Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Impacts of Mining on Tourism Growth and Local Sustainability: The Case of Mapungubwe Heritage Site, Limpopo, South Africa

Mining licenses in postâ€ apartheid South Africa are being granted by the ruling government in sensitive areas that are important tourism hubs and employment generators. Limited research has been conducted to understand mining impacts on protected environments and tourism sites. This paper will focus on the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site as a tourist attraction in Limpopo to shed light on how mining is impacting on the area and on tourism development and local sustainability. This paper examines the difficulties that have been encountered by the tourism destination and surrounding communities due to the mining licences granted. Semiâ€ structured interviews were conducted with key informants (communities, an employee at the heritage site and a government official) and are reported in this paper. We conclude that mining should not be allowed, with the need to rather safeguard the environment for cultural and environmental purposes. Stakeholder participation needs to be taken seriously by both the mining company and the government. Copyright Â© 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Transmission imaging with a moving point source: influence of crystal thickness and collimator type

Nonuniform patient attenuation maps can be acquired using an axially moving point source of a high energy isotope that emits a fanbeam of photons. We modeled the Beacon attenuation correction tool attached to multiheaded SPECT cameras which uses this approach. We investigated the scatter order of the photons from the attenuation imaging source reaching the detector, and the scatter contributions from the different detector components were evaluated for different energy windows. Additionally the scatter of the Beacon source photons in the transmission window and the degrading downscatter on an emission photopeak window in simultaneous emission and transmission scanning were investigated. We performed multiple types of simulations including different crystal thicknesses and different collimators for protocol optimization purposes. The main conclusion of this work is that a thick crystal detector coupled to a LEHR collimator is the best solution for acquiring attenuation maps in low energy applications. For medium energy studies attenuation maps have to be rescaled to account for the low sensitivity near the center of the patient. Fully Monte Carlo simulating the projector for medium energy studies on low energy collimators in order to replace the MEGP collimators by their LEHR analogons is another possibility that is currently being investigated. This last approach is however penalized by a high computational burden but can result in an improved image quality after reconstruction.
Effects of Placental Protein 13 on the Cardiovascular System in Gravid and Non-Gravid Rodents

Objectives: Here, we performed a pathophysiological examination of the vascular function of rodent in the presence of placental protein 13 (PP13) and its implication to regulate the development of preeclampsia. Methods: Single i.v. injection and prolonged in vivo exposure to PP13 via osmotic pumps were performed in gravid and non-gravid rats to examine the influence of PP13 on blood pressure and heart rate in animals. The effect of PP13 was also examined in isolated uterine and mesenteric arteries, along with the examination of placental blood supply. Results: Human PP13 has a major impact on the maternal cardiovascular system of rodents by reducing blood pressure, either at single or prolonged exposure, and causing significant vasodilatation in isolated arteries. Prolonged exposure was followed by increased elaboration and angiogenesis of the uteroplacental arteries supplying the placenta. Conclusion: This is the first study describing effects of PP13 on vasodilatation and uterine artery remodeling. The results imply that PP13 may have a physiological role in improving uteroplacental blood flow. The findings of this study make it tempting to speculate that keeping PP13 levels within a certain ‘therapeutic window' during pregnancy may facilitate proper adaptation of the maternal vasculature to pregnancy.
Back-scattering of whispering-gallery-modes resonances of cylindrical microcavities: Refractometric applications

Whispering-gallery modes (WGM) resonances of microcapillaries are directly compatible with microfluidic systems and have demonstrated its suitability for refractometric applications [1]. Microcapillaries with a submicrometric wall exhibit very large wavelength shifts as a function of the refractive index of the liquids that fill the inside of the capillary [2]. The spatial separation between the surface where the total internal reflection takes place (the outer surface) and the sensing surface (the inner surface) where the wave interacts with the analyte is a unique property that can be exploited to deal with analytes with a refractive index higher than that of the capillary [2].
Quantifying the nature of anticipation in professional tennis

Abstract We quantify the nature and frequency of anticipation behaviours in professional tennis using video coding of incidents where the time delay between the opponent's stroke and the reaction of the player were recorded. We argue that anticipation is based on uncertain information and should lead in some situations to erroneous decisions. We identified the transition between reaction (with 100% accuracy in the selection of where the ball is played on the court) and anticipation (with less than 100% accuracy) as being 140–160 ms after ball contact. Anticipation behaviours occurred on between 6.14% and 13.42% of the coded situations. These anticipation behaviours appeared almost exclusively in ‘unfavourable’ situations, where the opponent had a significant tactical advantage, with the type of playing surface having only a limited effect. Moreover, the decrease in accuracy with shorter response times is not monotonic, with an increase in response accuracy being observed for times shorter than 120 ms before ball contact. We propose that very early anticipation behaviours occur when players use significant context-specific information before the opponent's stroke. When such information is not available, players produce anticipation behaviours that are closer to the moment of ball–racket contact using information that is more likely to be based on the opponent's preparation of the stroke. This study opens new directions for research focusing on the testing and training of anticipation in fast ball sports.
A uniform extracellular stimulus triggers distinct cAMP signals in different compartments of a simple cell

