Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Late‐Holocene succession of dinoflagellates in an Antarctic fjord using a multi‐proxy approach: paleoenvironmental genomics, lipid biomarkers and palynomorphs

Recent work has shown that paleoenvironmental genomics, i.e. the application of genomic tools to analyze preserved DNA in sedimentary records, is a promising approach to reconstruct the diversity of past planktonic communities. This provides information about past ecological and environmental changes. A major advantage of this approach is that individual species, including those that did not leave other characteristic markers, can be identified. In this study, we determined which dinoflagellate marker (i.e. 18S rDNA, dinosterol or dinocysts) provided the most detailed information about the late‐Holocene succession of dinoflagellates in an Antarctic Fjord (Ellis Fjord, Vestfold Hills). The preserved rDNA revealed two intervals in the 2750‐year‐old sediment record. The dinoflagellate diversity was the highest until ∼1850 cal yr bp and included phylotypes related to known dinosterol producers. A lower concentration of dinosterol in sediments <1850 cal yr bp coincided with a community shift towards a predominance of the autotrophic sea‐ice dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis, which is not a source of dinosterol. Remarkably, cultures of P. glacialis are known to produce other diagnostic sterols, but these were not recovered here. In addition, conspicuous resting cysts of P. glacialis were not preserved in the analyzed sediments. Overall, dinocysts were rare and the paleoenvironmental genomics approach revealed the highest diversity of dinoflagellates in Ellis Fjord, and was the only approach that recorded a shift in dinoflagellate composition at ∼1850 cal yr bp indicative of a colder climate with more extensive ice cover – this timing coincides with a period of changing climate reported for this region.
In vitro capacitation of hamster spermatozoa by follicular fluid.

When hamster epididymal spermatozoa were incubated in vitro in the presence of follicular fluid in Tyrode's solution for 3 hr or more, they became fully capacitated. The majority of the capacitated spermatozoa had lost the acrosome cap, and they displayed an extremely vigorous motility. When placed in contact with freshly ovulated eggs in vitro, the spermatozoa started to enter the zona pellucida of the eggs
A topology optimization based model of bone adaptation

A novel topology optimization model based on homogenization methods was developed for predicting bone density distribution and anisotropy, assuming the bone structure to be a self-optimizing biological material which maximizes its own structural stiffness. The feasibility and efficiency of this method were tested on a 2D model for a proximal femur under single and multiple loading conditions. The main aim was to compute homogenized optimal designs using an optimal laminated microstructure. The computational results showed that high bone density levels are distributed along the diaphysis and form arching struts within the femoral head. The pattern of bone density distribution and the anisotropic bone behavior predicted by the model in the multiple load case were both in good agreement with the structural architecture and bone density distribution occurring in natural femora. This approach provides a novel means of understanding the remodeling processes involved in fracture repair and the treatment of bone diseases.
The intravenous, subcutaneous and cutaneous toxicity of bis (beta-chloroethyl) sulfide (mustard gas) and of various derivatives.

The parenteral toxicity of bis (β-chloroethyl) sulfide (mustard gas) and certain mustard derivatives has been studied in various species. Most derivatives of mustard are relatively non-toxic. Those which are toxic are shown to act in a different manner from mustard. These data support the hypothesis that mustard acts either per se or in the form of its first aqueous reaction product, β-chloro-ethyl-ethylene sulfonium chloride. We are indebted to Elesa Addis (Karnofsky), Mildred Bevelander, Betty Lou Ellis, Vera Hoie, Vera James, Penelope Smith and Lee Summers in the conduct of the experiments.
Projected Prevalence of Inadequate Nutrient Intakes in Europe

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of nutrient intake inadequacy in Europe, applying the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations in the context of the EURRECA Network of Excellence. Methods: Nutrient data was obtained from the European Nutrition and Health Report II. Those nutritional surveys using a validated food frequency questionnaire or diet history and a food diary/ register with at least 7 days of registers or with an adjustment for intraindividual variability were included. The nutrients analyzed were: vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, copper, and iodine. The estimated average requirement cut point was applied to estimate inadequacy. The Nordic and Institute of Medicine nutrient recommendations were used as references. Results: The mean prevalence of inadequacy was below 11% for zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 (only in the elderly), and it was 11–20% for copper in adults and the elderly and for vitamin B12 in adults and vitamin C in the elderly. The prevalence was above 20% for vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, selenium, and iodine in adults and the elderly and for vitamin C in adults. Conclusions: Vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, selenium, and iodine were the nutrients showing a higher prevalence of inadequate intakes in Europe.
A self-management intervention to improve quality of life and psychosocial impact for people with type 2 diabetes.

AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of self-management intervention for people with diabetes mellitus. BACKGROUND Enhancing self-efficacy and improving health quality of life for persons with diabetes are ongoing challenges for health care providers. There currently is a need to develop and test the effects of a self-management programme. DESIGN A quasi-experimental design. METHOD The study was carried out in the outpatient clinic of a municipal hospital in Taipei. Patients aged 30 and over with type 2 diabetes and an oral medication regimen were recruited. One hundred and forty-five participants completed the six-month post-treatment assessments (72 in the intervention group and 73 in the control group). Both control and intervention groups received a standard diabetic educational programme. The self-management intervention is to improve psychosocial skills or addressing attitudes and beliefs specific to diabetes or the regimen behaviours. The intervention group received the following additional interventions: (1) a diabetic booklet (2) DVD viewing (3) four counselling sessions (4) and a telephone follow-up. The main outcome measures were Short Form 12 for health-related quality of life, the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support scale and the Center for Epidemiology Studies Short Depression Scale. RESULTS The scores for social support were significantly increased in the intervention group at Time 2 and Time 3 (three and six months from commencement of the intervention) compared with those of the control group (p < 0·01), whereas health-related quality of life and depression were not significantly different. Conclusions. The diabetic self-management intervention programme improved social support for participants, but future studies are needed. Replication of this study in various settings, with other populations, or with additional outcome measures may result in different findings. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Self-management programmes should be held regularly and evaluated in clinical practices, especially in developing countries. Providing practical screening tools and conducting psychological research on diabetes drive policy and health care system change.
Comparison of wind turbine LQG controllers designed to alleviate fatigue loads

This paper focuses on the design of Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controllers for variable-speed horizontal axis Wind Turbines (WTs). Those turbines use blades pitch angle and electromagnetic torque control variables to meet specified objectives for Full Load (FL) zone. The main control objectives are to reduce the structural dynamic loads and to regulate the power of the WT. The controllers are designed in order to optimize a trade-off between several control objectives. Four different LQG controllers are designed. Their control model is progressively more complex. The first one takes into account a rigid simple behavior, the second control model considers the first mode of flexibility of the drive train, the third model takes into account the tower flexibilities and the fourth that of the blades. In the same manner, their optimization criteria considers for each controller a new control objective to alleviate fatigue loads in the drive train, then, also in the tower and finally also in the blades. The evaluation of the fatigue loads affecting the WT components are based on a Rainflow Counting Algorithm and the Miner's rule (RFC). The results indicate a significant reduction of fatigue loads in the drive-train when its flexibility is taken into account in the control model.
Isolation and characterization of Vibrio ( Listonella) anguillarum from catfish

Vibrio anguillarum was isolated from several organs of some aquarium catfish in a fish population with high mortality. Macroscopic examination of the affected catfish revealed ascites in the abdomen, site-petechiae, and dorsal erection. Although there are some variations in phenotypic characterization among different isolates of Vibrio anguillarum, the majority show a common biochemical profile with distinct microscopic appearance that can provide presumptive identification of Vibrio anguillarum. Biochemical tests were used for identification of Vibrio anguillarum in aquarium catfish in this report.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Infection, Detection, and New Options for Prevention and Treatment

SUMMARY Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a significant cause of hospitalization of children in North America and one of the leading causes of death of infants less than 1 year of age worldwide, second only to malaria. Despite its global impact on human health, there are relatively few therapeutic options available to prevent or treat RSV infection. Paradoxically, there is a very large volume of information that is constantly being refined on RSV replication, the mechanisms of RSV-induced pathology, and community transmission. Compounding the burden of acute RSV infections is the exacerbation of preexisting chronic airway diseases and the chronic sequelae of RSV infection. A mechanistic link is even starting to emerge between asthma and those who suffer severe RSV infection early in childhood. In this article, we discuss developments in the understanding of RSV replication, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics. We attempt to reconcile the large body of information on RSV and why after many clinical trials there is still no efficacious RSV vaccine and few therapeutics.
Production as a source of input for analysis: evidence from the developmental course of a word-blend

ABSTRACT Theoretical arguments for considering production as a source of input for analysis (the OUTPUT-AS-INPUT hypothesis) are reviewed, and empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis is presented. The evidence consists of a longitudinal study of the developmental course of a self-created form, produced by one Dutch child. This form is the product of blending two words, wat and iets, to yield unitary wat-iets. In Dutch, independent wat and iets may each mean ‘some’ and/or ‘something’. Though wat-iets is not permitted by the language, and so does not occur in environmental input, the form stays in the child's repertoire for about 10 months (between 3;8 and 4;7) and is apparently subjected to processes of generalization: first the child treats wat-iets as a two-word frame that may be regularized, later as a unitary word that may be semantically extended. After the extension of wat-iets, independent synonymous wat and iets appear for the first time in the child's speech. It is argued that the child actually analysed his own creation.
Wizard of Oz studies in HRI

