Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Testicular cycles in three species of Korean frogs: Rana nigromaculata, Rana rugosa, and Rana dybowskii.

Seasonal changes in testicular structure and function in three species of Korean frogs (Rana nigromaculata, R. rugosa, and R. dybowskii) having different breeding seasons and habitats were examined throughout the year. R. nigromaculata live in rice fields and breed in early May. Their gonadosomatic index (GSI) and testis weight decreased slightly from May until July, but increased markedly from August to high levels through December. The diameter (cross-sectional area) of seminiferous tubules changed little from January until August, increased sharply from September through October, and decreased thereafter. In seminiferous tubules, the number of primary spermatogonia (I SPG) was low from January-March, increased from April to maximum levels by May-June, and decreased subsequently. The number of spermatids (SPT) was highest from November to March, decreased to nondetectable levels in May, and increased markedly from September to November. Spermiation was most active during March and April. R. rugosa, which live in streams and breed during May-June, exhibited no changes in GSI, testis weight, or seminiferous tubule size throughout the year. The number of I SPG was high during May-August and that of secondary spermatogonia (II SPG) was highest in August. The number of SPT increased to high levels in November-December. Active spermiation occurred from January to April in this frog. In R. dybowskii, which live in the mountains and breed from late February to early March, the number of I SPG gradually increased from April through August; however, essentially no other spermatogenic cells were observed from January to July. A marked increase in early spermatogenic cells appeared during August-September and was followed by an increase in SPT from November to December. From December to March the number of spermatozoa increased and spermiation occurred. In general, testicular testosterone levels were high in the winter and low in summer in all three species, and positively correlated with the number of interstitial cells and the size of their nucleus.
Contradictory yet Coherent? Inconsistency in Performance Feedback and R&D Investment Change

In this paper, we study to what extent inconsistent feedback signals about performance affect firm adaptive behavior in terms of changes made to research-and-development (R&D) investments. We argue that inconsistency in performance feedback—based on discrepancies between two distinct performance signals—affects the degree to which such investments will be changed. Our aim is to show that accounting for inconsistent performance feedback is necessary as predictions for the direction of change in R&D investments based on the individual performance feedback signals are contradictory. Furthermore, we contribute by proposing a holistic consideration mechanism as an alternative to the selective attention mechanism previously applied to inconsistent performance feedback. Our findings show that the impact of inconsistency depends on the exact configuration of the underlying performance feedback signal discrepancies. While consistently negative performance feedback signals would amplify their impact in stimulating increased R&D investments, inconsistent performance feedback signals created more nuanced effects. Having lower performance compared to an industry-based peer group—despite doing well compared to the previous year—made firms decrease their R&D investments. For the opposite case of inconsistent performance feedback, we did not find an effect on change in R&D investments. These findings support to a degree our contention that explaining the effects of inconsistent performance feedback requires a holistic consideration theoretical mechanism instead of one involving selective attention. In sum, these findings suggest future research should take into account the differences between distinct instances of inconsistent performance feedback.
Free Fatty Acid Mobilization and Oxidation During Total Parenteral Nutrition in Trauma and Infection

Free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism was studied in 18 traumatized and/or septic patients. Each patient was studied while receiving 5% dextrose (D5W) and after 4 to 7 days of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Nonprotein energy during TPN was given either entirely as glucose (Glucose System) or as equal portions of intravenous fat and glucose (Lipid System). Plasma FFA concentrations were in the normal range on D5W and decreased markedly with TPN. FFA turnover was higher than normal on D5W and did not decrease significantly with TPN. The poor correlation between these two variables emphasizes the need to perform kinetic studies to characterize FFA metabolism in trauma and sepsis. Plasma FFA oxidation and net whole body fat oxidation measured by indirect calorimetry were in the normal range on D5W, 35 and 82%, respectively, of resting energy expenditure (REE). With a glucose intake averaging 108% of REE, plasma FFA oxidation and net fat oxidation decreased to 17 and 13%, respectively, of REE. Nonprotein RQ increased only to 0.94 despite administration of glucose in excess of REE, indicating an abnormal persistence of fat oxidation. During D5W administration, plasma FFA accounted for less than one half of total fat oxidation, indicating that unlabeled fat, such as tissue or plasma triglycerides not in rapid equilibrium with plasma FFA, accounted for the bulk of fat oxidation. Glucagon concentrations which were high on D5W did not decrease significantly with TPN. Insulin concentrations were normal on D5W and increased in response to TPN. The abnormal hormonal milieu may account for much of the abnormal fat metabolism. Administration of large amounts of glucose decreased FFA oxidation much more than FFA mobilization. Thus, the infused glucose acts to increase the rate of “futile cycling” of FFA in these acutely ill patients.
A Model for Sustaining Relationships in IT Outsourcing with Small IT Vendors