cAMP, the classical second messenger, regulates many diverse cellular functions. The primary effector of cAMP signals, protein kinase A, differentially phosphorylates hundreds of cellular targets. Little is known, however, about the spatial and temporal nature of cAMP signals and their information content. Thus, it is largely unclear how cAMP, in response to different stimuli, orchestrates such a wide variety of cellular responses. Previously, we presented evidence that cAMP is produced in subcellular compartments near the plasma membrane, and that diffusion of cAMP from these compartments to the bulk cytosol is hindered. Here we report that a uniform extracellular stimulus initiates distinct cAMP signals within different cellular compartments. By using cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels engineered as cAMP biosensors, we found that prostaglandin E1 stimulation of human embryonic kidney cells caused a transient increase in cAMP concentration near the membrane. Interestingly, in the same time frame, the total cellular cAMP rose to a steady level. The decline in cAMP levels near the membrane was prevented by pretreatment with phosphodiesterase inhibitors. These data demonstrate that spatially and temporally distinct cAMP signals can coexist within simple cells.
Epidemiology and genetics in the coevolution of parasites and hosts

Recent studies suggest that parasites (interpreted broadly to include viruses, bacteria, protozoans and helminths) may influence the numerical magnitude or geographical distribution of their host populations; most of such studies focus on the population biology and epidemiology of the host-parasite association, taking no explicit account of the genetics. Other researchers have explored the possibility that the coevolution of hosts and parasites may be responsible for much of the genetic diversity found in natural populations, and may even be the main reason for sexual reproduction; such genetic studies rarely take accurate account of the density- and frequency-dependent effects associated with the transmission and maintenance of parasitic infections. This paper aims to combine epidemiology and genetics, reviewing the way in which earlier studies fit into a wider scheme and offering some new ideas about host-parasite coevolution. One central conclusion is that ‘successful’ parasites need not necessarily evolve to be harmless: both theory and some empirical evidence (particularly from the myxoma-rabbit system) indicate that many coevolutionary paths are possible, depending on the relation between virulence and transmissibility of the parasite or pathogen.
Description of an Automated Method for Urea Nitrogen Determination in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF) of Neonates and Infants

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) partially recovers both the instilled saline and the alveolar fluid, so-called epithelial lining fluid (ELF), but a correction for the dilution due to the BAL technique itself is needed to know the amount of recovered ELF. In this regard, urea nitrogen may be useful and has been proposed to calculate ELF. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a new method to measure urea nitrogen in BAL fluid (BALF). We used 19 BALF samples obtained from neonates and infants with different respiratory conditions. The urea nitrogen assay was carried out on Cobas c311 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). A validation study shows that the method is perfectly linear (R2 = 0.999), sensitive (limit of detection = 0.055 mg/dL; limit of quantification = 0.16 mg/dL), repeatable (low = 0.15 ± 0.02, 13.3%; high = 1.80 ± 0.02, 1.1%), reproducible (low = 0.14 ± 0.02, 14.2 %; high = 1.76 ± 0.04, 2.2 %) with accuracy ranging between 93–96%. Our results support the robustness of validated procedure since the described method appears simple, precise, rapid, and suitable for routine analysis. Thus, it may be used to correct concentration of various noncellular BAL components and calculate their ELF amounts in neonates and infants.
Contraction time, histochemical type, and terminal cisternae volume of rat motor units

Isometric contraction time (Tc) of 19 fast and slow rat motor units in the soleus and the tibialis anterior muscles was measured. The motor unit fibers subsequently marked by glycogen depletion were histochemically fiber typed as well as analyzed ultrastructurally with respect to volume of the sarcoplasmic reticulum terminal cisternae. The volume density of terminal cisternae (VvTC) was inversely related to Tc over the whole range of motor units, irrespective of type of muscle. The continuous variations in VvTC are concluded to match the extrinsic control of time course of contraction, and fusion frequency of the motor unit to match the frequency characteristics of the individual motoneurons. The volume density dependence of terminal cisternae function would result in an indirect coupling between amount and rate of calcium release and rate of calcium recaptured. VvTC and Tc were the same for some tibialis anterior and soleus motor units in spite of the different types of myosin, indicating that the type 1 and type 2 myosins have specific structural differences in fast as compared with slow muscles.
Social Discounting and Intergenerational Pareto

The most critical issue in evaluating policies and projects that affect generations of individuals is the choice of social discount rate. This paper shows that there exist social discount rates such that the planner can simultaneously be (i) an exponential discounting expected utility maximizer; (ii) intergenerationally Pareto—that is, if all individuals from all generations prefer one policy/project to another, the planner agrees; and (iii) strongly non‐dictatorial—that is, no individual from any generation is ignored. Moreover, to satisfy (i)–(iii), if the time horizon is long enough, it is generically sufficient and necessary for social discounting to be more patient than the most patient individual's long‐run discounting, independent of the social risk attitude.
H wave and spinal root potentials in neuromonitoring of S1 root function during evacuation of herniated disc: preliminary results.

