Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diving behaviour of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) at two coastal localities in the Canadian High Arctic

In August 1999 and 2000, four suction-cup-attached time-depth recorders (TDRs) were deployed and re- trieved from narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in Tremblay Sound, Baffin Island, and Creswell Bay, Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The TDRs remained on the whales for between 12 and 33 h and collected 64.5 h of dive data. Mean dive depths ranged from 20.8 m (SD = 14.8 m) to 50.8 m (SD = 43.8 m) and mean dive durations ranged from 3.4 min (SD = 1.6 min) to 4.9 min (SD = 4.5 min). There appeared to be individual differences in dive parameters both within a region and between regions. Three of the whales made short, shallow dives, while another whale made dives twice as deep and twice as long. One whale had maximum dive durations (>20 min) that exceeded predicted aerobic dive limits for narwhals. There was a strong relationship between maximum dive depth and duration for all whales (p 20 min) excedait la duree maximale theorique de plongee aerobie chez le narval. Il y avait une forte correlation entre la profon- deur maximale et la duree des plongees chez tous les narvals (p < 0,0001). Les narvals passaient de 30,3 a 52,9 % de leur temps a des profondeurs <5 m et l'etendue des facteurs de correction du biais de disponibilite etait de 1,9 a 3,3. Des TDRs relies a un satellite ont ete utilises en meme temps sur les narvals des deux sites et la comparaison des don- nees recueillies par les deux methodes a revele une bonne concordance des resultats. (Traduit par la Redaction) 635
Diagnosis of power transformers using modified self organizing map

Substation facilities have become large and complex in the electric power systems. Development of condition monitoring and diagnosis techniques has been very important to improve the security of substation transformers. This paper presents a method to analyze the cause, the degree, and process of aging of power transformers by self organizing map (SOM). Dissolved gas data were non-linearly transformed by the sigmoid function in SOM that works close to the process of how humans make a decision. The potential of failure and the degree of aging of normal transformers are identified by using the proposed quantitative criterion. Furthermore, the transformer aging is monitored by the proposed criterion for a set of transformers. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, a case study is performed and its results are presented.
Endosperm Development after Fusion of Isolated, Single Maize Sperm and Central Cells in Vitro

We demonstrate here the possibility of endosperm development in vitro after the fusion of pairs of an isolated sperm and an isolated central cell of maize. The occurrence of karyogamy and the time course of the fusion of sperm and central cell nuclei are presented. The fusion of the sperm nucleus occurred either with one of the two polar nuclei or with the secondary nucleus and was completed within 2 hr after in vitro cell fusion. The in vitro study of early events after cell and nuclear fusion indicates that the resulting primary endosperm cell develops into a characteristic tissue capable of self-organization apart from the mother tissue. The technology presented here opens the way for new cellular and molecular studies, especially of early events after sperm and central cell fusion. These studies should lead to a better understanding of the processes of double fertilization and endosperm development.
Significance of Increased Phosphatase Activity of Bone at the Site of Osteoplastic Metastases Secondary to Carcinoma of the Prostate Gland

Recent determinations of serum phosphatase activity in patients with cancer (1, 2, 3) suggest that values obtained in cases with widespread osteoplastic metastases are, in general, significantly higher than those found in association with osteolytic metastases. In the series reported by Gutman, Tyson and Gutman (1), for example, the serum phosphatase activity exceeded 10 Bodansky units per 100 c.c. in 6 of 10 cases with osteoplastic metastases but in only 3 of 19 patients with osteolytic metastases. In 2 patients with very extensive osteoplastic skeletal lesions, values exceeding 100 Bodansky units per 100 c.c. of serum were obtained, as contrasted with the normal maximum of 4.0 Bodansky units. It has been assumed (1, 3) that the rise in phosphatase activity of the serum in such cases is the result of increased elaboration of phosphatase, which is subsequently released into the circulating fluids. Direct evidence in support of this assumption is afforded by the present investigation, which disclosed strikingly increased phosphatase activity of bone at the site of osteoplastic skeletal metastases in a patient with carcinoma of the prostate gland.
Chronic kidney disease in pregnancy: Maternal and fetal outcomes and progression of kidney disease

