Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of insularity on insect leaf herbivory and chemical defences in a Mediterranean oak species

Research on plant–herbivore interactions has shown that islands typically have low abundances and diversity of herbivores because of barriers to dispersal, isolation and reduced land area. Islands commonly have lower levels of herbivory relative to mainland regions, and, as a consequence, insular plants should exhibit lower levels of defences than their mainland counterparts. Despite these predictions, there are significant gaps in our understanding of insularity effects on plant–herbivore interactions. For instance, most work addressing the effects of insularity on plant–herbivore interactions have compared one or a few islands with a single mainland site. In addition, studies have measured herbivory or plant defences but not both, and the influence of abiotic factors has been neglected.
Los pronósticos de los analistas como incentivo a la manipulación del resultado

RESUMEN El objetivo de nuestro trabajo es conocer, en el ámbito de las empresas españolas cotizadas, si los pronósticos de los analistas constituyen un incentivo para la manipulación del resultado (al alza para alcanzarlos y/o a la baja para no sobrepasarlos). Utilizando la metodología de los ajustes por devengo discrecionales como medida de la manipulación, los resultados obtenidos evidencian que alcanzar el resultado pronosticado por los analistas constituye un incentivo para manipular contablemente la cifra de resultados y dicho incentivo adquiere mayor relevancia conforme se acerca la publicación del resultado. Sin embargo, no obtenemos evidencia de que los gerentes tengan incentivos a manipular a la baja el resultado con el fin de no sobrepasar los pronósticos de los analistas y evitar así que posteriores previsiones resulten más difíciles de alcanzar.
Association between anthropometric measures of obesity and cardiovascular risk markers in a self-selected group of indigenous Australians

Background Indigenous Australians have a high prevalence of obesity and an unacceptably high rate of cardiovascular disease. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 93 high-risk indigenous Australians to assess how strongly three anthropometric measures correlated with known cardiovascular risk factors. Results Both waist circumference and body mass index were strongly associated with important risk factors. The waist: hip ratio was less useful. Waist circumference was the only measure that significantly correlated with the urine albumin creatinine ratio (ρ = 0.14; P =0.04). Conclusion Measuring the waist circumference is a cheap, effective way of monitoring cardiovascular risk.
A privacy preservation scheme in cloud environment

Cloud computing is named as virtual computing in information technology which makes use of virtual data centers and also needs ultimate privacy protection. The cloud computing features aims at providing security and confidentiality to its customers. The business officials have gained maximum profit using the cloud environment. The privacy preservation and cloud security issue is the most critical challenge that we are facing in today's world in cloud computing. The present work highlights the security as well as privacy issues in cloud area for maintaining integrity and confidentiality in the cloud environment.
Potent Activity of Ponatinib (AP24534) in Models of FLT3-Driven Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Other Hematologic Malignancies