AIM To determine the changes in the tibial H reflex and spinal nerve root potentials (SRPs) of the S1 root during posterior discectomy and the effects of surgical manipulation. METHODS Tibial H reflex responses (M and H waves) were intermittently recorded from the soleus muscle by surface electrodes during different stages of surgery in 5 patients with S1 radiculopathy. All patients had Achilles reflex preserved bilateraly and no paresis on manual strength testing preoperatively. SRPs were additionally obtained by direct epidural recordings from the surgically exposed S1 root in 2 of them. RESULTS The variations in the amplitude of H wave were minor and reversible upon the cessation of surgical manipulation of the root, but the H reflex was not lost either temporarily or permanently in any of the patients. Prolongation of H wave latency by up to 18% at the end of surgery in comparison with preoperative value was noticed in 4 patients. However, there was increased degree of desynchronization of the SRP in some phases of the spinal root manipulation, such as root mobilization before the disc incision and retraction during the disc evacuation. H waves and SRPs were continuously present during the surgery. Ankle jerks were preserved postoperatively in all 5 patients. CONCLUSION Unremarkable variations in H wave latency may be followed by increased SRP desynchronization. Monitoring of the epidurally recorded SRPs seems to be more sensitive to surgical manipulations of the spinal nerve root than the tibial H reflex recordings from the soleus muscle.
[Effects of progesterone and progestin on expression of regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted in eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of progesterone and progestin on the expressions of regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis. METHODS We collected the samples of endometrium from patients with endometriosis before operation or after insertion of levenorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), administration of oral medroxyprogesterone (MPA), or injection of gonadotrophic hormone releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain raction was used to assay the expression of RANTES mRNA. On the other hand, progesterone (Po) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) of different concentrations and different manners were used to treat cultured cells in vitro. RANTES secretion was evaluated in the culture medium using ELISA. In order to evaluate the effect of Po on the secretion of RANTES under stimulation of TNFalpha, the cells were cultured in medium containing 100 U/ml TNFalpha and Po of different concentrations for 24 hours. After the pretreatment of Po for 48 hours at different concentrations, TNFalpha (100 U/ml, 16 h) was added to observe whether Po inhibits RANTES or not. RESULTS The expression of RANTES mRNA in eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis was significantly higher than in control group (28.0 +/- 9.0 vs. 22.0 +/- 5.6, P < 0.05). Following the exposures to LNG-IUS (24.0 +/- 4.2 vs. 25.9 +/- 4.2, P > 0.05) or GnRHa (23.0 +/- 12.9 vs. 26.9 +/- 5.2, P > 0.05), the expression of RANTES mRNA had no change. MPA significantly increased the expression of RANTES mRNA (42.6 +/- 3.1 vs. 24.3 +/- 5.7, P < 0.05). Po itself had no significant effect on the secretion of RANTES. Stimulated by Po and TNFalpha at the same time, the secretion of RANTES significantly increased. After pretreatment with Po for 48 hours, the reaction of RANTES to the stimulating effect of TNFalpha was down-regulated. CONCLUSION The eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis has high chemotactic activity. It may be feasible to prevent and treat endometriosis with progestins.
Prognostic classification index in Iranian colorectal cancer patients: Survival tree analysis

Abstract Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic index for separating homogenous subgroups in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients based on clinicopathological characteristics using survival tree analysis. Methods: The current study was conducted at the Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shahid Beheshti Medical University in Tehran, between January 2004 and January 2009. A total of 739 patients who already have been diagnosed with CRC based on pathologic report were enrolled. The data included demographic and clinical-pathological characteristic of patients. Tree-structured survival analysis based on a recursive partitioning algorithm was implemented to evaluate prognostic factors. The probability curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the hazard ratio was estimated as an interest effect size. Result: There were 526 males (71.2%) of these patients. The mean survival time (from diagnosis time) was 42.46± (3.4). Survival tree identified three variables as main prognostic factors and based on their four prognostic subgroups was constructed. The log-rank test showed good separation of survival curves. Patients with Stage I-IIIA and treated with surgery as the first treatment showed low risk (median = 34 months) whereas patients with stage IIIB, IV, and more than 68 years have the worse survival outcome (median = 9.5 months). Conclusion: Constructing the prognostic classification index via survival tree can aid the researchers to assess interaction between clinical variables and determining the cumulative effect of these variables on survival outcome.
9th ICABR International Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology: Ten years later Ravello (Italy), July 6 to July 10, 2005 Trade secrets, Patents and Options

