Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PRESENTISM AND PROPERTIES

I am a presentist: nothing exists which is not present. I say that this was believed by everyone, both the philosophers and the folk, until at least the nineteenth century; it is written into the grammar of every natural language; and it is still assumed in everday life even by philosophers who officially deny it. The content of this doctrine is not easy to grasp, is best explained by comparing presentism with its rivals, and will I hope become somewhat clearer during the course of this paper. Presentism was assumed by everyone everywhere, until a new conception of time began to trickle out of the high Newtonianism of the nineteenth century. The Christians' Holy Bible says that there is no new thing under the sun but this is not true, at least not in the sense which first comes to mind out of context. The so-called fourdimensionalist theory of time was something genuinely new, when it gradually came into being last century. Anti-presentist theories began to be articulated by philosophers late in the nineteenth century and have been expounded through the twentieth century. Bergson denied presentism and influenced literary figures like Proust and Eliot. Russell, Reichenbach, Smart, Quine, Lewis and many other anglophonic, analytic philosophers also denied presentism though in a different way. (I make no pretense to understand where Heidegger's Being and Time stands with respect to presentism and fourdimensionalism.) The defenders of fourdimensionalism are very impressive. I have, however, been encouraged in my hankering for presentism by papers and conversations with Phil Hanson, Steve Savitt, Mark Hinchliff, Andrew Holster, Caroline Lierse, David Oderberg, George Schlesinger and Quentin Smith and others. Furthermore, the exponential explosion of timetravel stories in the popular media, beginning late in the nineteenth century, is an indication that a very new conception of time is brewing in the Zeitgeist. The utter absence of any timetravel stories whatsoever prior to the nineteenth century is a profoundly puzzling fact. See references for Ash, Bailey, Davenport, Philips, Scholes and Rabkin for material on the emergence of
Correlation between polymorphisms at interleukin‐6 but not at interleukin‐10 promoter and the risk of human T lymphotropic virus type I‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Brazilian individuals

HTLV‐1 is the etiologic agent of ATL and HAM/TSP. The majority of HTLV‐1‐infected individuals remain asymptomatic, indicating that the infection alone is not sufficient to cause the diseases. It has been reported that cytokine gene polymorphisms, including polymorphisms at IL‐6 and IL‐10 gene, might be important. We analyzed SNP in the promoter region of the IL‐6: −174, −572, −597, and −634 positions, and IL‐10: −592 position to evaluate the role of these polymorphisms in the HAM/TSP pathogenesis in 133 HTLV‐1 infected individuals and in 100 healthy individuals from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The −634C allele frequencies were higher among HAM/TSP patients (21.2%) than among oligosymptomatic (6.5%; P = 0.038) and asymptomatic (9.5%; P = 0.025) subjects. Similarly, the −174G allele frequencies were higher in HAM/TSP patients than in oligosymptomatic patients (P = 0.02). Moreover, the −634GC/−174GG genotype combination was identified at a higher frequency (38.5%) in the HAM/TSP patients than in subjects with other clinical status (8.7%; P = 0.016 for oligosymptomatic and 15.5%, P = 0.012 for asymptomatic patients). However, the multivariate logistic regression including the genotypes of the three studied loci showed that only −634 C IL‐6 carriers remain as significant and independent TSP/HAM predictor (odds ratio [OR] = 5.31; 95% [CI] = 1.60–17.56; P = 0.006). We suggest that −634 G C in IL‐6 could contribute to HAM/TSP development and that identification of the collective influence of several cytokine polymorphisms, their prevalence, and their interaction could help to better understand this disease. J. Med. Virol. 80:2141–2146, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Update on clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci

The clinical significance of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (CNS) continues to increase as strategies in medical practice lead to more invasive procedures. Hospitalized patients that are immunocompromised and/or suffering from chronic diseases are the most vulnerable to infection. Since CNS are widespread on the human body and are capable of producing very large populations, distinguishing the etiologic agent(s) from contaminating flora is a serious challenge. For this reason, culture identification should proceed to the species and strain levels. A much stronger case can be made for the identification of a CNS etiologic agent if the same strain is repeatedly isolated from a series of specimens as opposed to the isolation of different strains of one or more species. Strain identity initially can be based on colony morphology, and then one or more molecular approaches can be used to gain information on the genotype. Many of the CNS species are commonly resistant to antibiotics that are being indicated for staphylococcal infections, with the exception of vancomycin. The widespread use of antibiotics in hospitals has provided a reservoir of antibiotic-resistant genes. The main focus on mechanisms of pathogenesis has been with foreign body infections and the role of specific adhesins and slime produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis. Slime can reduce the immune response and opsonophagocytosis, thereby interfering with host defense mechanisms. As we become more aware of the various strategies used by CNS, we will be in a better position to compromise their defense mechanisms and improve treatment.
Tests of the disposition effect amongst UK managed funds

We investigate the prevalence of the disposition effect (DE) amongst UK managed fund by using the Citywatch database of their daily holding positions in all equity stocks over the period September 2001 through to September 2004. In contrast to Odean’s (1998) finding for clients of a discount brokerage house, we find that at once stock’s capitalisation is controlled, UK managed funds tend to sell losers rather than winners. The most influential variable shaping funds’ propensity to sell a stock is its market capitalisation, a proxy for liquidity. Other significant variables positively correlated with the sell decision include market-to-book ratio and recent performance of the stock. UK funds tend to sell stocks that have had a recent reduction in price. We conclude UK managed funds do not exhibit the behavioural bias associated with the DE. JEL classification: G12; G23; G14
Influência dos parâmetros de maquinagem no dano de placas compósitas

Os materiais compositos tem-se tornado cada vez mais importantes em virtude das suas caracteristicas especificas, tais como o baixo peso e uma boa relacao peso/resistencia. As operacoes de furacao sao habituais neste tipo de pecas, devido a necessidade de posterior montagem em conjuntos. Devido a nao-homogeneidade dos compositos, a furacao pode causar alguns danos, de que podem resultar perda de propriedades mecânicas da peca. Uma escolha adequada da ferramenta e dos parâmetros pode diminuir estas consequencias. Neste artigo sao comparados os resultados obtidos com tres diferentes velocidades de corte, tres avancos e tres geometrias de ferramenta. As conclusoes apontam para a importância duma adequada seleccao dos parâmetros de maquinagem na reducao do dano.
Transient fusion ensures granule replenishment to enable repeated release after IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation

ABSTRACT To ensure normal immune function, mast cells employ different pathways to release mediators. Here, we report a thus far unknown capacity of mast cells to recycle and reuse secretory granules after an antigen-evoked degranulation process under physiological conditions; this phenomenon involves the existence of a recycling secretory granule pool that is available for release in a short time scale. Rapid endocytic modes contributed to the recycling of ∼60% of the total secretory granule population, which involved kiss-and-run and cavicapture mechanisms, causing retention of the intragranular matrix. We found the presence of normal-size granules and giant actomyosin- and dynamin-dependent granules, which were characterized by large quantal content. These large structures allowed the recovered mast cells to release a large amount of 5-HT, compensating for the decrease in the number of exocytosed secretory granules. This work uncovers a new physiological role of the exo–endocytosis cycle in the immunological plasticity of mast cells and reveals a new property of their biological secretion. Highlighted Article: Kiss-and-run and cavicapture are the dominant mechanisms associated with granule replenishment in mast cells after IgE-mediated degranulation.
Novel approaches to diagnosis and treatment of Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