Background There is a paucity of Australian data regarding renal disease in pregnancy. We undertook a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary institution to examine the impact of renal disease on pregnancy outcomes and the effect of pregnancy on disease progression. Methods A total of 55 pregnancies of patients with renal disease admitted from 2003 to 2010 to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital were analysed. Pre-conception variables, fetal/delivery and maternal outcomes were analysed in this group and in a control group of women with normal kidney function pre-pregnancy. Results Of the 55 pregnancies, 71% experienced pre-term delivery, 38% had intra-uterine growth restriction and 62% required caesarean section. Of all, 60% of neonates required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and six perinatal deaths occurred. Of all, 67% of women suffered preeclampsia, 47% anaemia and 3 patients required dialysis in pregnancy. Postpartum deterioration of renal function occurred in patients with pre-conception chronic kidney disease stage 3–5. Conclusions Chronic kidney disease of all stages is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. In a tertiary institution however, there is a high rate of successful pregnancy (84%).
Association between patients’ gender, age and immigrant background and use of restraint—A 2-year retrospective study at a department of emergency psychiatry

The study aimed to determine rates and types of patient restraint, and their relationship to age, gender and immigrant background. The study retrospectively examined routinely collected data and data from restraint protocols in a department of acute psychiatry over a 2-year period. Each patient is only counted once in this period, controlling for readmission. Of 960 admitted patients, 14% were exposed to the use of restraints. The rate was significantly higher among patients with immigrant background, especially in the younger age groups. Most commonly used were mechanical restraint alone for native-born patients and a combination of mechanical and pharmacological restraints for patients with immigrant background. The use of restraints decreased when patients reached 60 years. Both patients’ age and immigrant background seem to have an impact on the use of restraint.
Current controversies surrounding liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has progressed rapidly over the last decade from a futile therapy to the first choice therapy for suitable patients. Excellent outcomes of LT for HCC can be largely attributed to the use of the Milan Criteria, which have restricted LT to patients with early stage tumors. These criteria may be conservative, and it is likely that a subset of patients with tumors beyond these criteria can have acceptable outcomes. However, there is currently insufficient data to accept more liberal criteria as a standard of care, and a higher quality evidence base must be achieved to prevent poor utilization of valuable donor liver resources. In the future, it is probable that more sophisticated selection criteria will emerge incorporating aspects of tumor biology beyond tumor size and number. Dropout from the waiting list due to tumor progression remains a clinical challenge particularly in regions with prolonged waiting times. Priority allocation using HCC MELD points is a practical and transparent solution that has successfully reduced waitlist dropout for HCC patients. Further refinements of the HCC MELD point system are required to ensure equity of access to LT for non‐HCC patients and prioritization of HCC patients with the highest risk of dropout. Improving the evidence base for pre‐LT locoregional therapy to prevent waitlist dropout is an urgent and difficult challenge for the LT community. In the interim transplant clinicians must restrict the use of these therapies to those patients who are most likely to benefit from them.
Is the Tryptophan Load Test a Valid Index for a Chemically-Induced Vitamin B6 Deficiency?

Summary Chronic administration of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA) to rats after a tryptophan load resulted in an increase in xanthurenic acid and oxalic acid excretion and a decrease in pyridoxic acid excretion, thus suggesting a vitamin B6 deficiency. Sub-convulsive doses of the drug resulted in a partial depletion of liver, but not brain, pyri-doxal phosphate and pyridoxamine phosphate. Thus, it would appear that increased xanthurenic acid excretion ofter a tryptophan load is a valid index for measuring a vitamin B6 deficiency induced by chronic administration of aminooxyacetic acid.
Locally interconnected layered neural network for path optimization

