Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Free Paper

Background and Aim: Chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) treated with burr-hole drainage has a risk of recurrence requiring re-operation. A considerable proportion of surgeons remained concern with the potential complications of bleeding or infection. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the compliance of the use of subdural drain and the impact on recurrence and complications. Method: The study design was a 6-year longitudinal study. Ethic approval was obtained. Data of consecutive patients with burr-hole drainage performed for CSDH at a University Hospital (Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong) during a six-year period from January 2008 to December 2013 were prospectively collected and retrospectively analysed. Primary outcome was the rate of implementation of subdural drain after burr hole drainage. Secondary outcomes including rate of symptomatic recurrence requiring re-operation within six months, incidence of bleeding or infection. Results: A total of 557 patients were identified. Usage of subdural drain significantly increased from 5.9% in 2008 to 81.4% in 2013 (Odds Ratio=0.0143, 95%CI 0.0046-0.0441; p<0.001). The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.952, with was a strong positive correlation. The recurrence rate was 4.96% (13/262) with drain placement versus 11.2% (33/295) with no drain (Odds Ratio=0.443, 95%CI 0.229-0.861; p=0.0163). Local wound infection, subdural empyema, acute subdural haematoma and other complications had no significant difference. Conclusion: Implementation of best-evidence practice with the use of subdural drain for CSDH in a university hospital in Hong Kong was successful with high compliance rate. This practice had significantly reduced recurrence with no significant increase in complications. FP2
Growth analysis of congeneric annual and perennial grass species

Summary 1. A growth analysis was conducted on seven annual/perennial pairs of grasses (six congeneric and one pair taken at random) grown in a hydroponic culture system under constant, productive conditions, in order to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the higher relative growth rate (RGR) of annuals as compared to perennials. 2. All the production parameters (RGR, relative leaf production rate, unit leaf rates), were higher in annuals than in perennials. There were very few differences between the two life forms in biomass allocation to the different organs (except a higher allocation to sheaths in perennials)
Do Patients With Moderate or High Disease Activity Escalate Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy According to Treat‐to‐Target Principles? Results From the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness Registry of the American College of Rheumatology

Despite strong recommendations for routine measurement of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity and associated treatment changes to attain remission/low disease activity, the measurement tools that clinicians use to evaluate RA patients’ disease activity and frequency of treatment change have not been well characterized. Therefore, we evaluated different measurement tools that physicians used to assess RA disease activity and associated RA treatment changes.
The metabolites of the genus onopordum (asteraceae): Chemistry and biological properties

Onopordum is an interesting genus belonging to the tribe Cardueae (Asteraceae family), and the species of this genus are used as food and in the popular medicine of several countries. The present paper reviews all the metabolites present in all the species of this genus, reported up to 2009, and several chemotaxonomic consideration have been made. Furthermore, the occurrence in other genus, the spectral data, the synthetic approaches, the chemical modifications and the biological properties of the sesquiterpenes of genus Onopor- dum have been reviewed.
Mental Deterioration.

A n account of diseases prevalent among the internees of KZ-camps should also make some attempt at recording the mental changes resulting from internment. However, the manifold factors entering into the estimate makes it practically impossible to determine exactly the aetiology of this mental deterioration. Hence, the task of producing this chapter has been beset with particularly great difficulties. Little trustworthy information has been obtained from questionaries or from conversations with repatriated deportees. Only limited reliance can be placed on the memory of a former internee describing his own mental state under such abnormal conditions, even less after the lapse of about 2 s years. Th i s chapter, therefore, is built mainly upon the authors’ own observations and experiences; but, unfortunately, those of us being internees ourselves had no special training in psychiatry. Hence, for the purpose of this chapter, and to supplement subjective information from thc repatriated deportees, we have been aided by our psychiatrist associates. For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that the authors, too, may have been subject, more or less, to some of the mental changes described herein. With these reservations, however, it must be stressed that the well-developed and characteristic mental changes, at any rate, were so definite that the symptomatic description may safely be accepted.
Rapid and non-destructive analysis of vigour of Pinus patula seeds using single seed near infrared transmittance spectra and multivariate analysis