Ponatinib (AP24534) is a novel multitargeted kinase inhibitor that potently inhibits native and mutant BCR-ABL at clinically achievable drug levels. Ponatinib also has in vitro inhibitory activity against a discrete set of kinases implicated in the pathogenesis of other hematologic malignancies, including FLT3, KIT, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), and platelet derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα). Here, using leukemic cell lines containing activated forms of each of these receptors, we show that ponatinib potently inhibits receptor phosphorylation and cellular proliferation with IC50 values comparable to those required for inhibition of BCR-ABL (0.3 to 20 nmol/L). The activity of ponatinib against the FLT3-ITD mutant, found in up to 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, was particularly notable. In MV4-11 (FLT3-ITD+/+) but not RS4;11 (FLT3-ITD−/−) AML cells, ponatinib inhibited FLT3 signaling and induced apoptosis at concentrations of less than 10 nmol/L. In an MV4-11 mouse xenograft model, once daily oral dosing of ponatinib led to a dose-dependent inhibition of signaling and tumor regression. Ponatinib inhibited viability of primary leukemic blasts from a FLT3-ITD positive AML patient (IC50 4 nmol/L) but not those isolated from 3 patients with AML expressing native FLT3. Overall, these results support the investigation of ponatinib in patients with FLT3-ITD–driven AML and other hematologic malignancies driven by KIT, FGFR1, or PDGFRα. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(6); 1028–35. ©2011 AACR.
Blinding in peer review: the preferences of reviewers for nursing journals.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to assess the beliefs and preferences of reviewers for nursing journals about blinding of authors to reviewers, reviewers to authors, neither or both. BACKGROUND Blinding of author and reviewer names in the manuscript review process has been of interest to nursing editors, but reports that are based on data rather than simply opinion concern the editorial practices of biomedical rather than nursing journals. There has been no study of nursing journal reviewer beliefs and preferences related to blinding. METHOD A descriptive web-based survey was conducted. The sample included 1675 anonymous reviewers, recruited through 52 editors of nursing journals from their review panels. Data were collected in 2007. FINDINGS Double-blinding of reviews was the most common method reported. Ninety per cent of respondents reported that the papers they received to review did not include author names. When author names were blinded, 62% of reviewers could not identify the authors of papers; another 17% could identify authors < or =10% of the time. Double-blinding was the method preferred by 93.6% of reviewers, although some identified some advantages to an unblinded open review process. CONCLUSION Nursing journal reviewers are generally very satisfied with double-blinding and believe it contributes to the quality of papers published. Editors or editorial boards interested in a more open review process could consider alternatives such as offering authors and reviewers the option to unblind themselves. Simply announcing that the review process will henceforth be unblinded would probably lead to loss of reviewers.
Intracellular Assembly of Very Low Density Lipoproteins Containing Apolipoprotein B100 in Rat Hepatoma McA-RH7777 Cells*

Previous studies with McA-RH7777 cells showed a 15–20-min temporal delay in the oleate treatment-induced assembly of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) after apolipoprotein (apo) B100 translation, suggesting a post-translational process. Here, we determined whether the post-translational assembly of apoB100-VLDL occurred within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or in post-ER compartments using biochemical and microscopic techniques. At steady state, apoB100 distributed throughout ER and Golgi, which were fractionated by Nycodenz gradient centrifugation. Pulse-chase experiments showed that it took about 20 min for newly synthesized apoB100 to exit the ER and to accumulate in the cis/medial Golgi. At the end of a subsequent 20-min chase, a small fraction of apoB100 accumulated in the distal Golgi, and a large amount of apoB100 was secreted into the medium as VLDL. VLDL was not detected either in the lumen of ER or in that ofcis/medial Golgi where apoB100 was membrane-associated and sensitive to endoglycosidase H treatment. In contrast, VLDL particles were found in the lumen of the distal Golgi where apoB100 was resistant to endoglycosidase H. Formation of lumenal VLDL almost coincided with the appearance of VLDL in the medium, suggesting that the site of VLDL assembly is proximal to the site of secretion. When microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity was inactivated after apoB had exited the ER, VLDL formation in the distal Golgi and its subsequent secretion was unaffected. Lipid analysis by tandem mass spectrometry showed that oleate treatment increased the masses of membrane phosphatidylcholine (by 68%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (by 27%) and altered the membrane phospholipid profiles of ER and Golgi. Taken together, these results suggest that VLDL assembly in McA-RH7777 cells takes place in compartments at the distal end of the secretory pathway.
Analytic Signal-Based Causal Network Estimator for Hemodynamic Signal Analysis in the Brain