Using the case of an IT outsourcing relationship between a large client organization and a small IT vendor, the paper examines the challenges involved in sustaining such relationships. A model is developed that takes account of both client’s and vendor’s perspectives; the latter has been in large neglected from academic studies on IT outsourcing. Thus, the study contributes to the literature by adopting a balanced approach for understanding the dynamics of IT outsourcing relationships. The implications of the model for sustaining IT outsourcing relationships from both theoretical and practical perspectives are discussed.
Regulation of immunoreactive growth hormone secretion in male rats.

Plasma GH levels of fed male gentled rats (52+6 ng/ml) were significantlygreater than those of nongentled animals (24 + 5 ng/ml). Plasma corticosterone levels showed the opposite relationship—gentled, 4.6 ± 0.8 μg/100 ml, vs. nongentled, 8.4 ± 1.4 μg/100 ml. Pentobarbital anesthesia caused a significant rise in plasma GH in both gentled and nongentled rats and a corresponding decrease in plasma corticosterone. A statistically significant diurnal variation in plasma GH could not be demonstrated, although the lowest GH levels were generally observed at 5 PM and corresponded to peak values for plasma corticosterone. Ether anesthesia, hypertonic glucose, 2-deoxyglucose, insulin-induced hypoglycemia and epinephrine all resulted in a marked suppression of plasma GH, and an increase in plasma corticosterone, effects which were either partially or completely blocked by pentobarbital anesthesia. The effects of insulin-induced hypoglycemia and 2-deoxyglucose were not mediated by catecholamines since they were noted.
Exploitation of Aberrant Signalling Pathways as Useful Targets for Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma Therapy

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the third leading cause of death among urological tumours, annually afflicts about 150, 000 people globally and causes nearly 78, 000 deaths (Jemal et al., 2008; Zbar et al., 2003). RCC is an epithelial tumour consisting of several different histological subtypes of which clear cell RCC is the prototypical. Traditionally treatment has been via surgery and immunotherapy. Surgical resection is appropriate for some patient cohorts including those with isolated metastases. However, recurrence is common even when the primary and metastatic sites have been aggressively resected (Couillard & deVere White, 1993). RCC is highly unresponsive to standard chemotherapy and the use of cytokine therapy with interleukin (IL)-2 or interferon (IFN)-┙ is associated with low rates of response and high rates of toxicity (Oudard et al., 2007). Thus, development of new therapies continues to be crucial to improve outcomes in patients with RCC. The increased understanding of the molecular structure and aberrant activity of signalling pathways in RCC has lead to a flurry of research activity in the arena of targeted therapies namely anti-angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), both of which are involved in the pathogenesis of RCC (Mulders, 2009). These advancements in an obvious therapeutic gap have significantly improved the progression free survival (PFS) of patients with RCC. Despite the explosion in drug development during the past five years, however, PFS for patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC) still remains poor as none of the current targeted therapies possess the capacity to induce remission. In addition these drugs provide dose-limiting toxic side effects and so we are still faced with a considerable task in developing newer safer therapeutics for use as either first line agents or in combination with existing ones.
Divalent Cations and Heparin/Heparan Sulfate Cooperate to Control Assembly and Activity of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Complex*

