Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High trophic overlap within the seabird community of Argentinean Patagonia: a multiscale approach

Summary 1. Food web interactions in animal communities can be investigated through the measurement of stable isotopes (e.g. δ 15 N, δ 13 C). We used this approach in a community of 14 species of seabirds breeding on the Argentinean Patagonian coast. Tissue samples were collected from nestling and adult seabirds, as well as prey, during three consecutive breeding seasons in 28 breeding colonies. 2. Relative to those in other temperate and polar regions, this seabird community showed a high degree of overlap in trophic level (TL) among species (93% of species within a TL range of 0·7) and also a comparatively high mean trophic level (4·1). 3. Relative positions of seabirds in relation to prey suggest that most species feed on pelagic fish and to a lesser extent on invertebrates. Stable isotope values of specialist feeders, Olrolg’s ( Larus atlanticus ) and dolphin gulls ( Leucophaeus scoresbii ), which were previously assumed to feed mainly on crabs and sea lion excrement, respectively, suggested a broader diet than expected. 4. Based on stable isotope values of individuals, groups of phylogenetically related species generally showed a high degree of overlap within each group. 5. Given the degree of isotope overlap in this species-rich community, coexistence could be interpreted as a consequence of superabundance of food or species diversification in morphology and foraging strategies. The short range of trophic level makes these seabirds vulnerable to the reduction of fish stocks due either to commercial fishing or stochastic fluctuations.
Purification and characterization of a 26‐kDa competitive inhibitor of interleukin 1

The urine of patients with fever above 39 °C contains an inhibitor of interleukin 1. Herein we describe the purification of the interleukin 1 inhibitor by ion‐exchange chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography, gel filtration and negative immunosorption. The purified protein has a molecular weight of 26000; its size is reduced to 24000 upon treatment with endoglycosidase F. The IL 1 inhibitor is a competitive inhibitor and acts by binding to the IL 1 receptor. The inhibitor recognizes the murine and human IL 1 receptor with similar affinity. The purified IL 1 inhibitor has a specific activity of 3 × 107 to 4.5 × 107 units/mg as tested on the human astrocytoma (U‐373) cell proliferation bioassay and murine EL4.6. 1 cell IL 1 receptor‐binding assay.
Perioperative Acute Kidney Injury: An Under-recognized Problem.

The incidence of perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is more common than previously recognized, especially in high-risk patients undergoing higher risk procedures. The growing number of patients who develop perioperative AKI is related, in part, to the aging population and increase in the number of individuals with chronic comorbidities, particularly those with premorbid chronic kidney disease. Despite the acceptance of standardization in the definition of AKI, clinicians routinely underdiagnose it and fail to appreciate that it is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, few, if any, preemptive therapies have proven effective in preventing AKI. Timely diagnostic methods using evolving biomarkers raises the prospect of detection of kidney damage before the onset of irreversible loss of function, but remain under investigation. Clear evidence supporting any therapeutic intervention except renal replacement therapy remains elusive. Renal replacement therapy is indicated for select patients with progressive AKI; however, the ideal timing, method, and application of it remain under debate. It is fundamental to identify patients at risk for AKI. The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines suggest preventive strategies that include avoidance of nephrotoxic agents and hyperglycemia, optimization of hemodynamics, restoration of the circulating volume, and institution of functional hemodynamic monitoring. Clear evidence in support of this approach, however, is lacking. Recently, the perioperative administration of dexmedetomidine and the provision of remote ischemic preconditioning have been studied to potentially limit the development of perioperative AKI. This review discusses accepted standard definitions of AKI, highlights associated risk factors for its development, and provides an overview of its epidemiology and pathology. It emphasizes potential preventive strategies, the possible role of emerging biomarkers in defining its presence more expeditiously before irreversible injury, and current recommended guidelines and therapeutic approaches. The ultimate goal of this article is to bring to the attention of clinicians the seriousness of this potentially preventable or modifiable perioperative complication.
Role of Autophagy in Cancer: Management of Metabolic Stress

