Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection bias in dynamically measured supermassive black hole samples: scaling relations and correlations between residuals in semi-analytic galaxy formation models

Recent work has confirmed that the masses of supermassive black holes, estimated from scaling relations with global properties such as the stellar masses of their host galaxies, may be biased high. Much of this may be caused by the requirement that the gravitational sphere of influence of the black hole must be resolved for the black-hole mass to be reliably estimated. We revisit this issue by using a comprehensive galaxy evolution semi-analytic model, which self-consistently evolves supermassive black holes from high-redshift seeds via gas accretion and mergers, and also includes AGN feedback. Once tuned to reproduce the (mean) correlation of black-hole mass with velocity dispersion, the model is unable to also account for the correlation with stellar mass. This behaviour is independent of the model's parameters, thus suggesting an internal inconsistency in the data. The predicted distributions, especially at the low-mass end, are also much broader than observed. However, if selection effects are included, the model's predictions tend to align with the observations. We also demonstrate that the correlations between the residuals of the local scaling relations are more effective than the scaling relations themselves at constraining AGN feedback models. In fact, we find that our semi-analytic model, while in apparent broad agreement with the scaling relations when accounting for selection biases, yields very weak correlations between their residuals at fixed stellar mass, in stark contrast with observations. This problem persists when changing the AGN feedback strength, and is also present in the $z\sim 0$ outputs of the hydrodynamic cosmological simulation Horizon-AGN, which includes state-of-the-art treatments of AGN feedback. This suggests that current AGN feedback models may be too weak or are simply not capturing the effect of the black hole on the stellar velocity dispersion.
Attitudes towards pelvic examination in a random sample of Swedish women

BACKGROUND A pelvic examination is the most common procedure in gynecological practice. A majority of women have negative experiences of such examinations. The aim of the present study was to explore attitudes to and experiences of pelvic examinations, as well as possible background factors to such attitudes and experiences. METHODS A postal inquiry was sent to 788 randomly selected Swedish women, of fertile age. Sixty-seven per cent answered the questionnaire, which had 56 items and covered, inter alia, attitudes to and experiences of pelvic examinations, as well as possible background factors. RESULTS The women had positive, uniform attitudes to pelvic examinations in general, but negative experiences of the specific parts of the procedure. Women's attitudes to and experiences of pelvic examinations correlated. The experience of the first pelvic examination was more negative than the experience of the last. A negative experience in general and the experience of pain during the first pelvic examination correlated. The first pelvic examination emerged as a statistically powerful background factor for subsequent attitudes to pelvic examinations. CONCLUSIONS Swedish women have positive attitudes to pelvic examination in spite of negative previous experiences. A powerful background factor for subsequent attitudes to pelvic examination was the experience of the first one. A woman's first pelvic examination should therefore be used as an opportunity to condition positive emotions and behaviors to the examination situation, as a basis for future positive experiences.
Insect fauna in nests of the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Croatia

Qualitative, quantitative and trophic structure of insects found in Eurasian griffon vulture nests were analysed. A total of 249 insects belonging to six orders were found in 18 griffon vulture nests, collected in three colonies on the islands Cres and Plavnik (Adriatic Sea). Eudominant orders were beetles (64.26%) and ants (22.49%). Dermestid beetles were present in all examined nests and comprise the permanent nest fauna. Other groups of insects (cockroaches, web spinners, ants, flies, aphids) were found to occur occasionally in nests.
Intestinal parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS patients: epidemiological, nutritional and immunological aspects