ABSTRACT Introduction: Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a clonal hematopoietic disorder of infancy/early childhood, resulting from oncogenic mutations in genes involved in the Ras pathway. As JMML often exhibits an aggressive course, the timing of diagnosis and treatment is critical to outcome. Areas covered: This review summarizes current approaches to diagnosis and treatment of JMML, highlighting most recent insights into genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the disease, and providing an overview of novel potential therapeutic strategies. Expert commentary: At present, allogeneic HSCT remains the only potentially effective therapy, being able to cure more than 50% of patients, relapse representing the main cause of treatment failure. Prompt HSCT is recommended for all children with NF1, somatic PTPN11 and KRAS mutations, and for most children with somatic NRAS mutations. Conversely, a ‘watch and wait’ strategy should be adopted in children with germline CBL mutations, specific somatic NRAS mutation, and in Noonan syndrome patients, since spontaneous resolution has been reported to occur. Novel drugs targeting relevant nodes of JMML leukemogenesis have been explored in pre-HSCT window or at relapse. The use of 5-azacytidine, a DNA-hypomethylating agent reported to induce hematologic and molecular remission in some JMML children, is currently being investigated in clinical trials.
Traditional Herbal Preparations and Acute Renal Failure in South West Nigeria

Fifty-three cases (36 men; mean age 30.2 ± 9.5 years) of acute renal failure (ARF) in which traditional herbal preparations were implicated were seen over a 10-year period. The preparations had been taken to treat a febrile illness (38 cases), abdominal upset (seven cases) and for no clear reason (five cases). Vaginal pessaries had been used to induce abortion in two cases and for infertility in one case. The few identified plant materials included leaves and bark of the mango (Mangifera indica), shoots of cashew leaves (Anacardium occidentale), paw-paw leaves (Carica papaya), lime-leaves (Citrus aurantifolia), Solanium erianthum, Morinda lucida leaves and bark, Azadirachta indica leaves. The major presenting features were oliguria or anuria (41); jaundice (39); and anaemia (25). Oliguria occurred 3.5 ± 0.7 days after the ingestion of the herbs. The picture was consistent with acute tubular necrosis in all the cases and the mechanisms were: by intravascular haemolysis (34); hepatotoxicity (5); and presumably direct nephrotoxicity (14). Forty-five patients received dialysis and three deaths were recorded. These cases of ARF could have been prevented by proper education and awareness.
Incretin effect after oral amino acid ingestion in humans.

CONTEXT The incretin effect is the augmented insulin secretion by oral vs iv glucose at matching glucose levels. We previously demonstrated an augmented insulin secretion when fat is given orally rather than iv, suggesting an incretin effect also after fat. However, whether an incretin effect is also present after amino acid ingestion is not known. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to explore insulin secretion and incretin hormones after oral and iv amino acid administration at matched total amino acid concentrations in healthy subjects. DESIGN An amino acid mixture (Vaminolac) was administered orally or iv at a rate resulting in matching total amino acid concentrations to 12 male volunteers with age 22.5 ± 1.4 years and a body mass index 22.4 ± 1.4 kg/m(2), who had no history of diabetes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Main outcome measures were area under the 120-minute curve for insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, intact and total glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and the insulin secretory rate and insulin clearance. RESULTS Insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon levels increased after both oral and iv administration, but insulin secretion was 25% higher after oral than after iv amino acid challenges (P = .006), whereas there was no significant difference in the glucagon response. Intact and total GIP rose after oral but not after iv amino acid administration, whereas intact and total GLP-1 levels did not change significantly in either test. CONCLUSION Oral amino acid mixture ingestion elicits a stronger insulin secretory response than iv amino acid at matching amino acid levels and this is associated with increased GIP level, suggesting that an incretin effect exists also after oral amino acids, possibly mediated by GIP.
Character-based recurrent neural networks for morphological relational reasoning

We present a model for predicting word forms based on morphological relational reasoning with analogies. While previous work has explored tasks such as morphological inflection and reinflection, these models rely on an explicit enumeration of morphological features, which may not be available in all cases. To address the task of predicting a word form given a demo relation (a pair of word forms) and a query word, we devise a character-based recurrent neural network architecture using three separate encoders and a decoder. We also investigate a multiclass learning setup, where the prediction of the relation type label is used as an auxiliary task. Our results show that the exact form can be predicted for English with an accuracy of 94.7%. For Swedish, which has a more complex morphology with more inflectional patterns for nouns and verbs, the accuracy is 89.3%. We also show that using the auxiliary task of learning the relation type speeds up convergence and improves the prediction accuracy for the word generation task.
Phosphorylation-dependent Regulation Is Absent in a Nonmuscle Heavy Meromyosin Construct with One Complete Head and One Head Lacking the Motor Domain*