This paper examines the problem of protecting property rights under dynamic uncertainty. The problem is cast in the framework of a multiple option nexus characterizing the process of R&D investment, innovation, imitation and conflict. The innovator is assumed to hold an option to invest in R&D, whose uncertain results are threatened by imitators, who hold an option to invest to appropriate some of the possible fruits of the R&D project, should this succeed. The innovator can invest in trade secrecy to protect her invention. Alternatively, she has an option to seek legal action against the imitator, should the latter exercise her own option to carry on the imitation process. The value of the legal action depends on the cogency of the intellectual property rule and on the legal costs to recover damages, i.e. the effectiveness of the liability rule protecting intellectual property. Both the cogency of the intellectual property law and the effectiveness of the liability rule are an option held by society, which has to balance the need to protect innovation and to ensure that, once realized, innovation is spread through the economy at a reasonable speed. The paper finds that both the innovator and the imitator are motivated to reach an equilibrium on the basis of their net gains from their respective actions minus the value of the contingent threat held by the other agent. Government intervention should be limited to “level the field”, i.e. equalize the conditions under which innovators and imitators operate.
Physiological load imposed on elite soccer referees during actual match play.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study as to describe the work-rate profile and cardiovascular stress of Italian high level soccer referees (n = 18). METHODS. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The referees were examined during official games of the 1992-1993 first division Italian championship (serie A). PARTICIPANTS subjects were all experienced top level referees enrolled in the CAN (Commissione Arbitri Nazionali) and thus officiating in the serie A e B Italian championships. Mean age of the referees considered here was 37.5 +/- 2.14 years. MEASURES heart rates were monitored by short-range radio telemetry. Match analysis was performed with methodologies similar to that reported by Ohashi et al. (1988). RESULTS Average match distance was 11376 +/- 1600 m (7818-13063) and no overall differences were observed between halves (p > 0.05). Nevertheless less distances were covered running backward and side-wards during the second half compared to the first half (p < 0.05). Referees, on average, covered 41.7% of the whole match distance at speeds faster than 13.1 km x h(-1). Heart rates attained 89.1% of the estimated maximal over the duration of a full game and no difference was observed between halves (p = 0.72). Mean heart rates of the first 15 min of play were lower than the other two sections of the first half (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Match analysis revealed the intermittent nature of the referees' activities. Their intensity varied from situation to situation, frequently reaching near maximal intensity. However, sprint bouts never lasted for more than few seconds (2-4 sec). Top level soccer refereeing places high physiological demands on the official thus specific training and fitness assessment are needed.
Effect of State Workplace Safety Laws on Occupational Injury Rates

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of four common types of mandatory state-level workplace safety regulations on injury severity rates during the period 1992 to 1997 for the manufacturing sector. The full Poisson regression model showed safety committee regulations to have a highly significant reducing effect on injury rates, &khgr;2 (1, n = 3286) = 10.1774, P = 0.0014. Safety program regulations were significant at the &agr; = 0.10 level, &khgr;2 (1, n = 3286) = 3.5676, P = 0.0589. The effect of insurance carrier loss control regulations in the full model was nonsignificant. However, insurance carrier loss control regulations were highly significant (&agr; = 0.01) in the final reduced model. Targeting initiatives were nonsignificant in both the full and reduced models (&agr; = 0.05). The study results are important to state and federal agencies considering adopting workplace safety regulations that are similar to the four types evaluated in this study.
Do Econometric Models Provide More Accurate Forecasts When They are More Conservative? A Test of Political Economy Models for Forecasting Elections

The assumptions of multiple regression analysis are not met in many practical forecasting situations and, as a result, regression models are insufficiently conservative. We tested the effect on forecast accuracy of applying three evidence-based forecasting guidelines to 18 political economy models for forecasting elections in nine countries, all of which were originally estimated using multiple regression analysis. The guidelines direct modelers to account for uncertainty of econometric model forecasts by: (1) modifying estimates of the strength of variable effects, (2) combining forecasts from diverse models, and (3) taking account of all variables that are known to be important. Out-of-sample forecast accuracy was compared with the accuracy of forecasts from the originally published econometric models representing typical practice. While damping the estimated variable weights did not improve accuracy, equalizing them reduced error compared the original model forecasts by 10%. Combining forecasts from models for US (N=8) and Australian (N=2) elections reduced error by 25% on average. Including more causal knowledge, by using all unique variables from the different models in equal-weights index models, reduced error on average 26%.