Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitric oxide and sphingolipids: mechanisms of interaction and role in cellular pathophysiology

Abstract Nitric oxide is a short-lived messenger with pleiotropic roles in the regulation of cell patho-physiological processes, including survival, death, proliferation and differentiation. Increasing evidence over the last few years has shown that nitric oxide effects in apoptosis, growth and differentiation originate in significant part from its interplay with signalling members of the sphingolipid family. In many cell types belonging to different lineages, nitric oxide and sphingolipids interact in two-way pathways leading to regulation of the activity and expression of enzymes involved in each other's signalling events. These crosstalk signalling events involve various sphingolipids, with key roles for ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, and signal transduction molecules downstream of nitric oxide, with cyclic GMP as a main player. The biological implications of some of these interactions are now being understood. The best-characterised so far, the mutual regulation of sphingomyelinases and endothelial nitric oxide synthase, acts as a tuning system in crucial patho-physiological processes such as inflammation, proliferation and cell death.
Influência da gordura corporal no desempenho do salto com contramovimento em judocas de diferentes categorias de peso

Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a influência da gordura corporal nos parâmetros cinéticos do salto vertical em judocas de diferentes categorias. Participaram deste estudo 48 judocas do sexo masculino agrupados por categorias: 55-60 kg/60-66 kg (ligeiro/meio-leve), 66-73 kg/73-81 kg (leve/meio-médio) e 81-90 kg/90-100 kg (médio/meio-pesado). Os judocas realizaram saltos verticais countermovement jump (CMJ) sobre uma plataforma de força, sendo analisadas as variáveis de desempenho (altura do salto e potência), força máxima e pico de velocidade. Para análise dos dados foi utilizada análise de variância (ANOVA) e análise de covariância (ANCOVA) com o percentual de gordura como covariável. Para todos os testes foi utilizado p < 0,05. Os principais resultados mostraram que os atletas de categorias mais pesadas (81-90 kg/90-100 kg) apresentaram maior percentual de gordura (p < 0,05) e somatório de dobras (p < 0,05) quando comparado às demais categorias (55-60 kg/60-66 kg e 66-73 kg/73-81 kg). Foi encontrado menor desempenho nos judocas mais pesados em quase todas as variáveis do CMJ quando comparados com judocas de categorias mais leves, com destaque para altura do salto (55-60 kg/60-66 kg = 46,78 ± 6,05 cm; 66-73 kg/73-81 kg = 47,42 ± 4,39 cm; 81-90 kg/90-100 kg = 42,11 ± 4,11; p < 0,05). Porém, quando retirada a influência do percentual de gordura as diferenças desapareceram para a maioria das variáveis (p > 0,05). Pode-se concluir que judocas de categorias mais leves apresentaram valores superiores na maioria das variáveis do CMJ (altura do salto, potência e velocidade) quando comparados com atletas de categorias mais pesadas. Esses resultados parecem ser influenciados pelo menor percentual de gordura dos judocas mais leves.
Stock Market Prediction Using a Combination of Stepwise Regression Analysis, Differential Evolution-based Fuzzy Clustering, and a Fuzzy Inference Neural Network

This paper discusses a hybrid prediction model that combines differential evolution-based fuzzy clustering with a fuzzy inference neural network for performing an index level forecast. In the first phase of the proposed model, stepwise regression analysis is implemented to determine the combination of inputs that have the strongest forecasting ability. Next, the selected variables are grouped by means of a differential evolution-based fuzzy clustering method, allowing the extraction rules to be determined. For the final stage, a fuzzy inference neural network is implemented to predict the market prices by using the extraction rules from the previous stage.
TEM, FISH and molecular studies in infertile men with pericentric inversion of chromosome 9