To understand the domain requirements of phosphorylation-dependent regulation, we prepared three recombinant constructs of nonmuscle heavy meromyosin IIB containing 1) two complete heads, 2) one complete head and one head lacking the motor domain, and 3) one complete head and one head lacking both motor and regulatory domains. Steady-state ATPase measurements showed that phosphorylation did not alter the affinity for actin by more than a factor of 2 for any construct. Phosphorylation increasedV max by a factor of 10 for construct 1 and 1.5–3 for construct 2 but had no effect for construct 3. Single turnover measurements, a better measure of slow rates inherent to unphosphorylated regulated myosins, showed that the single-headed construct 2, like construct 3 retains less than 1% of the regulatory properties of the double-headed construct 1 (300-fold activation). Therefore, a complete head cannot be down-regulated by a regulatory domain (without the motor domain) on the partner head. Two motor domains are required for regulation. This result is predicted by a structural model (Wendt, T., Taylor, D., Messier, T., Trybus, K. M., and Taylor, K. A. (1999) J. Cell Biol. 147, 1385–1390) showing interaction between the motor domains for unphosphorylated smooth muscle myosin, if motor-motor interaction is the basis for down-regulation.
Asthma in 10- to 13-Year-Olds: Challenges at a Time of Transition

In 10- to 13-year-old children with asthma, we know less than is desirable about the nature of the disease management tasks they face as youngsters approaching adolescence. This article reviews aspects of asthma management in youngsters at a time of significant transition. They experience puberty and growth spurts. Their cognitive abilities enable more abstract thinking. They seek individuation from their parents and socialization with peers. These factors influence asthma outcomes, including symptom control, health care use, and school attendance and performance. Furthermore, significant sex- and gender-related differences in outcome exist. Those with asthma who are 10 to 13 years of age contend not only with the particular management demands their chronic condition imposes on them but also the challenges associated with maturation. Most asthma management interventions do not account for the challenges faced at this transitional phase, and developmentally appropriate programs are needed.
Study on the Organoleptic Intensity Scale for Measuring Oral Malodor

The 0–5 organoleptic scale is used widely in breath research and in trials to measure the efficacy of anti-odor agents. However, the precise relationship between odor scores and gas concentrations of target odorants is unknown. The purpose of this study was to relate mean organoleptic scores from odor judges (n = 7) for pure odorants (n = 8) representative of those found in oral malodor. Judges used a common 0–5 scale to report the odor intensity of sample sets in random order of concentration. Regression analysis of data showed that odor score was proportional to the log concentration of odorant, and comparison of slopes showed H2S to be the most significant in terms of odor power. Detection thresholds (mol.dm−3) were: Skatole (7.2 × 10−13) < methylmercaptan (1.0 × 10−11) < trimethylamine (1.8 × 10−11) < isovalerate (1.8 × 10−11) < butyrate (2.3 × 10−10) < hydrogen sulphide (6.4 × 10−10) < putrescine (9.1 × 10−10) < dimethyl disulphide (5.9 × 10−8). The study demonstrates the exponential nature of the olfactory response and shows that any single compound’s contribution to malodor depends on odor power and threshold in addition to concentration.
Photodynamic therapy in dermatology: current concepts in the treatment of skin cancer

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment modality that is developing rapidly and increasing in utilization within various medical specialties, including dermatology. This technique requires the presence of a photosensitizer, light energy and molecular oxygen to selectively destroy pathologic cells. A thorough understanding of photobiology and tissue optics is necessary to correctly and effectively utilize photodynamic therapy in dermatology. Photodynamic therapy has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat actinic keratoses. In Europe, photodynamic therapy is currently being used in the treatment of actinic keratoses and basal cell carcinoma. Other off-label uses of photodynamic therapy have included cutaneous lesions of Bowen’s disease, psoriasis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and acne. Most recently, photodynamic therapy has been employed in photorejuvenation. The advantages of photodynamic therapy include the capacity for noninvasive targeted therapy via topical application of the drug and local irradiation of involved areas, as well as the ability to generate excellent cosmetic results with minimal discomfort. This review summarizes the fundamentals of photodynamic therapy and its role in the treatment of cutaneous disorders, particularly skin malignancies.
In Vitro Stimulation of Renin Production by Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, and Cyclic AMP∗

