Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Egg Energetics, Fertilization Kinetics, and Population Structure in Echinoids With Facultatively Feeding Larvae

Larvae of marine invertebrates either arise from small eggs and feed during their development or arise from large eggs that proceed to metamorphosis sustained only from maternal provisioning. Only a few species are known to posses facultatively feeding larvae. Of about 250 echinoid species with known mode of development, only two, Brisaster latifrons and Clypeaster rosaceus, are known to develop through facultatively planktotrophic larvae. To obtain more information on this form of development and its consequences, we determined egg size and egg energetic and protein content of these two species. We found that eggs of B. latifrons resemble those of species with nonfeeding larvae in these characteristics more than those of C. rosaceus. We also compared DNA sequences of the cytochrome oxidase (COI) gene from the Caribbean C. rosaceus to those of the sympatric planktotrophic developer C. subdepressus and also to those of the eastern Pacific species C. europacificus to estimate the degree of divergence between species with different developmental modes. Comparison of COI sequences of C. rosaceus from Panama and Florida revealed that there is no geographic differentiation in this species. Cross-fertilization experiments between C. rosaceus and C. subdepressus indicated that bidirectional gametic incompatibility has evolved between the two species.
Loxosceles spider venom induces the release of thrombomodulin and endothelial protein C receptor: implications for the pathogenesis of intravascular coagulation as observed in loxoscelism

Summary. Background: The venom of the spider Loxosceles can cause both local and systemic effects including disseminated intravascular coagulation. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the venom of Loxosceles intermedia (L. intermedia) and the purified Sphingomyelinase D (SMaseD) toxin upon the Protein C (PC) natural anticoagulant pathway. Results: Both the venom and e purified SMaseD reduced the cell surface expression of thrombomodulin (TM) and Endothelial PC Receptor on endothelial cells in culture. The reduction of cell surface expression was caused by cleavage from the cell surface mediated by activation of an endogenous metalloproteinase. Reduction of TM and Endothelial PC Receptor on the surface of these cells resulted in an impaired ability of the cells to assist in the thrombin‐induced activation of PC. Conclusion: This novel observation gives further insight into the mechanisms of the pathology induced by venom from Loxosceles spiders and may aid the development of a suitable therapy.
Reversal of fetal benzodiazepine intoxication using flumazenil

A 22 year old primipara at 36 weeks gestation was admitted to the emergency unit after the intake of 50 to 60 five mg tablets of diazepam. There were no indications of tricyclic antidepressants or other drugs. On arrival at 7:30 a.m., 3.5 h following drug intake, she was somnolent but responded adequately when addressed. Blood pressure was 100/70 mmHg. The ECG was normal (QRS duration 0.84 s) apart from sinus tachycardia (103 beatslmin). Following gastric lavage which yielded some tablet rests, activated charcoal was administered. Approximately 7 h after tablet ingestion the serum levels of diazepam, oxazepam, and N-desmethyldiazepam were 1.9, 0.8 and 0-9 pmoV1 respectively. On admission to the delivery ward at 11:OO a.m., the cardiotocogram (CTG, abdominal recording) showed a basal frequency of 130 to 135 beats/min with decreased variability and absence of accelerations. This pattern remained unchanged for 2 h. During the next 2 h, the CTG exhibited an aggravation which included a tendency towards tachycardia (160 beatdmin) and occasional decelerations (Fig. 1). Doppler flow velocity waveforms in the descending aorta and the umbilical and carotid arteries of the fetus were normal. To differentiate between fetal asphyxia and an influence of benzodiazepines, the woman was given intravenously 0.3 mg of flumazenil (Lanexatm, Roche, Switzerland). Five minutes later she was awake, and on the CTG accelerations, and subsequently, an increased variability appeared (Fig. 2). The CTG was recorded three times, 1 to 2.5 h each time during the remaining part of the day and into the night: a normal ‘reactive’ pattern was exhibited. The woman showed no obvious signs of resedation in the afternoon or evening and the last CTG recording indicating a normal fetal status ended at approximately 3:40 a.m. At 6:20 a.m., the CTG again exhibited a decreased variability without accelerations, a pattern that persisted for 4 h (Fig. 3). Moreover, in the morning the woman was drowsy. Once more, 0.3 mg flumazenil was given intravenously, whereby she awakened, and the CTG was rapidly normalised (Fig. 4). All subsequent recordings were normal, and she was eventually discharged from the clinic after 7 days of observation. No adverse effects or withdrawal symptoms were noted following the flumazenil injections.
AIP 1 mediates TNF-α – induced ASK 1 activation by facilitating dissociation of ASK 1 from its inhibitor 14-3-3