Many researchers use Wizard of Oz (WoZ) as an experimental technique, but there are methodological concerns over its use, and no comprehensive criteria on how to best employ it. We systematically review 54 WoZ experiments published in the primary HRI publication venues from 2001 -- 2011. Using criteria proposed by Fraser and Gilbert (1991), Green et al. (2004), Steinfeld et al. (2009), and Kelley (1984), we analyzed how researchers conducted HRI WoZ experiments. Researchers mainly used WoZ for verbal (72.2%) and non-verbal (48.1%) processing. Most constrained wizard production (90.7%), but few constrained wizard recognition (11%). Few reported measuring wizard error (3.7%), and few reported pre-experiment wizard training (5.4%). Few reported using WoZ in an iterative manner (24.1%). Based on these results we propose new reporting guidelines to aid future research.
Induction of protective immunity against Schistosoma mansoni by a non living vaccine. I. Partial characterization of antigens recognized by antibodies from mice immunized with soluble schistosome extracts.

A single intradermal injection of frozen and thawed schistosomula in conjunction with the bacterial adjuvant Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacille Calmette Guerin, Phipps substrain (BCG) induced significant levels of resistance to challenge Schistosoma mansoni infection in C57BL/6 mice. Immunization with the aqueous fraction remaining after 100,000 X G centrifugation of the larval lysate was also protective under these conditions, suggesting that some immunogenic determinants may not be membrane associated. Frozen-thawed cercariae and soluble components of adult worms also protected against challenge infection in these experiments. These observations indicate that soluble immunogens are present in both early and late developmental stages of the parasite, and therefore may be good candidate antigens for an immunochemically defined vaccine against schistosomiasis. Induction of humoral reactivity against soluble or membrane antigens was examined in mice protected against cercarial challenge by prior exposure to frozen-thawed larvae, soluble larval, or soluble adult antigens plus BCG. Animals that were immunized with frozen-thawed larvae produced low but significant levels of antibodies against larval surface antigens when examined by indirect immunofluorescence or by immunoprecipitation of surface-labeled schistosomula. Mice immunized with soluble antigens, however, showed negligible antibody reactivity against surface membrane antigens. Because mice immunized with soluble antigens were resistant to challenge infection, these results strongly suggest that anti-surface membrane reactivity is not required in the mechanism of protective immunity in this model. Sera from mice immunized with either total freeze-thaw larval lysate or soluble schistosome extracts all showed strong reactivity against soluble antigens, as detected by ELISA. Western blot analysis showed these antisera to react with a restricted number of high m.w. antigens that were present both in schistosomula and in adult worms. These antigens are therefore likely to play a major role in the development of resistance in this model as immunogens and/or as targets of protective immune response.
All-Units Discounts in Retail Contracts

All-units discounts in retail contracts refer to discounts that lower a retailer's wholesale price on every unit purchased when the retailer's purchases equal or exceed some quantity threshold. These discounts pose a challenge to economic theory because it is difficult to understand why a manufacturer ever would charge less for a larger order if its intentions were benign. In this paper, we show that all-units discounts may profitably arise absent any exclusionary motive. All-units discounts eliminate double marginalization in a complete information setting, and they extract more profit than would a menu of two-part tariffs in the standard incomplete information setting with two types of buyers. All-units discounts may improve or may reduce welfare (relative to menus of two-part tariffs) depending on demand parameters.
Differential interaction of competitive NMDA and AMPA antagonists with selective dopamine D‐1 and D‐2 agonists in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Stimulation of the dopamine (DA) D‐2 and D‐1 receptors results in behavioural activation (i.e., induction of contralateral rotations) in 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) substantia nigra lesioned rats. Competitive N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) antagonists as well as α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) antagonists potentiate the stimulatory responses to threshold doses of L‐DOPA or the mixed dopamine D‐1/D‐2 agonist apomorphine in this model, indicating the potential of such combinations for the management of Parkinson's disease. Neuroanatomic and electrophysiologic data indicate a differential distribution of DA D‐1 and DA D‐2 receptors within motor loops of the basal ganglia. DA D‐1 receptors are preferentially located on GABAergic neurones projecting to the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and to the substantia nigra reticulata (SNr), whereas DA D‐2 receptors are preferentially located on neurones that innervate the external pallidum. NMDA receptors are present in high densities within the striatum, whereas AMPA receptors are enriched in the entopeduncular nucleus/internal pallidum and the SNr. To further characterise the functional interaction between DA and glutamate receptors, we tested the competitive NMDA antagonist 3‐((±)‐2‐carboxypiperazin‐4‐yl)‐propyl‐1‐phosphonic acid (CPP) and the AMPA antagonist 2,3‐dihydroxy‐6‐nitro‐7‐sulfamoyl‐benzo[f]quinoxaline (NBQX) following systemic administration in combination with the DA D‐2 selective agonist quinpirole or the DA D‐1 selective agonist A 68 930 (1R,3S)‐1‐aminomethyl‐5,6‐dihydroxy‐3‐phenylisochroman) in rats with chronic 6‐OHDA lesions of the SNc.
An advanced pharmacy practice experience in public health.