The connectivity and the causality were estimated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (f-NIRS) signals to introduce an optimal networks analysis technique for hemodynamic signals. Instantaneous phase information was utilized to analyze the fMRI time series and the f-NIRS signals in order to estimate connectivity and causal networks in the brain. To identify an optimal estimator, the conducted computer-based Monte Carlo simulation using fMRI mimicking signals under various realistic conditions. The simulation results showed that the phase-information-based approach can be an optimal causal estimator for hemodynamic signals.
Urologists' use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Some urology groups have integrated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a radiation treatment with a high reimbursement rate, into their practice. This is permitted by the exception for in-office ancillary services in the federal prohibition against self-referral. I examined the association between ownership of IMRT services and use of IMRT to treat prostate cancer. METHODS Using Medicare claims from 2005 through 2010, I constructed two samples: one comprising 35 self-referring urology groups in private practice and a matched control group comprising 35 non-self-referring urology groups in private practice, and the other comprising non-self-referring urologists employed at 11 National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers matched with 11 self-referring urology groups in private practice. I compared the use of IMRT in the periods before and during ownership and used a difference-in-differences analysis to evaluate changes in IMRT use according to self-referral status. RESULTS The rate of IMRT use by self-referring urologists in private practice increased from 13.1 to 32.3%, an increase of 19.2 percentage points (P<0.001). Among non-self-referring urologists, the rate of IMRT use increased from 14.3 to 15.6%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points (P=0.05). The unadjusted difference-in-differences effect was 17.9 percentage points (P<0.001). The regression-adjusted increase in IMRT use associated with self-referral was 16.4 percentage points (P<0.001). The rate of IMRT use by urologists working at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers remained stable at 8.0% but increased by 33.0 percentage points among the 11 matched self-referring urology groups. The regression-adjusted difference-in-differences effect was 29.3 percentage points (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Urologists who acquired ownership of IMRT services increased their use of IMRT substantially more than urologists who did not own such services. Allowing urologists to self-refer for IMRT may contribute to increased use of this expensive therapy. (Funded by the American Society for Radiation Oncology.).
Menorrhagia Due to a Qualitative Deficiency of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1: Case Report and Literature Review

A case is presented of a 26-year-old woman who was referred to the hematology clinic because of her report of a family history of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) deficiency. Since menarche, she had suffered from severe menorrhagia, but she had assumed that this was unrelated to her mother’s history of repeated life-threatening bleeding. Her menorraghia was evident by using greater than 100 pads per period, bleeding as long as 4 continuous months, and even bleeding through her clothes despite using both tampons and pads. Evaluation with pelvic examination, endometrial biopsy, and pelvic ultrasound was unremarkable. Medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment for her dysfunctional uterine bleeding was unsuccessful. Laboratory evaluation revealed iron deficiency anemia but otherwise normal platelets, bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and vonWillebrand’s studies. Despite any preconceptions, examination for a fibrinolytic defect ultimately demonstrated a PAI-1 antigen level of 11.4 ng/mL (4.0-43 ng/mL) and PAI-1 activity less than 5 AU/mL (5-37 AU/mL) and clinically supported a diagnosis of a hereditary, qualitative PAI-1 defect. She was treated with aminocaproic acid with return to relatively normal menses. Future treatment should also prevent excessive bleeding during trauma, surgery, or childbirth. Further evaluation of this patient and her family is planned and may help elucidate the important role of PAI-1 in the complicated balance between hemostasis and hemorrhage.
Tablet application for satellite image processing on cloud computing platform

The cloud computing and mobile environments since mid-2000s are regarded as important keywords in ICT fields. Meanwhile, mobile cloud computing is receiving attention in aspect that uses advantage of cloud computing and mobile at the same time. Recently, the service and application in various fields are developed using mobile cloud computing. But in the remote sensing field, the examples of research and development are but little. In this study, the mobile app for satellite image processing was developed using cloud computing, iOS SDK, and various libraries, and is running on tablet PC. The developed mobile app can be one of the examples for using mobile cloud computing in the remote sensing field. Mobile cloud computing is expected to steadily grow. Therefore, the mobile app based on mobile cloud computing in the remote sensing field will require the development.
Towards a Low-Delay Edge Cloud Computing through a Combined Communication and Computation Approach

