Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological Responses of Sugarcane to Long‐Term Flooding

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) in south Florida is often subjected to flooding due to intense summer rainfall or tropical storms. While there has been considerable research on the response of sugarcane cultivars to high water tables, there is a lack of information on cultivar morphological adaptation to long-term flooding. An experiment was established in Belle Glade, FL to examine: (i) effects of a July-September flood on the morphological characters of cv. CP 80-1743 and CP 72-2086 and (ii) significant flood x cultivar interactions that could be used to screen sugarcane germplasm. Sugarcane leaf, stem, primary root, adventitious root, and aerenchyma development were measured in the plant cane (2003) and second ratoon crops (2005). Morphological changes in response to flooding were similar in both years, with flooding leading to a 38% reduction in leaf weight, 4 to 15 times greater adventitious root development, 108% greater aerenchyma pipe extension, and 115% greater aerenchyma pipe diameter. Both cultivars responded to flooding by producing aboveground adventitious roots at the expense of belowground primary root biomass. A significant cultivar X flood interaction on aerenchyma extension and diameter was noted. Under nonflooded conditions, CP 72-2086 produced constitutive aerenchyma more than halfway up the stalk, whereas CP 80-1743 produced aerenchyma only 10% up the stalk. Aerenchyma development up the stalk may be a useful screening tool to identify flood-tolerance in sugarcane cultivars.
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Cancer Risk in Older Adults: Results from a Large German Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Several observational studies assessed the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and the risk of cancer but results were inconclusive. Methods: We measured 25(OH)D concentrations in a population-based cohort study of 9,949 men and women ages 50 to 74 years in Saarland, Germany. Comprehensively adjusted Cox regression models were applied to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between season-standardized 25(OH)D concentrations and total and site-specific cancer incidence. Results: Overall, during a median of 8 years of follow-up, 873 subjects developed cancer; the most common being prostate (171), breast (137), lung (136), and colorectal (136) cancer. Low season-standardized 25(OH)D (<30, 35, 40, or 36 nmol/L in winter, spring, summer, and autumn, respectively) was neither significantly associated with total cancer incidence (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93–1.30) nor with site-specific cancer incidence. However, a significantly increased overall cancer risk was observed for low 25(OH)D among men, nonobese subjects and subjects reporting low fish consumption and for high 25(OH)D in nonsmokers and nonobese subjects. Accordingly, restricted cubic splines to investigate dose–response relationships curves showed an inverse association of 25(OH)D levels and total cancer risk in men but not in women. Conclusions: 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly associated with overall cancer incidence in subgroups of this large cohort from Germany. No significant association was observed with site-specific cancers but this could be due to a limited statistical power for these endpoints. Impact: Further research should clarify whether and to what extent specific risk groups might profit from vitamin D supplementation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(5); 905–16. ©2013 AACR.
[Effects of the active compounds of M. officinalis on cariogenic bacteria].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of the principal biologically active compounds of M. officinalis on the growth and acid generation of the main cariogenic bacteria. METHODS Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces viscosus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus were chosen as the experimental bacteria. The active compounds (Magnolol and Honokiol) were separated from M. officinalis and then the effects of the two agents on the growth and acid generation of the bacteria were assessed. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) of the test strains were determined by MBEC-Device. RESULTS It was found that the growth of not only plantonic bacteria but also the biofilm were efficiently inhibited by Magnolol and Honokiol. The two agents could also inhibit the acid production of the test strains. CONCLUSION M. officinalis may be an effective anti-caries agent, and further researches will be necessary to define its usefulness in this aspect.
Adipocyte hypertrophy-hyperplasia balance contributes to weight loss after bariatric surgery