Human breast, ovarian, and prostate tumors display allelic loss of the essential autophagy gene beclin1 with high frequency, and an increase in the incidence of tumor formation is observed in beclin1+/- mutant mice. These findings suggest a role for beclin1 and autophagy in tumor suppression; however, the mechanism by which this occurs has been unclear. Autophagy is a bulk degradation process whereby organelles and cytoplasm are engulfed and targeted to lysosomes for proteolysis. There is evidence that autophagy sustains cell survival during nutrient deprivation through catabolism, but also that autophagy is a means of achieving cell death when executed to completion. If or how either of these diametrically opposing functions proposed for autophagy may be related to tumor suppression is unknown. We found that metabolic stress is a potent trigger of apoptotic cell death, defects in which enable long-term survival that is dependent on autophagy both in vitro and in tumors in vivo. These findings raise the conundrum whereby inactivation of a survival pathway (autophagy) promotes tumorigenesis. Interestingly, when cells with defects in apoptosis are denied autophagy, this creates the inability to tolerate metabolic stress, reduces cellular fitness, and activates a necrotic pathway to cell death. This necrosis in tumors is associated with inflammation and enhancement of tumor growth, due to the survival of a small population of surviving, but injured, cells in a microenvironment that favors oncogenesis. Thus, by sustaining metabolism through autophagy during periods of metabolic stress, cells can limit energy depletion, cellular damage, and cell death by necrosis, which may explain how autophagy can prevent cancer, and how loss of a survival function can be tumorigenic. Addendum to: Autophagy Promotes Tumor Cell Survival and Restricts Necrosis, Inflammation and Tumorigenesis K. Degenhardt, R. Mathew, B. Beaudoin, K. Bray, D. Anderson, G. Chen, C. Mukherjee, Y. Shi, C. Gelinas, Y. Fan, D.A. Nelson, S. Jin and E. White Cancer Cell 2006; 10:51-64
Generalization and discrimination as a function of the S-D-S delta intensity difference.

UNLABELLED Three groups of four rats were trained on an auditory-intensity discrimination for 21 days. The S(D)-S(Delta) intensity difference for Group I was 10 db; for Group II, 20 db; and for Group III, 30 db. Following the initial discrimination training, the animals were tested for generalization of the bar-press response to seven novel S(Delta)'s which were presented intermingled with the original S(D) and S(Delta) values. CONCLUSIONS (1.) The amount of simple discrimination training required to obtain fairly stable differences in S(D) and S(Delta) responding is an inverse function of the magnitude of the stimulus difference between S(D) and S(Delta). (2.) Generalization gradients obtained immediately following simple discrimination training exhibit a maximum displaced from S(D) in a direction also away from S(Delta). (3.) Gradients obtained following continued exposure to the multivalued S(Delta) situation show a fairly stable maximum at the S(D) value. (4.) Although the gradients tend to fall off systematically on either side of the continuum as distance from S(D) is increased, they decrease most rapidly on the S(Delta) limb of the gradient.
Pavlov's Orienting Response in Frontotemporal Dementia.

Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with initial disturbances in socioemotional behavior in the absence of a sensitive diagnostic test. This study evaluated Pavlov's "orienting response" (OR) or "what is it? " reflex as a measure of their ability to refocus attention on socioemotional stimuli and as a potentially distinguishing measure for bvFTD. Ten patients with bvFTD were compared with 18 normal controls (NC) on ORs (defined as initial heart rate [HR] deceleration) to different pictures based on social and emotional (valence) differences from the International Affective Picture Stimuli. HR was measured while participants viewed pleasant-nonsocial (e.g., food), unpleasant-nonsocial (e.g., garbage), pleasant-social (e.g., babies), and unpleasant-social (e.g., violence) pictures. Participants watched each picture for 6 seconds, and the study examined HR changes during the first 2-second OR interval. The results showed significant differences in valence (pleasant-unpleasant) and valence-group interactions, but no effects of nonsocial-social. Whereas the NCs showed the expected HR deceleration (OR) to unpleasant stimuli, the bvFTD patients showed increased HRs without an initial refocusing. Decreased HR slowing to stimuli among the bvFTD patients correlated with increased scores on an emotional blunting scale. These findings suggest that decreased socioemotional behavior in bvFTD may be associated with decreased appreciation of emotional aspects of stimuli as evidenced by decreased ORs to emotional stimuli, regardless of social content. These findings also suggest further investigation of the OR in bvFTD as an early diagnostic measure for this disorder.
Morphologic Changes in Hepatic Necrosis Following Halothane Anesthesia in Man

