Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chapter 3 Endobronchial Ultrasound in Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy

Currently, endobronchial ultrasound dramatically changed diagnostic approaches for mediastinal lesions, both benign and malignant. Still there is a lack of data regarding the optimal anaesthesia, route of intubation, needle type, and specific clinical situations concerning EBUS in real clinical practice. A short, but clinically oriented, description of EBUS-TBNA and EUS-b-FNA techniques for mediastinal lesions is provided.
Molecular Tools for Understanding Eco-Epidemiology, Diversity and Pathogenesis of Leishmania Parasites

Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania are responsible of a large variety of clinical manifestations ranging from self-healing cutaneous forms (CL), through mucocutaneous lesions (MCL), to lethal if untreated visceral disease (VL). Nevertheless, there is no absolute correlation between a particular clinical form and a causative species [1]. For instance, parasites of the L. donovani complex are generally responsible for VL cases in the Old and New World but can also cause CL. Another example is the L. tropica species, which causes a CL form but its association to VL cases was occasionally reported [2]. Identification of Leishmania parasites is a central issue to patients’ management and to control. Leishmaniases have a worldwide distribution but only absent in the poles regions, and in Australia where in spite of presence of the parasites in Kangourous no human cases were described. According to the WHO, 350 million people are at risk, with a prevalence of 12 million and more than 98 countries affected [3]. More than twenty species are responsible for leishmaniasis in humans. However, Leish‐ mania species present very similar morphologies in their flagellated, promastigote forms and their intracellular, amastigote forms which renders necessary the use of molecular or bio‐ chemical assays for their identification and characterization (see for review [4]).
Investigations on the liver function of broiler chickens with experimental aflatoxicosis.

The present experiment aimed to evaluate the toxic effects of AFB1 through follow-up of changes in blood activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyltransferase (γGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (AP) and liver morphology. Also, the possibility for effective alleviation or prevention of toxic effects of AFB1 by feed supplementation with the mycosorbent Mycotоx NG was evaluated. The experiments were conducted with 50 7-day-old Cobb broiler chickens allotted to one control and 4 experimental groups. The chickens were orally treated with 1 g/kg Mycotox NG, 0.5 mg/kg AFB1, 0.8 mg/kg AFВ1 и 0.5 mg/kg AFB1 + 1 g/kg Mycotox NG over 42 days. Blood samples for analysis were collected on days 21 and 42. Blood chemistry revealed that the groups receiving only AFB1 showed increased activities of studied enzymes and total bilirubin concentrations. Total protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose were lower than respective control values. Histopathological changes consisted in various degree of dystrophy depending on the amount of ingested toxin. The addition of mycosorbent to the feed of group V reduced partially the deleterious impact of AFB1 as could be seen from blood biochemical changes and the lower frequency and severity of liver lesions.
Fecal culture and two fecal-PCR methods for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in a seropositive herd

Background: paratuberculosis is a slow-developing infectious disease, characterized by chronic granulomatous enterocolitis. This disease has a variable incubation period from 6 months to over 15 years, and is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Its detection by direct and indirect diagnostic techniques has been of special interest. Objective: to report the diagnosis and detection of MAP using several diagnostic testsin a herd of the Northern region ofAntioquia, Colombia. Methods:serum samples from the study herd were analyzed, using a commercial ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kit. Fecalsamples were cultured by duplicate using Herrold s egg yolk medium (HEYM), and analyzed by an end- point IS900-specific nested PCR protocol, and a commercial F57-real-time PCR kit. Results: eight out of 27 serum samples in the study herd resulted ELISA-positive. None of fecal samples resulted positive to HEYM culture by duplicate and none were found to be positive by F57-real-time PCR. Were found to be positive by end-point IS900-specific nested PCR.Agreement was found between ELISA and end-point IS900-specific nested PCR in one of the animals. Conclusion: the present study gives information about the agreement between direct and indirect MAP-detection techniques, using different matrixes from animals under the same husbandry conditions.
Sudden Death and Abortion in Susceptible Animals

