Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CHMP extension of indication variation assessment report

transaminase (SGPT), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), prothrombin time - international normalized ratio (PT-INR), creatinine clearance (CrCL), and comedication with CYP3A4 inducers, CYP3A4 inhibitors, UGT1A9 inhibitors, UGT1A9 inducers, or thyroxine. Subject covariates were tested on CL only, and initially co-treatment with thyroxine and female gender were identified as significant covariates leading to a reduction in clearance. Treatment with thyroxine was associated with a decrease in clearance of 43.6%, while females had 21.2% lower clearance compared to males (the typical estimate of clearance for males was 9.44 L/h and for females 7.45 L/h). This gender effect on CL implies that females are predicted to have on average a 26.7% higher exposure than males. Although thyroxine treatment was initially identified as a significant covariate, 98% of the subjects treated with thyroxine were from one study, study 14295. The study 14295 effect on CL was retained in the final model while the thyroxine effect on CL was dropped. EQ-5D and FACT-G data were compatible with a negative effect of sorafenib on HRQoL. Baseline factors predictive of increased risk have not been identified, but it should be noticed that about half of the patients were ‘not at all’ or ‘only a bit bothered’ by side effects and that dose reductions were only partly successful in alleviating symptoms. Repeat evaluation of benefit and risk is recommended taking anti-tumour activity and tolerability into account (see section 4.4 of the SmPC). Factors such as size of tumour lesions and symptoms are considered important to be taken into account prior to initiation of therapy. Progression rate is also likely to be of importance although no such data were available. Patients enrolled within 3 months of documented progression, however, had a slightly better HR than the complementary set. Therefore, the CHMP considered the prognosis in the individual patient considering maximum lesion size, symptoms related to the disease and progression rate should be carefully considered before initiating treatment with sorafenib (see section 4.4 of the SmPC).
Comparative study on the antimicrobial activities of three Indian medicinal plants

Aqueous, methanol and chloroform extracts from the leaves of Ficus religiosa, Thespesia populnea and Hibiscus tiliaceus were completely screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity. The chloroform extract of F. religiosa possessed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity with a zone of inhibition of 10 to 21 mm at very low MIC values. The methanolic extracts possessed moderate antibacterial activity against a few bacterial strains. There was less antibacterial activity or none at all using aqueous extracts. The extracts of F. religiosa were found to be active against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum. The extracts from the leaves exhibited considerable and variable inhibitory effects against most of the microorganisms tested.
Effects of diets containing sunflower oil and fish oil on lipid metabolism and fatty acid flow to the duodenum of beef steers

Duodenal fistulated steers were offered grass silage at 14 g/kg liveweight and one of three concentrates at a ratio of 60:40 (forage:concentrate on a dry matter basis): FISH0, FISH1 or FISH2 designed to be iso-lipid and to provide the same amount of sunflower oil but increasing amounts of fish oil: 0, 1 and 4%, respectively. Fatty acid intakes and duodenal flows were examined to determine the effects of fish oil on polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism. Fish oil significantly increased the flow of long chain PUFA, conjugated linoleic acid and trans vaccenic acid to the duodenum and decreased the flow of stearic acid. Biohydrogenation of linoleic and linolenic acids was not affected by fish oil inclusion.
Effect of raw sunflower seeds on goat milk production in different farming systems

Abstract Aim of this study was to test the effect of raw sunflower seeds on goat milk production. Two farms with different farming systems (intensive and semi-intensive) participated to the trial. In each farm about 60 mid-lactation Alpine goats were divided in two groups during spring-summer time. A diet containing 5-6% of sunflower seeds on DM basis was compared with a control diet in a change-over design. In the semi-intensive farm milk yield of goats fed sunflower was 3.46 kg/d compared to 3.58 kg/d of goats fed control diet, whereas in the intensive farm milk yield was 4.60 kg/d vs 4.66 kg/d. Fat content increased significantly from 2.99% to 3.23% only in the intensive farm. The research in the intensive farm investigated also milk and cheese fatty acids composition. Medium and short chain fatty acids (C8-C16) content dropped and long chain fatty acids content increased when sunflower was added. In conclusion raw sunflower seed inclusion in dairy goat diets can be useful, in order to limit the inversion of fat and protein percentages in milk.
Automatic segmentation of Leishmania parasite in microscopic images using a modified CV level set method

Visceral Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that affects liver, spleen and bone marrow. According to World Health Organization report, definitive diagnosis is possible just by direct observation of the Leishman body in the microscopic image taken from bone marrow samples. We utilize morphological and CV level set method to segment Leishman bodies in digital color microscopic images captured from bone marrow samples. Linear contrast stretching method is used for image enhancement and morphological method is applied to determine the parasite regions and wipe up unwanted objects. Modified global and local CV level set methods are proposed for segmentation and a shape based stopping factor is used to hasten the algorithm. Manual segmentation is considered as ground truth to evaluate the proposed method. This method is tested on 28 samples and achieved 10.90% mean of segmentation error for global model and 9.76% for local model.
Asymptotic allometry and transition to the canopy in Abies balsamea