There are many applications which cannot be executed by mobile devices due to their limitations in memory, processing, battery, among others. One solution to this would be offloading heavy tasks to cloud servers in the edge of the network, in a service model called Edge Cloud Computing. The main Quality of Service requirement of this model is a low Service Delay, which can be achieved by lowering Transmission Delay and Processing Delay. Works in literature focus on either one of those two types of delay. This paper, however, argues that an approach which combines transmission and processing technologies to lower Service Delay would be more efficient. This idea is defended by an analysis of the service model and existing stochastic modeling of the Edge Cloud Computing system. We conclude that a dual focus approach would be the only way of truly minimizing the Service Delay, therefore being the desired method to improve Quality of Service. We conclude by laying the foundation for a future model that follows such concept.
The utility of rapid application development in large‐scale, complex projects

This paper describes an investigation into the utility of an agile development approach known as rapid application development (RAD) within a large‐scale development project conducted within the public sector in the UK. Features of RAD as an ‘agile’ information systems development method (ISDM) are discussed and previous research identifying properties of development environments most conducive to its application are described. A case study is then presented based upon a long‐term qualitative investigation of the ‘unbundling’ of a commercial RAD‐like ISDM. The evidence from this case leads us to question established wisdom in relation to appropriate adoption and application of agile development within large‐scale and complex development environments.
A new fault diagnostic technique in oil-filled electrical equipment; the dual of Duval triangle

Various techniques of fault diagnostics in oil-filled electrical equipment have been used in many years and are well documented in literature. The common techniques include; IEEE key gas, IEC 60599 gas ratios, Rodgers ratios, Doernenburg ratios and the Duval triangle. Among all the available techniques, Duval triangle remains the most accurate to date. This paper presents a new fault diagnostic method which combines fuzzy trapezoidal membership functions derived empirically after analyzing faults documented in literature and the evidential reasoning techniques. Like in Duval triangle, three gases; methane, acetylene and ethylene are used. First these gases are normalized against their sum. The normalized values are transformed into fuzzy trapezoidal membership functions whose outcome are synthesized into a particular fault type by the evidential reasoning technique. One hundred and seventeen fault cases visually inspected by experts and documented in IEC TC 10 databases are used for verification. This new technique is easy to understand, uses simple standard mathematical expressions and can easily identify simultaneous faults. Unlike Duval triangle where two or more faults lying at the same spot are not easily recognizable, the new technique identifies faults based on numerical values hence it does not have this drawback.
ChanDet: Detection Model for Potential Channel of iOS Applications

Despite providing iOS the security, comfortable, powerful mobile operating system, Apple has too many restrictions. Many users prefer to jailbreaking the iOS by using jailbreaking tool, which allows them to do more unavailable things on their devices. This behaviour may cause risks toward applications and many researches have focused on application security in various aspects. We find that a legal application (we call it potential channel hereafter) can be hijacked and it acts as a channel between the malware in device and the remote control terminal. In this paper, we introduce a channel model based on five conditions after analysing the entire operation procedure and comparing the similarities and differences of various applications. To approve our argument, we show iOS Messages which meets the five conditions, and demonstrate how to intercept messages, that means, a legal application can be hijacked and become a channel. To eliminate the risks, we propose a solution ChanDet and describe how to test whether an application is a potential channel or not. Finally, we give some protection strategies for applications, and we expect that ChanDet will play a significant role in application security of iOS.
Comparison of quartz-tungsten-halogen, light-emitting diode, and plasma arc curing lights.

