decisions.
Connecting Content and Logical Words

Content words (e.g. nouns and adjectives) are generally connected: there are no gaps in their denotations; no noun means ‘table or shoe’ or ‘animal or house’. We explore a formulation of connectedness which is applicable to content and logical words alike, and which compares well with the classic notion of monotonicity for quantifiers. On a first inspection, logical words satisfy this generalized version of the connectedness property at least as well as content words do — that is, both in terms of what may be observed in the lexicons of natural languages (although our investigations remain modest in that respect) and in terms of acquisition biases (with an artificial rule learning experiment). This reduces the putative differences between content and logical words, as well as the associated challenges that these differences would pose, e.g., for learners.
Mosaic Complementation Demonstrates a Regulatory Role for Myosin VIIa in Actin Dynamics of Stereocilia

ABSTRACT We have developed a bacterial artificial chromosome transgenesis approach that allowed the expression of myosin VIIa from the mouse X chromosome. We demonstrated the complementation of the Myo7a null mutant phenotype producing a fine mosaic of two types of sensory hair cells within inner ear epithelia of hemizygous transgenic females due to X inactivation. Direct comparisons between neighboring auditory hair cells that were different only with respect to myosin VIIa expression revealed that mutant stereocilia are significantly longer than those of their complemented counterparts. Myosin VIIa-deficient hair cells showed an abnormally persistent tip localization of whirlin, a protein directly linked to elongation of stereocilia, in stereocilia. Furthermore, myosin VIIa localized at the tips of all abnormally short stereocilia of mice deficient for either myosin XVa or whirlin. Our results strongly suggest that myosin VIIa regulates the establishment of a setpoint for stereocilium heights, and this novel role may influence their normal staircase-like arrangement within a bundle.
Intravascular Large T-cell or NK-cell Lymphoma: A Rare Variant of Intravascular Large Cell Lymphoma With Frequent Cytotoxic Phenotype and Association With Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

Most cases of intravascular large cell lymphoma have a B-cell phenotype, but rare T-cell and natural killer (NK)-cell variants have been reported. We describe the clinicopathologic features of 4 patients (M:F=3:1; age range: 63 to 87; median age: 65) with intravascular large NK/T-cell lymphoma. The skin was the site of presentation in all patients (leg: 1 case; trunk: 1 case; trunk and extremities: 2 cases). Two patients had lesions confined to the skin; in 1 case concomitant involvement of the brain was detected and in 1 case no further studies were carried out. Immunohistology showed positivity for cytotoxic markers in 3/4 cases. One case had an NK phenotype similar to NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal-type, whereas the other cases could not be precisely classified into specific categories (peripheral T-cell lymphoma, NOS). One of these cases was negative for cytotoxic markers and was positive only for CD2 and CD3ϵ. Association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was demonstrated in 2 cases by in situ hybridization, whereas 1 case was negative. All our patients had aggressive disease and died between 2 weeks and 7 months from presentation. Analysis of our cases and of those published in the literature shows that intravascular large NK/T-cell lymphoma is a rare, aggressive lymphoma with variable phenotypic features, frequent expression of cytotoxic proteins, true NK-cell phenotype and association with Epstein-Barr virus infection, and common presentation in the skin. Homogeneous studies on larger number of patients and reevaluation of cases published with incomplete phenotypic data would be necessary to gather more information on this extremely rare type of lymphoma.
Respiratory chain enzyme activities in isolated mitochondria of lymphocytes from patients with Alzheimer's disease

Article abstract-We studied respiratory chain enzyme activities in lymphocyte mitochondria from 33 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and from 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The respiratory chain enzyme activities did not differ significantly between patients and controls. No patient showed any value for respiratory chain enzyme levels below normal range. Values for activities of complexes in the AD group did not correlate with age at onset or duration of the disease. Our finding of normal mitochondrial function in lymphocyte mitochondria suggests that this tissue cannot be used to demonstrate the involvement of oxidative phosphorylation in AD and, thus, to develop a diagnostic test for AD. NEUROLOGY 1997;48: 636-638
Genome-wide diel growth state transitions in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