Pericentric inversions involving the secondary constriction (qh) region of chromosome 9 are considered to be normal variants of human karyotype. A number of investigators have suggested that chromosomal anomalies can contribute to human infertility causing spermatogenetic derangement. The present study was aimed at verifying the influence of chromosome 9 inversion on human spermatogenesis. Semen samples of 18 male carriers of chromosome 9 inversion, analysed by light microscopy, revealed that five patients were azoospermic. PCR analysis demonstrated that two of them also had Y microdeletions. The other 13 showed generally normal sperm concentrations and reduced motility. The morphological characteristics of sperm were studied by TEM and the data were elaborated by a mathematical formula. Sperm pathologies resulted more frequently in the studied group compared to controls, particularly apoptosis. Partial sequences of the A‐kinase anchoring protein (Akap) 4 and 3 genes were performed in all patients, as a previous study by our group highlighted Dysplasia of Fibrous Sheath (DFS) defect in two men with inv 9 investigations. The possible effect of chromosome 9 inversion on meiotic chromosome segregation was investigated by FISH, which showed an increased incidence of diploidy. We hypothesized that this inversion could have variable effects on spermatogenesis, from azoospermia to severely altered sperm morphology, motility and meiotic segregation.
Demise of the fittest: are we destroying our biggest talents?

Let us call her Liza. Liza is a very talented volleyball player. Last year, 15 years old, she entered high school at a ‘Toppidrettsgymnas’, one of 19 schools in Norway which combine an elite training programme with a 3-year senior high school programme. She soon became the starting setter for the school team, the local club's under 17 team, their under 19 team, their second division women's team, as well as for the under 17 and under 19 junior national teams. Her training volume was doubled when school started in August. A few weeks later, her elbows started to hurt. She did adjust her training, but played as many as 35 volleyball matches before she was diagnosed with bilateral ‘tennis elbow’ in December and finally had to throw in the towel. Unfortunately, Liza's story is not unique. I could have shared the story of Jonas, Anna, Yuichiro, Hendrik, Karim and many more. Many gifted young athletes’ careers have been halted or even ruined by overuse injuries or other health problems caused by what seems like an inappropriate training and competition programme. Using patellofemoral pain as his case, Dye1 described the relationship between loading conditions and tissue injury (figure 1). The model depicts how load/loading conditions may exceed the safe load acceptance capacity of the tissue, and describes a zone of load acceptance, the ‘zone of homeostasis’. By increasing impact load and volume beyond this, in the ‘zone of supraphysiological overload’, there is gradual adaptation of tissue properties to the increased load. However, if even greater load and/or volume are applied, structural damage will occur. Figure 1 Relationship between structural adaptation and load as modified from Dye's model for patellofemoral pain (2005). 1 Load volume can be characterised as training volume (frequency, duration, intensity), match frequency, etc. Impact load can be characterised as …
Receptor-Based Virtual Ligand Screening for the Identification of Novel CDC25 Phosphatase Inhibitors

CDC25 phosphatases play critical roles in cell cycle regulation and are attractive targets for anticancer therapies. Several small non-peptide molecules are known to inhibit CDC25, but many of them appear to form a covalent bond with the enzyme or act through oxidation of the thiolate group of the catalytic cysteine. Structure-based virtual ligand screening computations were performed with FRED, Surflex, and LigandFit, a compound collection of over 310,000 druglike molecules and the crystal structure of CDC25B in order to identify novel classes of ligands. In vitro experiments carried out on a selected list of 1500 molecules led to the discovery of 99 compounds able to inhibit CDC25B activity at 100 microM. Further docking computations were applied, allowing us to propose a binding mode for the most potent molecule (IC50 = 13 microM). Our best compounds represent promising new classes of CDC25 inhibitors that also exhibit antiproliferative properties.
Murine macrophage activation by staphylococcal exotoxins