Polypeptides of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are ubiquitous bioregulators within tissues whose activity is controlled by heparan sulfates within the pericellular matrix. FGF and the ectodomain of their transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors (FGFR) exhibit heparin-binding domains that when juxtaposed in a FGF·FGFR complex can accommodate a single, potentially bivalent, decameric polysaccharide chain in a ternary complex. Here we show that the interaction of heparin with FGF ligands is not affected by divalent cations. In contrast, the high affinity interaction (apparent Kd = 10 nM) of heparin with FGFR requires Ca2+ or Mg2+ at physiological concentrations. Divalent cations maintain FGFR in a heparan sulfate-dependent state in respect to FGF binding and an FGF- and heparan sulfate-dependent state in respect to autophosphorylation. A model is proposed where divalent cations and heparan sulfate cooperate to maintain FGFR in a conformation that restricts trans-phosphorylation between intracellular kinase domains. The restriction is overcome by FGF or constitutively as a common consequence of diverse mutations in FGFR associated with skeletal and craniofacial abnormalities.
Hepatic lesion characterization in cirrhosis: significance of arterial hypervascularity on dual-phase helical CT.

OBJECTIVE Our goal was to evaluate the diagnostic significance of the presence and pattern of arterial hypervascularity in lesions detected on dual-phase helical CT in cirrhotic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty-eight lesions greater than 1 cm in size were prospectively identified in 26 patients with end-stage liver disease who had undergone dual-phase helical CT for preoperative liver transplantation evaluation. All 26 patients had diagnoses proven by histologic evaluation or by clinical criteria. All arterial phase scans were retrospectively reviewed and lesions were categorized for the presence and pattern of arterial hypervascularity. Radiologic findings were correlated with histopathologic data. RESULTS Thirty-seven of the 58 lesions had hypervascular components on arterial phase scans. All 37 of these lesions were found to represent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (positive predictive value, 100%). Of the 21 remaining hypovascular lesions, 17 were HCC and four were benign (positive predictive value, 81%). Of the nine patients in whom all lesions were hypovascular, six had HCC (positive predictive value, 66%). The value of the presence of arterial hypervascularity for diagnosing HCC was statistically significant (p < .05). However, the presence or absence of arterial hypervascularity and the specific enhancement pattern revealed by helical CT did not correlate with histologic grading. CONCLUSION The presence of hypervascularity in hepatic masses found in cirrhotic patients is highly predictive of malignancy.
Human fibrinogen heterogeneities. I. Structural and related studies of plasma fibrinogens which are high solubility catabolic intermediates.

Abstract The heterogeneity of human plasma fibrinogen manifested as differences in solubility reflects the presence of early catabolic intermediates, which are more soluble, have a longer thrombin-clotting time, and are of a lower molecular weight than the parent material from which they are formed. In this study the S-sulfo subunits from fibrinogen fractions of low (I-4) and high (I-8 and I-9) solubility were compared. Separation of Aα, Bβ, and γ chains was achieved by gradient elution chromatography on CM-cellulose. The tryptic peptide maps were characteristic for each type of chain. The only observable differences were in the maps of Aα chains; in those of I-8 and I-9 a considerable number of spots were absent or reduced relative to I-4. NH2-terminal analyses of isolated chains before and after thrombin treatment showed the characteristic residues of the Aα, Bβ, and γ chains, respectively. Thus the NH2-terminal portions of all chains of I-4, I-8, and I-9 were intact. Molecular weight estimation of subunit chains was made by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate under conditions in which differences in mobility due to the presence or absence of A or B peptides were distinguishable. Electrophoresis in this medium before and after reptilase or thrombin treatment served for identification of the chains. The γ chains moved as a single band in this system (molecular weight, 50,700) and were indistinguishable from one another; the same was true of Bβ chains (molecular weight, 60,400). However, electrophoresis of Aα chains revealed the presence of 13 more-or-less distinct bands (numbered in order of increasing anodal mobility), of which all but two (Band 3, a Bβ contaminant and Band 5, a γ chain contaminant) were shown to be intact Aα chain or COOH-terminally degraded Aα remnants. The molecular weights ranged from that of intact Aα chain (70,900) to 15,400 (Band 13). The highest proportion of intact Aα chains was in I-4; the lowest was in I-9, which had virtually no detectable intact Aα chain. Conversely, I-9 contained the highest proportion of Aα remnant chains; I-4, the lowest. These data suggested that cleavage at any or all of at least 10 sites along the Aα chain resulted in the formation of early catabolic intermediates. Comparisons with highly clottable derivative fractions I-8D and I-9D produced by plasmin treatment of I-4 in vitro showed that they were quite similar to their respective plasma counterparts (I-8 and I-9) in that the γ and Bβ chains appeared to be intact, but few or no intact Aα chains were present. These observations thus strengthen the notion that it is plasmin which catalyzes the formation of early intermediates in vivo. Examination of Fragment ‘X’, another fibrinogen derivative produced by plasmin digestion, revealed considerable depletion of intact Bβ as well as of Aα chains, indicating that Fragment ‘X’ was more extensively degraded than I-8D or I-9D.
Perceptions of Depth Elicited by Occluded and Shearing Motions of Random Dots