ABSTRACT Predictors of weight loss responses are not well-defined. We hypothesized that adipose tissue phenotypic features related to remodeling would be associated with bariatric surgery weight loss responses. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues collected from patients during bariatric surgery were studied with flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and QRTPCR, and results correlated with weight loss outcomes. Age, male sex, and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were associated with less weight loss. Adipocyte size was increased and preadipocyte frequency was decreased in visceral adipose tissue from diabetic subjects. Decreased adipose tissue preadipocyte frequency was associated with less weight loss in women but not men. These data suggest that phenotypic features of adipose tissue remodeling may predict responses to weight loss interventions.
A language-agnostic approach to exact informative tweets during emergency situations

In this paper, we propose a machine learning approach to automatically classify non-informative and informative contents shared on Twitter during disasters caused by natural hazards. In particular, we leverage on previously sampled and labeled datasets of messages posted on Twitter during or in the aftermath of natural disasters. Starting from results obtained in previous studies, we propose a language-agnostic model. We define a base feature set considering only Twitter-specific metadata of each tweet, using classification results from this set as a reference. We introduce an additional feature, called the Source Feature, which is computed considering the device or platform used to post a tweet, and we evaluate its contribution in improving the classifier accuracy.
A comparison of confidence/credible interval methods for the area under the ROC curve for continuous diagnostic tests with small sample size

The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is frequently used as a measure of accuracy of continuous markers in diagnostic tests. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) is arguably the most widely used summary index for the ROC curve. Although the small sample size scenario is common in medical tests, a comprehensive study of small sample size properties of various methods for the construction of the confidence/credible interval (CI) for the AUC has been by and large missing in the literature. In this paper, we describe and compare 29 non-parametric and parametric methods for the construction of the CI for the AUC when the number of available observations is small. The methods considered include not only those that have been widely adopted, but also those that have been less frequently mentioned or, to our knowledge, never applied to the AUC context. To compare different methods, we carried out a simulation study with data generated from binormal models with equal and unequal variances and from exponential models with various parameters and with equal and unequal small sample sizes. We found that the larger the true AUC value and the smaller the sample size, the larger the discrepancy among the results of different approaches. When the model is correctly specified, the parametric approaches tend to outperform the non-parametric ones. Moreover, in the non-parametric domain, we found that a method based on the Mann–Whitney statistic is in general superior to the others. We further elucidate potential issues and provide possible solutions to along with general guidance on the CI construction for the AUC when the sample size is small. Finally, we illustrate the utility of different methods through real life examples.
Changing Trends in Therapeutic Plasmapheresis: An Indian Perspective

Indications for therapeutic apheresis (TA) are dynamic; they keep changing and expanding because of introduction of newer treatment modalities and accumulating evidence in the form of case‐reports, case‐series and original articles. We evaluated our therapeutic plasmapheresis (TP) data and compared this data with an earlier published Indian report for indications, frequency, response rate and adverse reactions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all TP procedures performed from January 2014 to June 2016 in department of Transfusion Medicine at a tertiary care hospital. All TP procedures performed for various clinical disorders including neurological, hematological, renal, hepatic and rheumatologic indications were included in the study. Analysis was performed with respect to demography, procedure details and response. 187 patients (118 Males and 69 females) underwent 683 TP procedures during study period. According to 2013 ASFA guidelines, 99, 59 and 29 patients belonged to category I, II and III respectively. In comparison with the earlier report, the number of patients and procedures have increased, indications have changed, response rate is comparable, and the frequency of adverse reactions have decreased. In the last decade there has been increase in number and spectrum of indications for therapeutic apheresis and frequency of procedures. The response rate and safety of these procedures have also improved.
A randomized controlled trial of three low-dose gonadotrophin protocols for unexplained infertility.