We investigated the ability of staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B, exfoliative toxins A and B, and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 to activate macrophages. All of the toxins tested had the potential to stimulate tumoricidal activity in peritoneal macrophages from lipopolysaccharide-responsive C3HeB/FeJ mice. In contrast, none of the toxins activated cytotoxicity in lipopolysaccharide-unresponsive macrophages from C3H/HeJ mice. We also studied toxin stimulation of monokine secretion. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, and both exfoliative toxins triggered C3HeB/FeJ macrophages to secrete tumor necrosis factor alpha, but enterotoxin B induced only marginal amounts of tumor necrosis factor. All of the toxins used stimulated interleukin-6 production by macrophages from both strains of mice. Nitric oxide is produced in response to the exfoliative toxins only by the lipopolysaccharide-responsive macrophages. These results suggest that macrophages respond differently to several staphylococcal exotoxins.
The New Imaging-Based Classification for Describing the Location of Lymph Nodes in the Neck with Particular Regard to Cervical Lymph Nodes in Relation to Cancer of the Larynx

For over five decades, the principle landmarks used in cervical nodal classification were clinical and defined either by palpation or found at the operative table. However during the past two decades, sectional imaging has consistently improved its quality and resolution and it has been shown that imaging can identify deep structures and adenopathy not amenable to palpation. Such disease can alter planned operative or radiation fields. In the April 1999 issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology – Head Neck Surgery, for the first time an imaging-based classification was published that gave precise anatomic landmarks for use in classifying metastatic cervical adenopathy. This classification was developed in consultation with head and neck surgeons so that the nodal levels classified by this imaging-based system would correspond closely with the nodal levels determined by utilizing the most commonly employed clinically-based classifications. This article describes this imaging-based classification and demonstrates its use with axial diagrams.
Piezoresistive sensing in a strongly-coupled high Q Lamé mode silicon MEMS resonator-pair

We present a 13 MHz strongly coupled bulk Lamé mode silicon MEMS resonator-pair with quality factor (Q) of 106 (i.e. f·Q product of 1.3×1013) in addition to a 28 dB increase in transduction by uniquely adapting the coupling spring as an integrated piezoresistor. Our device exploits and preserves the intrinsic high Q of the isochoric Lamé mode while also tapping into the high concentration of stress in the coupling spring as the pair of Lamé mode resonators is synchronized to resonate in phase. This concentration of stress along the coupling beam benefits the output transduction efficiency, which in turn results in enhancing overall transduction while preserving very high Q. Q of the device also remains stable with increasing bias current.
RAGE-mediated signaling contributes to intraneuronal transport of amyloid-β and neuronal dysfunction

Intracellular amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) has been implicated in neuronal death associated with Alzheimer's disease. Although Aβ is predominantly secreted into the extracellular space, mechanisms of Aβ transport at the level of the neuronal cell membrane remain to be fully elucidated. We demonstrate that receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) contributes to transport of Aβ from the cell surface to the intracellular space. Mouse cortical neurons exposed to extracellular human Aβ subsequently showed detectable peptide intracellularly in the cytosol and mitochondria by confocal microscope and immunogold electron microscopy. Pretreatment of cultured neurons from wild-type mice with neutralizing antibody to RAGE, and neurons from RAGE knockout mice displayed decreased uptake of Aβ and protection from Aβ-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction. Aβ activated p38 MAPK, but not SAPK/JNK, and then stimulated intracellular uptake of Aβ-RAGE complex. Similar intraneuronal co-localization of Aβ and RAGE was observed in the hippocampus of transgenic mice overexpressing mutant amyloid precursor protein. These findings indicate that RAGE contributes to mechanisms involved in the translocation of Aβ from the extracellular to the intracellular space, thereby enhancing Aβ cytotoxicity.
Output voltage distortion characterization in multilevel PWM converters