Highly interconnected networks of relatively simple processing elements are shown to be very effective in solving difficult optimization problems. Problems that fall into the broad category of finding a least-cost path between two points, given a distributed and sometimes complex cost map, are studied. A neurallike architecture and associated computational rules are proposed for the solution of this class of optimal path-finding problems in two- and higher-dimensional spaces. The proposed algorithm is local in nature and is very well suited for highly parallel, fine-grained, and distributed architectures. Also described is a collective multilayer neurallike architecture, characterized by speed of convergence, scalability, and guaranteed convergence to optimal solutions
Vestibular malformation in mice lacking Na–K–2Cl cotransporter 1 and expression of Na–K–2Cl cotransporter 1 in human vestibular end organs

Conclusion. The Na-K-2Cl cotransporter-1 (NKCCl) may be essential for the maintenance and functioning of the vestibular morphology in mice and it is strongly expressed in human vestibular end organs. Objective. NKCCl is a member of the cation-coupled chloride transporter which participates in salt transport and cell volume regulation in diverse tissues. NKCCl-deficient mice exhibit deafness, and show structural alterations in the cochlea. In addition to hearing loss, NKCCl-deficient mice show a shaker–waltzer behavior, which suggests a vestibular system defect. In this study we investigated the morphology of the vestibular system of NKCCl-deficient mice and also evaluated whether NKCCl mRNA and its protein are expressed in human vestibular end organs. Material and methods. NKCCl-deficient and wild-type mice aged 4–5 weeks were sacrificed. Their heads were cut in the midsagittal plane, fixed and decalcified. For light microscopy, 5-µm sections were cut and stained with hematoxylin–eosin. Human vestibular end organs were harvested during acoustic tumor surgery via a translabyrinthine approach. Some of these end organs were used for total mRNA extraction and the remainder for immunostaining. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining were performed for NKCCl. Results. The scala media of the cochleae of the NKCCl-deficient mice had collapsed but the bony labyrinth appeared unaffected. However, the semicircular canals (SCCs) were much smaller than those in the wild-type mice. Furthermore, the SCCs were completely missing in some NKCCl-deficient mice. NKCCl mRNA was expressed in both the human macula and crista ampullaris, and its protein was expressed mainly in the transitional and dark cell areas of the human crista ampullaris.
GaN HEMTs are still ongoing

Many newGaN/AlGaN HEMTs products have begun to bloom. On the other hand, the development and improvement of GaN/AlGaN HEMTs has continued. In this paper, we show the current status of GaN HEMTs. We also show two of our new works. The first one is an optimization of a source-field-plate for harmonics control. The second one is an MMICs in Ka-band.
The absence of spatial echo suppression in the echolocating bats Megaderma lyra and Phyllostomus discolor

SUMMARY Acoustic orientation most often takes place in echoic environments. The mammalian auditory system shows a variety of specializations to suppress misleading spatial information mediated by echoes. Psychophysically these specializations are summarized as the precedence effect. This study investigates how echolocating bats deal with multiple reflections of their sonar emissions from different spatial positions. In a two-alternative, forced choice paradigm, a study was made of the extent to which the echolocating bats Megaderma lyra and Phyllostomus discolor spontaneously suppress the spatial information of a second reflection of their sonar emission. The delay between the first and the second reflection ranged between 0 and 12.8 ms. In general, M. lyra (five individuals) and P. discolor (two individuals) did not suppress the spatial information of the second reflection of their sonar emission, whatever the delay. Only one M. lyra showed significant suppression for delays between 0.8 and 3.2 ms. However, this suppression could not be confirmed in an exact repetition of the experiment. The current data indicate that although bats may be able to suppress the spatial information of a second reflection, this is not their default mode of auditory processing. The reason for this exceptional absence of spatial echo suppression may lie in the shorter time constants of cochlear processing in the ultrasonic frequency range and the strong influence of cognitive components associated with the `precedence effect'.
Free water content and monitoring of healing processes of skin burns studied by microwave dielectric spectroscopy in vivo

