Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beef cattle stocking rate, a key to the conservation of the pastoral system in Brazilian biomes.

In Brazil, beef cattle are raised in predominantly extensive systems. The feeding base is represented by native and/or cultivated pastures. The latter may be in a well conserved state or may present some degree of degradation. The amount of animals per hectare, supported by the pasture by each time unit, is basically related to the pasture production. There is interaction between quality and production, and changes in these parameters are strongly affected by the stocking rate.
Omnivory and Periphyton Mats: Uncoupling and Quantifying Consumer Effects in the Florida Everglades

OF THE THESIS OMNIVORY AND PERIPHYTON MATS: UNCOUPLING AND QUANTIFYING CONSUMER EFFECTS IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES by Pamela Geddes Florida International University, 1999 Miami, Florida Professor Joel C. Trexler, Major Professor The role of omnivores in structuring communities is poorly understood. I studied the effect of two abundant omnivores, grass shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosas) and eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), on periphyton biomass of the Florida Everglades. I performed field experiments to test for consumer top-down and “complex” top-down effects on periphyton biomass. My experiments suggested that shrimp and mosquitofish had consumptive effects on periphyton but in many instances, periphyton wet weight, AFDM, and chlorophyll a increased significantly with shrimp or fish density, suggesting compensation by nutrient regeneration or trophic cascade processes. I propose that characteristic periphyton mat structure and integrity deters herbivory and affects the outcome of the periphyton-consumer interaction. Results from a descriptive study and a laboratory experiment support this hypothesis. Overall, consumption by shrimp and mosquitofish was significant, but coupled with and sometimes compensated by “complex” top-down effects, making these consumers “functional” omnivores.
Seasonal Food Habits of the Coyote in the South Carolina Coastal Plain

Abstract Spatial and temporal plasticity in Canis latrans (coyote) diets require regional studies to understand the ecological role of this omnivorous canid. Because coyotes have recently become established in South Carolina, we investigated their food habits by collecting 415 coyote scats on the Savannah River Site in western South Carolina from May 2005–July 2006. Seasonally available soft mast was the most common food item in 12 of the 15 months we sampled. Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer) was the most common food item during December (40%) and March (37%). During May–June, fruits of Prunus spp. and Rubus spp. were the most commonly occurring food items. Fawns were the most common mammalian food item during May and June of both years despite low deer density.
A copula test space model how to avoid the wrong copula choice

We introduce and discuss the test space problem as a part of the whole copula fitting process. In particular, we explain how an efficient copula test space can be constructed by taking into account information about the existing dependence. Although our model is developed in a bivariate environment it can be used for higher dimensional copula fitting applications. This is shown on the 3 dimensional dependence structure of an illustrative porfolio containing the S&P 500 Composite Index, the JP Morgan Government Bond Index and the NAREIT All index.
Integration of brain-like computational structure and infant behaviorial pattern for robotic hand-eye coordination

Robotic hand-eye coordination plays an important role in dealing with real time environment; and the learning procedure of this skill affects the fundamental framework of robotic cognition. This paper introduces a novel developmental approach to hand-eye coordination in an autonomous robotic system. Existing work employs neural network models to map visual perception to hand. In the approach, a computational structure and a cross-modal link mechanism are applied to simulate brain cortices; and a movement pattern inspired by infant behaviors is designed to help robot learn to build its hand-eye coordination. This work is supported by experimental evaluation, which shows that the learning algorithm provides a fast and incremental learning of behavioral competence.
A decrease in regional cerebral blood volume and hematocrit in crossed cerebellar diaschisis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The pathophysiology of crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) remains to be elucidated. In CCD, the metabolic suppression resulting from deafferentation may cause vasoconstriction, which may result in a decrease in cerebral blood volume (CBV) and may differentially affect the flows of red blood cells and of plasma. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether CCD decreases the total CBV (cerebral red blood cell volume [CRCV] plus cerebral plasma volume [CPV]) and, if so, whether CCD differentially affects the CRCV and CPV, resulting in a change in hematocrit. METHODS We used positron emission tomography to study 7 patients with a unilateral supratentorial infarct and CCD. The distributions of CRCV and CPV were assessed by using 15O-labeled carbon monoxide and 62Cu-labeled human serum albumin-dithiosemicarbazone tracers, respectively. The CRCV, CPV, and calculated hematocrit values were compared between the cerebellar hemispheres. RESULTS In the cerebellar cortex contralateral to the supratentorial infarct, the values of CRCV, CPV, and total CBV were significantly decreased compared with those in the ipsilateral cerebellar cortex. The CRCV was decreased to a greater degree than the CPV, and the value of the hematocrit was decreased in the contralateral cerebellar cortex. CONCLUSIONS CCD may decrease the total CBV, which may reflect vasoconstriction caused by decreased metabolism due to deafferentation. In addition, the more pronounced decrease in CRCV than in CPV may result in a decrease in hematocrit in CCD.
Proteomic Profiling of Cereal Aphid Saliva Reveals Both Ubiquitous and Adaptive Secreted Proteins

The secreted salivary proteins from two cereal aphid species, Sitobion avenae and Metopolophium dirhodum, were collected from artificial diets and analysed by tandem mass spectrometry. Protein identification was performed by searching MS data against the official protein set from the current pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) genome assembly and revealed 12 and 7 proteins in the saliva of S. avenae and M. dirhodum, respectively. When combined with a comparable dataset from A. pisum, only three individual proteins were common to all the aphid species; two paralogues of the GMC oxidoreductase family (glucose dehydrogenase; GLD) and ACYPI009881, an aphid specific protein previously identified as a putative component of the salivary sheath. Antibodies were designed from translated protein sequences obtained from partial cDNA sequences for ACYPI009881 and both saliva associated GLDs. The antibodies detected all parent proteins in secreted saliva from the three aphid species, but could only detect ACYPI009881, and not saliva associated GLDs, in protein extractions from the salivary glands. This result was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using whole and sectioned salivary glands, and in addition, localised ACYPI009881 to specific cell types within the principal salivary gland. The implications of these findings for the origin of salivary components and the putative role of the proteins identified are discussed in the context of our limited understanding of the functional relationship between aphid saliva and the plants they feed on. The mass spectrometry data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange and can be accessed under the identifier PXD000113.
Authorisation Using Attributes from Multiple Authorities

As attribute based authorisation infrastructures such as XACML gain in popularity, linking together user attributes from multiple attribute authorities (AAs) is becoming a pressing problem. Current models and mechanisms do not support this linking, primarily because the user is known by different names in the different AAs. Furthermore, linking the attributes together poses a potential risk to the user's privacy. This paper provides a model and protocol elements for linking AAs, service providers and user attributes together, under the sole control of the user, thereby maintaining the user's privacy. The paper also shows how the model and protocol elements can be implemented using existing technologies, namely relational databases or LDAP directories, and the SAML protocol
Innovation Network Development Model in Telemedicine: A Change in Participation

Objectives This paper introduces a telemedicine innovation network and reports its implementation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The required conditions for the development of future projects in the field of telemedicine are also discussed; such projects should be based on the common needs and opportunities in the areas of healthcare, education, and technology. Methods The development of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out in two phases: identifying the beneficiaries of telemedicine, and codification of the innovation network memorandum; and brainstorming of three workgroup members, and completion and clustering ideas. The present study employed a qualitative survey by using brain storming method. Thus, the ideas of the innovation network members were gathered, and by using Freeplane software, all of them were clustered and innovation projects were defined. Results In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. Conclusions Today, innovation is considered a major infrastructural element of any change or progress. Thus, the successful implementation of a telemedicine project not only needs funding, human resources, and full equipment. It also requires the use of innovation models to cover several different aspects of change and progress. The results of the study can provide a basis for the implementation of future telemedicine projects using new participatory, creative, and innovative models.
HIV Breakthroughs and Risk Sexual Behavior

Recent breakthroughs in the treatment of HIV have coincided with an increase in infection rates and an eventual slowing of reductions in HIV mortality. These trends may be causally related, if treatment improves the health and functional status of HIV+ individuals and allows them to engage in more sexual risk-taking. We examine this hypothesis empirically using access to health insurance as an instrument for treatment status. We find that treatment results in more sexual risk-taking by HIV+ adults, and possibly more of other risky behaviors like drug abuse. This relationship implies that breakthroughs in treating an incurable disease like HIV can increase precautionary behavior by the uninfected and thus reduce welfare. We also show that, in the presence of this effect, treatment and prevention are social complements for incurable diseases, even though they are substitutes for curable ones. Finally, there is less under-provision of treatment for an incurable disease than a curable one, because of the negative externalities associated with treating an incurable disease.
Smad1 Recognition and Activation by the ALK1 Group of Transforming Growth Factor-β Family Receptors*

Two structural elements, the L45 loop on the kinase domain of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family type I receptors and the L3 loop on the MH2 domain of Smad proteins, determine the specificity of the interactions between these receptors and Smad proteins. The L45 sequence of the TGF-β type I receptor (TβR-I) specifies Smad2 interaction, whereas the related L45 sequence of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptor (BMPR-I) specifies Smad1 interactions. Here we report that members of a third receptor group, which includes ALK1 and ALK2 from vertebrates and Saxophone from Drosophila, specifically phosphorylate and activate Smad1 even though the L45 sequence of this group is very divergent from that of BMPR-I. We investigated the structural elements that determine the specific recognition of Smad1 by ALK1 and ALK2. In addition to the receptor L45 loop and the Smad1 L3 loop, the specificity of this recognition requires the α-helix 1 of Smad1. The α-helix 1 is a conserved structural element located in the vicinity of the L3 loop on the surface of the Smad MH2 domain. Thus, Smad1 recognizes two distinct groups of receptors, the BMPR-I group and the ALK1 group, through different L45 sequences on the receptor kinase domain and a differential use of two surface structures on the Smad1 MH2 domain.
Shared displays for promoting informal cooperation: an exploratory study

In this paper we present KOALA, a system realizing shared displays for promoting informal cooperation. We report the results from an exploratory study of real world usage of KOALA that we have conducted to understand how shared display systems are used and how their usage patterns might differ from their paperbased counterparts. This study was conducted with the aim of informing the design of ambient displays to be used in office settings. A number of lessons learned from the experimentation are outlined.
Solubility of proteins isolated from inclusion bodies is enhanced by fusion to maltose-binding protein or thioredoxin.

When the mammalian aspartic proteinases, procathepsin D or pepsinogen, are expressed in Escherichia coli both accumulate in inclusion bodies. While pepsinogen is efficiently refolded in vitro, recovery of procathepsin D is limited by insolubility. We expressed procathepsin D and pepsinogen in E. coli, with E. coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) or thioredoxin (trx) fused to their C-termini (aspartic proteinase-MBP or aspartic proteinase-trx). The fusion proteins were still found in inclusion bodies. However, the recovery of soluble procathepsin D-MBP and procathepsin D-trx after refolding was facilitated by the bacterial fusion partners. Maltose-binding protein was more efficient than thioredoxin in increasing the recovery of soluble protein. The vector, pET23bMBPH6, can be used for general expression of heterologous proteins in E. coli. The vector includes a histidine tag at the C-terminus of MBP to allow one-step purification of the fusion proteins under denaturing conditions. After purification, the protein of interest can be cleaved from MBP with factor Xa protease and separated from the MBP partner. Refolded pepsinogen-MBP and pepsinogen-trx were enzymatically active, but procathepsin D-MBP and procathepsin D-trx were soluble but largely inactive. The results show that the limited recovery of activity upon refolding of procathepsin D is not the consequence of competing aggregation. Thus, the fusions do not necessarily facilitate native refolding, but they do enhance the recovery of soluble protein. Such fusions could provide a system to study, in soluble form, folding states which are otherwise inaccessible because of aggregation and precipitation.
Pegfilgrastim compared to lenograstim after allogeneic peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation from unrelated donors

We compared a single, subcutaneous fixed dose of 6 mg pegfilgrastim on day +5 with daily lenograstim 263 μg from day +5 and continued until neutrophils were ≥0.5 × 109/L after allogeneic peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation (PBSCT) from unrelated donors for various hematological disorders. Neutrophil engraftment was significantly faster (p = 0.006) in the pegfilgrastim than in the lenograstim group. There was also a tendency towards achieving a faster platelet engraftment (p = 0.06) in the pegfilgrastim group (median 16 vs. 19 days). The duration of thrombocytopenia (<20 × 109/L) was shorter in the pegfilgrastim group (p = 0.05). There were no significant differences in the duration of neutropenia (p = 0.14) and febrile neutropenia (p = 0.25). Differences were not observed in the treatment related mortality, disease free and overall survival between both groups. We conclude that Pegfilgrastim ensured rapid neutrophil engraftment after unrelated allogeneic peripheral SCT, which was at least as effective as daily lenograstim.
Nephritogenic l Light Chain Dimer: A Unique Human Miniautoantibody Against Complement Factor H

A unique monoclonal Ig l light chain dimer (protein LOI) was isolated from the serum and urine of a patient with hypocomplementemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. In vitro the l light chain dimer efficiently activated the alternative pathway of complement (AP). When added to normal human serum, LOI temporarily enhanced AP hemolytic activity, but during a prolonged incubation the hemolytic activity was depleted. Protein LOI was found to bind to factor H, the main regulator molecule of AP. By binding to the short consensus repeat domain 3 of factor H, the dimer LOI blocked one of three interaction sites between H and C3b and thus inhibited the activity of H and induced an uncontrolled activation of the AP. Structural analysis showed that LOI belonged to the Vl3a subgroup ofl light chains. The variable (V) region of LOI was most closely related to the predicted product of the Vl3 germline geneIglv3s2, although it contained several unique residues that in a tertiary homology model structure form an unusual ring of charged residues around a hydrophobic groove in the putative Ag binding site. This site fitted considerably well with a putative binding site in the molecular model of domain 3 of factor H containing a reciprocal ring of charged amino acids around a hydrophobic area. Apparently, functional blocking of factor H by the Ab fragment-likel light chain dimer had initiated the development of a severe form of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Thus, thel light chain dimer LOI represents the first described pathogenic miniautoantibody in human disease.The Journal of Immunology, 1999, 163: 4590–4596.
REV, A BRET-Based Sensor of ERK Activity

Networks of signaling molecules are activated in response to environmental changes. How are these signaling networks dynamically integrated in space and time to process particular information? To tackle this issue, biosensors of single signaling pathways have been engineered. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based biosensors have proven to be particularly efficient in that matter due to the high sensitivity of this technology to monitor protein–protein interactions or conformational changes in living cells. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) are ubiquitously expressed and involved in many diverse cellular functions that might be encoded by the strength and spatio-temporal pattern of ERK activation. We developed a BRET-based sensor of ERK activity, called Rluc8-ERKsubstrate-Venus (REV). As expected, BRET changes of REV were correlated with ERK phosphorylation, which is required for its kinase activity. In neurons, the nature of the stimuli determines the strength, the location, or the moment of ERK activation, thus highlighting how acute modulation of ERK may encode the nature of initial stimulus to specify the consequences of this activation. This study provides evidence for suitability of REV as a new biosensor to address biological questions.
Subjectively and objectively measured sleep with and without posttraumatic stress disorder and trauma exposure.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Although reports of sleep disturbances are common among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), results of polysomnographic (PSG) studies have inconsistently documented abnormalities and have therefore suggested "sleep state misperception. " The authors' study objectives were to compare sleep parameters measured objectively and subjectively in the laboratory and at home in civilians with and without trauma exposure and PTSD. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING PSG recordings in a sleep laboratory and actigraphic recordings in participants' homes. PARTICIPANTS One hundred three urban-residing African Americans with and without trauma exposure and PTSD who participated in a larger study. INTERVENTIONS N/A. MEASUREMENTS Sleep parameters (total sleep time [TST], sleep onset latency [SOL], and wake after sleep onset [WASO]) were assessed using laboratory PSG and home actigraphy. A sleep diary was completed in the morning after PSG and actigraphy recordings. Habitual TST, SOL, and WASO were assessed using a sleep questionnaire. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale was administered to assess participants' trauma exposure and PTSD diagnostic status. RESULTS Participants, regardless of their trauma exposure/PTSD status, underestimated WASO in the diary and questionnaire relative to actigraphy and overestimated SOL in the diary relative to PSG. Among participants with current PTSD, TST diary estimates did not differ from the actigraphy measure in contrast with those without current PTSD who overestimated TST. No other significant group differences in discrepancies between subjective and objective sleep measures were found. CONCLUSIONS Discrepancies between subjectively and objectively measured sleep parameters were not associated with trauma exposure or PTSD. This challenges prior assertions that individuals with PTSD overreport their sleep disturbances.
Effects of Cholinergic Nerves on Cerebral Blood Flow in Cats

We studied the effects of parasympathetic nerves on cerebral blood flow (CBF). The greater superficial petrosal nerve, which apparently supplies cholinergic fibers to cerebral vessels and the lacrimal gland, was sectioned on one side at the internal auditory meatus in anesthetized cats. CBF was measured with 15-/un microspheres. Section of the petrosal nerve did not alter resting CBF. In addition, electrical stimulation of the distal cut end of the petrosal nerve had no effect on total CBF. In one area of the brain, the caudate nucleus, stimulation increased blood flow from 29 ± 2 to 38 ± 2 (mean ± SE) ml/min per 100 g. Lacrimal gland blood flow increased from 42 ± 7 to 198 ± 32 ml/min per 100 g during petrosal stimulation, which indicates that the stimulus was potent. In the same experiments, CBF increased 3- to 4-fold during hypercapnia; thus, cerebral vessels were responsive to another dilator stimulus. In other experiments, petrosal nerve section did not alter the response of cerebral vessels to hypercapnia (Pco2 > 50 mm Hg) or hypoxia (Po2 < 34 mm Hg). We conclude: (1) there is little or no resting vasodilator tone provided to cerebral vessels by the petrosal nerve; (2) petrosal nerve stimulation has a major effect on blood flow to the lacrimal gland but does not increase CBF; and (3) petrosal nerve section has little effect on the response of cerebral vessels to hypercapnia or hypoxia. Circ Res 48: 62-69, 1981