Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sexual dimorphism in the control of growth hormone secretion.

The secretory pattern of GH in the mature rat is sexually differentiated. In male rats GH is secreted in pulses occurring at regular 3- to 4-h intervals. In females the pulses are lower and plasma GH levels between the pulses are higher than in males. The continuous presence of testosterone appears to be necessary to maintain low basal GH levels in adult male rats. Neonatal, but not prepubertal, gonadectomy decreases GH pulse height in adult male rats to female levels. Administration of testosterone neonatally to castrated animals returns GH pulse height to normal suggesting that neonatal testicular androgen secretion is one determinant for GH pulse height in adult male rats. Administration of testosterone neonatally or during adult life to neonatally ovariectomized rats also produces higher GH pulses. In contrast to testosterone, estrogens elevate basal plasma GH levels and suppress the GH pulses under some conditions. Estrogens may stimulate basal GH secretion by acting directly on the pituitary. The physiological significance of the secretory pattern of GH has been investigated in hypophysectomized rats by simulating different plasma patterns of GH. The results suggest that high, infrequent GH pulses with low plasma GH levels in between (i.e. a masculine plasma GH pattern) promotes growth more effectively than an intermediate, rather constant level of plasma GH (i.e. a feminine plasma GH pattern). Since male sex steroids masculinize the secretory pattern of GH and have only minor growth-promoting effects in hypophysectomized animals it appears that the growth promoting effect of androgens is indirect and is due to an altered secretory pattern of GH. Presumably, neonatal androgen secretion stimulates body growth during adult life by irreversibly masculinizing the secretory pattern of GH. In contrast, estrogens appear to influence body growth by mechanisms that are mainly independent of the secretory pattern of GH. Evidence is accumulating that the secretory pattern of GH in the rat also affects various sexually differentiated hepatic characteristics such as steroid metabolism and prolactin receptor concentration. Thus, a feminization of the liver develops after continuous, but not intermittent, administration of GH to hypophysectomized rats. GH secretion is predominantly regulated by two hypothalamic peptides; GRF, and the GH-release-inhibiting factor, somatostatin. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Medium-Term Survival, Morbidity and Immunovirological Evolution in HIV-Infected Adults Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy, Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire

Objectives To evaluate survival, morbidity, and CD4 and viral load (VL) evolution in HIV-infected adults receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Côte d'Ivoire. Methods Since 1996, 723 HIV-infected adults have been followed up in the ANRS 1203 cohort study in Abidjan. For those patients who received ART, we describe data between ART initiation and August 2002. Results One-hundred-and-one adults (61% women) were followed up under ART for a median of 17 months. At ART initiation, median age, CD4 count and VL were 36 years, 135/mm3 and 5.3 log10 copies/ml, respectively. Initial ART regimens were two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus one protease inhibitor in 74 patients, two NRTIs plus one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in 16, and two NRTIs in 11. No patient was lost to follow-up. The most frequent causes of severe morbidity were bacterial infections [11.6/100 person-years (PY), 95% CI: 7.2–18.7], drug-related events (6.5/100 PY, 3.5–12.0), tuberculosis (3.1/100 PY, 1.3–7.4) and malaria (3.1/100 PY, 1.3–7.4). The incidence of death was 3.0/100 PY (1.1–8.0) in patients with baseline CD4 ≥50/mm3 and 16.1/100 PY (7.2–35.9) in patients with CD4 <50/mm3. Fifty percent of causes of death were active infections pre-existing ART initiation, mainly atypical mycobacteriosis. After 1 year, 51% of patients had undetectable VL, 28% had detectable VL reduced by more than 0.5 log10 copies/ml since ART initiation, and the median gain in CD4 was +115/mm3. Conclusion Medium-term survival under ART may be as good in Africa as in industrialized countries, provided that patients benefit from access to care for opportunistic infections, including bacterial diseases, tuberculosis and malaria.
Stimulating the adoption of health information technology.

1477 ARRA is historic health care legislation of the type rarely produced by our famously incremental federal government. The law prevents dramatic state cuts in Medicaid, expands funding for preventive health care services and health care research, and helps the unemployed buy health insurance. But perhaps its most profound effect on doctors and patients will result from its unprecedented $19 billion program to promote the adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) and especially electronic health records (EHRs). The HIT components of the stimulus package — collectively labeled HITECH in the law — reflect a shared conviction among the fledgling Obama administration , the Congress, and many health care experts that electronic information systems are essential to improving the health and health care of Americans. However, proponents of HIT expansion face substantial problems. Few U.S. doctors or hospitals — perhaps 17% and 10%, respectively — have even basic EHRs, and there are significant barriers to their adoption and use: their substantial cost, the perceived lack of financial return from investing in them, the technical and logistic challenges involved in installing, maintaining , and updating them, and con-sumers' and physicians' concerns about the privacy and security of electronic health information. HITECH addresses these obstacles head on, but huge challenges await efforts to implement the law and fulfill President Barack Obama's promise that every American will have the benefit of an EHR by 2014. One of HITECH's most important features is its clarity of purpose. Congress apparently sees HIT — computers, software, Inter-net connection, telemedicine — not as an end in itself but as a means of improving the quality of health care, the health of populations , and the efficiency of health care systems. Under the pressure to show results, it will be tempting to measure HITECH's payoff from the $787 billion stimulus package in narrow terms — for example, the numbers of computers newly deployed in doctors' offices and hospital nursing sta-T he recently enacted stimulus bill — the Ameri-can Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) — touches almost every aspect of the U.S.
Itch: scratching more than the surface.

