Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased blood fibrinolytic activity after aspirin ingestion.

Fibrinolytic activity of whole blood and of platelet-deficient plasma, measured by 125I-fibrin assay in four normal subjects before and after ingestion of 1.8 g of aspirin, increased 33 to 150 per cent at one to three hours, at plasma salicylate levels of 5 to 18 mg per 100 ml. In two, plasma activity also increased. Fibrinolysis in blood, but not in plasma, increased 66 per cent after sodium salicylate. Sodium salicylate increased fibrinolytic activities of blood and of purified polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro, whereas aspirin had little effect. These striking effects of aspirin on cellular and fluid phases of blood fibrinolysis are apparently distinct from known aspirin actions on platelets. Plasma fibrinolytic activity accounted for only 18.8 +/- 12.3 per cent (S.D.) and 17.4 +/- 10.4 per cent of the activity measured in the corresponding whole blood of 11 normal men and 10 normal women, respectively, indicating the importance of cellular elements in normal blood fibrinolysis.
CMUT-in-CMOS ultrasonic transducer arrays with on-chip electronics

Integration of a 2D ultrasound transducer array with front-end signal conditioning electronics poses significant fabrication and packaging challenges due to the required number of elements and small element pitch. In this paper, we demonstrate a CMUT-in-CMOS approach that produces ultrasonic transducers and circuits on a single chip using a standard foundry CMOS process, augmented only with two blanket post-process steps for sacrificial etching and cavity sealing. 2D arrays as large as 16×16, with integrated on-chip buffers, switches and multiplexers were fabricated and successfully characterized. This approach provides a straightforward path to commercially viable 2D arrays for 3D medical imaging.
Measuring Output, Input and Total Factor Productivity in Australian Agriculture: An Industry‐Level Analysis

This paper uses the growth accounting approach to estimate total factor productivity in the Australian agriculture industry between 1949 and 2012. To shed light on an unresolved debate on quantifying the roles of capital and labor, we compare the “ex-ante” and “ex-post” approaches to the estimation of returns to capital and labor, and find the former performs better than the latter in the context of the agricultural production account. We also demonstrate how the measurement of agricultural productivity may be improved by accounting for heterogeneity in output and input quality. Finally, our estimates are distinct from existing statistics in both the time length and industry coverage and provide new information about the long-term trend of agriculture productivity in Australia.
Intact Carboxysomes in a Cyanobacterial Cell Visualized by Hilbert Differential Contrast Transmission Electron Microscopy

ABSTRACT Carboxysomes in rapidly frozen ice-embedded whole cells of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 were visualized by the recently developed Hilbert differential contrast transmission electron microscope. Structural details of carboxysomes were especially clearly visualized in the ruptured cells. The novel electron microscopy exhibited the paracrystalline arrays of molecules of the enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in the carboxysomes in much better contrast than conventional transmission electron microscopy with ultrathin sections of cells. The carboxysome was surrounded by a 5- to 6-nm-thick monolayer shell which consisted of orderly arrays of globular particles.
Major Indole Alkaloids Produced in Cell Suspension Cultures of Rhazya strict a Decaisne

Eleven main alkaloids were identified from cell suspension cultures of Rhazya stricta grown in 4X-medium for 15 days. The alkaloids comprised the five groups Corynanthe, Strychnos, Eburnan, Secodine, and Aspidosperma and can be regarded as being typical Rhazya alkaloids, although the Strychnos alkaloid akuammicine has been isolated for the first time from the genus Rhazya. The most abundant compound was ( + )-1,2-dehydroaspidospermidine (15 mg/l medium) whereas all other constituents were synthesized in about 5 - 10 times lower amounts. More than 15 further alkaloids were formed as minor components which have not yet been identified. Cultivated Rhazya cells have been shown to be one of the richest alkaloid sources from apocynaceous cell suspensions. The isolated compounds, because of their structural heterogeneity, cannot be presently arranged into a scheme with coherent biosynthetic sequences.
Acidovorax soli sp. nov., isolated from landfill soil.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile strain, BL21(T), was isolated from landfill soil in Pohang, Korea. Strain BL21(T) grew optimally at pH 7.0, 30 °C and 0 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain BL21(T) belonged to the class Betaproteobacteria and was related to the genus Acidovorax. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain BL21(T) was less than 98.30 % similar to those of other species in the genus Acidovorax. DNA-DNA hybridization values with phylogenetically related species of the genus Acidovorax were only 11.7-28.4 %. The major fatty acid components included summed feature 3 (iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH and/or C(16 : 1)ω7c), C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1)ω7c and C(10 : 0) 3-OH. The DNA G+C content was 60.9 mol%. For these reasons, strain BL21(T) (=KCTC 22399(T) =JCM 15909(T)) is proposed as a novel species in the genus Acidovorax, with the name Acidovorax soli sp. nov.
Prevention of Unplanned Intensive Care Unit Admissions and Hospital Mortality by Early Warning Systems