Clinical histories of 18 patients who developed hepatic necrosis after halothane anesthesia were examined. A definite trend as to the patients' age, sex, ethnic origin, operation, coincidental therapy with potentially hepatotoxic drugs, or common operative or anesthetic complication which might predispose to hepatic necrosis was not apparent. The usual symptoms and signs were nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, jaundice and lethargy. Common laboratory findings included elevated serum trans, aminases, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. Pathological specimens from 13 patients were studied. The degree of hepatic necrosis varied from mild centrolobular acidophilic degeneration and fatty change to massive central, midzonal or complete lobular coagulation necrosis with coarse cytoplasmic vacuolization, fatty change and ghost cell formation. Only a minimal degree of inflammatory change was present. It was concluded that viral infection was probably not the underlying etiology and halothane may have acted as a hepatotoxin. The possibility of hyperallergic reaction in this rare and unpredictable complication of halothane anesthesia cannot be excluded.
High frequency analysis of monolayer spiral inductors

In this paper the micrometric spiral inductors will be numerically modelled and simulated in order to highlight the effects and phenomena which occur at high frequencies, namely in the frequency domain 1 – 20 GHz. At first the electric and magnetic field values inside the structure of the spiral inductor are represented and analyzed. Also, the specific parameters of these spiral inductors, namely the inductance L, the scattering parameters S and the quality factor Q are determined with the help of the ANSYS-HFSS program and their values are analyzed in order to identify and highlight the effects which arise considering the variation of some geometrical parameters of these spiral inductors.
Vertrouwen in de relatie tussen zorgverleners en patiënten met een chronische ziekte : een exploratieve kwalitatieve studie

DOEL: Exploreren van het concept vertrouwen zoals het zich manifesteert in de relatie tussen patienten met chronische aandoeningen en hun zorgverleners. METHODE: Veertien semigestructureerde interviews met patienten die bevraagd werden over hun relatie met hun zorgverleners. Een grounded-theory-benadering werd gebruikt. Datacollectie en data-analyse gebeurden iteratief. Er vond onderzoekerstriangulatie plaats. RESULTAAT: Het uit de data gereconstrueerde concept ’vertrouwen’ is de uitkomst van de interactie tussen de patient en de zorgverlener. Vertrouwen kan verschillende dimensies aannemen: 1. vertrouwen in de professional, 2. vertrouwen in de relatie, 3. vertrouwen in de onvoorwaardelijkheid van de relatie en 4. wantrouwen. Vertrouwen is de uitkomst van een proces waarbij er facilitatoren en barrieres zijn voor het opbouwen of afbreken van vertrouwen in de zorgrelatie. DISCUSSIE: Een breed palet van factoren die het ontstaan en evolueren van vertrouwen bij patienten met een chronische aandoening beinvloeden werd verkregen. Vervolgonderzoek met een grotere steekproef in diverse settings is wenselijk om de ervaringen van patienten en de bestaande concepten verder uit te diepen. CONCLUSIE: Het belang van vertrouwen in de zorgrelatie bij patienten met een chronische aandoening wordt in deze studie beklemtoond. Interpersoonlijke competenties blijken belangrijk. De resultaten kunnen zorgverleners helpen te reflecteren over hun gedrag ten aanzien van patienten met een chronische aandoening.
An Arbitrary Digital Power Noise Generator Using 65 nm CMOS Technology

An arbitrary noise generator (ANG) is based on time-series charging of divided parasitic capacitance (TSDPC) and emulates power supply noise generation in a CMOS digital circuit. A prototype ANG incorporates an array of 32 x 32 6-bit TSDPC cells along with a 128-word vector memory and occupies 2 x 2 mm 2 in a 65 nm 1.2 V CMOS technology. Digital noise emulation of functional logic cores such as register arrays is demonstrated with chip-level waveform monitoring at power supply, ground, as well as substrate nodes.
Characterization of Tissue Microstructure Scatterer Distribution with Spectral Correlation