Apoptosis signal–regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), a member of the MAPK kinase kinase (MAP3K) family, is an upstream activator of JNK and p38 MAPK signaling cascades (1). ASK1 can be activated in response to diverse stress and apoptotic stimuli, including proinflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and reactive oxygen species (2, 3). Activation of ASK1 triggers various biological responses such as apoptosis, inflammation, differentiation, and survival in different cell types (4–7). Recent studies from ASK1-deficient mice indicate that ASK1 is critical for TNF-α– and reactive oxygen species–induced apoptosis signaling (8). ASK1 is a 170-kDa protein that functionally is composed of an inhibitory N-terminal domain, an internal kinase domain, and a C-terminal regulatory domain. The C-terminal domain of ASK1 binds to the TRAF domain; this association is required for ASK1 activation by TRAF2 and TRAF6 (3, 9). Several cellular factors including thioredoxin (Trx), glutaredoxin, and 14-3-3 have been reported to inhibit ASK1 activity. The cellular redox sensors Trx and glutaredoxin in reduced form bind to ASK1 and block cytokineand reactive oxygen species–induced ASK1 activation (6, 7, 10–12). 14-3-3, a phosphoserine-binding molecule, binds to ASK1 specifically via Ser-967 of ASK1 and has been reported to inhibit ASK1-induced apoptosis (6, 13). The mechanism by which stress stimuli activate ASK1 is not clear. It has been shown that TNF-α activates ASK1 in part by dissociating ASK1 from its inhibitors Trx and 14-3-3. Trx binds to ASK1 in a reduced form via either one of the two critical Cys residues Cys-32 and Cys-35 of Trx. We have recently shown that association of Trx with ASK1 induces ASK1 ubiquitination and degradation, leading to inhibition of ASK1 activity (7). TNF-α dissociates Trx from ASK1 by generating intracellular reactive oxygen species to oxidize Trx (7, 10). The role of 14-3-3 in regulation of TNF-α–induced ASK1 activation in endothelial cells (ECs) has also been demonstrated. We have previously shown that TNF-α activates ASK1 by dissociating it from the ASK1–14-3-3 complex (6). In contrast, laminar flow in ECs inhibits TNF-α– induced ASK1 and JNK activation by preventing the release of ASK1 from 14-3-3 (6). However, the mechanism by which TNF-α dissociates 14-3-3 from ASK1 is not understood. In the present study, we show that a novel ASK1-interacting protein (AIP1) associates with ASK1 in response
Lineamientos para elaborar una propuesta de servicios de aseguramiento: consideraciones y guía

Auditing is one of the lines in the professional practice of public accountants, and this is in most cases represented in Colombia by the figure of the tax auditor. However, there are other work fields such as the external auditor, which offers several services, whether financial statements auditing or other related services. Taking into account that the choice between the tax auditor or external auditor is mostly made through a selection based on the presentation of an auditing proposal, the present paper sets forth different considerations and a guide with the elements that must be contained in such proposal, providing the entity with enough elements to make the best decision in terms of quality, and hire the most suitable and competent professional from those applying to the selection process.
Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis in Patients Treated with Warfarin

Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis in Patients Treated with Warfarin Italo Linfante a, Arra S. Reddy c, Vincenzo Andreone e, Louis R. Caplanb, Magdy Selimb, Joshua A. Hirschd aDepartment of Radiology, Neuroendovascular Surgery and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Miami, Miami, Fla. , and Departments of bNeurology, and c Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and d Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. , USA; e Department of Neurology, Ospedale Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy
Overseas nurses in the National Health Service: a process of deskilling.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This paper shows that overseas nurses (OSN) recruited to UK hospital trusts become deskilled in technical aspects of clinical practice. BACKGROUND Existing research reports that many newly recruited OSN are prevented from using technical skills acquired in training abroad, to the detriment of the National Health Service (NHS) and the concern of the nurses themselves. DESIGN The author conducted case study work in three NHS hospital trusts in the northwest of England. The findings reported are part of a wider investigation into the assimilation(1) of OSN from the Philippines, India and Spain into NHS hospitals. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with members of four groups of actors: managers, OSN, home nurses (HN) and mentors, which were analysed thematically. Results. The research confirms the finding that many OSN are prevented from using technical skills in the UK, but also suggests reasons why this is so. The finding of deskilling emerged strongly in all three cases and is singled out for discussion in this paper. CONCLUSIONS The experience of OSN highlights ambiguity surrounding the role of the nurse in British hospitals. This arises partly because OSN tend to be recruited to the bottom grades of nursing in the NHS, where their technical skills are underused. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Segmentation within the nursing hierarchy contributes to the conflicting messages and mismatch of expectations experienced by nurses at the ward level, regarding the role of the nurse.
Contributos da Ciência Aplicada à Decisão para a Metodologia de Investigação em Sistemas de Informação: uma Reflexão

Apresenta-se neste texto uma reflexao que procura mostrar que ha algo a ganhar, para as comunidades de Sistemas de Informacao (Information Systems/Information Technology – IS/IT) e de Ciencia Aplicada a Decisao (Management Science/Operations research – MS/OR), em formalizar o metodo de trabalho de Design Research de forma generica, isto e, sem a referencia especifica a area de IS/IT, e em integrar nele os conceitos de construcao e avaliacao de modelos provenientes da comunidade de MS/OR. Apresenta-se uma breve revisao das abordagens de investigacao mais comuns em IS/IT, incluindo o Design Research e integram-se, neste ultimo metodo, os conceitos de avaliacao de modelos da disciplina de MS/OR.
Pathogenicity of Eimeria acervulina in light and heavy coccidial infections.

Two-week-old cockerels (124 birds) scored 0, +1, +2, +3, and -4 for lesions produced by Eimeria acervulina respectively gained 55, 51, 44, 35, and 38 grams. In a typical controlled experiment, four-week-old cockerels which scored 0, +1.2, +2.8, and +3.8 respectively gained 252, 251, 236, and 167 g in the first week postinoculation. Respective gains four weeks postinoculation were 780, 813, 776, and 681 g. Thus, +1 and (possibly) +2 lesions, commonly recognized as E. acervulina coccidiosis in field cases, should probably be diagnosed as coccidiasis. Heavy infection, sometimes overlooked because of coalescence of lesions, produces marked reduction in growth rates. Suppression of growth rates may appear in infected birds 3-4 weeks postinfection, but they are most apparent one week after inoculation.
RNase Activity Prevents the Growth of a Fungal Pathogen in Tobacco Leaves and Increases upon Induction of Systemic Acquired Resistance with Elicitin

The hypersensitive response and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) can be induced in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants by cryptogein, an elicitin secreted by Phytophthora cryptogea. Stem application of cryptogein leads to the establishment of acquired resistance to subsequent leaf infection with Phytophthora parasitica var nicotianae, the agent of the tobacco black shank disease. We have studied early events that occur after the infection and show here that a tobacco gene encoding the extracellular S-like RNase NE is expressed in response to inoculation with the pathogenic fungus. Upon induction of SAR with cryptogein, the accumulation of NE transcripts coincided with a rapid induction of RNase activity and with the increase in the activity of at least two different extracellular RNases. Moreover, exogenous application of RNase activity in the extracellular space of leaves led to a reduction of the fungus development by up to 90%, independently of any cryptogein treatment and in the absence of apparent necrosis. These results indicate that the up-regulation of apoplastic RNase activity after inoculation could contribute to the control of fungal invasion in plants induced to SAR with cryptogein.
Prévision du trafic à court terme par réseau de neurones