This randomized controlled trial assessed which of three low-intensity ovulation induction protocols was associated with the highest rate of cycle completion among infertile women undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) with their husband's spermatozoa. Sixty-three women aged < or = 42 years with normospermic partners participated in the study. The primary diagnosis of infertility was unexplained in 89% of subjects, endometriosis in 6% and tubal factor in 5%. Women were assigned to three groups according to recombinant FSH dosage: group A received two ampoules (75 IU FSH per ampoule) on cycle day 4, and one ampoule on days 6 and 8 (total four ampoules); group B received two ampoules on days 4, 6 and 8 (total six ampoules); group C received two ampoules on days 4, 6, 8 and 10 (total eight ampoules). Daily ultrasound investigations began on cycle day 9-12 and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) 5000 IU was administered when one or two follicles > or = 18 mm were seen. IUI was scheduled for the next day. HCG was given and/or ovulation shown to have occurred in 88 of 109 cycles attempted (81%) with no differences among the three dose groups. Two singleton pregnancies occurred (2.3% per ovulatory cycle and 1.8% per cycle start). There were no significant differences among the three regimes in terms of cycle parameters, suggesting that an individualized and more intensive approach to ovarian stimulation is necessary for many women with unexplained infertility.
TECHNICAL NOTE - Procurement Strategies with Unreliable Suppliers

We propose and analyze a general periodic-review model in which the firm has access to a set of potential suppliers, each with specific yield and price characteristics. Assuming that unsatisfied demand is backlogged, the firm incurs three types of costs: (i) procurement costs, (ii) inventory-carrying costs for units carried over from one period to the next, and (iii) backlogging costs. A procurement strategy requires the specification, in each period, of (i) the set of suppliers to be retained, (ii) their respective shares in this period's replenishments, as well as (iii) the traditional aggregate order placed (among the various suppliers). We show how the optimal procurement strategy can be obtained with an efficient algorithm. A base-stock policy is no longer optimal, but in each period there exists a maximum inventory level, such that orders are placed if and only if the starting inventory is below this threshold. In each period it is optimal to retain a given number of suppliers that are cheapest in terms of that period's effective cost rates, i.e., the expected cost per usable unit. The optimal number of suppliers to be retained in a given period depends on all current and future parameters and distributions, but this dependence can be aggregated into a single so-called benchmark cost measure. Under Normal yield and demand distributions, the suppliers' market shares are determined by a single aggregate score, itself the product of a simple reliability score and a cost score.
THE NATURE OF THE PERIPHERAL RESISTANCE IN ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE VASOMOTOR SYSTEM.

From the physiological point of view elevation of blood pressure may be due to an increase in cardiac output, in the volume or viscosity of the blood or in the resistance of the peripheral vessels. Since cardiac output is not increased in hypertension (1, 2, 3) and the viscosity (4) and volume (5) of the circulating blood have been shown to be normal, there remains only the increased resistance in the peripheral circulation. From an analysis of the literature it appears that investigations on the exact nature of this increase in peripheral resistance are comparatively few in number and have led to conflicting results. It is the purpose of this paper. to deal with the following questions. A. Is the increased peripheral resistance generalized throughout the systemic circulation or confined to the splanchnic area? B. To what extent are the vessels responsible for the increased peripheral resistance capable of dilatation ? C. What part is played by the vasomotor nerves in the maintenance of the increased peripheral resistance; i.e. if arterial hypertonus is present can it be attributed to an increase in sympathetic vasoconstrictor impulses? We have attempted to answer these questions by studies on the blood flow in the arm under various conditions, using the arm plethysmograph as described by Lewis and Grant (6), and to determine whether the nature and distribution of the increased resistance is the same in the different forms of hypertension, which have been designated benign, malignant and secondary (" renal") hypertension.
A comparative study of nalbuphine, fentanyl and pentazocine as intravenous analgesics for postoperative pain relief in minor general surgical procedures