There is a lack of consensus in theoretical and empirical literature on whether height–diameter (H:D) relationships of canopy trees are asymptotic. To investigate H:D allometry, particularly in the transition to the canopy, we focused on shade‐tolerant Abies balsamea, across steep physical gradients associated with elevation, and correlated biotically generated gradients of stem density, canopy height and canopy species composition. We addressed these questions: A. What is the relation between H:D allometric form and emergence into the canopy? B. Is H:D allometry asymptotic? C. What aspects of the H:D relationship are most sensitive to environmental conditions? Using maximum likelihood, we compared the performance of alternative H:D forms (linear, power function, non‐sigmoid asymptotic and sigmoid asymptotic), incorporating elevation and local canopy height as covariates. Abies balsamea H:D allometric form was clearly sigmoid asymptotic, by a wide AIC margin, across all gradients, to an asymptote slightly above canopy height. The commonly used power function had essentially no empirical support (ΔAIC >> 10). Canopy height decreased with elevation, but with much variation, so elevation was a poor predictor of the asymptote. Across environmental gradients, H:D allometries overlapped for trees far below the canopy, but diverged strongly for trees approaching different canopy heights. Changes in resource allocation and modification of growth form that could generate asymptotic H:D allometries are consistent with known physical forces and diverse research findings in tree developmental biology and physiology. Synthesis. The H:D asymptote and its tight relation to canopy height, unapparent in aggregated H:D data, became clear only when canopy height and elevation were included explicitly in allometric models. Asymptotic H:D allometries may be the norm, though often undetected, in unmanaged forests without recent catastrophic disturbance. Appropriate asymptotic H:D models may reduce error in forest carbon and biomass estimation and promote theoretical and empirical integration in the ecology and evolution of tree allometry.
Relevant peptides of Taenia crassiceps for the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis by immunoblot

Given the limited knowledge about the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis by immunoblot, the aim of this study was to assess the applicability of this test, identifying key peptides with diagnostic value. Immunoblot assays were performed using total larval antigen of Taenia crassiceps and 60 sera of positive bovines for cysticercosis (30 naturally and 30 experimentally infected with T. saginata eggs), 30 sera of negative bovines for cysticercosis and 30 sera of bovines with other diseases (fascioliasis, hydatidosis and tuberculosis). The peptides of greater diagnostic importance, in descending order of accuracy (%), were as follows: 6-8kDa (90.8%), 129-143kDa (74.2%), 99-105kDa (71.7%) and 14-19kDa (71.1%). Cross-reactions, due to fascioliasis and hydatidosis, were observed in the four intervals of peptides highlighted. The results demonstrate that the total antigen of T. crassiceps has peptides with a high diagnostic potential; therefore, the immunoblot is useful in the diagnosis of bovine cysticercosis.
Evolution and adaptive radiation in the Chydoridae (Crustacea: Cladocera): a study in comparative functional morphology and ecology

An account is given of the functional morphology, ecology, habits and - in most cases - feeding mechanisms of representatives of 13 genera of anomopod cladocerans of the family Macrothricidae. As in the Chydoridae, habits, which often depend on anatomical specializations of great complexity, are diverse, and permit the exploitation of a wide variety of ecological niches. In general, locomotion is less specialized than in the Ghydoridae and most species neither swim nor creep so efficiently as do chydorids. So far as is known only one species, Macrothrix triseal , has evolved a chydorid-like method of crawling by means of the first trunk limbs but others have acquired means of locomotion peculiar to themselves. In only a few cases is the post-abdomen used for pushing, its lack of such employment and the lack of a joint between it and the trunk being primitive features. In basic structure and arrangement the trunk limbs are similar to those of the Chydoridae and the principles involved in many of the feeding mechanisms are the same in both families. By numerous, sometimes subtle, sometimes profound modifications of the components involved, this basic arrangement has been adapted to widely differing ways of life and different functions. Many macrothricids use the first trunk limbs for food collection rather than the second as in most chydorids. This is interpreted as a primitive feature. Acantholeberis curvirostris (figures 1-6), a frequenter of peaty pools, is primitive in several respects; for example, it lacks a headshield and is unable to push effectively with its post-abdomen, but exhibits several specializations. The antennae, which also serve as props and levers, are the principal means of locomotion, and have massive protopods flexed at about 90°. Progression is by means of intermittent ‘leaps’: steady swimming is not practised. Crawling by use of the first trunk limbs in a manner that foreshadows the efficient crawling of certain anomopods is feebly developed. Food collected by the first trunk limbs is dragged into the chamber made up by these and other trunk limbs (figures 8, 9), both mechanical handling and filtration being involved in its manipulation
Effective Population Size and Genetic Structure of a Population of Collared Lizards, Crotaphytus collaris, in Central Oklahoma