A computer-controlled display of random dots was used to study perceptions of depth. In this display, a field of stationary random dots surrounded a rectangular area in which random dots moved with uniform velocity in a single direction. The boundaries of this rectangle did not move. When dot motion was perpendicular to the longer boundary of the rectangle (occluded motion), the rectangle seemed to be behind the stationary background surround. Motion parallel to the longer boundary of the rectangle (shearing motion) made it appear in front of the surround. The relative lengths of the sides of the rectangle determined which effect predominated. Thus, for motion perpendicular to the long axis of the rectangle the occlusion predominated and naive subjects reported that the central area seemed farther away than the surround. For shearing motion parallel to the long axis, the subjects reported that the rectangle was closer than the surround and the strength of both effects also depended on the length-to-width ratio of the rectangle. If there was occluded motion along the long axis, as the length-to-width ratio increased so did the likelihood that subjects would report seeing the rectangle behind the surround. Conversely, with shearing motion along the long axis, increasing the length-to-width ratio increased the likelihood that the rectangle would appear unambiguously in front of the surround. Some subjects integrated the two cues with the resulting perception being a rotating cylinder. The occlusion effect was stronger than the shearing effect. In fact, this ‘far’ depth effect was so powerful that it tended to override conflicting depth cues such as height in the visual field or stereopsis. The ‘near’ depth effect produced by shearing motion was definite but these other depth cues could often override it.
Use of lacosamide in Lennox–Gastaut syndrome: is it too premature?

Dear Sir, We read with great interest the article by Grosso et al. about the effectiveness of add-on lacosamide (LCM) in children with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) (1). In their paper, authors used medical charts review to retrospectively determine the reduction in seizure frequency after a mean 9month treatment with LCM. In about a third of treated LGS children, a 50% reduction in seizure frequency was found, but none became seizurefree at follow-up. In the remaining population, 44% experienced no change in seizure frequency, while 17% reported a more than 25% increase in seizure frequency, in particular tonic seizures (TS) and drop attacks. On these preliminary results, LCM was suggested as a possible therapeutic option in children affected by LGS. Lennox–Gastaut syndrome is difficult to treat epileptic encephalopathy characterized by multiple, drug-resistant seizure types, with TS as a constant feature (2, 3) and considered as a prerequisite for LGS diagnosis as recently recognized by an international consensus (4). However, in Grosso et al.’s series, only 78% of children exhibited TS, thus arising some doubts about the diagnostic accuracy in some of their patients. In 2010, we described three consecutive patients with LGS experiencing a clear-cut worsening of TS (including tonic status) soon after starting treatment with LCM (5). Of course, these were only anecdotal reports, but other authors later confirmed our preliminary findings (6). As authors already emphasized (1), it is well known that TS may be not easy to detect and may escape a correct diagnosis if specific strategies (close parents observation; video-polygraphic recording including EEG, EMG, and pneumogram during wakefulness and sleep) are not adopted (3, 4). Of course, due to the retrospective nature of this study, this evaluation was not systematically performed in Gross et al.’s study, with the risk of underestimating the percentage of patients experiencing seizure worsening. Thus, we would be very cautious to consider LCM for patients with LGS at the moment, until safe evidence will be provided. Prospective, controlled studies using specific strategies to detect TS aggravation (such as video-polygraphy before and after anti-epileptic drug introduction), and using novel endpoints and measurements of improvement (such as quality of life, duration of seizures, days without drop attacks, effect of cognition) (4) are warranted.
A Prospective Audit of the Complications of Loop Ileostomy Construction and Takedown