This study applied a socioeconomic questionnaire designed to evaluate the frequency of intestinal parasites and characterize epidemiological, nutritional, and immunological variables in 105 HIV/AIDS patients - with and without parasitic infections, attending the Day Hospital in Botucatu, UNESP, from 2007 to 2008. Body mass index was calculated and the following tests performed: parasitological stool examinations; eosinophil, IgE, CD4+ T and CD8+ T lymphocyte cell counts; albumin test; viral load measure; and TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-5 and IL-10 cytokine levels. Results were positive for parasitic intestinal infections in 12.4% of individuals. Most patients had good socioeconomic conditions with basic sanitation, urban dwellings, treated water supply and sewage, good nutritional and immunological status and were undergoing HAART. Parasites were found at the following frequencies: Entamoeba - five patients (38.5%), Giardia lamblia - four (30.7%), Blastocystis hominis - three (23.0%), Endolimax nana - two (15.4%), and Ascaris lumbricoides - one (7.7%). There were no significant differences between the two groups for eosinophils, albumin, IgE, CD4+ T and CD8+ T lymphocytes, INF-γ, IL-2, or IL-10. Most patients also showed undetectable viral load levels. Significant differences were found for TNF-α and IL-5. These results show the importance of new studies on immunodeficient individuals to increase understanding of such variables.
The biomechanical link between skin and joint disease in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: what every dermatologist needs to know

In this issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases , Gisondi et al ( see page 26 ) present an ultrasonography study showing that otherwise asymptomatic patients with psoriasis often have evidence for subclinical disease involving the enthesis (ie, the site of insertion of a tendon, ligament or joint capsule to bone). 1 The authors suggest that this may represent a useful approach for the future prediction of which patients with psoriasis will eventually develop an associated arthropathy. While the value of such a strategy in otherwise healthy patients with a common disease such as psoriasis is debatable, it is clear that, if validated and reproduced, the present findings could have far reaching consequences for understanding the link between skin and joints in psoriasis. In particular it further challenges the concept that the primary link between skin and joint disease is related to common autoimmune mechanisms affecting the skin and synovial membrane. Given that entheses are sites of particularly high joint stressing, it further supports the alternative emerging view that the link could be a biomechanical one. In the study, the authors used an ultrasound-based approach to examine five asymptomatic entheses in the region of the knee and heel (insertion of the quadriceps tendon, both ends of the patellar ligament, the insertion of the Achilles tendon and the calcaneal attachment of the plantar aponeurosis) in subjects with psoriasis, using the previously reported system from the Glasgow group: the Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS). 2 An enthesis is composed of both soft tissue components (ligament, tendon and their associated fibrocartilages) and hard tissue components (calcified fibrocartilage, immediately adjacent bone (the “subchondral bone plate”) and the underlying trabecular network). 3 While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well suited to depicting the adjacent osteitis that may accompany enthesitis, ultrasound is probably the imaging …
Cardiovascular aspects of anaphylaxis: implications for treatment and diagnosis

Purpose of reviewAnaphylactic cardiovascular collapse can be resistant to treatment with epinephrine (adrenaline) and, in some cases, diagnostic uncertainty compromises follow-up care. The purpose of this review is to examine recent studies relevant to the management and diagnosis of this condition. Recent findingsNausea, vomiting, incontinence, diaphoresis, dyspnoea, hypoxia, dizziness and collapse are associated with hypotension. Relative bradycardia (falling heart rate despite hypotension) is a consistent feature of hypotensive insect sting anaphylaxis and may represent a non-specific physiological response to severe hypovolaemia in conscious individuals. Upright posture has been found to be associated with death from anaphylaxis. Animal studies have found the intramuscular route for epinephrine is ineffective, intravenous boluses temporarily effective, but intravenous infusions of epinephrine are able to reverse anaphylactic shock. In one animal model, antihistamines were found to be harmful. A prospective human study provides evidence for the efficacy of treatment with intravenous epinephrine infusion and fluid (volume) resuscitation. Case reports support the use of the vasoconstrictors metaraminol, methoxamine and vasopressin if adrenaline is ineffective. Repeated measurements of mast cell tryptase are more sensitive and specific than a single measurement for the diagnosis of anaphylaxis. SummaryCurrent evidence supports use of the supine/Trendelenburg position, epinephrine by intravenous infusion and aggressive volume resuscitation. If these fail, atropine should be considered for severe bradycardia and potent vasoconstrictors may be useful. To confirm the diagnosis of anaphylaxis, serial measurements of mast cell tryptase may be preferable to a single measurement.
DynaChannAl: dynamic channel allocation with minimal end-to-end delay for two-tier wireless sensor networks

