Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The phytoestrogen daidzein may affect reproductive performance of Zhedong White geese by regulating gene mRNA levels in the HPG axis

Abstract 1. The effect of daidzein, a naturally occurring phytoestrogen, on the reproductive performance of 120 female Zhedong White geese was determined. The geese were divided into 4 groups which were fed on diets containing 0 (Control), 10 (Da1), 20 (Da2) and 30 (Da3) mg daidzein per kg diet. Egg production and weight, fertility and hatchability rates, concentrations of estradiol (E2), triiodothyronine (T3), progesterone (P4), thyroxine (T4) and growth hormone (GH) in serum, and mRNA levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), β-follicle stimulating hormone (FSHβ), follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), oestrogen receptor1 (ESR1), oestrogen receptor2 (ESR2), prolactin (PRL), prolactin receptor (PRLR), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) were measured. 2. Daidzein increased egg weight and fertility but had no detectable effect on egg production and hatchability. 3. Daidzein affected serum P4 and GH concentrations and T4 rhythm, up-regulated GnRH mRNA and PRLR mRNA levels in the hypothalamus, down-regulated PRLR mRNA in the hypothalamus, PRL mRNA in the pituitary, and ESR2 mRNA levels in the ovary, respectively. The mRNA rhythms of PRLR in the hypothalamus, PRL, PRLR and FSHβ in the pituitary, FSHR, ESR1 and ESR2 in the ovary were significantly changed in the Da2 group. 4. It is suggested that an appropriate dose of daidzein might improve reproductive performance by affecting serum hormone concentrations and rhythms and regulating gene mRNA levels in the HPGA of female Zhedong White geese.
DECOMPOSING PURCHASE ELASTICITY WITH A DYNAMIC STRUCTURAL MODEL OF FLEXIBLE CONSUMPTION Tat Chan Chakravarthi Narasimhan

It is well known that store level sales respond positively to short term price promotions. Under the assumption of constant consumption rate, previous literature has identified that the sources for this increase are brand switching, purchase acceleration, and stockpiling. However, recent research has shown that the consumption of households is also affected positively by price promotions. In this paper we offer a methodology to decompose the effects of price promotions into brand switching, stockpiling and change in consumption and explicitly allow for consumer heterogeneity in brand preferences and consumption needs. A dynamic structural model of a household that decides when, what, and how much to buy as well as how much to consume to maximize its expected utility over an infinite horizon is developed. By making certain simplifying assumptions we are able to reduce the dimensionality of the problem. We estimate the proposed model using scanner-panel datasets of household purchases in canned tuna and paper towels. The results from the model shed insights on the decomposition of price elasticity into its components. This could help managers to make inferences about which brands sales are most responsive to household stockpiling or consumption expansion as well as to understand how temporary price cuts affect future sales. Contrary to previous literature, we find that brand switching is not the dominant force for the increase in sales. We show that brand loyals respond to a price promotion mainly by stockpiling for future consumption while brand switchers do not stockpile at all. We also find that heavy users stockpile more, while light users mainly increase consumption when there is a price promotion.
Integrated design of biological processes and their control system including closed loop properties

Abstract This work presents an algorithmic approach to allow for the integrated design of processes and their control systems taking into account the controllability and the stability properties of the resulting system. The application of the proposed method has been carried out taking as an example model an alternative configuration to an Activated Sludge Process belonging to real wastewater treatment plant. In the integrated design, the process parameters are evaluated simultaneously with the parameters of the control system by solving a constrained non-linear optimisation problem. The considered cost function includes the investment and the operation costs and the constraints are selected to ensure that the values of some controllability and stability measures of the resulting system, are within specified ranges. These measures consist of the closed loop disturbances gains (CLDG) and the eigenvalues of some close-loop transfer matrices.
The "When, Where, and How" of Entrant Survival: The Effects of Knowledge Regime, Technological Intensity and Start-Up Size on New Venture Survival