Abstract We estimated effective population size (Ne) in Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) via ecological and genetic methods. The ecological method employed life-history data from three years of mark-recapture studies and yielded an Ne estimate of 46. The genetic method used allele frequency changes over one generation and yielded an Ne estimate of 33 (95% CI; 10, 76). Dispersal, measured as displacement of territories or home ranges in one season, was low (average = 30.5 m) and did not differ among life-history stages or between sexes. Gene flow among habitat patches at our study site appeared sufficient to prevent genetic divergence or subdivision within the population. The observed small effective population size supports models of evolution in C. collaris, wherein stochastic processes could influence strongly the evolution of this species. Similarities in estimates of Ne suggest that the effective population size of this population does not differ from the size of a recent founder population and, moreover, that genetic and ecological methods yield compatible results when assumptions of the two methods are satisfied by the study design.
EFFECT OF CONTROL TREATMENTS ON THE ROOT RESERVES OF CALIFORNIAN THISTLE (CIRSIUM ARVENSE)

In autumn 1994, 3 month old Californian thistle plants grown from seed were transplanted at regular spacings into a ryegrass/white clover sward. Seven treatments including three topping treatments, the herbicides clopyralid and MCPB, and a mycoherbicide Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were applied to thistle foliage the following summer. Treatment effects on root mass and bud production were measured in December 1995. Clopyralid and S. sclerotiorum reduced dry root weight relative to control 95% and 60% respectively and also reduced the number of root buds and shoots. MCPB had little effect on root weight but reduced root bud numbers by 60%. Thistles topped twice also showed reductions in root weight and shoot numbers.
Time of Interseeding of Lana Vetch and Winter Rye Cover Strips Determines Competitive Impact on Pumpkins Grown Using Organic Practices

Growing a main vegetable crop for harvest and a cover crop for residue return to soil in the same growing season is a promising strategy to sustain soil quality in vegetable rotations. Our research evaluated cover crop strips interseeded between pumpkins (Cucur- bita pepo L.) as a way to implement such a strategy. Cover crop types were lana vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa Ten.) and a lana vetch-winter rye (Secale cereale L.) mix, interseeded before, at the same time, or after pumpkins. The competitive impact of different cover crop strips was assessed using pumpkin yield, cover strip biomass, crop nitrogen status, soil nitrate status, and soil water potential. Cover strips were also assessed for competitiveness with native weeds. Seeding date affected the competitiveness of cover strips with pumpkins, while cover type did not. Cover crops seeded before pumpkins or at the same time reduced pumpkin yield in proportion to biomass produced by the cover strips early in pumpkin growth. Cover strips seeded after pumpkins did not reduce yield. Tilling in a before-seeded cover strip at 30 days after pumpkin seeding gave higher pumpkin yield than before-seeded cover strips that were not tilled. At three of four sites, after-seeded cover strips had the low- est percent weed biomass in strips, and at two sites with moderate weed pressure vetch-rye strips were more effective than vetch alone in suppressing weeds. Cover strips seeded before or at the same time as pumpkins reduced pumpkin yield by taking up resources that were otherwise available to pumpkins. At a high-rainfall site, competition for soil nitrate by cover crop strips was the dominant factor in reducing pumpkin yield. At a low-rainfall site, the dominant factor was competition for water. Because of effective weed suppression and lack of pumpkin yield reduction, interseeding vetch-rye strips after pumpkins was a promising practice, as was tilling in preexistent cover strips at an interval <30 days after pumpkin seeding. Good previous weed management and rye-vetch mixes at high seeding rates are necessary to allow interseeded cover strips to outcompete weeds.
The role of motor diversity in foraging innovations: a cross-species comparison in urban birds

The capacity to behave innovatively facilitates adaptation to changing environmental conditions and accelerates speciation rates. Innovation tendencies show substantial variation both among and within species, but the sources of this variation remain poorly understood. There has been much debate on the role of cognition and significant amounts of empirical research on the influence of motivational and state-dependent processes, but the prediction that innovation might also be facilitated by motor processes has only recently begun to gain traction. Here, we measured innovative foraging in 7 common urban avian species under free-ranging conditions and explored the role of motor flexibility as well as several potential other predictors of innovation such as motivation and morphology. Species differed significantly in their tendency to forage innovatively, with a true corvid, the Australian raven, Corvus coronoides, outperforming all other species. Across species, motor flexibility was the strongest predictor of the capacity to forage innovatively. Our results extend previous work demonstrating the role of motor diversity in individual differences in the tendency to forage innovatively and provide the impetus for future research on links between motor and cognitive flexibility.
The disproportionate effect of global warming on the arrival dates of short-distance migratory birds in North America

