Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epidermal Papillomatosis in Roach (Rutilus rutilus) as an Indicator of Environmental Stressors

Epidermal papillomatosis is a disease often observed in feral and cultured fish species. Epidermal papilloma is a benign tumor which can be seen growing usually on the skin of fish. Several studies have noted that epidermal papillomatosis in fish is affected by contaminants in the aquatic habitat and it has been proposed as a bioindicator of environmental health in the aquatic habitats of some fish species. This thesis aims to evaluate the feasibility of using epidermal papillomatosis in roach as a bioindicator of environmental stressors. The thesis includes diagnostic studies which confirm histopathologically epidermal papillomatosis in roach. Field studies were conducted to determine the occurrence and prevalence of papillomatosis, as well as to reveal all confounding factors affecting these in feral roach populations, including environmental stressors. A methodology was developed to study epidermal papillomatosis in roach in experimental and field studies. Finally, the possible connection between environmental stressors and papillomatosis in roach was also investigated by experimental studies under laboratory conditions. The histological results of this thesis show that epidermal papillomatosis in roach is a common epidermal hyperplasia and papilloma in fish, a benign neoplasm. Furthermore, field studies revealed that papillomatosis was highly aggregated in feral roach populations and with its occurrence following the theory of island biogeography in Finnish lakes. These results suggest that epidermal papillomatosis represent an infectious disease in roach. A field study that took in to account all confounding factors, including as spatial and temporal patterns of the disease, as well as fish length and sex, showed that epidermal papillomatosis in roach could provide a useful indicator of environmental stressors. The field study showed an average papillomatosis prevalence of 16.6 % in impact populations (mainly affected by industrial and sewage effluent) and 5.8 % in reference populations. Epidermal papillomatosis in roach was shown to be affected by abiotic stressors in an experimental study in which the intensity of papillomatosis was intensified by hypoxia and fluctuating water temperature. Furthermore, the intensity of epidermal papillomatosis was greater in male roach when exposed to effluents under laboratory conditions. These results confirm that the roach-papillomatosis system has potential for use as a bioindicator in the monitoring of environmental stressors. Universal Decimal Classification: 591.2, 597.551. 2, 639.2. 09, 502.51, 504.5 CAB Thesaurus: fish diseases; skin; skin diseases; neoplasms; hyperplasia; papilloma; Rutilus rutilus; biological indicators; water pollution; effluents; pollutants; aquatic environment; stress; hypoxia; water temperature
Increasing Organ Recovery from Level I Trauma Centers: The In-House Coordinator Intervention

Purpose Daily presence of organ procurement organization staff in level I trauma centers combined with early family contact and interaction can increase donation rates. Methods A successful in-house coordinator program already in place at 2 level I trauma centers in Houston was replicated in 6 other level I trauma centers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Organ procurement organization staff were placed inside the 8 trauma centers to provide early family support in potential donor situations and day-to-day donation system management. Comparison data were obtained on 83 level I trauma centers nationally. Data from 1999 to 2000 were compared with data from 2001 to 2002. Results Despite demographic differences, the 8 centers with in-house coordinators had higher consent rates (60% vs 53%) and conversion rates (55% vs 45%) than centers without them. Conversion of potential to actual donors was 22% higher in centers with in-house coordinators than in centers without them. Donation rates were affected by donor age, ethnicity, previous family discussion of donation, the family's initial reaction to the request (favorable, unfavorable, undecided), amount of time family spent with the in-house coordinator, presence of the in-house coordinator during explanation of brain death, whether the request was made at the same time as the brain-death explanation, and, in cases where donation was mentioned to the family before the formal request, who first mentioned donation to the family. Conclusions In-house coordinators improve the donation process by interacting with families and staff earlier and more often during potential organ donations and improving donation systems through closer relationships with hospital staff.
Rapid HIV testing among leprosy patients: a Brazilian experience

Brazil is still an endemic country for leprosy. AIDS is another important clinical problem in Brazil where about 0.6% of the population is HIV-positive and there is little evidence of a decline in AIDS incidence. Although previous investigations have reported HIV1/2 seroprevalences of 0.3% to 33.3% among leprosy patients most were based on a single test/patient with no confirmatory testing. Rapid HIV testing offers a relatively quick and simple method of screening large numbers of leprosy patients for HIV co-infection. Appropriate communication between leprosy and HIV/AIDS programmes should be encouraged.
Mobile Money for Financial Inclusion