Cet article presente les resultats de travaux visant a introduire une approche neuronale dans une methode de prevision du trafic a court terme. cette approche repose sur l'hypothese d'une forte dependance entre l'heure et le trafic autoroutier. Partant de cette hypothese, on decoupe l'echantillon historique de facon a attribuer a chaque reseau une tranche horaire particuliere. Les parametres du reseau sont ensuite estimes par le biais d'un apprentissage supervise. Grâce au modele neuronal la prevision n'est qu'une propagation d'un signal d'entree au travers d'un reseau de neurones. Cette methode est evaluee a l'aide de mesures autoroutieres relevees durant les mois de juillet et aout de plusieurs annees. Sur ces donnees, on atteint une erreur globale satisfaisante, ce qui ouvre comme perspective de recherche la generalisation du modele.
In vivo pig‐a and micronucleus study of the prototypical aneugen vinblastine sulfate

The Pig‐a assay is being used in regulatory studies to evaluate the potential of agents to induce somatic cell gene mutations and an OECD test guideline is under development. A working group involved with establishing the guideline recently noted that representative aneugenic agents had not been evaluated, and to help fill this data gap Pig‐a mutant phenotype and micronucleated reticulocyte frequencies were measured in an integrated study design to assess the mutagenic and cytogenetic damage responses to vinblastine sulfate exposure. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated for twenty‐eight consecutive days with vinblastine dose levels from 0.0156 to 0.125 mg/kg/day. Micronucleated reticulocyte frequencies in peripheral blood were determined at Days 4 and 29, and mutant cell frequencies were determined at Days −4, 15, 29, and 46. Vinblastine affected reticulocyte frequencies, with reductions noted during the treatment phase and increases observed following cessation of treatment. Micronucleated reticulocyte frequencies were significantly elevated at Day 4 in the high dose group. Although a statistically significant increase in mutant reticulocyte frequencies were found for one dose group at a single time point (Day 46), it was not deemed biologically relevant because there was no analogous finding in mutant RBCs, it occurred at the lowest dose tested, and only 1 rat exceeded an upper bound tolerance interval established with historical negative control rats. Therefore, whereas micronucleus induction reflects vinblastine's well‐established aneugenic effect on hematopoietic cells, the lack of a Pig‐a response indicates that this tubulin‐binding agent does not cause appreciable mutagenicity in this same cell type. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:30–37, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Effect of Different Cochlear Implant Microphones on Acoustic Hearing Individuals' Binaural Benefits for Speech Perception in Noise

Objectives: Cochlear implant microphones differ in placement, frequency response, and other characteristics such as whether they are directional. Although normal-hearing (NH) individuals are often used as controls in studies examining cochlear implant users' binaural benefits, the considerable differences across cochlear implant microphones make such comparisons potentially misleading. The goal of this study was to examine binaural benefits for speech perception in noise for NH individuals using stimuli processed by head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) based on the different cochlear implant microphones. Design: HRTFs were created for different cochlear implant microphones and used to test participants on the Hearing in Noise Test. Experiment 1 tested cochlear implant users and NH individuals with HRTF-processed stimuli and with sound field (SF) testing to determine whether the HRTFs adequately simulated SF testing. Experiment 2 determined the measurement error and performance-intensity function for the Hearing in Noise Test with NH individuals listening to stimuli processed with the various HRTFs. Experiment 3 compared NH listeners' performance across HRTFs to determine how the HRTFs affected performance. Experiment 4 evaluated binaural benefits for NH listeners using the various HRTFs, including ones that were modified to investigate the contributions of interaural time and level cues. Results: The results indicated that the HRTFs adequately simulated SF testing for the Hearing in Noise Test. They also demonstrated that the test-retest reliability and performance-intensity function were consistent across HRTFs, and that the measurement error for the test was 1.3 dB, with a change in signal-to-noise ratio of 1 dB reflecting a 10% change in intelligibility. There were significant differences in performance when using the various HRTFs, with particularly good thresholds for the HRTF based on the directional microphone when the speech and masker were spatially separated, emphasizing the importance of measuring binaural benefits separately for each HRTF. Evaluation of binaural benefits indicated that binaural squelch and spatial release from masking were found for all HRTFs, and binaural summation was found for all but one HRTF, although binaural summation was less robust than the other types of binaural benefits. In addition, the results indicated that neither interaural time nor level cues dominated binaural benefits for the NH participants. Conclusions: This study provides a means to measure the degree to which cochlear implant microphones affect acoustic hearing with respect to speech perception in noise. It also provides measures that can be used to evaluate the independent contributions of interaural time and level cues. These measures provide tools that can aid researchers in understanding and improving binaural benefits in acoustic hearing individuals listening via cochlear implant microphones.
Data Acquisition Technique for EEG based Emotion Classification