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a systemic disease of cattle belonging to genus Macavirus of the subfamily Gamma herpesvirinae. This genus includes alcelaphine herpesvirus I (AIHV-1) and ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), the causative agent of sheep associated MCF which is worldwide because it is endemic in most sheep.Clinical signs vary depending on the species affected, the form of MCF contracted and the organ systems that are most affected by the lymphoproliferative disease. OvHV-2 was isolated from suddenly dead foals, calf-camels, cattle, buffalos and sheep. It was isolated also from aborted faetuses of mares, she-camels, cows and ewes. Isolation was achieved in cell cultures (MDBK, VERO and BHK21) and specific pathogen free-embryonated chicken eggs (SPF-ECE), yolk sac and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) routes. Identification of the isolates was performed with negative staining electron microscopy (EM), agar gel precipitation test(AGPT) and virus neutralization test (VNT). Serological examination of the animals who abort was performed using VNT. They give positive results with observation that she-camels were having the highest titer of neutralizing antibodies may be due to part of the humoral immune response of camels is based on heavy chain antibodies (HC Abs). On conclusion, the current study showed an emergent infectious disease associated with OvHV-2 infection in horse and dromedary camels. Sequencing of the isolates is recommended to know if the virus underwent modifications that expanded to host range. Since MCF is worldwide, testing of the imported animals to Egypt is recommended. [Iman. M. Bastawecy; Zaki A. A. and Sobhy, N. M. Ovine Herpesvirus 2 Infection Causes Sudden Death and Abortion in Susceptible Animals. Life Sci J 2014;11(10):957-964]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 148
On the form of the large deviation rate function for the empirical measures of weakly interacting systems

A basic result of large deviations theory is Sanov's theorem, which states that the sequence of empirical measures of independent and identically distributed samples satisfies the large deviation principle with rate function given by relative entropy with respect to the common distribution. Large deviation principles for the empirical measures are also known to hold for broad classes of weakly interacting systems. When the interaction through the empirical measure corresponds to an absolutely continuous change of measure, the rate function can be expressed as relative entropy of a distribution with respect to the law of the McKean-Vlasov limit with measure-variable frozen at that distribution. We discuss situations, beyond that of tilted distributions, in which a large deviation principle holds with rate function in relative entropy form.
Allergic dermatitis caused by Culicoides in Texel sheep in the state of Pará, Brazil

Allergic dermatitis was studied at a farm located in the municipality of Castanhal in the state of Para, Brazil, from December 2009 to December 2012. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained during monthly visits to the farm. Skin biopsies were performed for histopathological examinations, and insects were captured with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traps and live-bait entomological vacuum devices. The property housed a herd of both genders, with 45 Santa Ines sheep of different ages and 72 Texel adults. Of the 72 Texel sheep, 56 were affected. Of these, 24 exhibited alopecia, erythema, edema, and crust in the ears, on top of the head, and less often, around the eyes. In addition to the lesions described above, 14 animals exhibited hyperpigmentation of the ears and/or around the eyes and crust in the nose. Another 18 animals exhibited chronic lesions characterized by deformed and thickened ears, alopecia with hyperpigmentation, and in most cases, secondary bacterial infections with abscesses and/or myiasis. Some of these animals had lost part of their ears. Histologically, the lesions were characterized as orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, vacuolization, and necrosis of epidermal cells. An inflammatory infiltrate was present in the dermis, which was composed mainly of eosinophils and macrophages, some lymphocytes and mast cells, and few neutrophils, in addition to edema and collagen deposition. The Santa Ines sheep were not affected. Among the captured insects, 294 specimens of Culicoides ( Hoffmania ) plaumanni Spinelli, 57 specimens of C. (Hoffmania) insignis Lutz, and 27 specimens of other Culicoides species were identified. We conclude that C . plaumanni , C. insignis, and possibly other Culicoides species are involved in the etiology of allergic dermatitis in Texel sheep in the state of Para. Santa Ines sheep in the same region and under the same conditions were not affected, which suggests lower susceptibility of these animals.
Impact of acetone on ozone production and OH in the upper troposphere at high NOx