M obile financial services are among the most promising mobile applications in the developing world. Mobile money could become a general platform that transforms entire economies, as it is adopted across commerce, health care, agriculture, and other sectors. To date, at least 110 money mobile systems have been deployed, with more than 40 million users. The most well-known system, M-PESA, started in Kenya and is now operational in six countries; it has 20 million users who transferred $500 million a month during 2011.1 While the benefits of mobile money payment systems are clear, observers remain divided over whether mobile money systems are truly fulfilling their growth potential. This chapter evaluates the benefits and potential impact of mobile money, especially for promoting financial inclusion in the developing world, before providing an overview of the key factors driving the growth of mobile money services. It also considers some of the barriers and obstacles hindering their deployment. Finally, it identifies emerging issues that the industry will face over the coming years.
Concealing network delays in delay-sensitive online interactive games based on just-noticeable differences

Online delay-sensitive games with fast interactive actions, like fighting games (FTG) and sports games, require the synchronization of coupled multi-player actions. With network impairments, action commands from other players can be delayed or lost, leading to compromised real-time perception of these games. In contrast to slower strategy games, online fighting and sports games studied in this paper require realtime judgment and instant feedbacks. Traditional methods for optimizing the delay effects of these games are focused on quantifying round-trip delays, without examining the perceptual effects of players. In this paper, we develop a new criterion using just-noticeable differences (JND) for optimizing the duration of actions and responses. Our approach aims to reduce the probability of players perceiving the delay effects, when compared to a reference game with zero network delay. Using statistics collected in offline subjective tests, the timing of actions is modified at run time. Experimental results show significant reduction of players' awareness of network delays using our approach when compared to existing delay-concealment schemes.
First Look at the Fomalhaut Debris Disk with the Spitzer Space Telescope

We present Spitzer Space Telescope early release observations of Fomalhaut, a nearby A-type star with dusty circumstellar debris. The disk is spatially resolved at 24, 70, and 160 μm using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS). While the disk orientation and outer radius are comparable to values measured in the submillimeter, the disk inner radius cannot be precisely defined: the central hole in the submillimeter ring is at least partially filled with emission from warm dust, seen in Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) 17.5-34 μm spectra and MIPS 24 μm images. The disk surface brightness becomes increasingly asymmetric toward shorter wavelengths, with the south-southeast ansa always brighter than the north-northwest one. This asymmetry may reflect perturbations on the disk by an unseen interior planet.
The relationship between cell proliferation, Cl- secretion, and renal cyst growth: a study using CFTR inhibitors.

BACKGROUND In autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), cAMP-stimulated cell proliferation and Cl- secretion via the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel drive the enlargement of fluid-filled epithelial cysts. To investigate how CFTR blockers inhibit cyst growth, we studied cAMP-dependent Cl- secretion, cell proliferation, and cyst growth using type I Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells as a model of renal cyst development and growth. METHODS We grew MDCK cysts in collagen gels in the presence of the cAMP agonist forskolin, measured Cl- secretion with the Ussing chamber technique, and assayed cell proliferation using nonpolarized and polarized MDCK cells. To inhibit CFTR, we used glibenclamide, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB), genistein, and the specific CFTR inhibitor CFTRinh-172. As controls, we tested the effects of blockers of other types of apical membrane Cl- channels and inhibitors of basolateral membrane ion channels and transporters. RESULTS In the absence of inhibitors of transepithelial ion transport, forskolin stimulated dramatic cyst growth. CFTR blockers and inhibitors of basolateral membrane ion channels and transporters retarded cyst growth. In contrast, blockers of other types of apical membrane Cl- channels, which were without effect on CFTR, failed to inhibit cyst growth. Inhibition of cyst growth by CFTR blockers was correlated with inhibition of cAMP-stimulated Cl- current (correlation coefficient = 0.81; P < 0.05), but not cell proliferation (correlation coefficient = 0.50; P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that CFTR blockers might retard cyst growth predominantly by inhibiting fluid accumulation within the cyst lumen.
Improving DNS Security Using Active Firewalling with Network Probes

The security problems that outbreak network services today are increasing at a dramatic pace especially with the unceasing improvement of network transmission rates and the sheer amount of data exchanged. This translates not only more incidents but also new types of attacks with network incidents becoming more and more frequent. A significant part of the attacks occurs at Top Level Domains (TLDs) who have the assignment of ensuring the correct functioning of Domain Name System (DNS) zones. The proposed solution has been developed and tested at FCCN (Foundation for National Scientific Computing), the TLD manager for the . PT domain. The system consists of network sensors that monitor the network in real-time and can dynamically detect, prevent, or limit the scope of the attempted intrusions or other types of attacks to the DNS service, thus improving its global availability.
Stimulatory effect of glutamine on glycogen accumulation in human skeletal muscle.