Characterization of tissue microstructure from the backscattered ultrasound signal using the spectral autocorrelation (SAC) function provides information about the scatterer distribution in biological tissue. This paper demonstrates SAC capabilities in characterizing periodicities in A-scans due to regularity in the scatterer distribution. The A-scan is modelled as a cyclostationary signal, where the statistical parameters of the signal vary in time with single or multiple periodicities. This periodicity manifests itself as spectral peaks both in the power spectral density (PSD) and in the SAC. Periodicity in the PSD will produce a well defined dominant peak in the cepstrum, which has been used to determine the scatterer spacing. The relationship between the scatterer spacing and the spacing of the spectral peaks is established using a stochastic model of the echo-formation process from biological tissue. The distribution of the scatterers within the microstructure is modelled using a Gamma function, which offers a flexible method of simulating parametric regularity in the scatterer spacing. Simulations of the tissue microstructure for lower orders of regularity indicate that the SAC components reveal information about the scatterer spacing that are not seen in the PSD and the cepstrum. The echo-formation process is tested by simulating microstructure of varying regularity and analyzing their effect on the SAC, PSD and cepstrum. Experimental validation of the simulation results are provided using in vivo scans of the breast and liver tissue that show the presence of significant spectral correlation components in the SAC.
Studies on the pathogenesis of dengue infection in monkeys. I. Clinical laboratory responses to primary infection.

Virologic, serologic, and clinical responses to infection were studied in 122 Macaca mulatta monkeys and 17 monkeys of three other species that were inoculated with dengue 1-4 viruses passaged in tissue culture. Susceptible rhesus monkeys, inoculated with either high (1037-10".pfu) or low (8-50 pfu) doses of virus always developed antibody. Frequently with dengue 2 infection, but less frequently with dengue 1 infection, lymphadenomegaly, depression of leukocyte count, and lymphocytosis were noted. In approximately 90% of infected animals viremia began two to six days after inoculation; 90% of dengue 2 and 4 viremias lasted six days or less; the average duration of dengue 1 viremia was somewhat longer, and of dengue 3 viremia shorter than this. HAI titers to the homologous antigen in convalescent sera were usually twofold higher than titers to heterologous dengue viruses; antibody response to dengue 4 infection was relatively specific. No abnormalities were observed in serial hematocrit, prothrombin time, and determinations of total protein. Levels of complement in serum rose several days after the start of serial bleedings in both infected and control animals. The courses of infection due to dengue viruses are similar in humans and monkeys.
Rheological behaviour of aqueous suspensions of laponite: new insights into the ageing phenomena

In this paper, the ageing behaviour of suspensions of laponite with varying salt concentration is investigated using rheological tools. It is observed that ageing is accompanied by an increase in the complex viscosity. The creep experiments performed at various ages show damped oscillations in the strain. The characteristic time scale of the damped oscillations, the retardation time, shows a prominent decrease with increasing age of the system. However, this dependence weakens with an increase in the salt concentration, which is known to change the microstructure of the system from glass like to gel like. We postulate that a decrease in the retardation time can be represented as a decrease in the viscosity (friction) of the dissipative environment surrounding the arrested entities that oppose elastic deformation of the system. We believe that ageing in colloidal glass leads to a greater ordering that enhances relative spacing between the constituents, thereby reducing the frictional resistance. However, since a gel state is inherently different in structure (fractal network) to that of a glass state (disordered), ageing in the gel does not induce ordering. Consequently, we observe an inverse dependence of retardation time on age, which becomes weaker with an increase in the salt concentration. We analyse these results from the perspective of ageing dynamics of both glass and gel states of laponite suspensions.
HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants Show Robust Memory B-Cell Responses in Spite of a Delayed Accumulation of Memory B Cells: an Observational Study in the First 2 Years of Life