Aim: A prospective review of the complications of ileostomy construction and takedown. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-seven consecutive patients undergoing construction of a loop ileostomy were included in a prospective nonrandomized computer database. Complications of the loop ileostomy were assessed prior to and after closure. Three closure techniques were performed [enterotomy suture (25.7%), resection and hand sewn (31.2%) or stapled anastomosis (43.1%)] and compared. Results: One hundred twenty-seven (73 male, 54 female) patients, mean age 54 years were included from 1992 to 2002. Seventy-two patients underwent anterior resection for low rectal carcinoma, 30 an ileoanal pouch for ulcerative colitis and 25 for miscellaneous conditions. Fifty-nine pre-takedown complications occurred in 50 (39.4%) patients. The most common were dermatitis (12.6%) and erythema (7.1%). The most severe were dehydration in 1 patient and stomal prolapse in 4 patients. Closure was associated with a complication rate of 33.1% and a mortality rate of 0.9%. Wound infection occurred in 18.3% and small bowel obstruction in 4.6%. Anastomotic leak requiring reanastomosis occurred in 2.8% and enterocutaneous fistula treated conservatively in 5.5%. There were no statistically significant differences in morbidity between closure techniques (p = 0.892). There were no statistically significant differences in complications (p = 0.516) between patients with ulcerative colitis and those with neoplasia (39.29% vs. 32.2%). Conclusions: Loop ileostomy construction and takedown is associated with considerable morbidity, mostly minor. No differences exist between technique used for closure or the baseline pathology of the patient.
Structure of a cloned circular retroviral DNA containing a tRNA sequence between the terminal repeats

In the course of analyzing a series of cloned circular retroviral DNAs, we recovered an unusual clone. The molecule consisted of a complete viral genome containing two copies of the long terminal repeat with extra sequences between the repeats. These extra bases proved to be a nearly complete DNA copy of a glycine tRNA, including bases that corresponded to modified and nonpairing bases of the mature tRNA. A model is proposed to account for the formation of the aberrant clone.
Pengaruh Promosi, Harga Dan Kualitas Pelayanan Terhadap Kepuasan Konsumen Pada Titipan Kilat JNE Medan

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is influence Promotion, Price and Quality Service to Customer Satisfaction at PT. Maxim Housewares Indonesia Medan. The result of this research is there is significant influence of Promotion to Consumer Satisfaction, The amount of influence of Promotion on Consumer Satisfaction is 20,9% There is significant influence of Price to Customer Satisfaction, the amount of influence Price to Customer Satisfaction is equal to 16,2% There is significant influence Quality service to consumer satisfaction, the amount of influence Quality of service to Customer Satisfaction is equal to 63.6% Promotion, Price and Quality of service together significant effect on Consumer Satisfaction at PT. Maxim Houseware Indonesia Medan, with the capability of Promotion, Price, and Quality of service to explain customer satisfaction is equal to 82,5% while the rest equal to 17,5% explained by another variable not included in this research model.
The functional brain connectome of the child and autism spectrum disorders

Brain connectomics is a relatively new field of research that maps the brain's large‐scale structural and functional networks at rest. The connectome of the human brain develops progressively from early infancy to late adolescence, and this review describes the theory behind the concept and its applicability to studying the development and dynamics of brain networks through graph theoretical metrics. We also describe how the brain connectome concept could further our understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD)