Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Absence of mesothelioma risk maintained in an expanded international cohort of cosmetic talc miners and millers

Abstract Objectives: Based on novel information for the Vermont cosmetic talc miner/miller cohort, including a reported case of mesothelioma, we sought to update our prior pooled statistical power analyses of mesothelioma incidence among European cosmetic talc miners/millers. With the inclusion of the Vermont cohort, we expanded our pooled analysis by 17,170 person-years of observation. Methods: Cosmetic talc miner/miller cohort studies conducted in Italy, Norway, France, Austria, and Vermont were pooled. The expected numbers of mesothelioma cases for each cohort as reported in these studies were used. Our statistical power analysis was based on an a priori one-sided significance level of 0.05 and Poisson distribution probabilities. Results: A total of 130,514 person-years of observation was generated across the five cohorts. One case of mesothelioma was observed (in the Vermont cohort), while approximately 3.34 cases (a mid-value estimate) were expected overall. Thus, we found that the pooled cohorts had 59% and 78% power to detect a 2.5-fold or greater and a 3.0-fold or greater increase in mesothelioma, respectively. The work history characteristics of the one mesothelioma case, which included mention of prior asbestos exposure on the case’s death certificate, do not support a causal link with cosmetic talc exposure. Conclusions: Despite the recent finding of one case of mesothelioma in the Vermont cohort (a case unlikely related to talc exposure), we continue to conclude that the epidemiological evidence from the cosmetic talc miner/miller cohort studies does not support the hypothesis that cosmetic talc exposures are associated with an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma.
The record of nitrate utilization and productivity limitation provided by δ15N values in lake organic matter—A study of sediment trap and core sediments from Baldeggersee, Switzerland

The response of nitrogen isotopic composition of organic matter to changes in nitrate utilization, N#x2010;limitation and lake productivity was studied in Baldeggersee, a small eutrophic lake in central Switzerland. Nitrogen isotope ratios were measured on organic matter accumulation in sediment traps, collected daily from March 1995 through October 1996, and on individually sampled light and dark annual laminae from a 108#x2010;yr sediment core sequence (1885#x2013;1993). Nitrogen accumulation in the sediment traps averaged 0.04 g N m−2 d−1. d15N values of the sediment trap material increased from 11‰ to 13‰ (atmospheric N2) as primary productivity decreased surface water [NO3−] from 1.4 to 0.7 mg N L−1 during the seasonal stratified periods. Very small amounts of isotopically enriched organic matter (d15N ∼ 15–20‰) of heterotrophic and/or detrital origin accumulated in the winter months. Nitrogen accumulation in the core sediments average 4 g N m−2 per year. d15N values of the sediment core material increased up‐core (from d15N ∼ 6‰ to d15N ∼ 11‰); several abrupt positive isotope shifts (>2‰) occur in the upper part of the record. Comparison between sediment d15N values and surface water [NO3−] measurements for the period of 1976–1993 reveals that the abrupt positive d15N shifts occurred in years where unusually large phytoplankton blooms depleted surface waters nitrate to concentrations of <0.7 mg N L−1. A 3‰ negative d15N shift, observed between 1973–1975 at the time of maximum anoxic conditions and meromixis, can be attributed to phytoplankton incorporation of ammonia, which was present in concentrations of up to 0.7 mg L−1 in the epilimnion.
Organochlorine Concentrations in the Plankton of Lakes in Southern Ontario and Their Relationship to Plankton Biomass

Hydrophobic organochlorine contaminants were surveyed in net plankton from 33 lakes in southern Ontario. Organochlorines were detected in all lakes. The relative concentrations of 12 common organochlorines were generally similar, suggesting that they derive from a common source, probably atmospheric transport. Variability in relative abundances of these contaminants increased with contaminant concentration, while contaminant concentration was related to plankton biomass, total phosphorus, and conductivity. Lakes with low plankton biomass had high organochlorine concentrations in that biomass, indicating that a large portion of the variation among lakes in the concentration of contaminants in plankton can be ascribed to variable planktonic biomass. This negative relationship with plankton biomass, or biomass dilution effect, was strongest for the more hydrophobic and refractory compounds.
OVIPOSITIONAL DETERRENTS INDACUS OLEAE