To determine whether glutamine can stimulate human muscle glycogen synthesis, we studied in groups of six subjects the effect after exercise of infusion of glutamine, alanine+glycine, or saline. The subjects cycled for 90 min at 70-140% maximal oxygen consumption to deplete muscle glycogen; then primed constant infusions of glutamine (30 mg/kg; 50 mg.kg-1.h-1) or an isonitrogenous, isoenergetic mixture of alanine+glycine or NaCl (0.9%) were administered. Muscle glutamine remained constant during saline infusion, decreased 18% during alanine+glycine infusion (P < 0.001), but rose 16% during glutamine infusion (P < 0.001). By 2 h after exercise, muscle glycogen concentration had increased more in the glutamine-infused group than in the saline or alanine+glycine controls (+2.8 +/- 0.6, +0.8 +/- 0.4, and +0.9 +/- 0.4 mumol/g wet wt, respectively, P < 0.05, glutamine vs. saline or alanine+glycine). Labeling of glycogen by tracer [U-13C]glucose was similar in glutamine and saline groups, suggesting no effect of glutamine on the fractional rate of blood glucose incorporation into glycogen. The results suggest that, after exercise, increased availability of glutamine promotes muscle glycogen accumulation by mechanisms possibly including diversion of glutamine carbon to glycogen.
Occurrence of nonspecific reactions among stool specimens tested by the Abbott TestPack rotavirus enzyme immunoassay

Sixty-five stool specimens obtained from children suffering from gastroenteritis were tested for the presence of antigen to rotavirus by the Abbott TestPack Rotavirus (TestPack) enzyme immunoassay kit. The Kallestad Pathfinder enzyme immunoassay, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immune electron microscopy, and virus isolation were utilized as reference assays. Fifty-four specimens were in accord by TestPack and Kallestad Pathfinder. Among 11 discordant specimens positive with TestPack but negative by Kallestad Pathfinder, rotavirus was not identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immune electron microscopy, or isolation in primary African green monkey kidney cell cultures. TestPack displayed a performance specificity of 83%. The inordinately high number of stool specimens reported as false-positive by TestPack precludes the incorporation of this antigen detection kit into our routine regimen of diagnostic virologic testing.
Structure of a pantothenate transporter and implications for ECF module sharing and energy coupling of group II ECF transporters

Significance By determining the structure of a pantothenate energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporter, LbECF-PanT, we revealed the structural basis of how one EcfAA'T module can interact with different S subunits among group II ECF transporters. We also identified the residues that mediate the intermolecular conformational transmission and/or affect the transporter complex stability, and thus are essential for transporter activity. In addition, we identified the pantothenate-binding pocket and the residues constituting the pocket. Last but not least, we found that the structure of EcfT is dynamic and undergoes dramatic changes in the three different transporter complexes, which confer scaffold-mediating complex formations of the ECF module with various EcfS proteins. These findings are incorporated into an updated working model of the ECF transporter. Energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporters are a unique group of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters responsible for micronutrient uptake from the environment. Each ECF transporter is composed of an S component (or EcfS protein) and T/A/A′ components (or EcfT/A/A′ proteins; ECF module). Among the group II ECF transporters, several EcfS proteins share one ECF module; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here we report the structure of a group II ECF transporter–pantothenate transporter from Lactobacillus brevis (LbECF-PanT), which shares the ECF module with the folate and hydroxymethylpyrimidine transporters (LbECF-FolT and LbECF-HmpT). Structural and mutational analyses revealed the residues constituting the pantothenate-binding pocket. We found that although the three EcfS proteins PanT, FolT, and HmpT are dissimilar in sequence, they share a common surface area composed of the transmembrane helices 1/2/6 (SM1/2/6) to interact with the coupling helices 2/3 (CH2/3) of the same EcfT. CH2 interacts mainly with SM1 via hydrophobic interactions, which may modulate the sliding movement of EcfS. CH3 binds to a hydrophobic surface groove formed by SM1, SM2, and SM6, which may transmit the conformational changes from EcfA/A′ to EcfS. We also found that the residues at the intermolecular surfaces in LbECF-PanT are essential for transporter activity, and that these residues may mediate intermolecular conformational transmission and/or affect transporter complex stability. In addition, we found that the structure of EcfT is conformationally dynamic, which supports its function as a scaffold to mediate the interaction of the ECF module with various EcfS proteins to form different transporter complexes.
Emotion-Associated Tones Attract Enhanced Attention at Early Auditory Processing: Magnetoencephalographic Correlates