Background and aims: Postoperative pain is acute pain and can affect nearly every organ function and may adversely influence postoperative morbidity and mortality. Pharmacological management with intravenous opioids is a common, effective and a well known method used to treat this pain. Our study aims at comparing the analgesic efficacy of nalbuphine, fentany and pentazocine as opioid analgesics for post operative pain relief in minor general surgical procedures Methods: In this prospective, double blind, randomized controlled clinical trial, 90 patients aged 18 to 60 years, ASA grade 1 or 2, posted for minor general surgery procedures, lasting less than 1 hour under general anaesthesia. Study design: Patients were randomly allocated into 3 groups, Group I (Nalbuphine) received 0.2 mg/kg of Nalbuphine hydrochloride, Group II (Fentanyl) received 2 mcg/kg Fentanyl and Group III (Pentazocine) received 0.6 mg/kg Pentazocine, intravenously prior to induction of anaesthesia. Hemodynamic parameters, postoperative analgesia, time of rescue analgesia, respiratory depression, sedation scores and side effects were studied. Results: Pain assessed as VAS scores were not significantly different to start with (60 mins) immediate postop in all 3 groups (p= 0.84). ey were lower in Group I (nalbuphine) at 120,180 and 240 mins. At 360 mins, there was no significant difference between the mean VAS across all the groups. is suggests that all three opioids, nalbuphine, fentanyl and pentazocine provide good postoperative analgesia till 240 mins (4hrs) however nalbuphine has added effect and advantage as seen from the lesser VAS and provides longer duration of analgesia. No significant differences were seen in recovery from anaesthesia. No significant side effects of nausea, vomiting, excessive sedation and respiratory depression were noted in all the 3 groups Conclusion: Nalbuphine, a synthetic opioid agonist- antagonist provides good postoperative analgesia in minor general surgical patients as compared to fentanyl and pentazocine , hence useful in day care surgeries.
In vitro antimicrobial activity of benzoxazinorifamycin, KRM-1648, against Mycobacterium avium complex, determined by the radiometric method

MICs of a newly developed benzoxazinorifamycin derivative, KRM-1648, for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) were determined by the BACTEC 460 TB system and compared with those of other known antimicrobial agents. The radiometric method gave a fast, accurate, and reproducible MIC for each antimicrobial agent. MICs of KRM-1648 for 30 strains of MAC (10 strains each of M. avium isolated from AIDS and non-AIDS patients and of Mycobacterium intracellulare isolated from non-AIDS patients) were measured. The MICs, ranging from 0.004 to 0.0625 microgram/ml, were the lowest of all tested drugs, including rifampin, rifabutin, streptomycin, kanamycin, isoniazid, ethambutol, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, and clarithromycin. The MICs were 2 to 512 and 1 to 32 times lower than those of rifampin and rifabutin, respectively. With rifampin and ethambutol, there were some differences between the MICs for M. avium isolated from AIDS patients (American) and those for M. avium from non-AIDS patients (Japanese). Moreover, appreciable differences between the MICs of some drugs against M. avium and M. intracellulare isolated from non-AIDS patients were found. Many strains of M. avium were more susceptible to ofloxacin than M. intracellulare, but, conversely, M. avium was more resistant to rifampin, streptomycin, ethambutol, and clarithromycin than M. intracellulare.
Successful pregnancy in a patient with Sheehan's syndrome.

Abstract During the 16 years after a massive post-partum hemorrhage attended by coma, a patient had only occasional menses but went through three uneventful pregnancies. In the fourth month of her fourth pregnancy, there were both clinical and laboratory features of decreased thyroidal and adrenal function, which improved on hormonal replacement therapy. Tests done three months after delivery revealed decreased pituitary secretory capacity for ACTH, TSH and growth hormone. Although some pituitary-function tests may be contraindicated or unreliable in pregnancy, partial pituitary deficiency may be recognized and treated appropriately.
Elbow lameness in dogs of six years and older

Summary Objectives: To report on the frequency and distribution of lesions of the medial coronoid process in dogs of six years of age and older, and to describe the arthroscopic findings in the affected joints. To compare those lesions seen in ‘old’ dogs with those seen in ‘young’ dogs between the ages of five and 18 months. Methods: A retrospective study of dogs six-years-old and older admitted for elbow lameness and subsequent elbow arthroscopy. The dogs were divided into groups according to the lesions of the medial coronoid process diagnosed during arthroscopic examination and computed tomography (CT). The radio-graphic degree of osteoarthritis (OA) and arthroscopically diagnosed lesions on the medial humeral condyle are described. Results: In 51 ‘old’ dogs, five types of lesions could be identified on arthroscopy and CT: chondromalacia-like lesions (2%), fissures (27.5%), non-displaced fragments (12%), displaced fragments (27.5%), and erosions within the medial compartment without fragmentation (31%). A significantly different distribution of lesions was seen in ‘young’ dogs: fissures (23%), non-displaced fragments (45%), displaced fragments (29%), and erosions within the medial compartment without fragmentation (3%). No difference in radio-graphic degree of OA was seen between the two groups. Clinical significance: This study demonstrates the relatively high incidence of medial coronoid disease in dogs older than six years of age, and it highlights one particular problem in ‘old’ dogs: the complete erosion of the medial compartment.
A new protocol sequences based broadcast scheme for wireless sensor networks

Broadcast service is critical to the coordination of tracking interests in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Protocol sequences are deterministic binary sequences with low cross-correlation, and can be used to define a reliable broadcast scheme for WSNs. In contrast to random schemes, a protocol sequences based scheme can provide strict guarantee on worst-case delay to asynchronous users. However, previous studies have shown traditional protocol sequences based schemes with fixed coding rates cannot simultaneously achieve excellent throughput and delay performance. To address this issue, this paper proposes a new protocol sequences based broadcast scheme, which allows each user to adjust its coding rate according to the information in every incoming packet. Through numerical results, we show that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms other similar algorithms.
In search of prey: the occurrence of Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre, 1788) in the northern Adriatic Sea and its interactions with fishery

The populations of large predatory sharks have declined worldwide (MYERS & WORM, 2003). Large size, late sexual maturity and slow reproductive rate make elasmobranchs in general and larger species in particular, highly vulnerable to overexploitation by fisheries (MYERS & WORM, 2005). The ecological effects of the loss of predatory species, and specifically elasmobranchs, through trophic cascades have been highlighted only in some marine ecosystems (HEITHAUS et al., 2009; FERRETTI et al., 2010). In many seas, indeed, the decline of apex predators dates back to the nineteenth century or even earlier (PINNEGAR & ENGELHARD, 2008), so that the impacts of their decrease in abundance on marine ecosystems are difficult to study and are, therefore, often unknown. The Mediterranean Sea has a long history of exploitation and habitat degradation (LOTZE et al., 2006; COLL et al., 2010), and human impacts have driven changes in marine resource abundance since the Roman period (LOTZE et al., 2011). The Adriatic basin, particularly its northern part, is one of the most exploited areas of the entire Mediterranean Sea (BARAUSSE et al., 2009; BARAUSSE & PALMERI, 2014). Shallow waters, high intraand inter-annual variability in temperature and salinity, large nutrient inputs from river catchments, and high but variable primary production (GIANI et al., 2012) characterize The common thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus, has shown a marked decline in abundance in the Mediterranean Sea. Through the analysis of long-term fishery time series (1966–2013), this study highlights that an important driver of the presence of A. vulpinus in the northern Adriatic Sea, one of the most exploited basins of the Mediterranean, is the abundance of its prey, the sardine Sardina pilchardus. From 1997-2013, an annual average of 14 thresher sharks was landed at Chioggia (Italy), the main fish market in the area, mainly from July to October. More than 75% of the landed thresher sharks were sexually immature, with some specimens weighing less than 10 kg, indicating that a high proportion of the catch was composed of small young and newborn individuals. These results support the occurrence of a nursery area in the northern Adriatic Sea, highlighting the need for proper management of A. vulpinus catch in this area.