The deterrent substances diverting D. oleae females from ovipositing on already attacked olives are contained, at least partly, in the juice which trickles from the oviposition wounds. Surprisingly, the water fraction of the olive juice had limited deterrent activity. The principal deterrent stimuli are present in the oil fraction. Acetophenone and benzaldehyde are likely to be involved.
Fermentation characteristics of Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) puree by the Leuconostoc mesenteroides 51-3 strain isolated from Kimchi

A lactic acid bacterial strain showing fast growth and high acid production when cultured in Korean pear puree was isolated from Kimchi. This strain was analyzed by using the API 50 CHL kit and 16S rRNA sequencing and was thus identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides 51-3. Korean pear puree was fermented with the L. mesenteroides 51-3 strain at 30°C for 12 h. The changes in pH, titratable acidity and viable cell count during fermentation were investigated. The pH and titratable acidity of the pear puree were 4.06 and 0.66%, respectively, after 12 h of fermentation. The viable cell count of L. mesenteroides 51-3 rapidly increased to 3.7 × 10 9 CFU/g after 12 h of cultivation. The content of lactic acid and acetic acid was determined to be 0.138 and 0.162%, respectively, after 12 h of fermentation. When the fermented pear puree was stored at 4°C, the pH, titratable acidity and viable cell count remained fairly constant for 14 days. Keywords : Fermentation, Korean pear puree, Leuconostoc mesenteroides . African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(35), pp. 5735-5738, 30 August, 2010
The authors reply.

Critical Care Medicine www.ccmjournal. org e631 30 mL/min or were under renal replacement therapy. Second, 59% had an intra-aortic balloon pump, a known strategy to reduce the afterload generated by ECMO and 97% had a distal perfusion line placed to protect against distal limb ischemia, both features related to better outcomes during ECMO support (5). Third, most of preoperative ECMO patients were still on ECMO after HT, and the median time on it was 4 days. This strategy might have had a potential protective role against any degree of primary graft failure. Despite their promising results, we would like to highlight the high rate of ECMO implantation after HT in patients without preoperative ECMO (nearly 45%), associated with a higher 1-year mortality. Not surprisingly, the use of preoperative ECMO led to a mortality decrease of 31% (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.43– 1.11; p = not significant). In our view, the short-term prognostic implications of ECMO after HT are still not clear. Taking into account the high proportion of HT patients in the series by Coutance et al (1) who need a postoperative ECMO and bearing in mind this consideration, it might be better to put these results into perspective rather than generalizing them without any external validation. It would not be fair to finish this letter without congratulating Coutance et al (1) for their great work. The authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest.
A comparative immunohistochemical study on a galanin-like peptide in the neuroendocrine system of the alimentary canal of three species of siluriform catfishes

Immunohistochemical examination of the galaninergic and the diffuse endocrine systems of the alimentary canal of three catfish species, Ameiurus melas, Silurus glanis and Clarias gariepinus showed the presence of galanin-like immunoreactive endocrine cells in the stomachs and the proximal intestines and a galanin-like immunoreactivity within the enteric intramural neurons. The three species differed notably in the relative abundance of galaninergic neurons of the digestive system. A galanin-like peptide was detected in a high number of nerve bundles and nerve fibres running through the exocrine parenchyma and the endocrine islets of the pancreas of all three species. It is conceivable that the galaninergic system in these species plays a role in regulating gut muscle activity, in modulating mucosal secretive and absorptive processes, and in controlling pancreatic hormone secretion.
GENOTYPIC VARIATION IN CANOPY PHOTOSYNTHESIS, LEAF GAS EXCHANGE CHARACTERISTICS AND THEIR RESPONSE TO TAPPING IN RUBBER (HEVEA BRASILIENSIS)