In this research, we seek to advance the understanding of heterogeneity in entrant survival rates. We suggest that the innovative environment at the time of entry can explain the variation in likelihood of survival for entrants. We conceptualize innovative environment in terms of two dimensions: the technological regime operating in a specific industry at the time of entry, and the technology intensity in the specific industry, and argue that the coexistence of certain states of these two dimensions of the innovative environment is important in explaining differences in entrant survival rates. Further, we propose that start-up size differentially impacts the relationship between the innovative environment at the time of entry and entrant survival. Empirical tests done on a unique longitudinal dataset of 3431 firms in 33 product innovations spanning over 80 years reveal support for the contingency hypothesis. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Determinants, Reliability, and Usefulness of a Bench Press Repeated Power Ability Test in Young Basketball Players

Abstract Gonzalo-Skok, O, Tous-Fajardo, J, Arjol-Serrano, JL, and Mendez-Villanueva, A. Determinants, Reliability and usefulness of a bench press repeated power ability test in young basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 28(1): 126–133, 2014—The aim of the present study was to analyze the main determinants of an upper-body repeated power ability (RPA) test and to examine its reliability and usefulness. Forty-five highly trained, male, young basketball players performed the RPA test (5 sets of 5 repetitions with 30 seconds of passive recovery within sets) on 2 sessions separated by 5–7 days. Power output was registered using a linear encoder attached to the barbell. Results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between each set in both sessions and trivial (<0.2) effect sizes in all the analyzed variables. For every set, intraclass correlation coefficient was very high (0.96–0.98) and coefficient of variation was low (3.3%–4.3%). Because the typical error of measurement values were lower or similar than the smallest worthwhile change (SWC0.2 = 0.2 × between-subject SD), the usefulness of most variables was rated as “good” or “OK” considering that small changes would be detected by this test. The percentage of power decrement could only be used to detect large effects (>1.2 × between-subject SD). An almost perfect correlation (r = 0.99; 90% confidence interval, 0.98–0.99) was found between the average power in set 1 (APbest) and the average power over 5 sets (APmean). In conclusion, the main determinant of RPA test is APbest, and because of the high reliability scores obtained, this protocol may be used to assess upper-body RPA in relatively experienced young athletes.
Design and Evaluation of Self-Expanding Stents Suitable for Diverse Clinical Manifestation Based on Mechanical Engineering

Atherosclerosis is one of the most prominent diseases that induce dysfunction of circulation, and it is a disease of large and medium size arteries. If cholesterol presenting at high concentration in a blood injures an intima, a white corpuscle, i.e. a monocyte, goes into the intima and mutates into a foam cell. Then, smooth muscle cells migrate from the media to the intima, and they grow proliferously there. Based on these phenomena, cholesterol and other lipid materials accumulate in the intima. Atherosclerosis has become a serious problem in the developed countries that are aging. Therefore, countermeasures to the atherosclerosis have become important. Although there are various medical treatments for the atherosclerosis, a stent placement has received much attention as a minimally invasive procedure for vascular stenotic lesion based on the coronary atherosclerosis, the arteriosclerosis obliterans, etc. A stent is a cylindrical tube-shaped medical device that can expand the stenotic lesion in a blood vessel continuously. When considering the expansion method of a stent, two types are available. One is a self-expanding type that can expand by itself when released from the sheath of a catheter. Another is a balloon-expandable type that must be expanded forcibly using a balloon catheter. Because the self-expanding stent continues to expand to the memorized diameter at the stenotic lesion, it has the long-term patency of a vascular wall. In the present study, the main target is the self-expanding type.
Evaluation of the efficiency of in-gel digestion of proteins by peptide isotopic labeling and MALDI mass spectrometry.