Researchers have found that patients exhibit physiological changes up to 8 hours prior to an arrest event. Deaths have been attributed to a lack of observation, lack of documentation of observations, inability of a caregiver to recognize early signs of deterioration, and lack of communication between healthcare providers. This integrative review examines early warning scoring systems and their effectiveness in predicting a patient’s potential for deterioration and considers whether these scoring systems prevent unplanned intensive care unit admissions and/or death. Three databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL [Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature], and the Cochrane Collaboration) were searched to identify the instruments and clinical support systems available to assist healthcare personnel in recognizing early clinical deterioration. Key search words included modified early warning score, early warning score, early warning systems, deteriorating patient, patients at risk, shock index, track and trigger systems, and failure to rescue. Two prior literature reviews examined early warning scoring systems and their effects on patient outcomes; however, the most recent one reviewed only articles published before 2007. This review examined studies of early warning systems and the incorporation of clinical support published from 2007 to 2012. Nine studies fitting the search criteria were included in this review. Early warning scoring systems that interface with electronic medical records and are supplemented with decision aides (algorithms) and clinical support systems produce an effective screening system for early identification of deteriorating patients. This multifaceted approach decreases unplanned intensive care unit admissions and hospital mortality.
Training Improves the Ability of Anesthesia Providers to Visually Estimate Systolic Pressure Variation "Eyeball Technique"

Inappropriate fluid management may lead to patient morbidity. Systolic Pressure Variation (SPV) in % is a simple measure of arterial respiratory variation and reflects fluid responsiveness. Previous analysis of simulated blood pressure data suggest that physicians usually make correct treatment decisions based on their visual estimate of SPV%, but have poor accuracy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether training could improve the ability of physicians to visually estimate SPV%. Methods 50 anesthesia providers were asked to give their visual estimate of SPV% on 10 arterial waveform tracings displayed for 45 seconds each. At all ten waveforms were played, the true values of SPV% were revealed. After one to two weeks the same group of physicians was reassessed on their visual estimate of SPV% by displaying 10 new arterial waveform tracings for 45 seconds each. The mean bias decreased from 1.2% to 0.032% and the distribution of error was significantly different between the pre-training and the post-training group (p=0.018). The percentage of incorrect treatment decisions decreased from 4.4% to 0.85%. Conclusion Physicians experience a learning effect from visually estimating SPV%. As knowledge about how to utilize arterial respiratory variation in clinical practice increases, dedicated training may be useful. Additional studies to determine the ability of clinicians to measure changes in respiratory variation are warranted.
Neural networks in satellite rainfall estimation

Neural networks (NNs) have been successfully used in the environmental sciences over the last two decades. However, only a few review papers have been published, most of which cover image processing, classification, prediction and geophysical retrieval in general, while neglecting rainfall estimation issues. This paper reviews, without aiming to be exhaustive, NN approaches to satellite rainfall estimation (SRE) by providing an overview of some of the methodologies proposed. A basic introduction to NNs is provided and the advantages of using NNs in SRE are explained, illustrating how NNs can be used to complement more computational‐expensive methods to generate quick and accurate results in near real time. The role of the NNs in statistical‐empirical algorithms is also reviewed. The last section aims to generate some discussion through comparing the empirical and deterministic algorithmic approaches and contrasting some of the apparent drawbacks of using NNs with a statistically based view of the satellite geophysical parameter estimation. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society.
Two Stages in Neurite Formation Distinguished by Differences in Tubulin Metabolism