The main objective of this study was to quantify the genotypic variation of photosynthetic and gas exchange parameters of Hevea and to examine their relationships to dry rubber yield and its components. Canopy photosynthesis (Pc) of the genotype RRISL 211 was 20 % greater than that of RRIC 121. This was primarily due to RRISL 211's greater light-saturated leaf photosynthetic rates and a greater leaf area index in the top canopy stratum. Tapping significantly increased Pc in RRISL 211, but not in RRIC 121. The genotypic variation in photosynthetic capacity was not reflected in the overall dry rubber yield, which did not differ between the two genotypes. However, analysis of yield components showed that while RRISL 211 may have preferentially partitioned a greater proportion of its additional assimilates to increasing the latex volume and extending the root system, RRIC 121 partitioned more assimilates to increasing its dry rubber content through greater biosynthesis of rubber. The higher plugging index and the greater post-tapping girth increment of RRIC 121 were probably responsible for observed increases in its dark respiration following tapping. Although RRISL 211 had a greater transpiration efficiency, this did not provide a yield advantage as the trees were growing in an environment with adequate rainfall throughout the year.
Tamanho da leitegada e pesos médios, ao nascer e aos 21 dias de idade, de leitões da raça Large White

The effects of season of birth (PE) and age of sow at birth (IMP) on litter size (TL); season of birth, age of sow and litter size on average weight at birth (PMN); season of birth age of sow, number of alive piglets at birth (NV), and percentage of alive males on average weight at 21 days of age (PM21) of 3259 Large White piglets born from June/85 to June/96 were evaluated by multiple regression analyses. The IMP effect on TL was significant. The average TL was 9.73±2.78. Larger litters were observed for sows from 2.84 to 3.83 years of age. The average PMN and PM21 were 1.35kg±0.18 e 5.06kg±1.00, respectively. The IMP and TL effects on PMN traits were linear and significant. A decrease of 20g on piglet weight was estimated for each additional piglet in the litter. The effect of NV was significant only for PM21 trait.
Some aspects of prey capture by Chaoborus larvae1

The effects of prey size, shape, and locomotion on capture, ingestion, and handling time were investigated in second-, third-, and fourth-instar larvae of Chaoborus americanus and Chaoborus trivittatus from Eunice Lake, British Columbia. Before contact, densities and swimming speeds of predators and prey determine the number of interactions and hence availability. After contact is made, successful capture is determined largely by prey size and shape. Vulnerability increases as prey size decreases for both copepods and cladocerans. Although larvae are equally successful when striking at copepods or cladocerans, once contact with the prey is made copepods are handled much more efficiently than cladocerans of the same size. Size incompatibility between predator and prey is only important in prey capture at the extremes of the size ranges of both.
Strong seasonality in phytoplankton cell lysis in the NW Mediterranean littoral

The seasonality of phytoplankton cell lysis rates in the NW Mediterranean coastal waters was examined based on measurements of the dissolved esterase activity between 1995 and 1998 in the Blanes Bay (NE Spain). The temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass and gross primary production (GPP) were characterized by a late winter bloom dominated by diatoms and high GPP in summer despite the low phytoplankton biomass in this season. The phytoplankton lysis rates were found to be strongly seasonal, being highest in summer (mean ± SE = 0.41 ± 0.049 d−1) when values as high as 1.47 d−1 were attained. However, during the rest of the year, phytoplankton lysis rates remained low, particularly in winter (0.061 ± 0.005 d−1). There was a strong (R2 = 0.71, P < 0.00001) positive relationship between monthly average lysis rates and water temperature. In addition, monthly average lysis rates followed gross primary production with a maximum correlation (r = 0.65, P < 0.05) at a lag time of 1–2 months, similar to the time span from bloom initiation to bloom collapse. These results identify phytoplankton cell lysis as an important route of phytoplankton carbon flow in Blanes Bay.
Vertical angular momentum constraint on lunar formation and orbital history

Significance There are various scenarios for the formation of the Moon and subsequent dynamical evolution of the Earth–Moon system, all of which are subject to a constraint that has not previously been fully exploited. Using this constraint, we demonstrate that the recently proposed high-obliquity scenario is not consistent with the present Earth–Moon system. This constraint will have to be taken into account in all future investigations of the formation and evolution of the Moon. The Moon likely formed in a giant impact that left behind a fast-rotating Earth, but the details are still uncertain. Here, we examine the implications of a constraint that has not been fully exploited: The component of the Earth–Moon system’s angular momentum that is perpendicular to the Earth’s orbital plane is nearly conserved in Earth–Moon history, except for possible intervals when the lunar orbit is in resonance with the Earth’s motion about the Sun. This condition sharply constrains the postimpact Earth orientation and the subsequent lunar orbital history. In particular, the scenario involving an initial high-obliquity Earth cannot produce the present Earth–Moon system. A low-obliquity postimpact Earth followed by the evection limit cycle in orbital evolution remains a possible pathway for producing the present angular momentum and observed lunar composition.
CELLULAR PHARMACOLOGY OF LANTHANUM