Visualization of proteins separated by one-dimensional or two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, in-gel digestion of excised protein bands (spots), followed by identification of proteins by mass spectrometry underpin many proteome characterization strategies (reviewed in (1–4)). A multitude of protocols for staining of polyacrylamide gels (reviewed in (5)) and of enzymatic in-gel digestion of proteins (reviewed in (1, 6)) at the low picomole–femtomole level has been reported. A combination of protein visualization and in-gel digestion methods designed for proteomic application is usually evaluated according to two major criteria. First, the lowest limit of reliable visualization of protein spot (band) is determined (5, 7, 8). Second, the sequence coverage of MALDI peptide mass fingerprints acquired from in-gel digests of the visualized protein spots and the sensitivity of mass spectrometric detection are evaluated (8–10). However, the latter criteria are particularly difficult to apply. The intensity of peptide signals detected in complex mixtures by MALDI MS strongly depends on the employed sample handling and probe preparation routines. Furthermore, unavoidable micro-heterogeneity of MALDI probes and inevitable presence of the residual amount of dyes, salts, and detergents result in significant shot-to-shot variation of peptide and matrix signals, requires consistent tuning of the laser fluence (11) and, consequently, does not allow quantitative comparison of spectra acquired in the separate experiments.
Aphasia and Auditory Processing after Stroke through an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Lens

Abstract Aphasia is an acquired language impairment affecting speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Aphasia occurs in about a third of patients who have ischemic stroke and significantly affects functional recovery and return to work. Stroke is more common in older individuals but also occurs in young adults and children. Because people experiencing a stroke are typically aged between 65 and 84 years, hearing loss is common and can potentially interfere with rehabilitation. There is some evidence for increased risk and greater severity of sensorineural hearing loss in the stroke population and hence it has been recommended that all people surviving a stroke should have a hearing test. Auditory processing difficulties have also been reported poststroke. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) can be used as a basis for describing the effect of aphasia, hearing loss, and auditory processing difficulties on activities and participation. Effects include reduced participation in activities outside the home such as work and recreation and difficulty engaging in social interaction and communicating needs. A case example of a young man (M) in his 30s who experienced a left-hemisphere ischemic stroke is presented. M has normal hearing sensitivity but has aphasia and auditory processing difficulties based on behavioral and cortical evoked potential measures. His principal goal is to return to work. Although auditory processing difficulties (and hearing loss) are acknowledged in the literature, clinical protocols typically do not specify routine assessment. The literature and the case example presented here suggest a need for further research in this area and a possible change in practice toward more routine assessment of auditory function post-stroke.
Surveillance on Avian Influenza in Bulgaria

Abstract Nota de InvestigacónBulgaria has a surveillance program on avian influenza to keep a close watch on health of poultry, exotic birds, and wild birds. The samples include sera for serologic examination, and carcasses, tissue samples, tracheal and cloacal swabs, and feces for virologic examination. The number of samples depends on the epizootic situation in the country and in neighboring countries. Mmigration and resting and living areas of wild birds also are under consideration. The territory of Bulgaria is divided into 28 regions. For each of these regions, there are exact types and numbers of samples, depending on latitude, water reservoir, farms, and backyards. Since October 2005, surveillance has become harder because of the situation in Romania and Turkey. Since 2006, the number of samples has vastly increased.
Ganglioside GM3 is involved in neuronal cell death

Gangliosides abundant in the nervous system have been implicated in a broad range of biological functions, including the regulation of cell proliferation and death. Glutamate‐induced cell death, which is accompanied by an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is a major contributor to pathological cell death within the nervous system. However, the mechanism underlying this neuronal cell death has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we report that ganglioside GM3 is involved in neuronal cell death. GM3 was up‐regulated in the mouse hippocampal cell line HT22 death caused by glutamate. Increment in GM3 levels by both the exogenous addition of GM3 and the overexpression of the GM3 synthase gene induced neuronal cell death. Overexpression of GM3 synthase by microinjecting mRNA into zebrafish embryos resulted in neuronal cell death in the central nervous system (CNS). Conversely, RNA interferencemediated silencing of GM3 synthase rescued glutamateinduced neuronal death, as evidenced by the inhibition of massive ROS production and intracellular calcium ion influx. 12‐lipoxygenase (12‐lipoxygenase) (12‐LOX) was recruited to glycosphingolipid‐enriched microdomains (GEM) in a GM3‐dependent manner during oxidative glutamate toxicity. Our findings suggest that GM3 acts as not only a mediator of oxidative HT22 death by glutamate but also a modulator of in vivo neuronal cell death. —Sohn, H. , Kim, Y. ‐S. , Kim, H. ‐T. , Kim, C. ‐H. , Cho, E. ‐W. , Kang, H. ‐y. , Kim, N. ‐S. , Kim, C. ‐H. , Ryu, S. E. , Lee, J.‐H. , Ko, J. H. Ganglioside GM3 is involved in neuronal cell death. FASEB J. 20, E525–E535 (2006)
Cadaveric study using radio-opaque contrast to determine arterial communication between the two bellies of gastrocnemius muscles