Summary The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of near infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis for rapid analysis of vigour of pine seeds. To test this, non-aged seeds and seeds exposed to accelerated ageing treatments at 41°C and ca. 100% RH for three, seven and nine days were employed. Near infrared transmittance spectra were recorded on individual seeds using a 1225 Infratec analyser from 850-1048 nm at 2 nm resolutions. The NIR spectroscopic data were analysed by Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and later applied to classify new samples. The results showed that non-aged and aged seeds were distinguished with 100% classification accuracy. Among aged seeds, 80% of three-day aged seeds were correctly distinguished from those aged for seven or nine days. Seeds aged for seven or nine days were correctly identified with 90% and 75% accuracies, respectively from three-day aged seeds. Absorption bands correlating to lipids, proteins and other compounds were accounted for the classification of non-aged and aged seeds. In conclusion, the results show that NIR spectroscopy has a great potential for classifying aged seeds and may be used for sorting deteriorated seeds from a seed lot.
Inhibition of cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 synergistically enhances venetoclax activity in mantle cell lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive and largely incurable subtype of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Venetoclax has demonstrated efficacy in MCL patients with relapsed or refractory disease, however response is variable and less durable than CLL. This may be the result of co‐expression of other anti‐apoptotic proteins such as MCL‐1, which is associated with both intrinsic and acquired resistance to venetoclax in B‐cell malignancies. One strategy for neutralizing MCL‐1 and other short‐lived survival factors is to inhibit CDK9, which plays a key role in transcription. Here, we report the response of MCL cell lines and primary patient samples to the combination of venetoclax and novel CDK9 inhibitors. Primary samples represented de novo patients and relapsed disease, including relapse after ibrutinib failure. Despite the diverse responses to each single agent, possibly due to variable expression of the BCL‐2 family members, venetoclax plus CDK9 inhibitors synergistically induced apoptosis in MCL cells. The synergistic effect was also confirmed via venetoclax plus a direct MCL‐1 inhibitor. Murine xenograft studies demonstrated potent in vivo efficacy of venetoclax plus CDK9 inhibitor that was superior to each agent alone. Together, this study supports clinical investigation of this combination in MCL, including in patients who have progressed on ibrutinib.
The forest–alpine ecotone: a multi-scale approach to spatial and temporal dynamics of treeline change at Niwot Ridge

Background: Current understanding of treeline or forest-alpine ecotone (FAE) dynamics does not fully explain past and present FAE patterns and their underlying processes, nor allow prediction of their response to climate change. Aims: We address the overarching hypothesis that the FAE is a mosaic of distinct landscape units of vegetation and landforms that result in differential responses to climate change. We focus on climate-related, landscape and vegetation characteristics, but also consider the effect of landscape heterogeneity on biogeochemistry and overall resilience of the FAE to climate change. Results: There are three distinct FAE land units at Niwot Ridge, generated by different interactions of climate with vegetation, landforms and topography. Within these FAEs, a process of self-organisation takes place from organism to patch to landscape scales, and is modulated by positive and negative feedback loops along an elevation gradient. The underlying controls cannot be attributed solely to temperature, but to a combination of interactions along a physical/biotic gradient. Conclusions: FAE dynamics result from interactions among mechanisms and processes at the microsite, patch and landscape scales: (1) tree persistence; (2) forest patch establishment; (3) drivers of patch forest configurations and (4) resilience, increasing along a gradient of biotic control.
Measurement of Tea Catechins Using Biosensors

Biosensors were developed for simple and rapid measurement of tea catechins. The sensor which consisted of tyrosinase-immobilized membrane and an oxygen electrode continued to have a stability problem. The sensor that uses a slice of burdock (Arctium lappa L.) as a substitute for the tyrosinase membrane was stable enough to measure the concentration of catechins in green tea infusion. When the concentrations of catechins in tea infusions were measured by this sensor, the results showed good correlation with the results of the standard method.
DISTRIBUTION OF SAPONIN IN ECHINODERMS

Occurrence of saponin had been considered to be limited to the plant kingdom until YAMANOUCHI1) and NIGRELLI2) independently obtained from sea cucumbers the toxic substances which were unequivocally qualified for saponin both chemically and physiologically. Wide distribution f the substances among sea cucumbers was also recognized by them1,3). On the other hand, presence of saponin in starfish as been demonstrated in our laboratory4,5), and two principal components, designated astero saponin A6) and asterosaponin B7), were isolated in crystalline form respectively . These findings led the authors to survey on distribution f animal saponin in the other echinoderms than holothuroids. The present paper deals with distribution of saponins among five species of asteroids, three of echinoids, and each one of ophiuroids and crinoids. Results of examination on components, distribution in the body and seasonal variation of saponin in starfish are also described.
Ameliorative effect of selenium on tomato plants grown under salinity stress

ABSTRACT The ability of selenium (Se) to counteract salt inhibitory effects in crop plants, especially in tomato, is still poorly documented. In order to examine the impact of Se addition on the growth, some biochemical parameters related to osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense of salt-stressed tomato, a two-factorial experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. The plants were supplied with NaCl (0, 25, or 50 mM) and Se (0, 5, or 10 μM), individually or simultaneously. The results showed that salinity had a deleterious impact on plant biomass and physiological parameters studied. The application of Se alleviated this adverse effect by improving the integrity of cell membranes and by increasing leaf relative water content under stress conditions. Moreover, the application of 10 μM Se significantly increased the photosynthetic pigments concentration under salt stress. Salt stress also caused an inhibition of catalase activity, but its activity was restored in the presence of Se. The free radical scavenging activity significantly increased in plants subjected to 25 mM NaCl and supplied with 5 µM Se, compared to NaCl-alone treatment. Both physiological and biochemical results indicate that 10 µM Se treatment can increase plant performance under salt stress, especially under high NaCl concentration. Abbreviations: CAT: catalase; Chl: chlorophyll; DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DW: dry weight; FW: fresh weight; POD: peroxidase; REL: relative electrolyte leakage; RWC: relative water content; free radical scavenging activity (FRSA); TW: turgid weight
Genetic structure analysis of the natural and the cultural stocks of Sinonovacula constricta in Changjie,Ningbo

RAPD technique was explored to evaluate the genetic structure between natural and cultivated stock of Sinonovacula constricta distributed in Changjie of Ningbo.121distinguished RAPD sites,ranging from250bp to2500bp in size,were acquired with21decamer random primers.The statistic results,inclouding genetic distance,inbreeding co-efficient and available number for reproduction,informed us that the stock condition exerted little influence on their genetic structure.The values of the above genetic parameters were0.0497,0.0735and3. 1514in turn.The heterozygosities was higher in cultivated stock than natural one,which was not consistent with any other reports in other aquatic animals.This may be due to the abundance bait and natural larva collecion.
Shortening the Ripening Period under Water Stress during Early Stages of Panicle Development in a Paddy Field Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivar

The objective of this study was to examine whether the ripening period is affected by water stress during early stages of panicle development in rice. Sixteen seedlings of a paddy field rice cultivar Koshihikari were transplanted in a 4l pot containing sandyloam soil, and pots were kept flooded. Tillers being removed weekly, only main culms were exposed to 10 different soil moisture stress started either at the primary rachis branch or the floret differentiation stage. The time from sowing to heading increased by water stress. The panicle growth after heading was lowered by water stress and the ripening period was shortened when water stress became severe. As a result, the growth period varied only slightly under water stress. Although a proportional relation existed between the time from sowing to heading and water stress duration, this was not so chose as to cumulative water stress (CWS). It is therefore concluded that the ripening period of rice is shortened under water stress during early stages of panicle development, while the time to heading increases with increasing CWS. The causes of shortening the ripening period and its contribution to grain production were discussed.
Total Diet Comparison in Fishes by Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficients

The Spearman rank correlation and t-test were employed as a novel method for comparative analysis of total diets of three species of Killifish (Cyprinodontidae). The Calfornia killifish, Fundulus parvipinnis and mummichog, F. heteroclitus, of Nova Scotia have similar diets in similar but remotely separated habitats. In contrast two populations of F. heteroclitus inhabiting substantially different habitats have different diets. Two phylogenetically related sympatric species, F. heteroclitus and the banded killifish, F. diaphanus are shown to have differing diets. These results agree with the expected feeding performance of closely related species inhabiting the same trophic level sympatrically and allopatrically.
Cytoplasmic sucrolytic activity controls tomato fruit growth under salinity

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum (L.) Mill cv. Volgogradskij) crop yield reduction under salinity is mainly due to a decrease in dry matter accumulation rate during the early fruit-growing period (15–35 days after anthesis, DAA). However, partial restoration of growth occurred during the late phase of fruit development (35–45 DAA). Salt stress provoked sucrose accumulation in both apoplastic and symplastic spaces of up to 15 mМ, as well as acidification and Na+ accumulation in the apoplast and a transient increase in starch content. According to the hypothesis stated, the decrease in apoplastic pH imposed by salinity caused a loss of insoluble acid invertase activity, which was associated with sucrose accumulation, and resulted in a limiting step for fruit growth under moderate and high salinities. As a consequence of sucrose accumulation in the symplast, cytoplasmic sucrolytic activity (neutral invertase + sucrose synthase) was induced. It acted as a metabolical adaptive response by regulating the sucrose homeostasis and controlling the assimilate import, dry matter accumulation and fruit growth under salt conditions. Although the compartmentation of the hexose excess into starch could be considered as another adaptive response, the key enzyme ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase does not seem to be important in the control of fruit growth under salinity conditions.
ISOLATION OF PHENANTHRENE-DEGRADING BACTERIA ANDANALYSIS OF THEIR DEGRADING-ENZYME GENE

Two phenanthrene-degrading bacteria, WSCII and WSCIII, were isolated from the activated sludge of a city sewage treatment factory. Based on 16S rDNA sequence, they were supposed belonging to Sphingomonas sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Under 28 ℃, the two strains degraded phenanthrene (0.6 g/L) by 70.9% and 78.1% within 4 days,respectively. Different dioxygenase activities were detected in both strains when cultivated on different carbon sources, such as LB, naphthalene and phenanthrene. The highest was in the case of phenanthrene, which indicated that the expression of dioxygenase could be induced by its specific substrate. Dot blotting showed positive hybridization of both strains' total DNA with a dioxygenase heterogeneous dioxygenase probe, but might have different similarities indicated by different signal strength. A fragment of dioxygenaseα-subunit gene was obtained by a degenerate PCR from the total DNA of WSCIII, it shared 98% similarity with the dioxygenase of P. putida NCIB9816-4(AF491307). Fig 5, Ref 10
Erratum

(1) glaucomatous cupping of the optic disc (i.e. totally excavated optic disc, excavation to the disc margin, cup disc asymmetry of 0.2 or more between the eyes, vertical excavation ratio greater than horizontal or optic disc haemorrhage, and (2) visual field defects consistent with glaucoma and not explicable on other grounds as judged by the ophthalmologist (GG). The minimum criterion for judging a visual field as glaucomatous was an elevated loss variance (>6 dB) in combination with a cluster of two or more abnormal (p < 0.005) points. ’’
A General Comparison of Two Major Families of Animal Lectins