Summary The preparation of a dog renal cell suspension suitable for the study of renin production is described. This suspension was utilized to study the in vitro effects of agents that have previously been shown to affect renin production in vivo. Since production and destruction of renin could not be separately quantified, data were limited to “net production” of renin. Incubated controls had only slightly higher renin content than did the nonincubated controls, but the addition of epinephrine, norepinephrine or cyclic AMP caused striking increases in “net production” of renin. The effects of these agents on “net renin production” were abolished by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. It is suggested that the reninstimulating effect of catecholamines in the intact animal might be due, at least in part, to a direct chemical action on the renal cells. Cyclic AMP may play a role as an intracellular mediator of the action of catecholamines.
Effect Of Crude Seed Extract Of Some Indigenous Plants For The Control Of Legume Pod Borer ( Maruca Vitrata F.) On Country Bean

The crude seed extract of neem, black pepper, mahogani, and garlic bulb with three doses were evaluated against legume pod borer in the country bean field in two seasons kharif 2006 and rabi 2006-2007. The neem seed extract applied @150 and 100 g/l and mahogani seed extract @ 100 g/l of water 7 days intervals on the country bean showed better performance in the reduction of flower and pod damage with significantly higher yield of bean in both the seasons. The seed extracts lost the efficacy against legume pod borer after 7 days of application. Keywords: Indigenous plant materials; crude extract; country bean; legume pod borer. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjar.v36i1. 9228 BJAR 2011; 36(1): 41-50
Prospective Analysis of Presenting Symptoms Among 265 Patients With Radiographie Evidence of Chiari Malformation Type I With or Without Syringomyelia

Objective To characterize the presenting symptoms among persons with radiographic evidence of Chiari malformation (CM) type I in an effort to help the primary care provider determine accurate diagnosis and treatment. Methods The symptoms of CM can often be vague and ambiguous, leading to misdiagnosis. Patients who had radiographic evidence of CM with or without syringomyelia were prospectively studied. The detailed symptom data were collected from patient reports at initial examination to determine if there was a pattern of symptoms typically attributable to the CM. Results Analysis of presenting symptoms among 265 patients demonstrated a distinct pattern of symptom constellation. This study reports a prospective analysis of presenting symptoms among 265 patients with radiographic evidence of CM with or without syringomyelia and defines a common presentation pattern. Recognition of typical symptoms attributable to CM can result in appropriate diagnostic workup, accurate diagnosis, and timely treatment, leading to improved patient outcomes.
Running‐induced anxiety is dependent on increases in hippocampal neurogenesis

Exercise, specifically voluntary wheel running, is a potent stimulator of hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice. In addition, exercise induces behavioral changes in numerous measures of anxiety in rodents. However, the physiological underpinnings of these changes are poorly understood. To investigate the role of neurogenesis in exercise‐mediated anxiety, we examined the cellular and behavioral effects of voluntary wheel running in mice with a reduction in hippocampal neurogenesis, achieved through conditional deletion of ataxia telangiectasia‐mutated and rad‐3‐related protein (ATR), a cell cycle checkpoint kinase necessary for normal levels of neurogenesis. Following hippocampal microinjection of an adeno‐associated virus expressing Cre recombinase to delete ATR, mice were exposed to 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running and subsequently evaluated for anxiety‐like behavior. Wheel running resulted in increased cell proliferation and neurogenesis, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine and doublecortin, respectively. Wheel running also resulted in heightened anxiety in the novelty‐induced hypophagia, open field and light–dark box tests. However, both the neurogenic and anxiogenic effects of wheel running were attenuated following hippocampal ATR deletion, suggesting that increased neurogenesis is an important mediator of exercise‐induced anxiety.