Introduction: Gastrocnemius muscle is a workhorse flap to cover upper third tibial defects but has a limitation in covering middle one-third tibial defects. The inferiorly based hemi gastrocnemius muscle flap can be useful for reconstruction of the middle third of the leg. The arterial communication between the gastrocnemius muscle heads has been demonstrated, the consistent location, however, was not studied in large specimens. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on sixty specimens of gastrocnemius muscles harvested from thirty fresh cadavers to determine arterial communication between two heads of gastrocnemius muscle using radio-opaque contrast with future application of taking one head of muscle distally based for coverage of middle third defect of tibia. A total of 60 specimens were obtained from thirty fresh cadavers. In thirty specimens, medial sural artery ligated and divided and 20 ml iohexol (350) given through popliteal artery. In remaining thirty specimens lateral sural artery ligated and divided and 20 ml iohexol (350) given through popliteal artery. Digital X-rays of gastrocnemius muscle specimens were taken, and collaterals between two bellies in lower half were noted and the distance of collaterals from the muscles top edge was also noted. Results: We found the communications between both bellies of the gastrocnemius muscle in all specimens in both legs. The mean distance of communications from the upper edge of the medial belly was 15.88 cm and from upper edge of the lateral belly was 14.72 cm in the right leg, respectively. The mean distance of communications from upper edge of the medial belly was 16.01 cm and from upper edge of the lateral belly was 13.78 cm in the left leg. The distal communications between gastrocnemius bellies were not constant in their location, but all the connections were present in distal 3.79 cm of raphe. Conclusion: This study supports the future application of inferior-based hemigastrocnemius muscles flap to cover defects of middle third leg. When distally based hemigastrocnemius flap is planned roughly 1/3rd of distal attachment or distal 3.79 cm of connection between raphe should be maintained to preserve the vascular communications between the two bellies.
High-dose fluconazole therapy for cryptococcal meningitis in patients with AIDS.

Fluconazole (800-1,000 mg i.v.) was administered to 14 consecutive patients with AIDS and cryptococcal meningitis. At 10 weeks the rate of clinical success was 54.5% (six of 11 patients responded to fluconazole); the Kaplan-Meier estimate of the response rate was 67.1%, and the overall mortality rate was 18.2% (two of 11 patients died). At the end of treatment, eight (72.7%) of 11 patients responded to fluconazole. The median time to the first negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was 33.5 days (95% confidence interval, 18.3-67.3); the median time for patients with initial CSF cryptococcal antigen titers of > or = 1:1,024 was 66 days compared with 18 days for patients with initial CSF cryptococcal antigen titers of < 1:1,024 (P = .06). The median time to the first negative CSF culture for patients with an isolate for which the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 4 micrograms/mL was 56 days compared with 16 days for patients with an isolate for which the MIC was < 4 micrograms/mL (P = .11). The mean serum and CSF levels of fluconazole at steady state were 42.47 +/- 26.31 micrograms/mL and 36.63 +/- 21.08 micrograms/mL, respectively (ratio of CSF:serum, 0.86). No treatment was interrupted and no dose was tapered because of side effects. High-dose fluconazole might be an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option for patients with AIDS and acute cryptococcal meningitis.
Data Selection for Within-Class Covariance Estimation