動物レクチン (糖結合タンパク質) には二つの大きなタンパク家系がある。 一つはカルシウム要求型 (C-型) レクチンの家系で、もう一つは金属イオン非要求性のβ-ガラクトシド結合性レクチン (いわゆるS-型) の家系である。 動物レクチンの存在意義を解明する一環として両レクチン家系の総合比較を試みた。 C-型レクチンは多種多様な細胞外タンパクの巨大集団であり、それらはレクチンおよびレクチン関連タンパク質からなる。 C-型レクチンの分子構築様式は多様性に富み、また知りうるかぎり、生体での機能もさまざまである。 しかし、個々の分子についてみると、比較的狭い生物・組織分布を示し、概して機能の特殊化が目立つ。 そのようなC-型レクチンは、分子進化の過程で、有用な糖認識ドメイン (いわゆるCRD) を最大限に活用してできた、いわば「ブリコラージュの産物」とみなしうる。 一方、S-型レクチンの多様性はC-型レクチンと比べるとずっと小さい。 目下のところ、わずか三種の金属非要求型の可溶性β-ガラクトシド結合性レクチンがこの家系を構成するにすぎない。 S-型レクチンの生体機能についてはよくわかってないが、ごく最近、海綿や線虫といった原始的な多細胞動物でも相同なレクチンが見つかった。 このことはS-型レクチンの基本的重要性を示唆する。 また、S-型レクチンは明らかに細胞質タンパクとして合成されており、この点は本レクチンの未知なる細胞内機能という期待をいだかせる。 おそらく、S-型レクチンはラクトサミノグリカンのような複合糖鎖を伴侶として選びとり、ともに多細胞動物にとって欠くことのできない要素となっているにちがいない。 このようなS-型レクチンの諸性質は、C-型レクチンに対する「アンチテーゼ」として対比しうる。
Retirement

This paper provides new evidence of coordination of retirement by mature age couples in Australia. Two complementary estimation approaches are used to highlight the importance of taking the household decision-making context into account when modeling the retirement behaviour of partnered men and women. First, a single risk hazard model provides insights into the influences of a spouse’s characteristics on the retirement decision of the individual. Second, a competing-risks framework is used to examine the retirement behaviour of couples exiting from a situation in which both are in paid employment. There is strong evidence of coordination of retirement by mature age couples in Australia due to complementarities in leisure and, for women, because of caring responsibilities. In particular, the results suggest that women may delay their own retirement if their partner has a financial incentive to continue in the labour force; or retire early to care for a partner who is in poor health.
The reproductive energetics of gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and macaroni (Eudyptes chrysolophus) penguins at South Georgia

(1) The doubly-labelled water method was used in the first comprehensive study of penguin energetics throughout the reproduction and moult season, comparing gentoo penguins (inshore feeding, sexually monomorphic, share breeding duties equally) with macaroni penguins (offshore feeding, dimorphic, duties unequally shared). (2) While fasting during courtship and incubation, macaronis (both sexes) and female gentoos had field metabolic rates (FMR) of 4.1 and 3.8 W kg^-1, respectively. Male gentoos also spending time at sea had an FMR of 7.5 W kg^-1. Male macaroni FMR for fasting while brooding was 3.8 W kg^-1. During chick-rearing, gentoo FMR was 6.8 W kg^-1 early on, rising to 7.4 W kg^-1 later; for macaronis FMR was 13 W kg^-1. Estimated energy cost of foraging at sea was 16 and 22 W kg^-1 for gentoos and macaronis, respectively. Gentoo and macaroni FMR during moult was 5.3 and 6.7 W kg^-1. (3) Over the breeding and moult season, male and female gentoos have total and average daily energy expenditure (DEE) only 1% different, agreeing with expectation for monomorphic species sharing duties equally. Female macaronis (10% smaller than males) have average DEE 9% (17% on a mass-specific basis) greater than males, mainly because they spend more time rearing chicks, involving intensive foraging at sea. However, males spent more days at the colony so over the whole season female energy expenditure is only 3.5% above males. (4) Scaled mass-specific average DEE is 18% greater for macaronis than gentoos, chiefly because of the energy costs of offshore foraging trips. As their breeding and moult season is 20% shorter than gentoos, average absolute DEE is 13% less for macaronis; however, macaroni chick production is only half that of gentoos.
SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT IN BANNER-TAILED KANGAROO RATS'

Nine years of demographic data for two unmanipulated populations of ban- ner-tailed kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spectabilis) in Arizona provide measures of survival, fecundity, age structure, and density. We use these data to search for costs of reproduction in two important components of fitness: survival and future fecundity. We also examine the interaction effects among reproductive effort, age, sex, and density on survival and future fecundity. None of the analyses reveals a significant negative effect of reproductive effort on survival or future fecundity. This result may be seen as evidence that reproduction has no measureable costs in fitness for bannertails. However, another explanation is that bannertails adjust their reproductive effort to individual circumstances so as to minimize costs.