AbstractWith recent advances in wireless communication, networking, and low powersensor technology, wireless sensor network (WSN) systems have begun to takesigni cant roles in various applications ranging from environmental sensing tomobile healthcare sensing. While some WSN applications only require a lim-ited amount of bandwidth, new emerging applications operate with a notice-ably large amount of data transfers. One way to deal with such applicationsis to maximize the available capacity by utilizing the use of multiple wirelesschannels. This work proposes DynaChannAl, a distributed dynamic wirelesschannel algorithm with the goal of e ectively distributing nodes on multiplewireless channels in WSN systems. Speci cally, DynaChannAl targets applica-tions where mobile nodes connect to a pre-existing wireless backbone and takesthe expected end-to-end queuing delay as its core metric. We use the link qual-ity indicator (LQI) values provided by IEEE 802.15. 4 radios white-list potentiallinks with good link quality and evaluate such links with the aggregated packettransmission latency at each hop. Our approach is useful for applications thatrequire minimal end-to-end delay (i.e., healthcare applications). DynaChannAlis a light weight and highly adoptable scheme that can be easily incorporatedwith various pre-developed components and pre-deployed applications. We eval-uate DynaChannAl in on a 45 node WSN testbed. As the rst study to considerend-to-end latency as the core metric for channel allocation in WSN systems, theexperimental results indicate that DynaChannAl successfully distributes multi-ple (mobile) source nodes on di erent wireless channels and enables the nodesto select wireless channel and links that can minimize the end-to-end latency.Keywords: Wireless Sensor Networks, Dynamic Channel Allocation, LatencyAware Protocols
The Effect of Neonatal Intensive Care Level and Hospital Volume on Mortality of Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Objective:To determine the adjusted effect of hospital level of care and volume on mortality of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in the state of California, where deregionalization of perinatal care has occurred. Research Design:Secondary data analysis of California maternal-infant hospital discharge data from 1997 to 2002 was performed. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the odds of mortality among VLBW infants by hospital level of neonatal intensive care and volume of VLBW deliveries, in the context of differences in antenatal and delivery factors by hospital site of delivery. Results:Both maternal and fetal antenatal risk profiles and delivery characteristics vary by hospital site of delivery. After risk adjustment, lower-level, lower-volume units were associated with a higher odds of mortality. The highest odds of mortality occurred in level-1 units with ≤10 VLBW deliveries per year (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.43–1.99). In isolation, hospital volume, rather than level of care, had the greater effect. Conclusions:Although deregionalization of perinatal services may increase access to care for high-risk mothers and newborns, its impact on hospital volume may outweigh its potential benefit.
Microbial Transformation of Marine Halogenated Sesquiterpenes

The sesquiterpene pacifenol is one of the main constituents of the red alga Laurencia claviformis. Earlier work on the semisynthetic derivatives of pacifenol afforded a series of halogenated sesquiterpenes. The aim of the present work was to obtain new hydroxylated derivatives of halogenated sesquiterpenes by means of microbial transformation using Aspergillus níger, Gibberella fujikuroi and Mucor plumbeus. The best results were obtained with M. plumbeus. The microbiological transformation by M. plumbeus of pacifenol, and two semisynthetic derivatives, is described. The structures of the new compounds obtained were determined by spectroscopic means.
Intrinsically fluorescent luteinizing hormone receptor demonstrates hormone-driven aggregation.