Emotions exert an incredibly powerful force on human behavior. Strong emotions can cause one to take actions which one might not normally perform or avoid situations that one generally enjoy It is the emotion only through which one can express his/her feelings to other. Emotions can be felt in body as tingles, as hot spots and muscular tension. It is a phenomenon which is difficult to grasp. Emotions though a psychological phenomenon, can be easily quantified along valence and arousal axis. EEG signals are very helpful in detecting human emotions . The EEG signals can be acquired using various EEG acquiring devices with electrodes placed using different standards. This paper illustrates the technique used for acquiring EEG signals from 3 participants with electrodes placed as per 10- 20 system. It also presents a review on the data acquisition techniques used for acquiring EEG signals for emotion recognition.
Sexuality, Personality, and Eating Disorders

To assess sexuality, personality, and eating pathology in women with eating disorders (EDs), we asked a random sample of 234 clinicians to describe an ED patient (age 16–65). Restricting AN patients tended to be childlike and prim/proper, while BN patients tended to be flirtatious and promiscuous. A constricted/overcontrolled personality predicted a childlike sexuality independent of AN diagnosis, and an undercontrolled, emotionally dysregulated personality predicted impulsive sexuality above and beyond BN diagnosis. Constraint and impulsivity are not isolated to the domain of eating in women with EDs. Personality provides a link between eating and sexuality in at least a subset of women with EDs.
Cognitive outcome after unilateral pallidal stimulation in Parkinson’s disease

OBJECTIVES Chronic high frequency electrostimulation of the globus pallidus internus mimics pallidotomy and improves clinical symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive consequences of unilateral deep brain stimulation. METHODS Twenty non-demented patients with Parkinson’s disease (age range 38–70 years) were neuropsychologically assessed 2 months before and 3 months after unilateral pallidal stimulation. The cognitive assessment included measures of memory, spatial behaviour, and executive and psychomotor function. In addition to group analysis of cognitive change, a cognitive impairment index (CII) was calculated for each individual patient representing the percentage of cognitive measures that fell more than 1 SD below the mean of a corresponding normative sample. RESULTS Neurological assessment with the Hoehn and Yahr scale and the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale disclosed a significant postoperative reduction in average clinical Parkinson’s disease symptomatology (p<0.001). Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (using right/left side of stimulation as a between subjects factor) showed no significant postoperative change in cognitive performance for the total patient group (main effect of operation). The side of stimulation did not show a significant differential effect on cognitive performance (main effect of lateralisation). There was no significant operation by lateralisation interaction effect. Although the patients experienced significant motor symptom relief after pallidal stimulation, they remained mildly depressed after surgery. Analysis of the individual CII changes showed a postoperative cognitive decline in 30% of the patients. These patients were significantly older and took higher preoperative doses of levodopa than patients showing no change or a postoperative cognitive improvement. CONCLUSIONS Left or right pallidal stimulation for the relief of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease seems relatively safe, although older patients and patients needing high preoperative doses of levodopa seem to be more vulnerable for cognitive decline after deep brain stimulation.