Marine diatoms are important primary producers that thrive in diverse and dynamic environments. They do so, in theory, by sensing changing conditions and adapting their physiology accordingly. Using the model species Thalassiosira pseudonana, we conducted a detailed physiological and transcriptomic survey to measure the recurrent transcriptional changes that characterize typical diatom growth in batch culture. Roughly 40% of the transcriptome varied significantly and recurrently, reflecting large, reproducible cell-state transitions between four principal states: (i) “dawn,” following 12 h of darkness; (ii) “dusk,” following 12 h of light; (iii) exponential growth and nutrient repletion; and (iv) stationary phase and nutrient depletion. Increases in expression of thousands of genes at the end of the reoccurring dark periods (dawn), including those involved in photosynthesis (e.g., ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase genes rbcS and rbcL), imply large-scale anticipatory circadian mechanisms at the level of gene regulation. Repeated shifts in the transcript levels of hundreds of genes encoding sensory, signaling, and regulatory functions accompanied the four cell-state transitions, providing a preliminary map of the highly coordinated gene regulatory program under varying conditions. Several putative light sensing and signaling proteins were associated with recurrent diel transitions, suggesting that these genes may be involved in light-sensitive and circadian regulation of cell state. These results begin to explain, in comprehensive detail, how the diatom gene regulatory program operates under varying environmental conditions. Detailed knowledge of this dynamic molecular process will be invaluable for new hypothesis generation and the interpretation of genetic, environmental, and metatranscriptomic data from field studies.
Stian Hårstad og Toril Opsahl: Språk i byen. Utviklingslinjer i urbane språkmiljøer i Norge

I perioden 2005 til 2010 arbejdede en storre gruppe sprogforskere pa projekt UPUS (Utviklingsprosesser i urbane sprakmiljo) under ledelse af professor Brit Maehlum, NTNU. Projektet havde blandt flere stipendiater denne bogs to forfattere, Stian Harstad, som forsvarede sin doktorafhandling 2010, og Toril Opsahl, hvis afhandling blev forsvaret 2009. I den bog der her skal omtales, er det deres aerinde at sammenfatte det samlede forskningsprojekts hovedresultater med saerlig vaegt pa deres egne fra henholdsvis Trondheim og Oslo, i en form som kan vaere til nytte for norskundervisningen og den interesserede almenhed. For det forste vil forfatterne fortaelle om sproget i byerne og dermed rade bod pa den ubalance at det mest har vaeret dialektforskningen der har faet opmaerksomhed i laerebogerne; det betyder i sig selv en forskydning fra dialektologi til sociolingvistik. For det andet er det ikke en hvilken som helst form for sociolingvistik forfatterne bekender sig til: A¢â¬A[vi] vil [A¢â¬Â¦] forsoke a vektlegge spraksosiologiske aspekter og a sette sokelyset pa spraklig praksis i storre grad enn det hittil har vaert vanlig i framstillinger av norsk talemal for (norsk)laerere, studenter og andre sprakinteresserte.A¢â¬Â (s. 12). Med dette program melder de to forfattere sig under fanerne for den sakaldt tredje bolge inden for sociolingvistikken med international inspiration fra Penelope Eckert, men i nok sa hoj grad fra UPUS-moderen Brit Maehlum.
Optimizing conditions for the extraction of catechins from green tea using hot water.

Six different factors involved in the extraction of catechins from green tea using water were examined for their impact on the yield of catechins and on the efficiency of water use. The best temperature and time combination for catechin extraction was at 80°C for 30 min. The yield of catechins was also optimal with a tea particle size of 1 mm, a brewing solution pH <6 and a tea-to-water ratio at 50:1 (mL/g). In terms of efficient use of water in a single extraction, a water-to-tea ratio of 20:1 (mL/g) gave the best results; 2.5 times less water was used per gram of green tea. At the water-to-tea ratio of 20:1 mL/g, the highest yield of catechins per gram of green tea was achieved by extracting the same sample of green tea twice. However, for the most efficient use of water, the best extraction was found to be once at a water-to-tea ratio of 12:1 (mL/g) and once at a water-to-tea ratio of 8:1 (mL/g). Therefore, all six of the factors investigated had an impact on the yield of catechins extracted from green tea using water and two had an impact on the efficiency of water use.
Volatile Fatty Acid Requirements of Cellulolytic Rumen Bacteria