The possibility that LH receptors exist as isolated molecules when unbound and aggregate upon binding gonadotropins has previously been untestable in viable cells for want of a suitable nonhormone probe. We have now expressed in CHO cells an intrinsically-fluorescent LH receptor involving enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the C-terminus of the rat LH receptor (rLHR-GFP). More than half of these receptors (54 +/- 4%) are located on the plasma membrane and are functional: cAMP levels increase 3-5 fold in response to 10 nM LH or hCG. In fluorescence photobleaching recovery studies at 37 degrees C, 54 +/- 13% of unoccupied rLHR-GFP were laterally mobile with a diffusion coefficient D of 16 +/- 3.5 x 10(-10)cm2sec-1. Introduction of 10 nM LH for 1 h slowed receptor lateral diffusion to 6.6 +/- 1.3 x 10(-10)cm2sec-1 and reduced fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to 27 +/- 1%. Following treatment with 1 nM hCG, rLHR-GFP were laterally immobile and were distributed into small fluorescent patches over the cell surface. Thus, unoccupied rLHR-GFP receptors apparently exist as dispersed plasma membrane proteins with comparatively fast lateral diffusion. Interaction of receptors with LH or hCG caused clustering of rLHR-GFP receptors, significantly restricting lateral diffusion.
A role for leptin in brain development.

Leptin, the product of the obese gene, is a circulating hormone involved in feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Ob/ob mice which are leptin deficient have many phenotypic abnormalities including brains that are smaller in both weight and cortical volume. To this end, we monitored the effects of leptin administration on brain growth. Intraperitoneal administration of leptin for 2 weeks daily to 4-week-old ob/ob mice resulted in a maximal 10% increase in both wet and dry brain weights. This increase appears to be partially the result of increased cell number as indicated by a 19% increase in total brain DNA. In summary, our data suggest that the decreased brain size of the ob/ob mouse is due to a developmental defect that can be corrected upon leptin administration and therefore leptin plays a role in brain growth and development.
HEMATOLOGIC AND BIOCHEMICAL REFERENCE RANGES FOR CAPTIVE CALIFORNIA CONDORS (GYMNOGYPS CALIFORNIANUS)

Abstract To provide proper medical evaluation and care for the endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), veterinarians need accurate hematologic and biochemical reference ranges. A retrospective study of blood samples from captive California condors housed at the San Diego Wild Animal Park assessed the samples by sex and age of condor to determine serum biochemical and hematologic reference ranges, including lead and zinc levels. Condors were grouped by age as follows: group 1 included birds less than 30 days of age; group 2 included birds between 30 days and 6 mo of age; group 3 included birds between 6 mo and 5 yr of age; group 4 included all birds greater than 5 yr of age. Significant differences between sexes included higher chloride, cholesterol, and total plasma protein concentration in males as compared to females (P < 0.05). Significant differences between age groups were identified in glucose, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, albumin, total plasma protein, globulin, cholesterol, bile acid, and zinc concentrations, as well as aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase activities (P < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences between age groups were noted in white blood cell count, hematocrit, heterophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils (P < 0.05). A steady increase in glucose and a decrease in alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities, as well as cholesterol, bile acid, calcium, and phosphorus concentrations, were correlated with age (P < 0.05). Following application of statistical analysis, condors less than 6 mo of age were identified as unique compared to older cohorts; therefore, two reference ranges are proposed by calculating a 90% confidence interval. Reference ranges obtained from other published avian data, including those for psittaciformes, ratites, galliformes, anseriformes, and raptors, were similar to condors in this study.
Pulsed Atmospheric-Pressure DBD Plasma Produced in Small-Diameter Tubes