Abstract : Methods for performing channel and session compensation in conjunction with subspace techniques have been a focus of considerable study recently and have led to significant gains in speaker recognition performance. While developers have typically exploited the vast archive of speaker labeled data available from earlier NIST evaluations to train the within-class and across-class covariance matrices required by these techniques, little attention has been paid to the characteristics of the data required to perform the training efficiently. This paper focuses on within-class covariance normalization and shows that a reduction in training data requirements can be achieved by proper data selection. In particular, it is shown that the key variables are the total amount of data and the degree of handset variability, with total calls per handset playing a smaller role. The study offers insight into efficient within-class covariance matrix training data collection in real world applications.
Synthesis and characterization of sol–gel phase‐reversible hydrogels sensitive to glucose

A new type of hydrogel capable of sol–gel phase‐reversible transition by changes in the environmental glucose concentration has been synthesized. The hydrogel consists of vinylpyrrolidinone–allylglucose (VP/AG) copolymer and concanavalin A (Con A). The formation of the hydrogel is based on the specific interaction between glucose on the copolymer and glucose receptor sites on Con A. Hydrogels were formed immediately after mixing the copolymer and Con A. The critical factors in the formation of hydrogel were the concentrations of the copolymer, of glucose on the copolymer and of Con A. In general, the formation of a hydrogel became more efficient as the concentration of glucose on the copolymer decreased and/or as the Con A concentration increased. The hydrogel formed became a sol in the presence of glucose in the environment. The environmental glucose concentration necessary to dissolve the gel to sol was approximately four times higher than the concentration of glucose on the copolymer. Upon removal of the environmental glucose by dialysis, the sol became a gel again and the sol–gel phase transition could be repeated.
Prediction of hip fractures from pelvic radiographs: The study of osteoporotic fractures

To determine whether simple measurements made on conventional radiographs of the hip could predict hip fractures, we obtained pelvic radiographs on 9704 white women age 65 or older. We analyzed the radiographs of all 162 women who subsequently suffered a hip fracture and 162 randomly selected women who did not. Adjusting for age, four measurements independently predicted hip fracture: reduced thickness of the femoral shaft cortex (odds ratio 1.7 per standard deviation; 95% confidence interval 1.2, 2.3) and of the femoral neck cortex (1.4 per standard deviation; 1.0, 1.9), reduction in an index of tensile trabeculae (2.0 per unit; 1.4, 2.9), and wider trochanteric region (1.4 per standard deviation; 1.0, 2.0). The combination of these four measurements predicted hip fracture at least as strongly as did measurement of bone density of the femoral neck (areas of the receiver‐operating characteristic curve = 0.81 and 0.80, respectively). We conclude that simple measurements made on pelvic radiographs predict hip fractures as well as bone density of the hip.
The Use of Open- and Closed-Loop Control During Goal-Directed Force Responses by Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

BACKGROUND Many daily functional activities involve goal-directed responses based on open-loop and closed-loop motor control, yet little is known about how children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure organize and regulate these 2 types of control systems when completing a goal-directed force response. METHODS Children with (n = 19) or without (n = 23) heavy prenatal alcohol exposure were required to match a target force (25 and 50% of maximum voluntary force) in a specified target time (200, 800, and 2,000 ms). Target force and produced force were visually displayed on a computer monitor. The analog force-time record was parsed into 2 segments: the period beginning from force initiation to the first reversal in force was designated the open-loop phase, and the remainder of the response was the closed-loop phase. RESULTS Compared to controls, alcohol-exposed children produced a significantly shorter duration of open-loop control, a higher open-loop phase rate of force development, a shorter time to reach maximum force during the closed-loop phase, and greater absolute target force error. Increasing target force magnitude did not differentially alter the performance of the clinical group. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that alcohol-exposed children experience deficits in completing goal-directed force responses that likely stem from an alcohol-related insult to the central nervous system. Therapeutic exercises should be designed to recalibrate internal timing systems and improve visuomotor integration.