We have investigated the dielectric properties of human skin in vivo at frequencies up to 10 GHz using a time-domain reflectometry method with open-ended coaxial probes. Since γ-dispersion results from the reorientation of free water molecules, the free water content of skin is quantitatively determined by dielectric measurements. The free water content of finger skin increased by about 10% after soaking in 37 °C water for 30 min, and it systematically decreased again through the drying process, as expected. Thus this analytical method has been applied to the study of skin burns. The free water content of burned human cheek skin due to hydrofluoric acid was significantly lower than that of normal skin, and the burned skin recovered through the healing process. In the case of a human hand skin burn due to heat, although the free water content was almost the same as that of normal skin at the beginning, it decreased during the healing process for the first 10 days, then began to increase. Although the number of test subjects was one for each experiment, it was shown that free water content is a good indicator for evaluating skin health and can be well monitored by dielectric spectroscopy.
Prognostic significance of ASXL 1 , JAK 2 V 617 F mutations and JAK 2 V 617 F allele burden in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Journal of Blood Medicine 2015:6 157–175 Journal of Blood Medicine Dovepress
Effective and Strategic Use of Electronic Reverse Auctions

This paper reports the findings of an empirical study of Electronic Reverse Auctions (e-RAs). This study seeks to better understand the underlying and emerging issues in e -RAs to comprehend the implications of e -RAs on organizationa l procurement. The study contributes to practice and research by providing insight into emerging e-RA adoption issues, and by discussing strategies for improving e-RA processes, thus improving the effectiveness of e-RAs.
Thermodynamics of 7-Methylguanosine Cation Stacking with Tryptophan upon mRNA 5′ Cap Binding to Translation Factor eIF4E

Abstract All eukaryotic nuclear transcribed mRNAs possess the cap structure, consisting of 7-methylguanosine linked by the 5′-5′ triphosphate bridge to the first nucleoside. The goal of the present study is to dissect the enthalpy and entropy changes of association of the mRNA 5′ cap with eIF4E into contributions originating from the interaction of 7-methylguanosine with tryptophan. The model results are discussed in the context of the thermodynamic parameters for the association of eIF4E with synthetic cap analogues.
Components of carbon monoxide transfer at different alveolar volumes during mechanical ventilation in pigs.

We studied the effect of increasing alveolar volume on pulmonary carbon monoxide transfer (DLCO) and its components, i.e. membrane diffusing capacity (DM) and capillary blood volume (Qc), during mechanical ventilation in eight anaesthetized and paralysed healthy pigs (mean weight 11.2 kg). We used an inspiratory pause procedure for simulation of the single-breath technique, and inflated 15, 20, 25 and 30 ml kg-1 in random order. DM and Qc were derived using the Roughton-Forster equation. Per litre BTPS increase in effective VA, DLCO (inspiratory oxygen fraction 0.30) decreased on average by 11.8 mumol s-1 kPa-1, DM slightly increased by 2.7 mumol s-1 kPa-1 and Qc decreased by 241 ml. The increase in DM was much smaller than might be expected from the increase in VA, which we ascribe to a loss of the alveolar capillary membrane for gas transfer because of the concomitant decrease in Qc. The decrease in Qc may be explained by a squeezing effect of the intrapulmonary pressure rise on the alveolar wall and by stretching of lung tissue.
The Aha Effect in Groups and Other Dynamic Learning Contexts

The aha effect is a memory advantage for initially ambiguous stimuli (e.g., "The notes were sour because the seam split.") that are subsequently resolved ("Bagpipe") over stimuli that are comprehensible from the outset (see P. M. Auble, J. J. Franks, & S. A. Soraci, 1979; T. W. Wills, S. A. Soraci, R. A. Chechile, & H. A. Taylor, 2000). The authors examined the influence of learning context on the aha effect by manipulating whether generative tasks were completed in a group setting or alone. In Experiment 1, participants in a group context either discussed difficult aha sentences, or overheard the discussion. In Experiments 2 and 3, lone participants were exposed to the sentences, and either spoke their thoughts aloud or thought silently. Participants in a group context did, as predicted, exhibit the aha global deletion of quotation marks effect. Moreover, in all experiments an aha effect was found for the active, speaking condition only. The authors discuss implications for generative learning and collaborative discourse processes.
Aflatoxins in Pakistani foods: a serious threat to food safety.