PURPOSE This study determined which light source was best at photopolymerizing five representative brands of resin composite. The hypothesis was that there would be no difference in the hardness of the composites when irradiated by any of the lights. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six curing light/tip combinations were used to photopolymerize five resin composites. In accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, the PAC light was used for 3 s and the high intensity QTH light was used for 5 s. The other QTH and LED lights were used for 40 s. To represent the clinical environment, the samples were irradiated at a distance of 2 and 9 mm away from the tip of the light guide. The Knoop hardness was measured at the top and bottom of the composites after 15 min and again at 24 h. The hardness data were compared using a general linear model analysis with Sidak's adjustment for multiple comparisons with p < 0.01 as the level of significance. RESULTS The 6 curing light/tip combinations had different effects on the hardness of the 5 composites (p < 0.01). The two LED lights could not cure the neutral shade of Pyramid Enamel in 40 s. As the distance increased from 2 to 9 mm, the decrease in hardness was not similar amongst the different light/tips and composite combinations (p < 0.0012). The curing light/tip combination which delivered the greatest total energy produced the hardest specimens. CONCLUSION 1) The 6 curing light/tip combinations had different effects on the hardness of the 5 composites (p < 0.01). 2) Neither of the two LED lights used was able to adequately polymerize the five resin composites tested. 3) The QTH light, which delivered the greatest total energy, always produced the hardest resin composite. 4) When the distance of the composites from the light guides was increased, the effect on their hardness was not the same for all light/tip combinations. It is therefore not possible to predict the performance of a curing light at 9 mm based upon power density measurements or hardness data recorded when the tip of the light guide is 2 mm away.
Classical mistakes in forensic pathology

These are several unique features of the mistakes that are peculiar to the performance of medicolegal autopsies. One is the frequency with which mistakes are made by good pathologists. Another is the frequency with which a seemingly trivial error turns out to have disastrous consequences. Perhaps fewer mistakes would be made if there were more widespread appreciation of what constitutes a mistake in the performance of a medicolegal autopsy, and why it is a mistake. The factual material upon which this discussion is based is derived from several sources. First are the mistakes that I have made. In the course of 30 years, their number and variety have become formidable. Another source of information represents the mistakes that other pathologists have made in the performance of medicolegal autopsies. I have learned of these errors from reading their autopsy protocols or from performing second autopsies on exhumed bodies. Inasmuch as I was not sure that I had either made or heard about all of the important mistakes that should be brought to your attention, I recently made inquiry of a group of colleagues who have had large experience in the field of forensic pathology. Their replies constitute my third source of information.
Anti-HBc testing for blood donations in areas with intermediate hepatitis B endemicity.

En otros estudios se ha evaluado el menor riesgo de infecciones transmitidas por transfusion sanguinea que acarrea el tamizaje de anticuerpos contra los antigenos nucleares de la hepatitis B (anti-HBc), sumado a la prueba detectora de antigenos de superficie (HbsAg). No obstante, la mayoria de estos estudios se basaron en datos procedentes de zonas con baja endemicidad por hepatitis B o de bancos de sangre de paises desarrollados, donde la mayoria de la sangre proviene de personas que han donado previamente. A fin de examinar los pros y los contras del tamizaje de anticuerpos anti-HBc en el Brasil, los autores describen los antecedentes y la interpretacion de las pruebas de tamizaje para prevenir la hepatitis postransfusion. Tambien presentan los datos sobre el tamizaje de la hepatitis B en todas las regiones del Brasil. No hay pruebas suficientes para suspender el tamizaje de los anticuerpos anti-HBc en el pais. Debe darse alta prioridad a comparar el costo-efectividad de un marcador basado en la biologia molecular con el de la actual prueba detectora de anticuerpos anti-HBc aplicada comunmente, a fin de mejorar las medidas de tamizaje que garantizan la inocuidad de la sangre.
2012 update: guidelines for adult urinary incontinence collaborative consensus document for the canadian urological association.

Adult urinary incontinence (UI) is a highly prevalentcondition, and one which can have a major impacton patients’ quality of life. It is also a major focus ofa urologist’s workload. As a result, the Canadian UrologicalAssociation (CUA), with the aid of its Guidelines Committee,commissioned the development of a practice guideline documentin 2005 first authored by Dr. Jacques Corcos. As perthe CUA Guidelines Committee’s mandate, all guidelinesare subject to revision after 5 years.