Recent studies have shown that, in response to global climate change, diverse avian taxa are now nesting measurably earlier (< 10 days) in both the United States and Britain. Similarly, several studies on European birds have now demonstrated that a variety of species (although not all) are arriving increasingly early. However, surprisingly, widespread changes in North American migrant phenology have not been demonstrated. It is hypothesized that shortdistance migrants (birds that winter in the southern United States) may be quicker to adapt to climate change than long-distance migrants (birds that winter south of the United States), as short-distance migrants can respond to meteorological cues indicating weather conditions to the north whereas long-distance migrants must rely on photoperiod. This study examined the first arrival dates of 103 migrant birds in New York and Massachusetts and found that, on average, all migrants arrived significantly earlier during the period 1951‐1993 than the period 1903‐1950. From 1951‐1993 birds wintering in the southern United States arrived on average 13 days earlier while birds wintering in South America arrived 4 days earlier. Although a change in observer effort cannot be quantified and may be a source of bias, a comparison of the numbers of reporting observers during the 1930s and the 1980s revealed no significant difference. These results are consistent with those expected under a scenario of global warming.
Immunohistochemical analysis and 3D-reconstruction of the cephalic nervous system of Chaetognatha: insights into the evolution of an early bilaterian brain?

Abstract. We examined the brain architecture in different species of Chaetognatha using immunofluorescence methods with a set of nervous system markers and confocal laser-scan microscopic analysis. These markers include antibodies against synaptic proteins, RFamide-related peptides, and tyrosinated tubulin, as well as a marker of cell nuclei. Furthermore, we present a 3D reconstruction based on histological section series. Our results expand the previous knowledge on neuroanatomy in Chaetognatha. We suggest a structural and functional subdivision of the rather complex chaetognath brain into two domains, a posterior domain that may be primarily involved in the integration of sensory input, and an anterior domain that may be involved in the control of the mouthparts and the anterior part of the digestive system. Immunolocalization of a neuropeptide suggests the presence of an identifiable group of neurons associated with the brain of all species examined here. However, our data also reveal a certain degree of interspecific variation and divergence within the Chaetognatha concerning, for example, the pattern of nerves branching off the brain and the proportional sizes of the various neuropil compartments. We compare our data to brain architecture in various other representatives of Protostomia and Deuterostomia. The chaetognath brain fits within the range of structural variation encountered in protostomian brains, and we cannot find any brain characteristics that would argue in favor of placing chaetognaths outside of the Protostomia. Rather, we see the circumoral arrangement of their cephalic nervous system as an argument that suggests protostome affinities.
Use of airborne multispectral imagery to discriminate and map weed infestations in a citrus orchard

Reliable information on weed abundance and distribution within fields is essential for weed management in agricultural systems. Such information is necessary to adopt localized and variable rates of herbicide spraying, thus reducing chemical waste, crop damage, and environmental pollution. This paper examined the potential of airborne multispectral imagery to discriminate and map weed infestations in an experimental citrus orchard in Japan. Using an airborne digital sensor, multispectral imagery was acquired over the study site on 10 April 2003. The obtained reflectance imagery was analyzed using an image object-based approach in eCognition. After creating image objects on the image, the spectral information for weeds and citrus, represented by corresponding selected sample image objects, was extracted. Significant differences in the spectral characteristics between weeds and citrus were observed in each of the red, green, and blue wavebands. The simple average values of these wavebands were used to classify image objects with the nearest neighbor algorithm. Maps were generated with different classes or levels of class groups. A subsequent accuracy assessment demonstrated that the weeds were successfully discriminated from other image objects with a classification accuracy of 99.07%. Therefore, maps generated based on the classification result could provide valuable information for developing a site-specific weed management program for the study orchard.
Preparation of antiserum against the pneumococcal autolysin—inhibition of autolysin activity and some autolytic processes by the antibody

The importance of the pneumococcal murein hydrolase in a variety of physiologically important phenomena such as penicillin-induced or bacteriophage-induced lysis or uptake of DNA molecules during genetic transformation, has been documented in the literature [1,2]. The present brief communication reports the preparation of an antiserum against the subunit E-form of the purified pneumococcal autolysin, an N-acetylmuramyl-Lalanine amidase [3]. This antiserum was shown to inhibit specifically several autolytic processes, further confirming the postulated role of the pneumococcal murein hydrolase in these processes.