The general chemical characteristics of the rare earth or lanthanide series of ele­ ments resemble those of the alkaline earth elements in many respects (I). Of the lanthanides, lanthanum has long been considered to have chemical properties most similar to the alkaline earths (2). Recent interest in the biological actions of lan­ thanum ion (LaH) is almost entirely based upon use of this rare earth ion as a substitute or antagonist for Ca2+ in a variety of cellular and subcellular reactions. The rapid and widespread employment of LaH in the last few years is a measure of the complex and varied functions of Ca2+ in membrane and coupling reactions. In this review article, I attempt to concentrate upon the cellular actions of LaH in muscle, nerve, and related tissues. A considerable literature has also accumulated concerning use of LaH to discern the presence or absence of anatomical barriers and to delineate the molecular nature and specificity of subcellular Ca2+ transport systems and membrane structure. References to these areas of research (as well as to the general pharmacology of LaH) will be limited to those studies most relevant to a consideration of the cellular basis of the actions of LaH. As long ago as 1910, Mines (3) examined the inhibitory effects of LaH upon contractile function in frog heart. However, the recent proliferation of LaH-related studies can quite clearly be traced to a prediction in 1964 by Lettvin and co-workers (4) that LaH, by virtue of an ionic radius similar to Ca2+ and a higher valence than Ca2+, will bind at superficially located Ca2+ sites in a less reversible manner than does Ca2+. The subsequent testing of this prediction (5) demonstrated that La3+ did indeed exert a blocking action in lobster axons and that it acted in a manner equivalent to an extremely high Ca2+ concentration. The high affinity of LaH for membrane binding sites was of particular interest when related to evidence that the distribution of LaH in many different preparations was confined to membrane areas contiguous with the extracellular space (6-12). Thus, use of LaH as a relatively specific Ca2+ substitute or antagonist at well-defined
The Effect of Preslaughter Temperature, Stress, Struggle and Anesthetization on Color and Textural Characteristics of Turkey Muscle

Abstract Forty tom turkeys at 24 weeks of age were equally randomized into the following four treatments: 1) Heat stress at 42 C for one hour prior to slaughter; 2) Cold stress in ice water immersion for 20 minutes at 4 C prior to slaughter; 3) Anesthetization with sodium pentobarbital at a dose of . 143 grains per pound of live weight just prior to slaughter; 4) Birds were allowed to struggle freely during slaughter. All birds were slaughtered using the subscald method (59 C) and chilled overnight prior to freezing at —29 C. Carcasses were packaged in polyvinylidene chloride film and measurements were made after storage at —29 C for 3 months. Cold stressed and anesthetized turkeys showed little struggle during bleeding, whereas free struggle and heat stressed birds exhibited considerable struggle. The free struggle birds were noted to have a lower muscle pH than that observed in the other treatments. Shear values of the pectoralis muscle was significantly higher in heat stressed and free struggle birds. There was a significant increase in Gardner L and a decrease in Gardner aL values of white meat as struggle was minimized in the cold stress and anesthetized treatments. These results indicate that pre-slaughter stress and struggle may affect the color and textural characteristics of turkey meat.
HLA Class I Allele Expression and Clinical Outcome in De Novo Metastatic Prostate Cancer