In origin, itch can be cutaneous ("pruritoceptive", e.g. dermatitis), neuropathic (e.g. multiple sclerosis), neurogenic (e.g. cholestasis), mixed (e.g. uraemia) or psychogenic. Although itch of cutaneous origin shares a common neural pathway with pain, the afferent C-fibres subserving this type of itch are a functionally distinct subset: they respond to histamine, acetylcholine and other pruritogens, but are insensitive to mechanical stimuli. Histamine is the main mediator for itch in insect bite reactions and in most forms of urticaria, and in these circumstances the itch responds well to H(1)-antihistamines. However, in most dermatoses and in systemic disease, low-sedative H(1)-antihistamines are ineffective. Opioid antagonists relieve itch caused by spinal opioids, cholestasis and, possibly, uraemia. Ondansetron relieves itch caused by spinal opioids (but not cholestasis and uraemia). Other drug treatments for itch include rifampicin, colestyramine and 17-alpha alkyl androgens (cholestasis), thalidomide (uraemia), cimetidine and corticosteroids (Hodgkin's lymphoma), paroxetine (paraneoplastic itch), aspirin and paroxetine (polycythaemia vera) and indometacin (some HIV+ patients). If the remedies specified fail, paroxetine and mirtazapine should be considered. Ultraviolet B therapy, particularly narrow-band UVB, may be superior to drug treatment for itch in uraemia.
Gaining Legitimacy in Foreign Markets: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Degree of Internationalization of Emerging Market Firms

Drawing on international business and CSR literature, we examine how CSR activities influence the level of internationalization of emerging market firms. This study covers listed industrial Chinese firms from 2009 to 2014. Data sources include archival data from the GTA-China Stock Market and Accounting Research (GTA-CSMAR), OSIRIS, and RKS (Rankings CSR Ratings). The dependent variable is the level of internationalization measured as the ratio of oversea export sales to total sales. The independent variables include ownership type, firm size, debt ratio, intangible assets, and firm age. We estimated models with panel and ordinary least square (OLS) regressions. Using a large sample size of 3,834 firm-year observations representing 639 unique firms, we found that CSR is positively related to the level of internationalization of Chinese firms. Firms with higher levels of CSR activities are more likely to be internationalized. However, the coefficient of the interaction term between CSR activity and ownership type was negative and insignificant. This study contributes to institutional theory and CSR research in the business strategy field, and has important implications for CSR practitioners.
Rapid HPLC-electrospray tandem mass spectrometric assay for urinary testosterone and dihydrotestosterone glucuronides from patients with benign prostate hyperplasia.

The development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is dependent on androgens, primarily dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (1). To estimate the activity of 5α-reductase, which catalyzes the conversion of testosterone to DHT, testosterone and DHT have been quantified in biological samples (2)(3)(4). Because of their lipophilic properties, they are usually found in the conjugated form, i.e., linked to a hydrophilic sulfuric moiety or β-glucuronic acid, which are excreted mainly (>95%) in human urine. Despite reports of a close association between BPH and testosterone and DHT (1)(2)(3)(4), to our knowledge, there is no published simultaneous quantitative data for these metabolites as their glucuronides in the urine of patients with BPH. The major problem associated with quantification of total steroids is incomplete hydrolysis, attributable mainly to the matrix effects of urine on the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis, which reduces the reproducibility of the assay (5)(6). Given that it is often necessary to analyze many samples in a short time with good sensitivity and reproducibility, system throughput is a critical issue for many clinical mass spectrometry (MS) groups. In continuation of studies of steroid profiles in diseases related to steroid enzymes (7)(8), we here demonstrate a sensitive and precise HPLC-tandem MS method for quantification of testosterone and DHT glucuronides by use of a three-column, two-switching valve system and the presence of the indicative biomarker in urine samples from BPH patients. We obtained 24-h urine samples from 27 patients [mean (SD) age, 46 (5) years; range, 38–55 years] treated at Yonsei Medical Center (Seoul, Korea), including 19 men with BPH and 8 healthy men who underwent digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen blood test. The latter were matched with the BPH patients for age. None of the participants had been treated with …
Lightning and Surge Protection in Photovoltaic Installations

