Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The New Zealand Marine Reserve Experience: the science behind the politics

The idea of marine reserves, marine parks or marine protected areas (areas of sea where some or all of the normal range of extractive activities are prohibited) has existed in one form or another since the mid twentieth century. However, the level of discussion surrounding this means of protecting the marine environment has increased remarkably since about 1990. This reflects increasing levels of general environmental awareness, the high profile of such marine protected areas as the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and the gradual recognition of the scope of human impacts (particularly fishing) on marine ecosystems (Pauly et al. 1998). The public debate among those who would like to retain the status quo (Lough 2002) and those who believe in the need for the rapid and widespread implementation of new approaches, such as marine reserves (Roberts and Hawkins 2000) has taken place at many levels. At one end of this spectrum of views are scientific institutions, such as American Association for the Advancement of Science which has promoted frequent articles in journals, such as Science, discussing the benefits of marine reserves (Schmidt 1997). At the other are community meetings and local print and electronic media around the world where concerned members of the public, conservation groups and a range of commercial and recreational fishing interest groups attempt to promote what they perceive as the merits or demerits of setting aside parts of the sea.
Effect of Intellectual Capital on Return on Assets of Insurance Firms in Nigeria

Intellectual capital represents the efforts of workers towards the growth of an organization. The inability of firms to measure and quantify intellectual capital has posed fundamental problems overtime in the value measurement of firms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of IC in the value creation of insurance firms in Nigeria using their ROA. Expost facto research design was adopted in the selection of data. Primary and secondary data were employed. The target population consisted of 150 workers in the 3 strategic departments of human resources, accounts and marketing of 18 insurance companies using the purposive sampling technique. 150 questionnaires were distributed and a response rate of 74% was recorded. Face validity, content validity and pilot test were used to validate the instruments. The Cronbachâ€™s Alpha reliability test gave a result of (r=0.806) and (r=0.800) respectively. Regression was used for data analyses at 5% level of significance.
Interaction between Bacteriophage DMS3 and Host CRISPR Region Inhibits Group Behaviors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT Bacteriophage infection has profound effects on bacterial biology. Clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and cas (CRISPR-associated) genes are found in most archaea and many bacteria and have been reported to play a role in resistance to bacteriophage infection. We observed that lysogenic infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 with bacteriophage DMS3 inhibits biofilm formation and swarming motility, both important bacterial group behaviors. This inhibition requires the CRISPR region in the host. Mutation or deletion of five of the six cas genes and one of the two CRISPRs in this region restored biofilm formation and swarming to DMS3 lysogenized strains. Our observations suggest a role for CRISPR regions in modifying the effects of lysogeny on P. aeruginosa.
SUMO-Dependent Compartmentalization in Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein Nuclear Bodies Prevents the Access of LRH-1 to Chromatin

ABSTRACT Posttranslational modification by SUMO elicits a repressive effect on many transcription factors. In principle, sumoylation may either influence transcription factor activity on promoters, or it may act indirectly by targeting the modified factors to specific cellular compartments. To provide direct experimental evidence for the above, not necessarily mutually exclusive models, we analyzed the role of SUMO modification on the localization and the activity of the orphan nuclear receptor LRH-1. We demonstrate, by using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays, that sumoylated LRH-1 is exclusively localized in promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) nuclear bodies and that this association is a dynamic process. Release of LRH-1 from nuclear bodies correlated with its desumoylation, pointing to the pivotal role of SUMO conjugation in keeping LRH-1 in these locations. SUMO-dependent shuttling of LRH-1 into PML bodies defines two spatially separated pools of the protein, of which only the soluble, unmodified one is associated with actively transcribed target genes. The results suggest that SUMO-PML nuclear bodies may primarily function as dynamic molecular reservoirs, controlling the availability of certain transcription factors to active chromatin domains.
Analysis of Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase in Crevicular Fluid From Implants With and Without Peri-implantitis

Purpose:The aim of this investigation was to determine the presence of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in crevicular fluid collected from implants with and without clinical and radiographic signs of peri-implantitis. Materials and Methods:There were 17 implants with symptoms of peri-implantitis in 12 subjects, including 4 females and 8 males, compared to 17 implants in 13 subjects, including 5 females and 8 males, with healthy peri-implant tissues. Filter paper strips were used to collect peri-implant crevicular fluid for 30 seconds in the base of the crevice/pocket. SPSS statistical software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL) was used to determine AST and ALP activity. Results:The results showed that there was a significant difference in the activity of AST and ALP between the 2 study groups (P < 0.0001). AST activity was significantly associated with the amount of bleeding on probing (P = 0.02), but no statistical correlation was found between ALP activity and increased amount of bleeding on probing (P = 0.05). Conclusions:Within the limits of this study, our results may suggest that peri-implant crevicular fluid analysis could be further investigated in longitudinal studies as a suitable diagnostic strategy in the evaluation of dental implants.
Determinants of Farm Revenues from Rainfed Agriculture in the Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan faces a widening domestic food gap, while the country's farm sector is caught in a vicious circle of low farm incomes, lack of investment and outmigration of a young labour force. Hence, increasing farm revenues is essential for enhancing food security. Significant disparities between crop yields attained in experimental fields of research stations and actual yields in farmers' fields demonstrate a clear potential for revenue augmentation, particularly in rainfed agriculture. The authors explore the reasons for the low productivity of rainfed agriculture determining farm revenues. Based on a field survey in Punjab province, they show that farm revenues per acre are inversely related to the size of operational landholdings and positively related to irrigated area, off-farm income, livestock, hired labour and tractor ownership.
Prevalence of Periodontitis in Patients with Established Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Swedish Population Based Case-Control Study

Introduction The possible hypothesis of a link between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), specifically anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positive RA, prompted us to investigate the prevalence of periodontitis in the Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of RA (EIRA), a well-characterised population-based RA case-control cohort. Methods Periodontal status of 2,740 RA cases and 3,942 matched controls was retrieved through linking EIRA with the National Dental Health Registry (DHR), where dental diagnostic- and treatment codes on the adult Swedish population have been registered. Dental records from 100 cases and controls were reviewed to validate the periodontal diagnostic codes in DHR. Results The reviewed dental records confirmed 90% of the periodontitis diagnoses in DHR among RA cases, and 88% among controls. We found the positive predictive value of periodontitis diagnoses in the DHR to be 89% (95% CI 78 to 95%) with a sensitivity of 77% (95% CI: 65 to 86%). In total, 86% of EIRA participants were identified in DHR. The risk for periodontitis increased by age and current smoking status in both cases as well as controls. No significant differences in prevalence of periodontal disease in terms of gingivitis, periodontitis, peri-implantitis or increased risk for periodontitis or peri-implantitis were observed between RA cases and controls. In addition, there was no difference on the basis of seropositivity, ACPA or rheumatoid factor (RF), among patients with RA. Conclusions Our data verify that smoking and ageing are risk factors for periodontitis, both in RA and controls. We found no evidence of an increased prevalence of periodontitis in patients with established RA compared to healthy controls, and no differences based on ACPA or RF status among RA subjects.
Genome-Wide Screen in Francisella novicida for Genes Required for Pulmonary and Systemic Infection in Mice

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis is a gram-negative, highly infectious, aerosolizable facultative intracellular pathogen that causes the potentially life-threatening disease tularemia. To date there is no approved vaccine available, and little is known about the molecular mechanisms important for infection, survival, and dissemination at different times of infection. We report the first whole-genome screen using an inhalation mouse model to monitor infection in the lung and dissemination to the liver and spleen. We queried a comprehensive library of 2,998 sequence-defined transposon insertion mutants in Francisella novicida strain U112 using a microarray-based negative-selection screen. We were able to track the behavior of 1,029 annotated genes, equivalent to a detection rate of 75% and corresponding to ∼57% of the entire F. novicida genome. As expected, most transposon mutants retained the ability to colonize, but 125 candidate virulence genes (12%) could not be detected in at least one of the three organs. They fell into a variety of functional categories, with one-third having no annotated function and a statistically significant enrichment of genes involved in transcription. Based on the observation that behavior during complex pool infections correlated with the degree of attenuation during single-strain infection we identified nine genes expected to strongly contribute to infection. These included two genes, those for ATP synthase C (FTN_1645) and thioredoxin (FTN_1415), that when mutated allowed increased host survival and conferred protection in vaccination experiments.
zeta PKC induces phosphorylation and inactivation of I kappa B‐alpha in vitro.

The zeta isotype of protein kinase C (zeta PKC), a distinct PKC unable to bind phorbol esters, is required during NF‐kappa B activation as well as in mitogenic signalling in Xenopus oocytes and mammalian cells. To investigate the mechanism(s) for control of cellular functions by zeta PKC, this enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with maltose binding protein (MBP), to allow immobilization on amylose beads to study signalling proteins in cell extracts that might form complex(es) with zeta PKC. The following evidence for interaction with the NF‐kappa B/I kappa B pathway was obtained. MBP‐zeta PKC, but not MBP, bound and activated a potentially novel I kappa B kinase of approximately 50 kDa molecular weight able to regulate I kappa B‐alpha function. Activation of the I kappa B kinase was dependent on zeta PKC enzymatic activity and ATP, suggesting that zeta PKC controls, directly or indirectly, the activity of a functionally significant I kappa B kinase. Importantly, zeta PKC immunoprecipitates from TNF‐alpha‐stimulated NIH‐3T3 fibroblasts displayed a higher I kappa B phosphorylating activity than untreated controls, indicating the in vivo relevance of these findings. We also show here that zeta PKC associates with and activates MKK‐MAPK in vitro, suggesting that one of the mechanisms whereby overexpression of zeta PKC leads to deregulation of cell growth may be accounted for at least in part by activation of the MKK‐MAPK complex. However, neither MKK nor MAPK is responsible for the putative I kappa B phosphorylating activity. These data provide a decisive step towards understanding the functions of zeta PKC.
Surface Electrocardiographic Patterns and Electrophysiologic Characteristics of Atrial Flutter Following Modified Radiofrequency MAZE Procedures

Introduction: The radiofrequency MAZE is becoming a common adjunct to cardiac surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation. While a variety of postoperative arrhythmias have been described following the original Cox‐MAZE III procedure, the electrophysiological characteristics and surgical substrate of post‐radiofrequency MAZE flutter have not been correlated. We sought to determine the location, ECG patterns, and electrophysiological characteristics of post‐radiofrequency MAZE atrial flutter.
Degrees of Freedom of Signal Alignment for Generalized MIMO Y Channel with General Signal Demands

In this paper, the original Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Y channel is extended into a more generalized circumstance, called a generalized MIMO Y channel with general signal demands. The model consists of K(K≥2) nodes each equipped with M<sub>k</sub> antennas and an intermediate relay equipped with N antennas. There is no direct link between the nodes. Therefore, supposing that node i and node j (i ≠ j∈{1,2,···, K}) exchange n<sub>ij</sub> signals, each node has to transmit m<sub>k</sub>(m<sub>k</sub> =Σ<sub>i ≠ k</sub><sup>k</sup> n<sub>ki</sub>, m<sub>k</sub>≤M<sub>k</sub>) signals for other nodes in the MAC phase, and then receive m<sub>k</sub> signals in the BC phase, via the relay. Then, it's proved that Σ<sub>k=1</sub><sup>K</sup> m<sub>k</sub> degrees of freedom (DoF) can be achieved by making use of signal space alignment (SSA) and interference nulling beamforming in this model, when N ≥ 1/2(Σ<sub>k=1</sub><sup>K</sup> m<sub>k</sub>) and (M<sub>i</sub>+M<sub>j</sub>) ≥ (N+n<sub>ij</sub>).
A systematic review of calcium channel blocker use and cognitive decline/dementia in the elderly

Objective: Treating hypertension in those aged at least 80 years is now recommended; however, the best antihypertensive to choose remains unexplored. Calcium channel blocker (CCB) use has been associated with a decreased risk of incident dementia in a younger hypertensive group but with an increased risk of cognitive decline in the very elderly. Either result could have a large impact on a vulnerable population. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence relating CCB use to later cognitive decline or dementia in the very elderly. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out. The databases Medline, PubMed, Embase and Psychinfo were searched from 1980 to 22 August 2013. Abstracts were reviewed by two independent reviewers and papers meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted. Results: One thousand, nine hundred and sixty-eight records were reviewed and 10 articles reporting on nine studies retained and extracted. Data were primarily from cohort studies. Only one reported a randomized controlled trial comparing CCBs with placebo. Populations, comparator groups, follow-up times, outcomes and exposure varied and overall results were mixed. It was not possible to combine all studies, but those reporting Alzheimer's disease outcomes were combined to produce an overall risk ratio of 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.53–1.17). Conclusion: At present, there is no clear evidence to suggest that CCB use increases or decreases risk of cognitive decline or dementia in the very elderly. A robust clinical trial is now required to resolve this.
Sound Duration and Place of Articulation

Although duration is one of the most extensively investigated features of speech sounds, there are still many unsolved problems. Various determining factors are insufficiently known, and the explanations given of the better known factors are widely divergent. In a recent article PTBBKE DELATTBE 1 has given a survey of the factors which have been found to influence vowel duration2. He mentions six factors which he supposes to be physiologically conditioned and thus of cross-linguistic validity: The difference shorter /longer vowel is correlated with 1) less open vowel/more open vowel, 2) monophthong/diphthong, 3) surd consonant/sonant consonant, 4) stop consonant/fricative consonant, 5) liquid consonant/solid consonant, 6) oral stop consonant/nasal stop consonant, 7) more front consonant/more back consonant. Of these factors, numbers 1—4 seem to be fairly well established in various languages, whereas 5—7 seem more dubious. The purpose of the present paper3 is to throw some light on the influence of the place of articulation (point 7), in the hope that the results may also be of use for the explanation of other factors. As references for the rule that vowels are relatively short before front consonants, DELATTBE mentions an investigation of English vowel duration by I . L E HISTE and G . PETERSON 4 and an investigation of Spanish and English vowel
Circulating intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) antigen in sera of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), a member of immunoglobulin supergene family with a five‐domain structure, is known to play an important role in inflammatory diseases. An ELISA was developed using two MoAbs against human ICAM‐1 in order to detect the soluble shedding ICAM‐1 antigen in sera. We measured levels of circulating ICAM‐1 antigen in sera of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), pulmonary sarcoidosis, hypersensitive pneumonitis, bacterial and mycoplasmal pneumonia, and inflammatory diseases of other organs. The results clearly demonstrated that IPF had significantly high levels of circulating ICAM‐1 in sera as compared with other disorders or normal controls. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis with MoAb against human ICAM‐1 disclosed that in IPF, the expression of ICAM‐1 was intensively enhanced on alveolar epithelial cells. These results suggest that ICAM‐1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of IPF.
Clinical significance of genetic variations in the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway in Korean patients with colorectal cancer.

628 Background: Signaling through the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway is responsible for balancing cell survival and apoptosis. Accordingly, the present study analyzed 14 SNPs of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes and their impact on the prognosis for patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS Four hundred and forty-four consecutive patients with surgically resected colorectal adenocarcinoma were enrolled in the present study. The genomic DNA was extracted from fresh colorectal tissue and 14 polymorphisms of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes determined using a real-time PCR genotyping assay. RESULTS Pathologic stages after surgery were as follows: stage 0/I (n=85, 19.1%), stage II (n=149, 33.6%), stage III (n=147, 33.1%), and stage IV (n=63, 14.2%). Univariate and multivariate survival analysis including stage, age, site of disease, adjuvant chemotherapy, and CEA level showed that these polymorphisms were not associated with progression-free or overall survival. For the clinicopathologic parameters, CEA level and TNM stage were significant prognostic factors in a Cox model for survival. CONCLUSIONS None of the 14 SNPs of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway genes investigated in this study was found to be an independent prognostic marker for Korean patients with surgically resected colorectal cancer. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Evaluation of the contribution of theatre attendance to medical undergraduate neuroscience teaching – A pilot study

Abstract Introduction. Medical students often attend the neurosurgical theatre during their clinical neurosciences attachment. However, few studies have been performed to objectively assess the value of this theatre-based learning experience. The main aim of this study was to explore student perceptions on the contribution of neurosurgical theatre attendance to clinical neuroscience teaching. Materials and methods. Third-year medical students undergoing their 2-week clinical neurosciences rotation at the Royal Hospitals Belfast were invited to participate in this study. A multi-method strategy was employed using a survey questionnaire comprising of closed and open-ended questions followed by semi-structured interviews to gain a greater ‘in-depth’ analysis of the potential contribution of neurosurgical theatre attendance to neuroscience teaching. Results. Based on the completed survey responses of 22 students, the overall experience of neurosurgical theatre-based learning was a positive one. ‘In-depth’ analysis from semi-structured interviews indicated that students felt that some aspects of their neurosurgical theatre attendance could be improved. Better preparation such as reading up on the case in hand and an introduction to simple theatre etiquette to put the student at ease (in particular, for students who had never attended theatre previously), would improve the learning experience. In addition, having an expectation of what students are expected to learn in theatre making it more learning outcomes-based would probably make it feel a more positive experience by the student. Conclusions. The vast majority of students acknowledged the positive learning outcomes of neurosurgical theatre attendance and felt that it should be made a mandatory component of the curriculum.
Effects of Uremic Serum and Uremic Toxins on Hepatic Uptake of Digoxin

Not only the renal clearance but also the hepatic clearance of drugs varies with the progression of renal failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of human uremic serum and various uremic toxins on the hepatic uptake of digoxin (DX), a drug mainly excreted into bile in patients with severe renal failure, using isolated rat and human hepatocytes as model systems. Uremic serum inhibited the uptake of DX into rat hepatocytes in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas normal serum did not affect the uptake. In addition, 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF), hippuric acid, indole-3-acetic acid, indoxyl sulfate, and p-cresol (PC) concentration dependently inhibited the uptake. CMPF and PC at the concentration of 400 μM, which is within the plasma concentration range attained in patients with renal failure, inhibited the uptake of DX into rat hepatocytes by 27% and 23%, respectively. In human hepatocytes, 10% uremic serum, 400 μM CMPF, and 400 μM PC inhibited the uptake of DX by 23.3%, 23.4%, and 28.2%, respectively. In conclusion, our results suggest that hepatic uptake of DX is likely to be inhibited by uremic toxins, such as CMPF and PC, present in the serum of patients with renal failure.