The prognostic value of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the prognostic relevance of the most frequently expressed HLA-A alleles in Greece (A*02:01 and HLA-A*24:02) in de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive PCa (mPCa), which is a rare and aggressive disease characterized by a rapid progression to castration-resistance (CR) and poor overall survival (OS), contributing to almost 50% of PCa-related deaths. We identified 56 patients who had either progressed to CR (these patients were retrospectively analyzed for the time to the progression of CR and prospectively for OS) or had at least three months’ follow-up postdiagnosis without CR progression and, thus, were prospectively analyzed for both CR and OS. Patients expressing HLA-A*02:01 showed poor clinical outcomes vs. HLA-A*02:01−negative patients. HLA-A*24:02−positive patients progressed slower to CR and had increased OS. Homozygous HLA-A*02:01 patients progressed severely to CR, with very short OS. Multivariate analyses ascribed to both HLA alleles significant prognostic values for the time to progression (TTP) to CR and OS. The presence of HLA-A*02:01 and HLA-A*24:02 alleles in de novo mPCa patients are significantly and independently associated with unfavorable or favorable clinical outcomes, respectively, suggesting their possible prognostic relevance for treatment decision-making in the context of precision medicine.
Penta is associated with an increased female-male mortality ratio: cohort study from Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine may be associated with excess female deaths. There are few studies of possible nonspecific effects of the DTP-containing vaccine Penta (DTP-hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae type b). We therefore investigated whether Penta vaccinations were associated with excess female deaths in rural Bangladesh. Between June 29, 2011 and April 20, 2016, we examined the mortality rates of 7644 children followed between 6 weeks and 9 months of age. We analyzed mortality using crude mortality rate ratio (MRR) and age-adjusted MRR (aMRR) from a Cox proportional hazards model. Mortality was analyzed according to sex, number of doses of Penta, and the order in which BCG and Penta were administered. During follow-up, 43 children died. For children who were only BCG vaccinated (BCG-only), the adjusted F/M MRR was 0.47 (0.09–2.48). However, among children who had Penta as their most recent vaccination, the adjusted F/M MRR was 9.91 (1.16–84.44). Hence, the adjusted F/M MRR differed significantly for BCG-only and for Penta as the most recent administered vaccination. Although the mortality rate was low in rural Bangladesh, there was a marked difference between adjusted F/M MRR’s for children vaccinated with BCG-only compared with children where Penta was the most recent administered vaccination. Although usually ascribed to differential treatment and access to care, DTP-containing vaccines may be part of the explanation for the excessive female mortality reported in some regions.
Litter Decomposition in Four Woody Species in a Mediterranean Climate: Weight Loss, N and P Dynamics

Decomposition dynamics in leaves and needles of two Mediterranean shrubs and two pine species growing in the Sierra de Filabres (Almeria, Spain) was investigated during 2 years using the litter bag technique. The species studied are representative of the vegetation of the study area and diAer greatly in their foliar traits. Results are discussed in relation to the initial litter quality (C, N and P) and through the application of the exponential decay model. The mass lost at the end of study varied in the order: Pinus pinaster 5 Pinus nigra 5 Cistus laurifolius 5 Adenocarpus decorticans. DiAerences in annual rates of decomposition among species are consistent with the particular chemical and structural attributes of their leaves. The mass of decomposing litter remaining after 2 years was positively associated with the initial C:N ratio. Weight loss and nutrient release were fastest in the leguminous A. decorticans. The results suggest the importance of both structure and elemental concentration of initial litter for decomposition dynamics in Mediterranean species. # 2000 Annals of Botany Company
Measuring researchers’ potential scholarly impact with structural variations: Four types of researchers in information science (1979–2018)

We propose a method to measure the potential scholarly impact of researchers based on network structural variations they introduced to the underlying author co-citation network of their field. We applied the method to the information science field based on 91,978 papers published between 1979 and 2018 from the Web of Science. We divided the entire period into eight consecutive intervals and measured structural variation change rates (ΔM) of individual authors in corresponding author co-citation networks. Four types of researchers are identified in terms of temporal dynamics of their potential scholarly impact—1) Increasing, 2) Decreasing, 3) Sustained, and 4) Transient. The study contributes to the understanding of how researchers’ scholarly impact might evolve in a broad context of the corresponding research community. Specifically, this study illustrated a crucial role played by structural variation metrics in measuring and explaining the potential scholarly impact of a researcher. This method based on the structural variation analysis offers a theoretical framework and a practical platform to analyze the potential scholarly impact of researchers and their specific contributions.