The aim of this paper is to give scientific background and essential assumptions to be introduced into the design of lightning and surge protection in photovoltaic installations (PVIs), with particular emphasis on the aspects of standardization to be covered. For this purpose, the relevant protective measures given in the standards for conventional low-voltage power distribution systems (CLVPDSs) are adapted in part. This revision is required because the peculiar characteristics of PVIs are different from those of CLVPDSs. The resulting protection approach that determines the advisable protective measures by a risk management has been applied to an actual grid-connected PVI (GCPVI), Univer Project. The extra cost of this protection in this PVI (approximately 3.6% of the system cost) is of secondary importance because of the increase of safety and availability. Furthermore, in order to fulfill with this protection, the surge withstand capability (SWC) of PV modules has been investigated as well.
MELSIS: un marco de trabajo para la construcción de Sistemas de Ayuda a la Toma de Decisiones en problemas de monitorización

Los Sistemas de Ayuda a la Toma de Decisiones (DSS) son de gran interés para las organizaciones pero hay una serie de aspectos que hacen que su construcción conlleve una gran complejidad, son los siguientes: 1) la cantidad de variables y su interrelación; 2) la calidad requerida en el diseño de bases de datos, modelos, sitio Web de acceso; 3) construir o disponer de módulos y componentes web; 4) las necesidades de gestión del proyecto que su tamaño exige. Para superar dichas dificultades es imprescindible disponer de una infraestructura más poderosa que la de cualquier entorno de trabajo. MELSIS pretende ser un marco de trabajo flexible que, además de integrar las partes comunes a diferentes casos de monitorización, esté preparado para el cambio y permita llevar una gestión tan concienzuda como las exigencias de las aplicaciones requieran.
Hydrophone measurements in diagnostic ultrasound fields

Some of the methods, calculations, and problems associated with making hydrophone measurements in diagnostic ultrasound fields are considered. Several organizations have proposed definitions of various peak and average intensities that need to be specified when characterizing medical ultrasound fields. All of these can be determined from hydrophone measurements, but the bandwidths encountered (>50 MHz), along with the small focal diameters achievable ( approximately=1 mm), can place great demands on hydrophone performance. Two general types of hydrophones are available-the spot-poled membrane and needle types. Both employ the piezopolymer polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF), and for the most part they have effective dimensions in the 0.5-1.0-mm range. Hydrophones can be made with useful bandwidths extending beyond 50 MHz. However, above approximately 15 MHz the nature of the response becomes highly dependent on the method of construction and PVDF film thickness used, as well as the characteristics of any associated preamplifier circuitry. Other factors that can affect measurement accuracy are discussed. <<ETX>>
Stem cell approaches for vocal fold regeneration

Current interventions in the management of vocal fold (VF) dysfunction focus on conservative and surgical approaches. However, the complex structure and precise biomechanical properties of the human VF mean that these strategies have their limitations in clinical practice and in some cases offer inadequate levels of success. Regenerative medicine is an exciting development in this field and has the potential to further enhance VF recovery beyond conventional treatments. Our aim in this review is to discuss advances in the field of regenerative medicine; that is, advances in the process of replacing, engineering, or regenerating the VF through utilization of stem cells, with the intention of restoring normal VF structure and function.
Random vibration simulation and structural optimization for DC/DC converter modules assembly

Since the initial design layout of hybrid integrated DC/DC (direct current) power converter modules on the printed circuit board exists some disadvantages, the vibration reliability problems of DC/DC modules assembly, such as casing wear, glass insulator, are arisen during the service condition. For in-depth study of the above circumstances, this research conducted random vibration numerical simulations for the DC/DC modules assembly, and under the permission of assembly process, the article carried out a structural optimization design. The results show that it was necessary for the random vibration analysis. By observing the deformation of assembly, the possibility of a collision between the converter modules is verified. The structural optimization of the assembly proves to be successful.
Density-dependent dispersal in birds and mammals