ABSTRACT Improved HIV care has led to an increase in the number of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants born to HIV-infected women. Although they are uninfected, these infants experience increased morbidity and mortality. One explanation may be that their developing immune system is altered by HIV exposure, predisposing them to increased postnatal infections. We explored the impact of HIV exposure on the B-cell compartment by determining the B-cell subset distribution, the frequency of common vaccine antigen-specific memory B cells (MBCs), and the levels of antibodies to the respective antigens in HEU and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants born to uninfected mothers, using flow cytometry, a B-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, during the first 2 years of life. For the majority of the B-cell subsets, there were no differences between HEU and HUU infants. However, HIV exposure was associated with a lower proportion of B cells in general and MBCs in particular, largely due to a lower proportion of unswitched memory B cells. This reduction was maintained even after correcting for age. These phenotypic differences in the MBC compartment did not affect the ability of HEU infants to generate recall responses to previously encountered antigens or reduce the antigen-specific antibody levels at 18 months of life. Although HIV exposure was associated with a transient reduction in the proportion of MBCs, we found that the ability of HEU infants to mount robust MBC and serological responses was unaffected.
Geo-economic Quandaries and Educational Exclusion in the Context of pastoralists The Case of Dasanech Children in Southern Omo, Ethiopia

The intent of this study was to examine the status of educational exclusion of pastoral Dasanech children in the primary schools of South Omo Zone, and identifying the major geo-economic impediments in their educational inclusion. To serve this purpose, descriptive survey research method was employed. The data were gathered from the sample of students, teachers, and educated personnel from Dasanech ethnic group, Parent-Teacher Association members, tribal chiefs and ethnically Dasanech school dropouts. Applying diversified sampling techniques drew these respondents. Apart from document analysis, information was solicited from the sample respondents through questionnaire, Interview and Focus Group Discussion. Mixed method procedures of Sequential Explanatory Strategy were used to analyze and interpret both the quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicated that the status of educational exclusion of pastoral nomad Dasanechs’ children in the primary school of the south Omo zone is low as compared to other ethnic groups. Whereas, the dropout rate of children from primary is high above the regional average. Based on the findings, geo-economic predicaments, like poverty, conflict, parents’ illiteracy, nomadism, high demand of child labor and problem of health have been found to be the major geo-economic constraints. Formulation of specific policy and strategy for pastoral children education, school location mapping, flexible academic calendar, construction of semi-sedentary education centers and boarding schools, and introducing mobile tent schools, promoting participatory conflict management approaches were recommended. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n13p305
The skin: an indispensable barrier

Abstract: The skin forms an effective barrier between the organism and the environment preventing invasion of pathogens and fending off chemical and physical assaults, as well as the unregulated loss of water and solutes. In this review we provide an overview of several components of the physical barrier, explaining how barrier function is regulated and altered in dermatoses. The physical barrier is mainly localized in the stratum corneum (SC) and consists of protein‐enriched cells (corneocytes with cornified envelope and cytoskeletal elements, as well as corneodesmosomes) and lipid‐enriched intercellular domains. The nucleated epidermis also contributes to the barrier through tight, gap and adherens junctions, as well as through desmosomes and cytoskeletal elements. During epidermal differentiation lipids are synthesized in the keratinocytes and extruded into the extracellular domains, where they form extracellular lipid‐enriched layers. The cornified cell envelope, a tough protein/lipid polymer structure, resides below the cytoplasmic membrane on the exterior of the corneocytes. Ceramides A and B are covalently bound to cornified envelope proteins and form the backbone for the subsequent addition of free ceramides, free fatty acids and cholesterol in the SC. Filaggrin is cross‐linked to the cornified envelope and aggregates keratin filaments into macrofibrils. Formation and maintenance of barrier function is influenced by cytokines, 3′,5′‐cyclic adenosine monophosphate and calcium. Changes in epidermal differentiation and lipid composition lead to a disturbed skin barrier, which allows the entry of environmental allergens, immunological reaction and inflammation in atopic dermatitis. A disturbed skin barrier is important for the pathogenesis of contact dermatitis, ichthyosis, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.