The impact of acetone (or any HOx source) on tropospheric photochemistry is largest in the high NOx regime. The fractional increases in OH and ozone production associated with acetone increase rapidly with NOx when NOx mixing ratios become larger than 300 parts per trillion by volume (pptv). This occurs in part because the HOx yield of acetone is larger at higher NOx mixing ratios, going from about 1 HOx at NOx ∼ 10 pptv to 3 HOx at NOx ∼ 1000 pptv. We also investigate the effect of acetone on the partitioning of the NOy family. Acetone increases the conversion of NO to NO2, HNO4, HNO3, and peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN). Conversion of NO to PAN dominates at low NOx, while conversion of NO to HNO3 dominates at high NOx. These NO decreases significantly diminish the increases in OH and ozone production one would otherwise anticipate from the increases in HO2. In particular, acetone can be expected to reduce ozone production for NOx<25 pptv. We also show that most of the changes in species concentrations arising from the introduction of a HOx source can be accurately predicted using simple expressions derived from linear perturbation theory.
Is there a pervasive Holocene ice-rafted debris (IRD) signal in the northern North Atlantic? The answer appears to be either no, or it depends on the proxy!

REFERENCES Altabet, M.A., Higginson, M.J., and Murray, D.W. , 2002: The effect of millennial-scale changes in Arabian Sea denitrifi cation on atmospheric CO2. Nature, 415(6868): 159-162. Chase, Z. , Anderson, R.F. , Fleisher, M.Q. , and Kubik, P., 2002: The infl uence of particle composition on scavenging of Th, Pa and Be in the ocean. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 204: 215-229. Francois, R. , Frank, M. , Rutgers Van Der Loeff, M.M. , and Bacon, M.P., 2004: Th-230 normalization: An essential tool for interpreting sedimentary fl uxes during the late Quaternary. Paleoceanography, 19(1): PA1018, doi:10.1029/2003PA000939. Kumar, N. , Anderson, R.F. , Mortlock, R.A. , Froelich, P.N. , Kubik, P., Dittrich-Hannen, B. , and Suter, M. , 1995: Increased biological productivity and export production in the glacial Southern Ocean. Nature, 378(6558): 675-680. Ortiz, J.D. , O’Connell, S.B. , Delviscio, J., Dean, W. , Carriquiry, J.D. , Marchitto, T. , Zheng Y. , and Van Geen, A. , 2004: Enhanced marine productivity off western North America during warm climate intervals of the past 52 ky. Geology, 32(6): 521-524.
Participatory Demonstration of Improved Teff Variety in Habro and Oda Bultum Districts of West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional National State, Ethiopia

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is one of the major crops grown for food and market purpose in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was conducted during the 2013 cropping season at Habro and Oda Bultum districts of West Hararghe Zone with objectives of evaluating the performance of Kuncho teff variety with farmer’s participation. A total of six farmers; three from each district were used for demonstration. Single plot with 10mx10m size was used on each farmer’s field. Yield of each variety was collected from each farmer and analyzed by using paired sample t-test and descriptive statistics. Similarly, farmer’s preferences were collected and analyzed by using simple rank analysis. The analysis of paired t-test revealed there is significant difference (p<0.005) in grain yield between the varieties. In addition, improved variety (kuncho) showed percentage increase by 50% in grain yield over local check under similar management. On the other hand, the rank analysis indicated that kuncho teff was highly preferred by farmers in terms of high biomass, resistance to lodging, tolerant to drought and very white seed color than the local. Therefore, this variety was recommended in west Hararghe zone and similar agro ecological conditions to improve teff productivity under smallholder farmers.
Usability of authentication in web applications - a literature review