Density-dependent dispersal can be caused by various mechanisms, from competition inducing individuals to emigrate (positive density-dependence) to social crowding effects impeding free movement (negative density-dependence). Various spatial population models have incorporated positively density-dependent dispersal algorithms, and recent theoretical models have explored the conditions for density-dependent dispersal (DD) to evolve. However, while the existence of DD is well documented in some taxa such as insects, there is no clear picture on its generality in vertebrates. Here I review the available empirical data on DD in birds and mammals, focusing mainly on variation in dispersal between years and on experimental density manipulations. Surprisingly few studies have explicitly focused on DD, and interpretation of the available data is often hampered by differences in approach, small sample sizes and/or statistical shortcomings. Positive DD was reported in 50 and 33% of the selected mammal and bird studies, respectively, while two studies on mammals (out of eight) reported negative DD. Among bird studies, DD was more often reported for emigration rates or long-distance recoveries than for average distances within finite study areas. Experimental studies manipulating densities (mainly on mammals) have consistently generated positive DD, typically showing reduced emigration in response to partial population removal. Studies that examined dispersal in relation to seasonal changes in density (small mammals only) have more often reported negative DD. Studies that compared dispersal between sites differing in density, also show a mixture of positive and negative DD. This suggests that dispersal changes in a more complex way with seasonal and spatial density variation than with annual densities, and/or that these results are confounded by other factors differing between seasons and sites, such as habitat quality. I conclude that both correlational and experimental studies support the existence of positive, rather than negative, density-dependent dispersal in birds and mammals.
TRUST AND USER ACCEPTANCE OF MOBILE ADVERTISING

The technology acceptance model (TAM) has been widely used to examine the factors that influence a person’s acceptance of new technology. In mobile advertising, trust has been proposed as an important factor affecting the adoption of this new advertising channel. The objective of this study is to test the impact of trust on mobile advertising adoption based on the technology acceptance model. A cross-sectional survey is conducted among 174 respondents from two shopping centres samples. Bivariate correlations and multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses. The results shows that trust significantly influence the attitude towards accepting mobile advertising.
Eating disorder symptoms and obesity at the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in US high school students.

OBJECTIVES We examined purging for weight control, diet pill use, and obesity across sexual orientation identity and ethnicity groups. METHODS Anonymous survey data were analyzed from 24 591 high school students of diverse ethnicities in the federal Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System Survey in 2005 and 2007. Self-reported data were gathered on gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation identity, height, weight, and purging and diet pill use in the past 30 days. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds of purging, diet pill use, and obesity associated with sexual orientation identity in gender-stratified models and examined for the presence of interactions between ethnicity and sexual orientation. RESULTS Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity was associated with substantially elevated odds of purging and diet pill use in both girls and boys (odds ratios [OR] range = 1.9-6.8). Bisexual girls and boys were also at elevated odds of obesity compared to same-gender heterosexuals (OR = 2.3 and 2.1, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Interventions to reduce eating disorders and obesity that are appropriate for LGB youths of diverse ethnicities are urgently needed.
Aristotelia chilensis: A Possible Nutraceutical or Functional Food

Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui) is a native berry from Chile that has a wide range of biological actions. It is mainly composed of anthocyanins, indole alkaloidsand flavonoids. However, the high concentration of polyphenols has been identified as the main responsible for the anti inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidants effects of their extracts, juices and fruit. The nutraceuticals or functional foods development is an excellent opportunity to make a nutritious and healthy product. This review includes the chemical and nutritional characteristics of Maqui. The pharmacological and biological activities are included in this work. Also shows our need to develop new healthy products
Segmenting the Latin American travel market to South Africa

Orientation and motive of research : Tourism growth to South Africa is in decline resulting in an emphasis shift to identify new markets to offset the slowdown in tourism growth. Purpose of research : This study identified viable target markets within the Latin America tourist market using market segmentation based on motivations to travel to South Africa. Results and findings : Four viable segments were identified that should be catered for and, based on the distinct characteristics of each market, marketing strategies are proposed. Practical implications : This study makes a valuable contribution to the current tourism literature by expanding current knowledge of the profile and motives of a, to date, relatively unknown tourist market.
UCAT: Ubiquitous Context Awareness Tools for The Blind

Visually impaired people are often confronted with new environments and they find themselves face to face with an innumerous amount of difficulties when facing these environments. Having to surpass and deal with these difficulties that arise with their condition is something that we can help diminish. They are one sense down when trying to understand their surrounding environments and gather information about what is happening around them. Nowadays, mobile devices present significant computing and technological capacity which has been increasing to the point where it is very common for most people to have access to a device with Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and both high processing and storage capacities. This allows us to think of applications that can do so much to help people with difficulties. In the particular case of blind people, the lack of visual information can be bypassed with other contextual information retrieved by their own personal devices. Our goal is to provide information to blind users, be able to give them information about the context that surrounds them. We wanted to provide the blind users with the tools to create information and be able to share this information between each other, information about people, locations or objects. Our approach was to split the project into a data and information gathering phase where we did our field search and interviewed and elaborated on how is the situation of environment perception for blind users, followed by a technical phase where we implement a system based on the first stage. Our results gathered from both the collecting phase and our implementing phase showed that there is potential to use these tools in the blind community and that they welcome the possibilities and horizons that it opens them.