One of the main features to consider in the development of new pulsewidth modulations (PWM) for multilevel converters is the high-frequency output-voltage distortion. In this letter, a novel per-switching-cycle figure, the harmonic distortion of order n for switching cycle k(HD/sub n,k/), is introduced to quantitatively characterize the output three-phase voltage harmonic distortion of multilevel converters around all the integer multiples of the switching frequency. This figure allows for the decomposing of the modulation design problem within an output voltage fundamental cycle into an independent set of smaller problems for every switching cycle. The expression of HD/sub n,k/ as a function of the switching states' duty-ratio is presented for the three-level three-phase neutral-point-clamped voltage source inverter and it can be easily obtained for any other multilevel converter. From the evaluation of HD/sub n,k/ over 1/6th of the output-voltage fundamental-period the value of HD/sub n/ is obtained, providing a measure of the output voltage distortion in a fundamental period. This information is obtained at a lower computational cost than conventional fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis. The accuracy of the HD/sub n/ distortion predictions is verified by comparing it to FFT-based results obtained from simulation and experiments. The expression to compute the total harmonic distortion (THD) as a function of HD/sub n/ is also derived.
Investigación sobre Revenue Management en Turismo en el Sector Hotelero: Estudio empírico sobre hoteles de 4 y 5 estrellas

A lo largo de esta tesis doctoral hemos pretendido contrastar si existen diferencias sustanciales entre el tratamiento que Revenue Management entre la literatura especializada y su implantacion y utilizacion en la practica hotelera. Para ello, hemos comenzado llevando a cabo una amplia revision bibliografica de los trabajos publicados en las revistas con factor de impacto incluidas en la base de datos ISI Web of Knowledge y en Scopus, durante el periodo 1989-2013, con el objetivo de analizar la evolucion, la tendencia y las pautas que siguen los articulos sobre Revenue Management dedicados al sector turistico. En segundo lugar, hemos agrupado las revistas en funcion de las caracteristicas que presentan los articulos que publican en relacion con 3 variables: Metodologia de investigacion que emplean, Tematicas que abordan y Estrategias de Revenue Management a las que hacen referencia. Asimismo, proponemos las funciones discriminantes que permiten prever a que grupo pertenecerian otras revistas no analizadas, segun los articulos que publiquen sobre Revenue Management. En tercer lugar, hemos llevado a cabo un estudio empirico sobre los hoteles de 4 y 5 estrellas de Sevilla y provincia, basado en un cuestionario elaborado y previamente validado, para conocer en que medida aplican Revenue Management y que software o herramientas utilizan como apoyo para desarrollar las funciones de Revenue Management. En cuarto lugar, hemos definido un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales que permite identificar las variables que mejor explican el comportamiento de la aplicabilidad de Revenue Management como gestion de la demanda y de la capacidad en dos momentos temporales, 2005 y 2015, y la evolucion experimentada entre estos anos. Por ultimo, hemos explorado acerca de las particularidades del proceso de evaluacion economica de la inversion en Revenue Management, prestando especial atencion al software de Revenue Management, mediante el desarrollo de entrevistas semiestructuradas en profundidad con expertos sobre Revenue Management en el sector hotelero.
Social media marketing for organic products in the German-speaking countries