A gas chromatographic method was developed which could separate the isomers isovaleric and 2-methylbutyric acid. Subsequent analyses revealed that most commercially available samples of these acids were cross-contaminated; however, one sample of each acid was found to be pure by this criterion. The growth response of seven strains of cellulolytic rumen bacteria (three strains of Bacteroides succinogenes, three strains of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and one strain of R. albus) to additions of isobutyric, isovaleric, 2-methylbutyric, valeric, and combinations of valeric and a branched-chain acid was determined. Strains of B. succinogenes required a combination of valeric plus either isobutyric or 2-methylbutyric acid. Isovaleric acid was completely inactive. Either isobutyric or 2-methylbutyric acid was required for the growth of R. albus 7. Strain C-94 of R. flavefaciens grew slowly in the presence of any one of the three branched-chain acids, but a combination of isobutyric and 2-methylbutyric acids appeared to satisfy this organism's growth requirements. None of the individual acids or mixtures of straight- and branched-chain acids allowed growth of R. flavefaciens strain C1a which would approach the response obtained from the total mixture of acids. Further work indicated that all three branched-chain acids were required for optimal growth by this strain, although isovaleric acid only influenced the rate of maximal growth. Either 2-methylbutyric or isovaleric acid allowed growth of nearly the same magnitude as that of the positive control for R. flavefaciens B34b. The presence of acetic acid had little influence on the rate or extent of growth of any of the strains except R. albus 7, for which the extent of growth was markedly increased. Determination of the quantitative fatty acid requirements for the three B. succinogenes strains indicated that 0.1 μmole of valeric per ml and 0.05 μmole of 2-methylbutyric per ml permitted maximal growth. However, with isobutyric acid as the branched-chain component, strains A3c and B21a required 0.1 μmole/ml in contrast to S-85 which exhibited optimal growth at the 0.05 μmole/ml level. By use of mixtures of isobutyric and 2-methylbutyric acids, good growth of C-94 was obtained at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.01 μmole/ml, respectively. About 0.3 μmole/ml of each acid was required for satisfactory growth of C1a.
Early Graft Failure After Heart Transplantation: Prevention and Treatment

Early cardiac allograft failure in the transplanted heart is an unfortunate event and could happen due to several reasons. Pulmonary hypertension in the recipient can result in right heart dysfunction in the transplanted heart, which is not accustomed to such high after load. Acute and hyperacute rejection and technical procedural issues such as pulmonary artery kinking can also cause early allograft failure. Donor heart ischemia-reperfusion injury during the transplantation process can result in primary graft dysfunction. Ischemia-reperfusion injury has multifactorial causes; several donor, recipient, and procedure related factors have been identified to predict primary graft dysfunction. The incidence of primary graft dysfunction and early allograft failure seem to be increasing, as marginal donors are accepted for transplantation due to organ shortage and the intention to transplant sick alternate list heart failure candidates, who will have higher mortality with medical treatment alone. Graft failure prevention is the best option since treatment is not highly successful; however, mechanical circulatory support and retransplantation seem helpful in few patients.
Analytical performance of a point-of-care device in monitoring patients on oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists

Background [Please check the following sentence for clarity: “Point-of-care devices measuring international normalized ratio have clinical appeal, reports of ‘off-label’ in-hospital/primary care use report improved time to intervention/dose adjustment. ”]Point-of-care devices measuring international normalized ratio have clinical appeal, reports of ‘off-label’ in-hospital/primary care use report improved time to intervention/dose adjustment. We evaluated the accuracy and precision of a device for such multiple patient use compared to a reference laboratory. Methods The point-of-care international normalized ratio result of patients on oral anticoagulation at the Vascular Surgery clinic was compared to the reference to check for statistical and clinical correlation. This was a prospective case–control study design with sample size calculated for sensitivity of 87.5%, precision 5% and desired confidence level 95%. Results There were 168 patients tested; 55% were male, the mean age was 45.4. Sixty per cent were in the target international normalized ratio range. Tests were done for statistical and clinical correlation. The international normalized ratio range using the point-of-care device was 0.8–7.5 (reference lab 0.8–10), mean international normalized ratio was 2.22 ± 1.6 (point-of-care device) compared to 2.46 ± 1.3 (reference lab). The mean absolute difference was 0.79 ± 0.92 and the mean relative difference was 8.1% ± 1.03. Data was analysed using a Bland–Altman plot yielding a mean of 0.738 (standard deviation 0.92). Concordance between the tests was 75% with r2 = 0.52 on linear regression. Using an error grid plot, excellent clinical correlation was seen in 63.8%. In 5.4% major corrective action was needed but potentially missed if relying on the point-of-care device. Conclusion The accuracy and precision of this point-of-care device is moderate. It may have potential utility only where access to a reference lab is difficult.