Since Saltzer and Schroeder in 1975 recognised the importance of usability in security applications, research on the subject has been limited. In this review we investigate the interaction between usability and security in soft- ware products, with specific attention put on authentication on the web. We describe the typology of users and their perception towards security, compare various current authentication methods, and list and evaluate different sets of usability guidelines and principles for secure interaction design. On the basis of user-centered design we outline current development methods adapted for secure systems design and have a look at evaluation methods and the usability studies employing them. Finally, we propose suggestions for further work in the area.
High working memory performers have efficient eye movement control systems under Reading Span Test

Controlled eye movements are critical in performing highly goal oriented behavior such as text reading. Previous studies have examined the relationship between working memory capacity and eye movement control during working memory task. However, the results were inconsistent, due to a methodological issue including the predictability of target location. In the present study, we used Japanese version of reading span test, where the position of to-be-remembered word is not predictable so that more efficient attentional control is required, and investigated how working memory capacity contributes to eye movement control during reading span test. Results based on total fixation time revealed that highworking memory performers efficiently control or shift their attention under high memory load.
PeaceMaker: Changing Students’ Attitudes Toward Palestinians and Israelis Through Video Game Play

An experiment investigated the effects of video game role-play on change of students’ explicit and implicit attitudes toward Palestinians and Israelis. Sixty-eight participants played PeaceMaker, a video game in which people play the role of the Palestinian president or the Israeli prime minister and respond to various scenarios through diplomatic, economic, and military decision-making. Results showed that participants, before playing PeaceMaker, expressed higher favorability toward Israelis than Palestinians. Participants who played the role of Palestinian president reported positive changes in explicit attitudes toward Palestinians and negative changes toward Israelis, while those who played the role of Israeli prime minister reported no meaningful attitude changes toward either national group after playing the game. Implicit attitudes were more positive toward Palestinians at the baseline, yet did not change significantly as a function of the treatment for both national groups. Results are discussed in relation to self-persuasion, persuasive games, and attitude change.
Competitiveness, Clusters and Policy at the Regional Level: Rhetoric vs. Practice in Designing Policy for Depressed Regions

This paper reviews the most important theoretical foundations of the spatial competitiveness conception, dealing with three levels of competitiveness: the country, the region and the tourism destination. Consequently, it draws attention to the main aspects that such concepts of competitiveness must include and it links the regional competitiveness with the related concept of cluster. Therefore, section 2 reviews the key aspects of competitiveness at the first level highlighting the role of the main forces acting at the national level. Section 3 extends the concept to the regional level, highlighting the critical aspects that must be considered when policy tries to increase the competitiveness of a particular region. Section 4 analyses the possibilities of extending the competitiveness concept to tourism destinations. Next, the paper analyses the literature on policy advice and discuss the inconsistency between the theory and the policy designed to promote regional competitiveness. Finally, the paper presents some concluding remarks on regional policy applied to depressed regions.
Spatial scale effects on taxonomic and biological trait diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates in Mediterranean streams