Abstract: Changes in tubulin solubility during neurite formation were studied biochemically using rat dorsal root ganglion neurons in culture. When fractionated with Ca2+‐containing buffer at low temperature, a considerable proportion of total cellular tubulin was recovered in the insoluble fraction. We designated this cold/Ca2+‐insoluble tubulin (InsT) and distinguished it from cold/Ca2+‐soluble tubulin (SoIT). From the relative amount of InsT, neurite formation was found to proceed through two distinct stages. The first 6 days after plating (stage 1) in which the proportion of InsT increased dramatically (from 5 to 60%) coincided with neurite outgrowth. In the following period (stage 2), a constant level of InsT was maintained, whereas neurite maturation took place. Pulse‐labeling experiments further revealed that the two stages differed significantly in terms of tubulin metabolism. High rates of synthesis as well as conversion from SoIT to InsT were observed in stage 1, whereas stage 2 was characterized by a decrease in both of these rates and an increase in the rate of degradation. The results show for the first time the coordinated changes in tubulin metabolism that underlie the process of neurite formation.
Modularity, individuality, and evo-devo in butterfly wings

Modularity in animal development is thought to have facilitated morphological diversification, but independent change of those traits integrated within a module might be restricted. Correlations among traits describe potential developmental constraints on evolution. These have often been postulated to explain patterns of morphological variation and have been examined theoretically but seldom analyzed experimentally. Here, we use artificial selection to explore the modular organization of butterfly wing patterns and the extent to which their evolution is constrained by the genetic correlations among repeated pattern elements. We show that, in Bicyclus anynana butterflies, despite the evidence that all eyespots are developmentally coupled, the response to selection for increased size of one individual eyespot can proceed in a manner largely independent from selection imposed on another eyespot. We argue that among-eyespot correlations are unlikely to have constrained the evolutionary diversification of butterfly wing patterns but might be important when only limited time is available for adaptive evolution to occur. The ease with which we have been able to produce independent responses to artificial selection on different eyespots may be linked to a legacy of natural selection favoring individuality. Our results are discussed within the context of the evolution of modularity and individuality of serially repeated morphological traits.
Assessment of aerobic capacity in overweight young females: A cross-sectional study

Context: Overweight/obese people are prone to develop cardiovascular, respiratory and other chronic diseases at young age because of abnormal weight. Aerobic capacity (VO2 max) is an accepted index of cardio respiratory fitness. Decrease in VO2 max can be an early marker for altered cardiovascular physiology. Objectives: The present study was carried out with the objective of evaluating aerobic capacity in overweight young females and comparing it with that of normal weight females. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three female subjects aged 18–20 years were enrolled in each group. Group 1 comprised overweight subjects and group 2 comprised normal weight subjects. Analysis to assess the difference in VO2 max between the groups was done by unpaired t-test. Results: Mean age of group 1 and 2 was 18.91 ± 0.67 years and 18.83 ± 0.78 years, respectively. Mean BMI in group 1 and 2 was 26.18 ± 1.06 kg/m2 and 20.65 ± 1.5 kg/m2 respectively. VO2 max in groups 1 and 2 was 34.52 ± 3.26 ml/min/kg and 37.51 ± 2.88 ml/min/kg respectively. The difference in VO2 max found in overweight girls was statistically significant with P value of 0.002. Conclusion: Overweight girls had significantly reduced, cardio-respiratory fitness when compared to normal weight young females.
Hierarchical starch‐based fibrous scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications

Fibrous structures mimicking the morphology of the natural extracellular matrix are considered promising scaffolds for tissue engineering. This work aims to develop a novel hierarchical starch‐based scaffold. Such scaffolds were obtained by a combination of starch–polycaprolactone micro‐ and polycaprolactone nano‐motifs, respectively produced by rapid prototyping (RP) and electrospinning techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro‐computed tomography analysis showed the successful fabrication of a multilayer scaffold composed of parallel aligned microfibres in a grid‐like arrangement, intercalated by a mesh‐like structure with randomly distributed nanofibres (NFM). Human osteoblast‐like cells were dynamically seeded on the scaffolds, using spinner flasks, and cultured for 7 days under static conditions. SEM analysis showed predominant cell attachment and spreading on the nanofibre meshes, which enhanced cell retention at the bulk of the composed/hierarchical scaffolds. A significant increment in cell proliferation and osteoblastic activity, assessed by alkaline phosphatase quantification, was observed on the hierarchical fibrous scaffolds. These results support our hypothesis that the integration of nanoscale fibres into 3D rapid prototype scaffolds substantially improves their biological performance in bone tissue‐engineering strategies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Democratisation and Growth

This article challenges cross-sectional findings that democracy has a negligible effect on growth. We employ a new dataset of political transitions during the Third Wave of Democratisation and examine the within effect of democratisation in countries that abandoned autocracy and consolidated representative institutions. The panel estimates imply that on average democratisations are associated with a 1% increase in annual "per capita" growth. The dynamic analysis reveals that: while during the transition growth is slow, in the medium and long run it stabilises at a higher level. This evidence favours development theories of democratic rule and Friedrich Hayek (1960) 's idea that the merits of democracy appear in the long run. Copyright © The Author(s). Journal compilation © Royal Economic Society 2008.
TUMORIGENESIS AND NEOPLASTIC PROGRESSION Clinical and Molecular Implications of MED15 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression depends on various dysregulated pathways. Regulation of diverse pathways is mediated by the mediator complex. The mediator subunit MED15 is essential for transforming growth factor (TGF)- b signaling and involved in breast and prostate cancers. We investigated the implication of MED15 in HNSCC. IHC for MED15 was performed on 324 tissue samples, and TGF- b assessed the use of Ki-67 and pSMAD3 as markers. MED15 knockdown followed by proliferation and migration assays, as well as TGF- b 1 treatment followed by MED15 analysis, was also performed. MED15 was overexpressed in 35% of primary tumors, 30% of lymph node metastases, and 70% of recurrences in contrast to no or low expression in benign tumors. MED15 overexpression in primary tumors from patients who developed recurrences was associated with higher mortality rates and occurred at highest frequency in oral cavity or oropharyngeal tumors. Furthermore, MED15 expression correlated
Effects of multiplicative colored noise on bacteria growth

We use the logistic growth model to describe the bacterium growth in the presence of a Gaussian colored noise. The effects of multiplicative colored noise on the steady state probability distribution of the bacterium growth were investigated. Our results show that increasing the strength of the multiplicative colored noise may lead to decreasing bacterium number and even bacterium extinction. Our studies also indicate that increasing the correlate time of the noise may facilitate the bacterium growth to some extent.
Thermal analysis of multi-chip cool white HPLED with thermal transient tester and thermal imaging camera

The junction temperature of an light emitting diode package (LED) is a parameter of consequence as electrical and optical characteristics of the packages progressive decline with increment in the junction temperature. This paper is to compare the temperature rise in p-n junction of a four-chip cool white high power light emitting diode (HPLED) by using thermal transient tester (T3ster) and thermal imaging camera (TIC) under open air condition. The measured electrical thermal resistance of the HPLED package through cumulative structure function is 3.753K/W. The optical power of the cool white HPLED package is 1.30W and is used to calculate the real thermal resistance of the package. The obtained junction temperature rise of the package by using thermal transient testing is compatible with the thermal imaging method. The measured temperature rise in the p-n junction is 16.270°C while the recorded junction temperature rise by using the camera is 16.500°C.
Genetic kinship analyses of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) sampled in Foxe Basin and Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, Canada

IV RESUME IV INTRODUCTION 1 METHODS 2 Genetic identity 2 Samples and data for genetic analyses 2 Mitochondrial DNA sequencing 2 Nuclear DNA microsatellites 3 Genetic data analyses 3 Nuclear DNA 3 RESULTS 4 Data quality 4 Patterns of relatedness 4 DISCUSSION 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 REFERENCES CITED 7 FIGURES AND TABLES 11 APPENDIX 16
Effects of different magnitudes of cyclic stretch on Na+‐K+‐ATPase in skeletal muscle cells in vitro