OBJECTIVES To develop and implement an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) that would increase students' awareness of, acceptance of, and ability to apply public health concepts in pharmaceutical care. DESIGN A 6-week APPE was developed that utilized a wide variety of activities including written assignments, role-play, direct patient care, reflective writing, and community outreach to explore various public health issues and their relation to the practice of pharmacy. To determine the students' perception of learning, a 5-question survey instrument was sent to students upon completion of the experience ASSESSMENT The results of the survey indicated high satisfaction with the APPE in a variety of different domains including provision of pharmaceutical care, providing patient education, exercising cultural competency, referring to community resources, and utilizing medication assistance programs. CONCLUSION The advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) provides students a unique opportunity to develop skills important to the practice of public health and expand understanding of the role of pharmacist in the public health setting.
InterCalatIOn Of methylene blue IntO mOntmOrIllOnIte at dIfferent COndItIOnS : an apprOaCh fOr preparIng Clay-baSed nanOpIgmentS

Intercalation products based on ionic exchange reaction between cationic dye methylene blue and Na-montmorillonite were prepared. Montmorillonite particles intercalated with methylene blue were characterized using X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, elemental and thermo-gravimetric analysis. The results showed that intercalation of dye molecules within the interlayer spaces of montmorillonite has successfully occurred and a degree of layers coverage equal to 81 % of cationic exchange capacity was achieved. The obtained coverage results in an increase of 5.8 Å in the basal spacing of silicate layers compared to pure montmorillonite. XRD results also indicated that the intercalation process was only dependant on intercalant concentration. Other factors such as time of the process and clay concentration had no effect on the obtained basal spacing. Thermo-gravimetric analysis suggested improved thermal stability of the intercalated dye.
Translational control in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response.

From the perspective of protein biosynthesis, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can be viewed as a processing plant for folding and posttranslational modification of secreted and integral membrane proteins. At any given time, the load of client proteins that the ER must handle is set by developmental programs and modulated by physiological considerations. Specific signaling pathways and effector mechanisms have evolved to deal with the temporal and developmental variation in ER load experienced by different cells in mutlicellular organisms. The upstream signal that activates these pathways is referred to as ER stress and is defined functionally as an imbalance between the load of client proteins facing the ER and the organelle’s ability to process that load. ER stress can be provoked by a variety of pathophysiological conditions, for example, ischemia, hyperhomocystinemia, viral infections, and mutations that impair client protein folding (1–4). However, the phenotypes of mutations affecting components of the ER stress-response machinery reveal that ER stress is also a normal physiological phenomenon (reviewed in ref. 5).
Mutations in Fks1p affect the cell wall content of β‐1,3‐ and β‐1,6‐glucan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fks1p and Fks2p are related proteins thought to be catalytic subunits of the β‐1,3‐glucan synthase. Analysis of fks1Δ mutants showed a partial K1 killer toxin‐resistant phenotype and a 30% reduction in alkali‐soluble β‐1,3‐glucan that was accompanied by a modest reduction in β‐1,6‐glucan. The gas1Δ mutant lacking a 1,3‐β‐glucanosyltransferase displayed a similar reduction in alkali‐soluble β‐1,3‐glucan but did not share the β‐1,6‐glucan defect, indicating that β‐1,6‐glucan reduction is not a general phenotype among β‐1,3‐glucan biosynthetic mutants. Overexpression of FKS2 suppressed the killer toxin phenotype of fks1Δ mutants, implicating Fks2p in the biosynthesis of the residual β‐1,6‐glucan present in fks1Δ cells. In addition, eight out of 12 fks1ts fks2Δ mutants had altered β‐glucan levels at the permissive temperature: the partial killer resistant FKS1F1258Y N1520D allele was severely affected in both polymers and displayed a 55% reduction in β‐1,6‐glucan, while the in vitro hyperactive allele FKS1T605I M761T increased both β‐glucan levels. These β‐1,6‐glucan phenotypes may be due to altered availability of, and structural changes in, the β‐1,3‐glucan polymer, which might serve as a β‐1,6‐glucan acceptor at the cell surface. Alternatively, Fks1p and Fks2p could actively participate in the biosynthesis of both polymers as β‐glucan transporters. We analysed Fks1p and Fks2p in β‐1,6‐glucan deficient mutants and found that they were mislocalized and that the mutants had reduced in vitro glucan synthase activity, possibly contributing to the observed β‐1,6‐glucan defects. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.