We examined the effect of spatial scale on aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in Mediterranean streams from six basins distributed across southern Europe, including Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. We classified the studied streams according to their long-term aquatic regime into the three following types: (i) permanent (P), (ii) intermittent with summer pools (I-P), and (iii) intermittent with summer dry channels (I-D). For each stream type, we analyzed taxonomic and trait diversity, as well as the composition of the macroinvertebrate community, following a spatially nested design at three spatial scales of analysis: microhabitat (substratum patches), mesohabitat (pools vs. riffles), and macrohabitat (streams). In order to assess intrinsic seasonal variability in streams from the Mediterranean region, 20 Surber samples were taken from each stream according to mesoand microhabitat frequency in the wet and the dry season during 2010. Given the need for adaptation to specific hydrological conditions and the fact that microhabitats should encompass the niche requirements of particular taxa, we hypothesized that this spatial scale would have a greater influence on macroinvertebrate taxa composition and biological traits than the other two larger spatial scales in intermittent streams. We observed that patterns in the relative importance of variance components across hierarchical spatial scales changed with time because low flow or droughts altered both mesohabitat prevalence and microhabitat composition. Our results confirm the importance of the microhabitat scale in I-P streams in the wet season but not in the dry one, when a loss of microhabitat diversity occurred. Stream-to-stream variability was more important in P and I-D streams. Our study also explored the relationships between traits and aquatic regimes. We found that aquatic macroinvertebrates inhabiting permanent streams exhibited traits related to the longer duration of life cycles in these rivers (e.g. large size of adult stages) and adaptations to flowing conditions (e.g. modes of aquatic dispersal), whereas aquatic macroinvertebrates inhabiting intermittent streams with summer pools had traits adapted to depositional conditions and ecological preferences for confined habitats (i.e. disconnected pools without flow). Finally, aquatic macroinvertebrates from intermittent streams with summer dry channels had adaptations conferring ability to survive periods with no water (e.g. modes of aerial dispersal, resistant stages). These results indicate that microhabitat conditions should not be neglected as they can play an important role in certain situations.
Intracluster light in clusters of galaxies at redshifts 0.4 < z < 0.8

Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, 382 Via Pueblo Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-4060,USAAccepted . Received ; Draft printed: September 21, 2011ABSTRACTContext.The study of intracluster light (ICL) can help us to understand the mechanisms taking place in galaxy clusters, andto place constraints on the cluster formation history and physical properties. However, owing to the intrinsic faintness of ICLemission, most searches and detailed studies of ICL have been limited to redshifts z< 0.4. Aims.To help us extend our knowledge of ICL properties to higher redshifts and study the evolution of ICL with redshift, wesearch for ICL in a subsample of ten clusters detected by the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS), at redshifts 0.4 <z< 0.8,that are also part of our DAFT/FADA Survey.Methods. We analyze the ICL by applying the OV WAV package, a wavelet-based technique, to deep HST ACS images in theF814W ﬁlter and to V-band VLT/FORS2 images of three clusters. Detection levels are assessed as a function of the diﬀuse lightsource surface brightness using simulations.Results. In the F814W ﬁlter images, we detect diﬀuse light sources in all the clusters, with typical sizes of a few tens of kpc(assuming that they are at the cluster redshifts). The ICL detected by stacking the ten F814W images shows an 8σ detection inthe source center extending over a ∼50×50 kpc
Behavior Exchange Theory and Marital Decision Making

Distressed and nondistressed couples in two studies made decisions on highland low-conflict tasks. They continuously coded both the intended impact of their own behavior and the impact of their spouse's behavior. In Study 1 distressed couples did not differ from nondistressed couples on how they intended their behavior to be received. However, the behavior of distressed spouses was actually received more negatively by their partners than the behavior of their nondistressed counterparts. The couples in Study 2 also behaved in a way consistent with a communication deficit explanation of distressed marriages; that is, distressed couples' behavior was likely to be coded as more negative than they intended. Task effects and a reciprocity hypothesis were also tested Data from Study 1 showed no conflict effect, but the results of Study 2 suggested that high-conflict tasks may be a better means for discriminating distressed from nondistressed couples than low-conflict tasks. The data on reciprocity indicate only minimal support for the view that distressed marriage is characterized by less positive or more negative reciprocity than nondistressed marriage.
From Bench to Bed, Back and Beyond: The Four Bs of Biomedical Research

Abstract : Contemporary biomedicine is characterized by the ever-closer connection between clinical practice and research. Laboratories become nodes of articulated networks, making it no longer possible to consider them as single entities. In light of these changes, a wide range of actors–researchers, scientific instruments, data-bases, experts in bio-informatics and bio-statistics, pharmaceutical companies, clinicians, drugs, patients, cells, ethical and regulatory issues – are involved. In this Introduction, we address why these processes represent a relevant challenge for social sciences as well. Keywords : biomedicine; clinical practice; translational research; laboratory studies; networks.