This paper presents the experimental results on the characterization of plasma produced in narrow tubes using a pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), working in helium or helium-oxygen gas mixture at atmospheric pressure, in a symmetrical configuration of external electrodes. This paper focuses on the effect induced by the total gas flow rate and gas composition on the characteristics of pulsed DBD. Using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, ultraviolet absorption, and optical emission spectroscopy, complementary information on the reactive species (O, O<sub>3</sub>, N<sub>2</sub>, and N<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup> ) present in the discharge has been obtained. It results that the excited species generated by direct electron excitation (as He and N<sub>2</sub>) follow the evolution of their precursors with increasing gas flow rate, while those created by chain reactions (as N<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup> , O, and O<sub>3</sub>) depend on the collective behavior of all their precursors, regardless of the fact that these are originating from the feeding gas or are coming from impurities. At specific energies, between 5 and 50 J/L, and a gas temperature of 315 ± 20 K, the atmospheric-pressure plasma is able to produce 10<sup>14</sup>-10<sup>15</sup> m<sup>-3</sup> of O (3<sup>5</sup>S<sub>2</sub>) or (1.5-2.8) × 10<sup>15</sup> cm<sup>-3</sup> of O<sub>3</sub>, depending on the feeding gas composition and its flow rate. Low gas temperature and high density of reactive species could make the present DBD arrangement suitable for medical applications.
Vulnerability to STIs/HIV: sociability and the life trajectories of young women who have sex with women in Rio de Janeiro

This study aims to better understand STI/HIV-related vulnerability among self-identified lesbians and bisexual young women aged 18–26 years in two neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro. Based on ethnographic observations and in-depth interviews, the paper analyses their life experiences and trajectories. Findings reveal that sexual identities and ties attributed to sexual interactions with women and men have an important role in influencing perceptions of vulnerability. The notion of STI and HIV risk is not well developed among women who have sex with women. It emerges largely in practices with bisexual female partners and those of the opposite sex, since in these the potential for HIV transmission (through contact with semen) is recognized. Sexually transmitted infection and HIV-related risk with male partners is seen as small by the women in the study, since such relationships are seen as ‘occasional’ and generally speaking occur with someone they know well. The value given to trust and the lack of alignment between sexual identities and sexual practices reinforces the need for approaches to STI and HIV prevention and care that prioritise the sexual history and practices of women and their sexual identities within specific contexts.
Frequency-dependent modulation of renal blood flow by renal nerve activity in conscious rabbits.

To examine the influence of the various frequency components of renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) on renal blood flow (RBF) dynamics, a Doppler flow probe and renal nerve electrode were implanted on the left renal artery of 10 rabbits. Experiments were performed 4-9 days after surgery. Physiological changes in RSNA were induced by subjecting the rabbits to periods of breathing hypoxic gas mixtures. Signals were sampled at 1 kHz and analyzed by spectral analysis. During moderate hypoxia (arterial PO2 = 44 +/- 1 mmHg), arterial pressure and heart rate did not change, averaged RSNA increased by 90 +/- 7%, and RBF fell by 18 +/- 3%. In a separate group of renal-denervated rabbits (n = 6), no changes in RBF occurred during hypoxia. In intact rabbits, 53 +/- 4% of spectral density power of RSNA was found at the cardiac frequency and the remainder was predominantly coupled to respiration (approximately 0.9 Hz). During moderate hypoxia the amplitude of the RSNA oscillations increased 17 +/- 6 times at the cardiac frequency and 10 +/- 3 times at the respiration-related frequency. Modulation of RBF variability by the fluctuations of RSNA at the cardiac- and respiration-related frequency was, however, small. The normalized transfer gain between RSNA and RBF was approximately 0.1 at > 0.5 Hz. This means that, at > 0.5 Hz, maximally 10% of the amplitude of the RSNA oscillations is transmitted to corresponding RBF fluctuations. These transfer properties did not change during hypoxia. At < 0.5 Hz the transfer gain between RSNA and RBF increased. During moderate hypoxia, 0.3-Hz coherent oscillations of RSNA and RBF were found. In renal-denervated rabbits, 0.3-Hz oscillations in RBF were absent. Thus the renal vasculature was able to follow relatively low-frequency (< 0.5-Hz) fluctuations of RSNA and responded with corresponding oscillations in RBF. In contrast, the renal vasculature responded with increased constriction at the high-frequency (> 0.5-Hz) fluctuations of RSNA. These findings suggest that, in conscious rabbits, high-frequency oscillations of RSNA contribute to the vasoconstrictor tone, whereas the lower frequencies of RSNA contribute to the variability of RBF.