Das Ziel dieses Papiers ist es, einen Uberblick uber die gegenwartige Situation auf dem Markt fur Biolebensmittel im Deutschsprachigen Raum zu verschaffen und Moglichkeiten fur Social Media Marketing in diesem Markt zu erkunden. Die Produktion von Biolebensmitteln ist in den letzten 10 Jahren signifikant gestiegen; gleichzeitig treibt das Streben nach gesundem Lebensstil und okologisch nachhaltigen Produkten den Sektor nach vorne. Verglichen mit konventionellen Produkten, bleibt der Biomarkt jedoch ein Nischenmarkt, mit vielen noch zu uberwindenden Kaufbarrieren. Das Social Media Marketing ist ein attraktives und modernes Werkzeug in den Handen der Marketingspezialisten, um ihre Marktanteile zu erhohen und um eine Premiumposition einzunehmen. Die Studie uberpruft acht etablierte Marken aus dem Biomarkt, analysiert ihre Ergebnisse in den Social Media Anwendungen und kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass Facebook die bekannteste und am besten genutzte Anwendung ist, gefolgt von Twitter, Youtube und dem Firmenblog. Die Aktivitaten sind gut miteinander verbunden, die Integration im Mediaplan umschliest alle Social Media Aktivitaten, die als unterstutzender oder primarer Kanal genutzt werden. Das Papier analysiert des weiteren die funf traditionellen Marketingziele, die vom Social Media Marketing erfolgreich bedient werden und dabei helfen, die Kaufbarrieren im Segment zu uberwinden. Die funf Ziele sind: Steigerung des Wissens uber das Produkt, Aufbau von Markenloyalitat, Steigerung der Markenbekanntheit, Schaffung von Nutzer-Engagement und der Aufbau und Pflege von Kundenbeziehungen. Die Marken konnen die Kundenunsicherheit beseitigen, indem sie das Wissen uber das Produkt uber verschiedene Social Media Anwendungen steigern, vor allem Blogs, Youtube und Social Media Plattformen.
Vegetation greenness trend (2000 to 2009) and the climate controls in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Abstract The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has been experiencing a distinct warming trend, and climate warming has a direct and quick impact on the alpine grassland ecosystem. We detected the greenness trend of the grasslands in the plateau using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data from 2000 to 2009. Weather station data were used to explore the climatic drivers for vegetation greenness variations. The results demonstrated that the region-wide averaged normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) increased at a rate of 0.036 yr − 1 . Approximately 20% of the vegetation areas, which were primarily located in the northeastern plateau, exhibited significant NDVI increase trend ( p -value < 0.05 ). Only 4% of the vegetated area showed significant decrease trends, which were mostly in the central and southwestern plateau. A strong positive relationship between NDVI and precipitation, especially in the northeastern plateau, suggested that precipitation was a favorable factor for the grassland NDVI. Negative correlations between NDVI and temperature, especially in the southern plateau, indicated that higher temperature adversely affected the grassland growth. Although a warming climate was expected to be beneficial to the vegetation growth in cold regions, the grasslands in the central and southwestern plateau showed a decrease in trends influenced by increased temperature coupled with decreased precipitation.
Investigations of capacitively-coupled EEG electrode for use in brain-computer interface

In this paper, the preliminary investigation for application of capacitive electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement for brain-computer interface (BCI) is described. EEG was obtained by active electrodes that very high input impedance pre-amplifier circuit was mounted on the electrodes. This method enabled EEG measurements through hair without direct contact with scalp and conductive gel applications. The presented electrode was attached to the normal usual baseball cap for nonintrusive daily or long-term use. Subject wore electrode installed baseball cap and EEG signal was measured under experimental BCI paradigms such as alpha wave, steady-state visual evoked potential, P300, auditory steady-state response and motor imagery. The results showed that further studies are still required to apply capacitive sensing methods to clinical neurosciences, however, it can be concluded that steady of the art capacitive electrode technology can be used for engineering applications using current popular BCI paradigms.
RESPONSE OF GROWING PIGS TO CASSAVA PEEL BASED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH AVIZYME ® 1300: GROWTH, SERUM AND HEMATOLOGICAL INDICES

ADESEHINWA, A. O. K. , F. A. S. DAIRO and B. S. OLAGBEGI, 2008. Response of growing pigs to Cassava peel based diets supplemented with Avizyme® 1300: growth, serum and hematological indices. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 14: 491-499 Thirty-six growing pigs (Large white x Landrace x Duroc) weighing 27.56±0.51kg were allocated to three groups of Avizyme® 1300 inclusion (100g/100kg diet and 200g/100kg diet) in a 45% Cassava peel meal (CPM) based diet and a control (no enzyme inclusion). The diet with no enzyme inclusion resulted in the least performance, while the pigs on diet supplemented with 100g/100kg diet had the best result in terms of daily weight gains, protein efficiency and feed conversion ratios. The enzyme inclusions had no significant (P>0.05) effect on the serum metabolites, hematological parameters and serum electrolytes but for slight variations (P<0.05) observed in the values of MCHC andPO4 2-. The result suggests 100g Avizyme® 1300 inclusion in 100kg of 45%-CPM based diet as ideal for growing pigs.