Emotionally significant objects and events in our environment attract attention based on their motivational relevance for survival. Such kind of emotional attention is thought to lead to affect-specific amplified processing that closely resembles effects of directed attention. Although there has been extensive research on prioritized processing of visual emotional stimuli, the spatio-temporal dynamics of motivated attention mechanisms in auditory processing are less clearly understood. We investigated modulatory effects of emotional attention at early auditory processing stages using time-sensitive whole-head magnetoencephalography. A novel associative learning procedure involving multiple conditioned stimuli (CSs) per affective category was introduced to specifically test whether affect-specific modulation can proceed in a rapid and highly differentiating fashion in humans. Auditory evoked fields (AEFs) were recorded in response to 42 different ultrashort, click-like sounds before and after affective conditioning with pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral auditory scenes. As hypothesized, emotional attention affected neural click tone processing at time intervals of the P20-50m (20–50 ms) and the N1m (100–130 ms), two early AEF components sensitive to directed selective attention (Woldorff et al., 1993). Distributed source localization revealed amplified processing of tones associated with aversive or pleasant compared with neutral auditory scenes at auditory sensory, frontal and parietal cortex regions. Behavioral tests did not indicate any awareness for the contingent CS–UCS (unconditioned stimulus) relationships in the participants, suggesting affective associative learning in absence of contingency awareness. Our findings imply early and highly differentiating affect-specific modulation of auditory stimulus processing supported by neural mechanisms and circuitry comparable with those reported for directed auditory attention.
A follow-up study of effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on child stress responses and cognition.

BACKGROUND Children are a high-risk group vulnerable to the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure. This study examines the effects of aircraft noise exposure on children's health and cognition around London Heathrow airport and tests sustained attention as an underlying mechanism of effects of noise on reading and examines the way children adapt to continued exposure to aircraft noise. METHODS In this repeated measures epidemiological field study, the cognitive performance and health of 275 children aged 8-11 years attending four schools in high aircraft noise areas (16-h outdoor Leq > 66 dBA) was compared with children attending four matched control schools exposed to lower levels of aircraft noise (16-h outdoor Leq < 57 dBA). The children first examined at baseline were examined again after a period of one year at follow-up. Health questionnaires and cognitive tests were group administered to the children in the schools. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS At follow-up chronic aircraft noise exposure was associated with higher levels of annoyance and perceived stress, poorer reading comprehension and sustained attention, measured by standardized scales after adjustment for age, social deprivation and main language spoken. These results do not support the sustained attention hypothesis previously used to account for the effects of noise on cognition in children. The reading and annoyance effects do not habituate over a one-year period and do not provide strong evidence of adaptation.
The effect of two types chewing gum containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate and xylitol on salivary Streptococcus mutans

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the effect of sugar-free chewing gum containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and xylitol on salivary Streptococcus mutans. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 dental students of 20-25 years old, who volunteered after checking their health condition and signing an informed consent, were randomly allocated to receive one of the following interventions: (A) Chewing gum containing CPP-ACP; (B) containing xylitol. Subjects within the experimental groups were taken the gums 3 times daily, after each meal for a period of 3 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention unstimulated saliva samples were quantified for S. mutans counts. Results: A statistically significant reduction of salivary S. mutans was displayed in both groups A and B after the intervention when compared with baseline (P < 0.001), and group A shows more statistically significant reduction of salivary S. mutans than group B (P = 0.011). Conclusion: Daily consumption of chewing gum containing CPP-ACP and xylitol significantly reduces the level of salivary S. mutans, but chewing gum containing CPP-ACP can reduce the level of salivary S. mutans in more than xylitol chewing gum.
Silage production from fish waste in cannery factories of Bushehr city using mineral acid, organic acid, and biological method

Waste of cannery factories from three main species of economic tuna including Thunnus tonggol, Euthunnus afinis, and Kasuwonus pelamis, as raw material for fish silage production, were combined with 95% sulfuric acid and 90% formic acid with weight percentages of 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. Also, 65 mg of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was added to each sample. In order to produce silage by biological method, fermentable sugar was prepared from sugar beep pulp with weight percentage 5, 10, and 15 and starter culture with a weight percentage of 205 was added to it. In all three methods, samples were continuously stirred and pH changes were measured and recorded until it reached a stable level (to 76 days). The optimum amount of sugar beet molasses was determined according to pH values. In all three methods of fish silage production (mineral acid, organic acid, and biological method), the optimum amount of sulfuric acid and formic acid and sugar beet molasses were determined 3.5% and 15%, respectively. Since stable pH (2.58) will be significantly (P< 0.05) less than the ideal pH for production shrimp food (4-4.2) if mineral acid is used, pH neutralization must be done. If the optimum amount of organic acid is used, stable pH (3.88) will be still less than the required pH for production of shrimp food. On the other hand, as organic acids are expensive and time required to achieve a stable pH in mineral and organic acids methods is considerably longer than this time in biological method, silage production using mineral and organic acids is not affordable. Hence, biological method in which local waste with low price are used and the pH of silage shortly (in 20 days) reaches the stable pH that is consistent with minimum pH required for production of shrimp food was determined as the best method for silage production.