Finished products have always been the main focus of food safety. Aflatoxins are the fungal toxins mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus species. The contamination level depends upon pre and post-harvest practices, processing as well as storage conditions of the foods. The warm and humid environment of Pakistan is very favorable for the growth of aflatoxigenic fungi. Moreover, the lack of awareness among the masses, improper pre and post-harvest practices, usage of contaminated equipment and poor processing and storage conditions are the major contributing factors towards the contamination of aflatoxins in a variety of foods in Pakistan. In this study, occurrence and toxicity of aflatoxins in Pakistani foods i.e. cereal grains, chilies, dry fruits and milk etc., are briefly described. This base line data about the prevalence of aflatoxin contamination will certainly help to devise the effective strategies to tackle this significant problem. Moreover, different approaches for the exposure assessment of aflatoxins to the consumers are also discussed and analyzed. Advances in research have developed some techniques to minimize the risk of aflatoxins contamination. These include the application of bio-control agents (amycotoxigenic and antagonistic activities), bio-degrading agents (microbes and/or their enzymes) and some other physical or chemical treatments during processing of foods. Continuous monitoring and surveillance, as well as improved testing and analytical facilities at grass root level will facilitate to tackle this potential food safety threat in Pakistan.
Evaluation of algorithms used for cross‐species proteome characterisation

The ability to effectively search databases for the identification of protein spots from two‐dimensional electrophoresis gels has become an essential step in the study of microbial proteomes. A variety of analytical techniques are currently being employed during protein characterisation. A number of algorithms used to search databases, accessible via the World Wide Web, depend upon information concerning N‐ and C‐terminal microsequence, amino acid composition, and peptide‐mass fingerprinting. The effectiveness of nine such algorithms, as well as COMBINED (software developed in this laboratory for identifying proteins across species boundaries) was examined. Fifty‐four ribosomal proteins from the Mycoplasma genitalium genome, and 72 amino acyl tRNA synthetases from the Haemophilus influenzae, M. genitalium and Methanococcus jannaschii genomes were chosen for study. These proteins were selected because they represent a wide range of sequence identities across species boundaries (22.7–100% identity), as detected by standard sequence alignment tools. Such sequence variation allowed for a statistical comparison of algorithm success measured against published sequence identity. The ability of analytical techniques used in protein characterisation and associated database query programs to detect identity at the functional group level was examined for proteins with low levels of homology at the gene/protein sequence level. The significance of these theoretical data manipulations provided the means to predict the utility of data acquired experimentally for non‐sequence‐dependent software in proteome analysis. The data obtained also predicted that ‘sequence tagging’ of peptide fingerprints would need to be accompanied by at least 11–20 residues of amino acid sequence for it to be widely used for protein characterisation across species boundaries.
TP53 and breast cancer

The TP53 gene (p53) is found altered in breast carcinomas in approximately 20–40% of all cases depending on tumor size and stage of the disease. It seems to be an early event in breast tumorigenesis. Several polymorphisms in the TP53 gene have been detected and their possible roles in breast cancer risk and association to type of cancer developed are discussed. The different mutation spectra seen in geographical and ethnic populations may be used to identify environmental exposure contributing to breast cancer development. The role of TP53 mutation as a prognostic marker is reviewed as well as its role as a predictor for therapy response. All data available on TP53 mutation analyses of human breast carcinomas, as well data from transgenic animal studies and experimental cell studies, support an important role for TP53 in mammary carcinogenesis. Hum Mutat 21:292–300, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.