The Na+‐K+‐ATPase, which plays a major role in modulation of skeletal muscle excitability and contractility, is one of the marker enzymes that senses the mechanical strain and adapts to the stimuli. Although many papers had been published on the effects of mechanical stress on Na+‐K+‐ATPase in aortic smooth muscle cells, little was known about the effects of different magnitudes of mechanical stretch on Na+‐K+‐ATPase in skeletal muscle cells. In the present study, we determined the effect of different magnitudes(6%, 12%, or 25% elongation) of cyclic stretch on the activity of the Na+‐K+‐ATPase and investigated possible mechanisms that might be involved in the action of stretch.The results showed the application of different magnitudes of cyclic stretch induced a magnitude‐dependent increase of Na+‐K+‐ATPase activity in cultured skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, inhibition of ionic fluxes through SACs prevented the action of stretch on Na+‐K+‐ATPase activity. The stretch‐induced increase in Na+‐K+‐ATPase activity was not blocked by Actinomycin D. No significant changes in mRNA and total cell protein levels of Na+‐K+‐ATPase were detected after stretched continuious for 24 h. However, cyclic stretch increased cell surface expression of Na+‐K+‐ATPase α1‐ and α2‐subunit proteins by 1.3‐ and 1.75‐fold, respectively, and the increases in Na+‐K+‐ATPase activity and cell surface expression were abolished by LY‐294002. These data indicated that cyclic stretch induced a “magnitude‐dependent” increase of Na+‐K+‐ATPase activity in cultured skeletal muscle cells in vitro. The upregulation involved translocation of Na+‐K+‐ATPase α1‐ and α2‐subunits to plasma membrane, not increased gene transcription. These results suggested a novel nontranscriptional mechanism for regulation of Na+‐K+‐ATPase in skeletal muscle cells by cyclic stretch. J. Cell. Physiol. 212: 509–518, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mycorrhizal Associations and Trophic Modes in Coexisting Orchids: An Ecological Continuum between Auto- and Mixotrophy

Two distinct nutritional syndromes have been described in temperate green orchids. Most orchids form mycorrhizas with rhizoctonia fungi and are considered autotrophic. Some orchids, however, associate with fungi that simultaneously form ectomycorrhizas with surrounding trees and derive their carbon from these fungi. This evolutionarily derived condition has been called mixotrophy or partial mycoheterotrophy and is characterized by 13C enrichment and high N content. Although it has been suggested that the two major nutritional syndromes are clearly distinct and tightly linked to the composition of mycorrhizal communities, recent studies have challenged this assumption. Here, we investigated whether mycorrhizal communities and nutritional syndromes differed between seven green orchid species that co-occur under similar ecological conditions (coastal dune slacks). Our results showed that mycorrhizal communities differed significantly between orchid species. Rhizoctonia fungi dominated in Dactylorhiza sp. , Herminium monorchis, and Epipactis palustris, which were autotrophic based on 13C and N content. Conversely, Liparis loeselii and Epipactis neerlandica associated primarily with ectomycorrhizal fungi but surprisingly, 13C and N content supported mixotrophy only in E. neerlandica. This, together with the finding of some ectomycorrhizal fungi in rhizoctonia-associated orchids, suggests that there exists an ecological continuum between the two syndromes. The presence of a large number of indicator species associating with individual orchid species further confirms previous findings that mycorrhizal fungi may be important factors driving niche-partitioning in terrestrial orchids and therefore contribute to orchid coexistence.
The Transcription Termination Factor Rho Is Essential and Autoregulated in Caulobacter crescentus

ABSTRACT The impossibility of obtaining a rho null mutant and sensitivity to bicyclomycin have indicated that rho is essential for the viability of Caulobacter crescentus. Transcription gene fusions of sequences with serial deletions of the rho 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) with a lacZ reporter gene indicated that rho is autoregulated at the level of attenuation of transcription in the 5′-UTR.